The Rakehell Regency Romance Series Boxed Set 1

by Sorcha MacMurrough

  With their right hands joined, Thomas recited, "I, Thomas, take thee Charlotte, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth." He released her hand, and she then took his up and squeezed it gently.

  She took a deep breath, gazed into his emerald eyes, and recited her own vows, trying to concentrate in order to be as flawless as he had been. "I, Charlotte, take thee, Thomas, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth."

  Clifford now stepped forward to hand Thomas the glinting gold wedding band. Thomas placed it upon the Bible, and Jonathan said a blessing over it, before handing it back to the groom.

  Thomas took it firmly in his right hand, and held her left in his own. He said clearly, "With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow."

  He passed it briefly over each finger, starting with the thumb, as he intoned, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

  At that word, he had reached her fourth finger, and pushed the ring all the way down into place.

  Then they both knelt in front of Jonathan as he said, "Let us pray. Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life: Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

  "Amen," they all echoed.

  He took their right hands and placed them together. "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder."

  Charlotte and Thomas gazed into each other's eyes, hardly able to believe the enormity of it all. She could feel her eyes filling with tears, and even Thomas's cheeks looked moist. But no, she had to be imagining things. He had no reason to be unhappy, did he? He was the one who had insisted upon the marriage.

  And why was she crying? She could have said no. But the truth was, she was actually feeling joyful, unlikely though that seemed given all that had happened.

  But she did not have much time to analyze her feelings, for the sensual smells of the incense and the roses in her bouquet were almost overwhelming, and Jonathan was pressing on with the ceremony.

  "For as much as Thomas and Charlotte have consented to be joined together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." "Amen," Thomas said in a firm tone, causing Charlotte to once again look at him in surprise. How could he have been so certain and unwavering in his desire to marry her? There was her money, true, but as a peer, he actually had a great deal more to lose than she in terms of scandal and reputation if the marriage turned out to be a bad one.

  "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen."

  "Lord, have mercy upon us."

  "Christ, have mercy upon us," they all echoed.

  "Lord, have mercy upon us." He then led them all in the Lord's Prayer, and the responses, and moved on to the blessings. Charlotte noted Thomas knew the order of service even better than herself. Once again, she was struck by the difference between Herbert and the Duke, and even the Duke and her own family.

  "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, bless these thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word they shall profitably learn, they may in deed fulfil the same. Look, O Lord, mercifully upon them from heaven, and bless them. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah, to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy servants; that they obeying thy Will, and always being in safety under thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

  "Amen," Thomas said fervently, earning himself a warm look from Charlotte.

  "God, who by thy mighty power hast made all things of nothing; who also (after other things set in order) didst appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude) woman should take her beginning; and, knitting them together, didst teach that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony hadst made one: O God, who hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery, that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church: Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that both this man may love his wife, according to thy Word, (as Christ did love his spouse the Church, who gave himself for it, loving and cherishing it even as his own flesh,) and also that this woman may be loving and amiable, faithful and obedient to her husband; and in all quietness, sobriety, and peace, be a follower of holy and godly matrons. O Lord, bless them both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  "Amen," she said with enthusiasm, and smiled up at the man who she would shortly be calling husband for the rest of her life. She certainly liked the sounds of cherishing the flesh, though it frightened her not a little too. As for faithful and obedient, well, she did want to improve her character, after all. Her mother had been a good woman, one far more worthy of emulation than her scheming sister. Charlotte felt a pang as she recalled her aunt had not even deigned to attend the ceremony, when by rights as her closest blood relation, she should have done everything in her power to stand in the stead of Charlotte's beloved Mama.

  "Almighty God, who at the beginning did create our first parents, Adam and Eve, and did sanctify and join them together in marriage; Pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify and bless you, that ye may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love unto your lives' end. Amen." Charlotte and Thomas both gazed into each other's eyes and said, "Amen."

  "All ye that are married, or that intend to take the holy estate of Matrimony upon you, hear what the Holy Scripture doth say as touching the duty of husbands towards their wives, and wives towards their husbands.

  "Saint Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, the fifth Chapter, doth give this commandment to all married men; Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the Word; that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. "He that loveth his wife loveth himself: for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife; and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself."

  "I shall do my best, I promise you, my dear Charlotte," Thomas said under his breath.

  "As shall I, to love you as I do myself," she whispered back.

  Then she repeated the passage from Corinthians, and felt a warm glow of contentment fill her. But Thomas had one fin
al surprise for her, when he recited his passage from the Song of Solomon, Chapter 8, verses 6 and 7.

  "Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned."

  She stared up into his emerald eyes, trying to discern any special reason as to why he had chosen that passage.

  Jonathan, who had performed the ceremony with the greatest solemnity, now grinned from ear to ear and said, "Oh, go on, she's all yours now, Thomas. You can kiss her."

  The Duke did not need to be told twice. His mouth swooped down to claim hers in a soul stirring kiss that left them both breathless and eagerly longing for more. Their amused audience began to laugh or clap, and then Jonathan said, "Phew, I'm glad that's over with! How did I do?"

  This earned him the laugh he had hoped for from Thomas, and the duke clapped his friend on the back.

  "You were wonderful. Thank you. And now, before this entire affair becomes a shambles, we shall proceed out with the grand music prepared for us, and see you in the ballroom for the wedding breakfast."

  "But what about the reception line?" Jonathan asked in surprise.

  Thomas gave a brief shake of his dark head. "It's a bit too blustery to do it out here. I will not have my wife taking a chill."

  He took Charlotte's hand, kissed it and put it into the crook of his arm. Then she was being led out the door past the guests, feeling as regal as a queen, and practically floating on air in her magnificent gown.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  As Thomas and Charlotte progressed from the chapel to the ballroom, he informed her, "I'm going to break with tradition and start the dancing immediately. I can't be bothered to eat and sit still for the speeches. The cake is my favorite part of the wedding anyway."

  "Mine too," she admitted with a conspiratorial giggle. "But what will our guests say?"

  He shrugged one shoulder. "With any luck, as little as possible. They can eat all they like, and I can dance with my lovely bride until we both collapse."

  He did exactly that, leading her through every dance with a boyish charm which made her heart turn over every time he laughed and teased. She managed to get through most of the figures of the quadrille without mishap, and was delighted to find that his legendary dancing skills had not been exaggerated. But even more impressive than his skill was the fact that for a man of such superior talent, he was a very patient partner. By the time they had to dance the Pastorelle figure, however, she was fairly breathless, and the musicians had played themselves to near-exhaustion.

  Thomas told them to rest, and for everyone to continue plowing through the many sumptuous courses being served by his efficient household staff. Beef, chicken, veal, lamb, pork, fish, were all served in the most perfectly flavored sauces with succulent accompaniments. Charlotte was sure she had never seen or tasted any meal so fine, the little she got to taste of them between figures.

  One of the pairs of French doors leading to the garden had been thrown open to keep the room from overheating. Thomas now danced her through them, scooped her up in his arms, and ran for the box hedge maze.

  "Thomas, please, put me down!" Charlotte gasped in dismay. "Our guests-"

  "Are having a wonderful time, and we're now safely married. We can do as we like. I want to come out here for a moment to kiss you."

  He saluted her with enthusiasm, and then smacked his lips. "Really, you have the sweetest kisses."

  "Yours are pretty tempting too," she said, returning his smile shyly.

  "I just wanted to thank you for everything today," he said in a more serious tone. "I could see what it cost you to go through with it."

  "It was a moment of panic, no more," she said with an airy wave, not even bothering to deny what he was alluding to.

  "I can understand that. You hardly know me, and I don't know you very well yet either. We're both entrusting our lives and happiness to the other. It's a big step, my dear, but I want you to know, it's not one I took lightly. I do want you to be happy.

  "I'm also conscious, more than ever before, of the enormity of what I've done. I am now a married man. You will be mine day, and night eventually, to care for and watch over. It is an awesome responsibility."

  She blinked and shook her head. "I am no tiny child. Please do not consider the burden to be a great one."

  "As Bacon said in his essay on Of Marriage and Single Life, 'He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune.' It is a disconcerting thought, but I do want you to know that whatever the er, irregular circumstances which led to today, I do intend to take the responsibility seriously." He frowned slightly as he reminded himself that Paxton was still out there somewhere, determined to do them both harm, like the serpent in the garden of Eden.

  He shivered, causing Charlotte to hug him closer in an effort to get him warm. "Thank you. I shall try to repay the favor, and take responsibility for your happiness too. So why don't we head back inside, out of this February chill." "In a moment. I just want to hold you like this for a short while without everyone gaping." He fitted her body so closely to his, she was barely left in any doubt of her desires. Truth be told, they were hers as well. She tried to come up with something sensible to say in the face of the passion she felt rising within her at the intimate contact. "I would like to read that essay some time, if I may," she said in a reedy voice.

  "We shall start your program of study tomorrow then."

  Her face fell and she pulled the upper half of her body away from him.

  He gave her an indulgent smile, and released her before he took advantage fully of the fact that her change in position had put even more pressure on his already hammering loins. "Yes, it doesn't sound very entertaining for a new bride, now does it?" he said in a mild tone.

  "But everything in balance. I promise you that you shall not be bored. If you care to accompany me tomorrow, we can pay visits so I can introduce everyone to my most wonderful bride. I just want to make it clear that if there's anything you're uncomfortable with, that you say so. And I would not have you expose yourself unnecessarily to any contagions, so do not be careless with yourself."

  She blinked. "Contagions?"

  "I make it a habit to visit the poor. Consumption, for example, can sometimes be contagious, sometimes not. There are theories about the benefits of hot water and good lye soap-"

  She looked as though she had been doused with cold water.

  Thomas reproached himself for taking the coward's way out and dashing her evident desire so thoroughly. "But never mind that now. It's not romantic talk suitable for our wedding."

  He pulled her into his arms once more, though this time he was careful to keep his hips away from hers, and kissed her until she forgot everything, even her own name.

  "Charlotte. Charlotte!" he called to her softly some time later.

  She blinked up at her new husband, wondering where on earth her mind had gone. She was clinging to him like a vine, and he was looking as though he were about to devour her. There was a curious light in his eyes almost terrifying in its intensity.

  He stroked down the supple curves of her figure from breast to hips so far as he could given her voluminous gown, setting her on fire anew.

  "Thomas, I--"

  He shook his head and planted a kiss upon the pulse point behind her left ear. "I'm sorry," he murmured, licking and nibbling the tender flesh there, inhaling her sultry fragrance, all fresh and clean, yet womanly too. "We must go back, darling, or they will think the worst of us."

  She straightened. "In that case, you'd better fix your cravat, and I think you've lost your pin."

  He flashed her a dazzling smile. "'Tis no matter. We're safely wed now, after all." He re-tied the cravat with deft fingers, and then took her hand.

  "Oh, I almost forgot. My gift to you."

>   She brought the small Bible out of her reticule and handed it to him. He looked at it in delight, and kissed her on the brow. "It's perfect, my dear. I shall treasure it always. Thank you. As soon as I'm back in the library I'll enter our wedding date into it on the fly leaf, and keep all the records of our family in it from now on."

  He kissed her again, with a spine-tingling passion which left both of them gasping for air, and then led her back to their reception, though truth to tell, despite the chill of the garden she would just as soon have lingered, just for a chance to spend more time alone with the compelling Duke.

  "Ah," he said with smiling enthusiasm, when they re-entered the ballroom. "Cake!"

  They cut it with the customary good wishes, blessing and silent prayer of their own. She took the knife, and he grasped her hand warmly with his own large one.

  His front was pressed intimately against her back, and she could feel his warmth radiating through her. His hot breath tickled the curls at the nape of her neck, and a little devil made her lean back against him and wriggle. Her rump now caressed the straining bulge of his trousers he had been trying to control since he had seen her at the top of the church aisle that morning.