My Darling Rogue by April Moran

Author:April Moran
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: April Moran Books

CHAPTER 23

Not long after the constable dragged Robert Harvey away from the manor house, the minister of the village chapel appeared on Beaumont’s doorstep. The bedraggled man was more than a bit perturbed that he’d been roused from bed in order to perform a wedding.

“An ungodly hour,” the man proclaimed, although, in reality, the clock had just recently struck the hour of ten.

After perusing the special license, huffing beneath his breath over the highly irregular circumstances, and finally accepting a rather large donation to his parish, the minister finally conceded. He would perform the ceremony but only within the confines of a holy place.

As a group, they all traipsed across the green lawns and gravel paths to the small chapel on Beaumont’s grounds.

“Must we do this tonight?” Celia asked as Gabriel entwined his fingers with hers during the walk to the building.

He slanted her a quelling look. “I’ll not take the chance of another former suitor bursting through the doors, intent on carrying you off to Gretna Green before I make you a marchioness.”

“I don’t know if that was Lord Harvey’s intent or not,” Celia replied tiredly. “Oh, did someone inform his valet that the plan was foiled? The poor man has been standing in the nearby woods for hours now, waiting for his master to return with a hostage.”

“It’s been taken care of,” Ivy piped up from behind them. “I’ve also had essential items moved from your room into Gabriel’s suite for the night.”

Celia stiffened and Gabriel’s hand tightened.

I have forgotten what comes after the ceremony. When Gabriel has every right to take anything he desires.

“Courage, sugarplum,” Gabriel said in a low voice meant only for her ears. “This part will be over soon enough. Then the only thing left is the begging for your parents’ forgiveness for my impatience. And hoping your brother does not shoot me on sight.”

“Tristan would not. He likes you.”

Gabriel’s smile was almost sad. “Perhaps. But then again, this is the first time I compromised his sister. He’s bound to be angry with me.”

He said not another word until they were repeating their vows. And when he pressed a hard, possessive kiss upon her lips to seal her fate, Celia wondered how it had all occurred so rapidly. The entire ceremony was a complete blur.

“A toast to the new groom and his bride!” Alan cheered as they stood outside the chapel. Heath leaned in, placing a chaste kiss on Celia’s cheek, and Alan and Sebastian quickly did the same. Ivy and Sara embraced her much more somberly than she expected, sensing how disquieted she was by the evening’s events.

Celia pondered how the night was the same after the wedding as it was when she first entered the chapel. The moon still shone high above them, and the fireflies continued their mystical dance in the darkness. Crickets chirped in a reassuring cadence in the distance. Everything was the same and yet everything was different now.

Her life had changed in a matter of fifteen minutes. Clad

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