The officiate looked up at both of them still holding their hands between his own then turned his eyes up toward the sky. He continued with his blessing that would end the ceremony.
Cleo’s heart thudded in her chest as she thought about his request to protect them from her enemies. It was all that she could do to keep from shouting as she said the required, “Amen.”
Chapter 28
“Under normal circumstances, I would arrange for us tae stay here in Gretna Green for our wedding night, then take ye on a month-long honeymoon tae the Continent, but these are nae normal circumstances. I cannae protect ye all properly here unless ye wish tae share a bed with yer aunt and Mrs. McGrath.”
“Nay, I would rather not if we can keep from it.” Cleo smiled up at him, her head resting on his chest in contented surrender.
“Then we must return straight away. The only question remains is whether ye wish tae return tae yer faither’s house or come tae Irondale with me as my wife, as the Lady of Irondale, and the mistress o’ the manor.”
“The Lady of Irondale,” Cleo murmured not having given her new title a moment’s thought. “Oh, I had not thought…”
“Aye, ye are now a member o’ the nobility.”
“I…” Cleo did not know what to say, she was in such a state of surprise over her change in station. Attempting to gather her thoughts, Cleo lifted her head and looked about her at what remained of her family. “I need to protect my father’s legacy, but I also need to protect them. Is there any way that both can be done at the house in the village? Or would it be safer for everyone if we moved to Irondale right away? I realize that we will move there at some point, but I am concerned about leaving my father’s things for whomever it is that murdered Father and Mr. Standish.”
“I understand yer need tae protect yer father’s legacy. We can stay in the house in the village until arrangements have been made to move everything to Irondale.” Seeing the expression on her face, he reassured her. “We will make certain that there are nae more hidden places hiding secret in the house and we will see what can be done about King Arthur upon the wall.”
“Thank you,” she murmured stepping on tiptoe to kiss her husband.My husband…the thought was turning her nightmares into the sweetest of dreams.My husband…
Exhausted, but blissfully happy, the five of them climbed back into the carriage and headed back to Oxfordshire. Thankfully, Arthur had had the forethought to bring along more than one carriage driver so that one man could rest while the other man drove. He had clearly thought their elopement through, and Cleo was grateful for it. Their fellow passengers, on the other hand, quickly fell asleep leaving the newlyweds to themselves for a time.
Cleo lay snuggled in Arthur’s arms, contentedly watching the landscape roll by as he caressed her hair. Cleo had taken the pins and comb from it, letting it tumble down her back, too tired to care about decorum. “Ye have such lovely dark locks, my bonnie,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head.
Cleo smiled at the pet name. She liked it very much. His voice, the feel of his hand, and the rolling of the carriage rocking them down the road, lulled her into a sense of security that she had not felt since losing her father. She was wed to the man that she loved, a man who had sworn to protect all those that she held in affection. It had been a hard-earned love, a bittersweet joy realized in the throes of loss, but truer for its trials.I could not ask for more.She sighed in contentment and snuggled deeper into Arthur’s arms.
“Are ye happy, lass?” he murmured, as he kissed the nape of her neck behind her ear.
“Yes, deliciously, deliriously happy. I only wish that Father had been here to share in our joy.”
“Aye, as do I. He was greatly missed, but I ken that he was there in spirit watching over ye. Nae even death could keep Henry from ye, lass.”
Tears sprang to Cleo’s eyes at his words. She knew that he was right and was grateful to have wed a man who understood such things. “Thank you,” she whispered softly.
“For what, lass?”
“For asking me to marry you, for not giving up on me when I resisted you, for being there every step of the way to aid me as I attempted to unravel my father’s secrets, for simply being the man that you are…there are too many things to list.”
Arthur chuckled nuzzling her cheek as she tilted her head back against him to look up into his face. “My pleasure, lass. There is nae other place that I would rather be than by yer side.” He bent his head down and claimed her lips with his own. Cleo turned into his arms in an effort to draw closer to him. She reached up and laced her fingers in his hair, grabbing hold of it as if she were afraid that he might disappear.
When they finally pulled away, Cleo’s heart was racing, and her entire body cried out in response to him. “I love you,” she whispered against his lips.
“Och, lass, I love ye more than any man has a right tae love a lass. Every part o’ me wants ye with a desire that burns through me like fire consuming everything in its path. When I look at the world around me all that I can see is ye and the fact that I will get tae spend the rest o’ my life with ye, is more than my heart can ever begin tae express. There are nae words tae describe how I feel about ye, as love does nae begin tae convey the depth of feeling that burns within me.”
Cleo’s heart was so full that she did not know what to say. He was right. There were truly no words that could express how she felt for him. It was amazing to her how she had gone from fighting it, from holding everything that unfolded between them at bay, to now sitting in his arms, she was unable to imagine living her life without him. It was as if her entire world had been changed, and perhaps it had. Such thoughts could be frightening in its intensity, but at least she knew that together they would face whatever was to come.
Forever and always, together. Until death do us part.A cold chill passed over her spine at the latter thought.Please, God, do not let it be his death. I could not bear it. Please, God, protect my husband and those that I love. Whatever it takes, please keep them safe, even if it means that you must take my life in exchange.
* * *
The Wallace girl and her family had left Oxfordshire. He had followed at a safe distance so as not to be discovered, but he had not been prepared for how far they had traveled, or at the speed in which they had done so. Other than stopping to care for their horses, they continued on their journey at a determined pace. By the time that they had stopped, and everyone had exited the carriage at the same time, they were in Gretna Green.
They are eloping! My employer will not be pleased that she has found a protector. He will not be pleased in the slightest to have such a hindrance added to his quest.
He moved over to the side window of the building that Miss Wallace and her entourage had disappeared into and watched the entire ceremony. If he had been one for sentiment, he would have found the ceremony to be quite moving. The officiate was a crotchety old man whom his former Bow Street Runner roughed senses found to be quite amusing. He actually had to stop himself from snorting in laughter a few times during the ceremony.
Once the couple were wed, they left the building, reentered the carriage, and drove away.They are not going to stay in Gretna Green? Surely, they are not returning to Oxfordshire so quickly?As the carriage pulled away, he raced for his horse so that he would not lose them.What are they up to? If they had her family’s permission to wed, why did they come to Gretna Green to elope? What of the other fellow who was seeking her hand? Something is not right here, that much is clear, but I do not know what it is.
