The World's Most Notorious Greek (Mills & Boon Modern) by Jackie Ashenden

Author:Jackie Ashenden [Ashenden, Jackie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Modern
Published: 2021-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

The day of the wedding arrived all too soon.

Willow found her little bedroom in the cottage full of make-up artists and stylists, people poking and prodding her until she finally emerged in the beautiful tulle and silk wedding gown, her face immaculate, her hair braided in a crown around her head and threaded through with flowers, a shimmering veil in gilt lace thrown over the top.

She barely had a moment to look at the stranger in the mirror before she was whisked downstairs and into the black limo that would take her from the cottage to the little church in Thornhaven village.

The church was historic, Norman age, and packed with people. The press waited outside, cameras at the ready as Willow got out of the limo. They called her name as she went up the old church’s steps, shouting questions at her as she went, but by that stage Achilles’ PA, Jane, was there, helping her with her gown and flowers, whispering in her ear to just ignore them.

She tried, but it was all very strange. The whole situation was strange. Dressed in white and ready to marry a man she didn’t love in front of a big crowd of people she didn’t know, and all because she needed the money and her father taken care of.

A business arrangement, Achilles had assured her. Yet it didn’t feel like a business arrangement any more. Not when there was a gown and an engagement ring, and a church. Not when there was a honeymoon.

All the trappings of love without the emotion.

A bit like your life, isn’t it?

Willow clutched her bouquet, waiting for the music to start for her walk down the aisle. Conscious that the place at her side was empty. Because the place at her side, where her father should have been, was always empty.

He hadn’t wanted to walk down the aisle with her because he wasn’t physically steady enough, and he’d said it wasn’t real anyway so it didn’t matter that he wasn’t there. He’d gone to Europe, to get the treatment paid for by the Duke.

He’s never been a real father to you anyway. All the trappings without the emotion.

A lump rose in her throat. She’d loved her father, but he hadn’t loved her. He’d never said it to her, hadn’t ever demonstrated it to her. She’d been the baby he hadn’t wanted, the child that had ruined his career. A lasting reminder of what his beloved wife had wanted and didn’t survive long enough to have.

He’d done his duty by her, given her a roof over her head and food on the table, ensured she had a decent education, and as soon as the Duke’s money had arrived he’d left.

Perhaps he was right, though. Perhaps it didn’t matter. Perhaps it was fine that this was all for show and that none of it was for her.

Nothing ever had been, after all.

Well, not quite nothing.

There was one thing that was for her and he waited for her by the altar, exquisitely dressed in a morning suit of dove grey.

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