minister the moment theyâd come to London. The banns had already been called.
Marissa had been startled and hurt that they had kept it a secret from her, but then she realized that Mary had not wanted her to know, had not wanted Marissa to feel that added pressure.
Jimmy and Mary both hugged her fiercely, thanked her againâand then assured her that they both thought the very world of Ian Tremayne.
Marissa said tartly that that was quite nice, since Mary really should have been the one married to the man, but they were so very happy that she couldnât put a damper on their tremendous enthusiasm.
She loved them both, and she was delighted that it was because of her they could be so very happy. But watching them that night gave her the first pang of emotion regarding all that she had given up.
Mary and Jimmy sat together on the sofa, held hands and gazed into one anotherâs eyes. And there was such a look of adoration between them that she felt as if she was an intruder, and then she realized that she was. She retired quickly and left them alone.
In bed she lay awake staring at the ceiling and relived every moment of her own hasty wedding, then thought about the man she had married. He was definitely not Jimmy, she thought with a sigh. He would never sit before a fire, gazing adoringly into her eyes.
And yet she could not forget his touch, his kiss. And the more she remembered their encounters, the warmer her thoughts made her grow, the more she felt a quaking within, a sizzling of apprehension â¦
Of excitement.
In the morning, Mary seemed more beautiful than she ever had before. Her eyes sparkled and shone, her cheeks were flushed, and there was no sign left of the fever that had so seriously plagued her just weeks before.
She had dressed in a day dress of soft ivory satin with an elegant Spanish veil that had been left to her by her mother. Her enthusiasm and happiness were contagious, and Marissa could not resist her good humor. They very decadently decided to order champagne for breakfast, and by the time Jimmy came for them in a hansom cab, they were both giggling and giddy.
âSo you have to be tipsy to marry the likes of me, eh?â Jimmy teased Mary, but she laughed and uninhibitedly reached her long fingers around his neck and dragged his head down to hers and kissed him so long and sweetly that Marissa finally had to clear her throat to remind them of her presence.
Jimmy laughed a little huskily, and he offered an arm to each girl. They arrived at the church and spoke to the reverend, and Jimmy checked that all their papers were in order. The ministerâs plump and beaming wife came out to play the organ and sing, and she did both beautifully.
And then the ceremony began, with Marissa and the ministerâs wife as witnesses. It was small, as small as her own pretense of a wedding had been.
But it was different. So different.
Marissa thought that she had never seen such love in anyoneâs eyes as that which shone in Maryâs and Jimmyâs eyes. She had never seen a couple so devoted.
Their vows were barely whispered, but their hearts were in their whispers. When the minister told Jimmy to kiss his bride, and Jimmy did so, Marissa felt she was about to cry. She didnât understand why; weddings did not usually make her want to cry. She realized that she was witnessing something she had never considered might exist. Something that was far, far out of her own reach.
And then some curious inner sense made her turn around.
She inhaled sharply, feeling a cold shiver sweep over her.
Ian Tremayne was at the back of the church, leaning against one of the huge white pillars. Casually, comfortably. She had the feeling he had witnessed all of the ceremony.
The blood drained from her face. What was he doing there? How had he come upon them?
She had lied to him, introducing Mary and Jimmy as man and wife. And now here he was at the back of the church, watching the
Marissa had been startled and hurt that they had kept it a secret from her, but then she realized that Mary had not wanted her to know, had not wanted Marissa to feel that added pressure.
Jimmy and Mary both hugged her fiercely, thanked her againâand then assured her that they both thought the very world of Ian Tremayne.
Marissa said tartly that that was quite nice, since Mary really should have been the one married to the man, but they were so very happy that she couldnât put a damper on their tremendous enthusiasm.
She loved them both, and she was delighted that it was because of her they could be so very happy. But watching them that night gave her the first pang of emotion regarding all that she had given up.
Mary and Jimmy sat together on the sofa, held hands and gazed into one anotherâs eyes. And there was such a look of adoration between them that she felt as if she was an intruder, and then she realized that she was. She retired quickly and left them alone.
In bed she lay awake staring at the ceiling and relived every moment of her own hasty wedding, then thought about the man she had married. He was definitely not Jimmy, she thought with a sigh. He would never sit before a fire, gazing adoringly into her eyes.
And yet she could not forget his touch, his kiss. And the more she remembered their encounters, the warmer her thoughts made her grow, the more she felt a quaking within, a sizzling of apprehension â¦
Of excitement.
In the morning, Mary seemed more beautiful than she ever had before. Her eyes sparkled and shone, her cheeks were flushed, and there was no sign left of the fever that had so seriously plagued her just weeks before.
She had dressed in a day dress of soft ivory satin with an elegant Spanish veil that had been left to her by her mother. Her enthusiasm and happiness were contagious, and Marissa could not resist her good humor. They very decadently decided to order champagne for breakfast, and by the time Jimmy came for them in a hansom cab, they were both giggling and giddy.
âSo you have to be tipsy to marry the likes of me, eh?â Jimmy teased Mary, but she laughed and uninhibitedly reached her long fingers around his neck and dragged his head down to hers and kissed him so long and sweetly that Marissa finally had to clear her throat to remind them of her presence.
Jimmy laughed a little huskily, and he offered an arm to each girl. They arrived at the church and spoke to the reverend, and Jimmy checked that all their papers were in order. The ministerâs plump and beaming wife came out to play the organ and sing, and she did both beautifully.
And then the ceremony began, with Marissa and the ministerâs wife as witnesses. It was small, as small as her own pretense of a wedding had been.
But it was different. So different.
Marissa thought that she had never seen such love in anyoneâs eyes as that which shone in Maryâs and Jimmyâs eyes. She had never seen a couple so devoted.
Their vows were barely whispered, but their hearts were in their whispers. When the minister told Jimmy to kiss his bride, and Jimmy did so, Marissa felt she was about to cry. She didnât understand why; weddings did not usually make her want to cry. She realized that she was witnessing something she had never considered might exist. Something that was far, far out of her own reach.
And then some curious inner sense made her turn around.
She inhaled sharply, feeling a cold shiver sweep over her.
Ian Tremayne was at the back of the church, leaning against one of the huge white pillars. Casually, comfortably. She had the feeling he had witnessed all of the ceremony.
The blood drained from her face. What was he doing there? How had he come upon them?
She had lied to him, introducing Mary and Jimmy as man and wife. And now here he was at the back of the church, watching the
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