“Look at the lockets, mine and the one in this painting.”
Ruarke drew in a breath. “This is why it drew your attention. I never noticed what he was holding in his hand. I thought it was a watch fob, but it is her locket.”
“Not Bella’s locket, but one to match it. Bella’s had a portrait of him inside. The one he is holding is open to reveal a portraitof a girl. No doubt it is Bella. But look at my locket. It is the same girl. It ishislocket.”
She turned to Ruarke in dismay. “I have been wearing it, thinking it held a portrait of my mother. But this is James’s Bella. He is the boy she loved… Well, before he inherited the dukedom. She knew him simply as a young man and heir. I have been wearing Bella close to my heart all this time. But what of my mother? And how did I come to possess his locket?”
Ruarke placed an arm around her shoulders. “Perhaps we’ll find the answers at the parish church.”
He walked her to the stable and helped her into the curricle standing in wait beside it. They rode in silence, each of them lost in their thoughts. It was not long before the spire of St. Augustine’s Church came into view.
“We’re almost there, Heather.” Ruarke flicked the reins to urge the matched grays forward. Within moments, he would be arranging for the banns to be read, and next they would review the parish records.
Heather cast him a hesitant smile when they arrived, and he held out his arms to help her down.
“I am of a mind to obtain the license and simply be done with it,” he said. “I mean, be done with the agony of waiting. I have no second thoughts about marrying you.”
She shook her head. “I do not understand why you are so sure of me.”
“Do you prefer to wait?”
“No, I would marry you today if I could. It isyourhaste that troubles me.”
“Stop trying to talk me out of marrying you.”
“I’m not. You are my dream come true. Almost too good to be real. Have you considered that our ghost may have cast a spell over you? Think hard before you say anything about posting the banns, Your Grace.”
“Ruarke. Call me Ruarke. And no, thatthinghas not cast any love spell over me.”
“How can you be certain? Oh, I suppose it is because you are not in love with me. Perhaps a little lustful and overly protective?”
He laughed. “Is this how I appear to you?”
“Your eyes smolder when you look at me, and then there is your rakish smile.” She sighed. “Let’s see what the church records turn up.”
The vicar, an older gentleman by the name of Felix Orman, met them at the door of the church. “Do come in, Your Grace. Ah, and you have a lovely companion with you. Welcome, my dear. To what do we owe the honor?”
“A wedding,” Ruarke said, placing Heather’s arm in his. “Miss Alwyn and I are officially betrothed and would like to have the banns read starting this Sunday.”
“What joyous news! Come into my study and we shall make the arrangements.” Orman waved them on, gesturing for them to follow him through the church. It was a typical house of worship for these parts, not too big, but well maintained, and had beautiful stained-glass windows that cast light of many colors onto the pews. “So, you have decided to marry here?”
Ruarke nodded. “Yes.”
“You do us a great honor. Goodness, how did you manage to keep your courtship quiet? News spreads through our village like wildfire. The gossips certainly got it wrong this time, did they not? We thought your house party was held for the purpose of finding yourself a bride. But you must have had Miss Alwyn in mind all along.” Orman motioned them past the pews and beyond the altar toward a door at the rear. “How else would the betrothal contracts be so quickly put in order? Solicitors are a solemn lot and know how to keep secrets. Well, I suppose it was all taken care of in London.”
“Quite in order. Nothing to be done but marry Miss Alwyn.” Ruarke ignored Heather’s light pinch to his arm. She was irritated with him for making their betrothal seem official when no contract had been drawn up for her to sign. She would howl when he took her to the bank and opened an account for her.
He intended to deposit a sinful sum, for he refused to have her at anyone’s mercy ever again. She was too intelligent and had too much spirit to be chained like an ox to toil for undeserving souls such as his aunt.
“It is also possible I will simply acquire the license and marry Miss Alwyn within the week,” he said, smothering a chuckle when she pinched him again. “Will it take long to prepare the license?”
“Assuming we decide not to wait,” Heather added with a light frown up at him. “Which has not been decided upon at all.”
The vicar looked from one to the other in mild confusion. “I’ll ask my wife to serve tea and refreshments, and we shall discuss whatever arrangements you wish to make.”
Ruarke turned to Heather once the vicar had rushed off to find his wife.
“Pinch me again, my little elf,” he said with a grin, “and I will insist he marry us here and now.”
