A Wildflower for a Duke by Laura Linn

Author:Laura Linn [Linn, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-21T16:00:00+00:00

I made a garland for her head,

And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;

She looked at me as she did love,

And made sweet moan

I set her on my pacing steed,

And nothing else saw all day long,

For sidelong would she bend, and sing

A faery’s song.

***

As weddings went, this one was rushed and unremarkable … if you ignored the noteworthy fact that the groom was a handsome, sought-after duke marrying an unknown woman from the country without pomp, circumstance, or even an adequate number of witnesses before the last-minute arrival of the duke’s valet.

Hamish was there, of course, bright and beaming like the summer sun.

All Violet could think about was getting past the vows and into the carriage so that Zachariah could be retrieved. Later, she would think about the fact that she was marrying a man who didn't and possibly couldn't love her … again. And that again, she had fallen into marriage because of some life-threatening circumstance. But not now. Gabriel’s attentive and gentle demeanour through her recovery had begun to chafe at her conscience. With his unswerving chivalry, he had prioritised Zach’s needs over his own, and he was too fair-natured to show even a flicker of resentment.

Violet had always considered brown eyes to be mundane and common, but his brought to mind all the shades of October melted together. Like crisp amber leaves and roasted chestnuts, his eyes were warm and compelling and fixed on her as if she was the only person in the world.

“With my body, I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods, I thee endow.” He squeezed her hands in his, and, in a whirl of words, they became man and wife. A gratingly enthusiastic Keene herded them from the picturesque village chapel to the waiting carriage, their trunks already loaded.

Hamish walked just behind them and paused as a footman opened the door. Violet threw her arms around him and he leaned close to whisper into her ear. “Oh, how I love ye, Vi. It’s going to be all right. Better than all right.” Hamish stepped away and took a hold of Gabriel's hand in what looked to be a crushing grip. “Take good care of her, Northam.” Then his grip gentled and he smiled. “Off with ye now. Bring our boy home.”

Gabriel helped her into the carriage, then chose the seat beside her. She had grown so accustomed to seeing him in his shirt sleeves over the previous week that she had almost forgotten how elegant he looked wrapped in his satin-lined wool topcoat and his sleek waistcoats with their dashing designs. She wanted to trace the silver embroidery with the tip of her finger. His only ornament was a simple, black opal stick pin tucked smartly into his crisply-tied cravat. He was magnificent in his simplicity, every inch the untouchable duke. She suddenly felt awkward next to him, as if she had accidentally stepped into the wrong carriage and he was too kind to just drop her off on the street.

Violet fiddled with

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