Knight's Vengeance
Page 32
Elizabeth nibbled her bottom lip. She wished matters had resolved as well with Sedgewick and Veronique. Accompanied by an armed escort, they were sent to the king's dungeons to await trial and punishment, but had somehow escaped. Neither had been seen or heard from since. Elizabeth resisted the urge to worry, for she doubted the baron or Veronique posed any threat to her and Geoffrey's future happiness.
Sidestepping a muddy puddle, Elizabeth looked up at Geoffrey. She loved him more than she ever thought possible, cherished even the simplest of his gestures, like the way he raked his fingers through his hair and with lithe grace, strode back to the priest.
Over the past months, he had proven his devotion to her with his hard work to secure their future. His first shipment of two thousand sheep had arrived at Branton. He left his bed every morn to supervise the construction of a fuller's shop in preparation for the carding and drying of the first shearing of wool that summer. He had also received his share of the returns from the Venetian silk shipments, a profit more than three times his expectations. The coin had not been in Branton's coffers two days before he had spent it to upgrade Branton "to a level of luxury suitable for my beloved wife and babe," he had told her with a tender kiss. Geoffrey had even paid for the modern convenience of piped water.
He seemed to sense her gaze upon him now, for he glanced up. His gaze locked with hers. Still, after all this time, one heated look from him could make her limbs go weak.
The crowd parted with murmurs of awe. Among those gathered, she saw Dominic, Elena and Roydon, waving to her as she approached the portico. She laughed and waved back.
Geoffrey's gray eyes skimmed over her, and his mouth slid into a roguish grin. Elizabeth smiled too, for she saw in his expression all facets of him—the rogue, the confidant, the gentle lover—and knew without doubt she loved them all.
As the priest stepped forward with the gold rings and spoke the first words of the wedding ceremony, Elizabeth also recognized the promise in Geoffrey's smoldering gaze, to cherish her and their children today, tomorrow, and forever.
THE END