The Wedding Pact (Marriage by Fairytale Book 3) Read online

  Now, as he slid the blanket under her leg, he was careful not to irritate her injuries. “I hope this will protect your leg. The carriage is going to be bumpy, and we need to go a full hour to get to the vicar’s residence since I’ll go slow on the road.”

  Noting his apprehension, she lifted her leg so he could wrap the blanket around it. “I’ll be fine.”

  “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after we return here. It’s going to be a long ride.”

  She put her hand on the back of the seat and pulled herself up a little more so that she was sitting at a more comfortable position. Something crawled over her fingers. She brought her hand to her lap and saw a spider. She hurried to fling it off her hand. To her horror, it landed on Julian’s sleeve. He didn’t notice. He was too busy wiping the dust off the rest of the seat.

  She hesitated to say anything, but in the end, she decided she’d want to know if one was crawling on her. “Julian, there’s a spider on your arm.”

  He jerked and peered down at the sleeve she was pointing to. He stepped outside the carriage and brushed it off with far more finesse than she had managed. Then he poked his head back into the carriage. “I’m going to get a rag to wipe things down. I’ll be right back.”

  She did her best not to think of what other bugs might be in the carriage with her, but she thought she felt something else crawling on her and had to inspect her other arm. Nothing was there. She relaxed. Almost. There could be anything hiding in one of the small spaces in this carriage. She thought she felt something on her good leg and checked the pair of trousers she’d worn yesterday. It didn’t look like anything was there…even though she still felt that something was crawling on her.

  Thankfully, Julian came back out before she could give too much thought to how creepy an old carriage truly was. He wiped all of the cobwebs and dust down.

  “Will you check for more spiders and other things?” she asked.

  He did as she asked, and he killed one bug that had been hiding by the door. “That’s all there is. You’re good now, though I still can’t say anything for the bumps in the road.”

  Catching his apologetic smile, she said, “I don’t mind bumps. Riding a horse isn’t all that smooth.”

  “Yes, well, you don’t ride a horse when you’re injured. It’s a shame the vicar couldn’t come out here. He has a funeral to tend to later today.”

  “That’s unfortunate.”

  “It is. But a marriage helps to dispel some of the gloom. Marriage is the beginning of two lives becoming one.”

  She inwardly shuddered as she unwittingly thought of Lord Wolfe. The last thing she wanted was to have her life merge with his.

  “Births and marriages are the best things a vicar witnesses.” He finished wiping the last of the dust then added, “Life and death all seem to blend together sometimes. Until I got into my line of work, I wasn’t aware of how brief our time on this earth really is. That’s why it’s best to make the most of the days you’re given.”

  “My parents died when I was just a child.” She bit her tongue. Had she exposed more than she should have?

  “I’m sorry to hear they didn’t have a full life,” he replied. “It must have been hard for you to lose them at such a young age.”

  When he watched her as if he waited for her to tell him more about them, she decided to conclude the conversation with, “From what little I remember of them, they were good parents. And, they seemed happy. I think they made the most of the time they had.” She patted down the blanket around her leg to make sure it was secure. “I’m ready to go to the vicar’s.”

  He nodded and returned to the cottage.

  She took the moment to peer out of the small window. She didn’t see any signs of Lord Wolfe. God willing, he wouldn’t see them on their way to the vicar’s. She’d come so far. It would be terrible if she’d made all this progress only to fail now.

  When Julian returned, he handed her his cloak. “I know it’s warm, but I don’t want anyone to realize you’re not wearing a gown.” As an afterthought, he added, “Or a hat. I’ll have to get some clothes for you. You can’t keep wearing mine.”

  She smiled at the concern in his voice.

  He handed her the cane. “In addition to using this to walk, you can tap it on the roof if you start falling off the seat or if you need a break or…” He waited for a moment then shrugged. “Well, for anything.”

  “Thank you.”

  He stepped out of the carriage, and since he hadn’t bowed low enough, the top of his head bumped into the doorway. She winced on his behalf. It must have hurt. But instead of crying out or cursing, he only said, “Pardon me,” as if he had hurt it, rather than it hurting him.

  She managed to resist laughing until he shut the door. He was so unlike anyone she’d ever known. She liked him. He was sweet and gentle. She didn’t care if he was a bit clumsy. He was much more preferable to Lord Wolfe. She settled into the seat and got ready for the bumpy ride ahead of her.

  ***

  “Are you sure you don’t want to remove the cloak?” Vicar Williams asked.

  Ophelia shook her head as she leaned on the cane. “I’m a little chilly.”

  Vicar Williams didn’t seem convinced, which didn’t surprise Julian. Had he been in the gentleman’s shoes, he wouldn’t be convinced, either. It was hot. Even though the vicar’s residence was twice as large as Julian’s, the air was stuffy. The problem was the lack of breeze coming in through the windows. Had there been some air moving, it would cool things off considerably.

  The vicar glanced at Julian. “Can I have a word with you for moment?”

  Julian nodded and left Ophelia’s side so that he could go to the small den.

  The vicar shut the door and turned to him. “Is she ill?”

  “No, she’s not ill,” Julian replied, “but she does have an unsightly wound.” While that was true, he wasn’t about to add that she was wearing his old clothes. That would only bring up more questions Julian didn’t think Ophelia wanted him to answer. Not that he knew much of her story anyway. “She doesn’t want to remove the cloak because it would embarrass her.”

  Vicar Williams took a moment to consider Julian’s words. “All right. I’ll take your word for it, but I think you should know she’s hiding something.”

  Julian’s eyebrows furrowed.

  “She has a look about her, as if she’s keeping a secret, and I think she’s even keeping that secret from you,” Vicar Williams added.

  Julian was already aware of that. There was something she wasn’t telling him. It was why he’d hesitated to agree to marry her. But there was something else that disturbed him more. She was scared of something. She’d been running from something…or someone. She hadn’t meant to end up at his cottage. That had been an accident. He was certain of that because she had resisted his help when he’d first offered it. But she had sworn she wasn’t married and that she was at the age where she could consent to marriage on her own. Those were the two things that mattered most. Though Julian knew all of this, he didn’t want to disclose it to the gentleman standing in front of him. He had a feeling that the less he told him, the better.

  Vicar Williams sighed. “I know she’s beautiful, but you shouldn’t let that be your reason for marrying her. I’ve been married for twenty years. Believe me when I tell you that there’s more to marriage than the bed. There’s a lady’s character and conduct to consider. What happens outside of the bedroom is more important.”

  Julian’s face warmed. Did the vicar really think his motive for marrying Ophelia was so base? “I’m aware of that. I’m not marrying her because of how she looks. I’m marrying her because of her character and conduct.”

  He studied Julian for a moment before he relented. “All right. I have no choice but to accept what you two are telling me. My conscience is clean. You’ll have to stand before God for your choice.”

  A flash of anger swept over him. “There’s nothing wrong with what I’m doing
today.”

  “For your sake, I hope that’s true.”

  Vicar Williams opened the door and went down the hallway.

  It took Julian a few minutes before he was able to relax enough so he could follow him. If he knew of any other vicar who could marry him and Ophelia today, he would leave this place at once and go there. He didn’t dare put off the wedding until he could find someone else. He had to give a sermon tomorrow to his congregation, and he had to go there as a married gentleman. If word got out that he was living with a lady while being unmarried to her, it would be the ruin of him. It was bad enough Ophelia had stayed with him as long as she had without a chaperone. He was just going to have to go through with this wedding, and Vicar Williams was going to preside over it.

  By the time Julian was back in the sitting room, Vicar Williams and his wife were waiting for him. No one was speaking. Though his wife was smiling, there was no denying she was just as worried as her husband was.

  Doing his best to ignore the tension in the room, Julian went to Ophelia’s side. He released his breath and said, “I’m ready.”

  Vicar Williams didn’t look at him as he opened the book.

  Julian caught the question in Ophelia’s eyes, but he opted not to address it. He might not ever tell her what happened in the den. It wasn’t exactly something he wanted to think about. He didn’t know Vicar Williams that well, but he honestly thought the older gentleman had more faith in him than he apparently did. Julian might be young, but he wouldn’t get married simply because he was eager to share a bed with a lady. It was insulting the vicar should think so little of him.

  As Vicar Williams recited the words that would bind Julian to Ophelia, he forced himself to ponder the words rather than the person who was giving them. The words, after all, were the things that mattered. He was vowing to unite his life with Ophelia’s, and this was a decision that would last until death parted one of them. He’d been confident he was making the right decision when he got the special license. He couldn’t let the vicar’s words sway that confidence now.

  Once the ceremony was done, Julian paid him for his services, and everyone started signing the parchment that testified to the union.

  When it came time for Ophelia to sign it, Julian recalled that she couldn’t read. That very well could mean she couldn’t sign her name, either. He turned to her and whispered, “Can you write your name?”

  “I’ve never written anything,” she replied.

  That was just as he feared. Though reluctant, he told the vicar, “I’m afraid Ophelia can’t sign her name. That shouldn’t be a problem, though. You and your wife were both witnesses to the wedding. You know she wants to be with me.”

  Julian thought he saw the corner of the vicar’s mouth twitch before he said, “Yes, we did witness that. I’ll sign her name for her and make a note on the parchment.”

  Suddenly realizing he didn’t know her full name, Julian glanced at her.

  As he hoped, she volunteered. “I’m Ophelia Crowe.”

  “Miss Ophelia Crowe,” Vicar Williams mumbled under his breath as he signed her name. The vicar turned back to him and handed him the parchment. “The marriage is done.”

  Ignoring the apprehension in the vicar’s eyes, Julian helped Ophelia to the carriage. He did his best not to give away his displeasure at the way the vicar had handled the situation. Julian wasn’t a child. He knew what he was doing. He glanced over his shoulder at Vicar Williams’ residence and was assured he wasn’t watching them. Up to now, his interactions with other members of the clergy had been positive. He wasn’t sure what to make of today’s experience, except that he would stay as far from the vicar as possible.

  “I’d never witnessed a wedding before,” Ophelia said, bringing his attention back to her. “It was rather lovely, don’t you agree?”

  If she’d had to deal with the vicar in the den, she wouldn’t think it’d been lovely. The whole experience would have left a bad taste in her mouth. But, since he didn’t wish to upset her, he gave her a smile and tucked the blanket securely around her leg.

  Offering her the only honest thing he could say about it, he replied, “Marrying you was nice.”

  Her face lit up at his words, and he surmised he’d said the right thing. He finished getting her ready for the journey back home in silence. When he was done, he ducked out of the carriage, this time making sure he didn’t hit his head on the way out. He promised her that he would avoid as many holes in the road as possible. Then he shut the door and got up into the seat behind the horses. Giving one last look at the vicar’s residence, he exhaled and snapped the reins.

  Chapter Seven

  “Are people supposed to feel different after they get married?” Ophelia asked that evening as they ate roast rabbit and apples.

  “I’m not sure,” Julian said. “I married some couples, and only those who were in love seemed like it made any difference.”

  “How so?”

  He thought over the question for a moment then replied, “I think they seemed happier.”

  She took a sip of the ginger tea then said, “Are people supposed to be in love when they marry?”

  He almost chuckled since love hadn’t factored into their reason for getting married. “There are several purposes for marriage. Most of the titled gentlemen marry in order to have an heir.”

  “An heir?”

  Surprised, he asked, “You don’t know what an heir is?”

  She shook her head.

  Just how much did she not know? And should he envy her lack of education or feel sorry for her because of it? She’d been brought up in a wealthy household. It seemed to him that someone was either determined to keep her innocent or ignorant to the ways of the world. Innocence and ignorance made people easier to manage.

  Forcing the observation aside, he said, “An heir is a gentleman’s son. Some gentlemen marry for the sake of having a son to carry on their name or title.” He paused. “Do you know what I mean by ‘title’?”

  This time, he wasn’t surprised when she shook her head.

  “Well, a title is a way of addressing a gentleman. Not all gentlemen have titles. I don’t. But for gentlemen who do have titles, you use their titles when you talk to them as a sign of respect. My oldest brother is a duke. If you were to talk to him, you would address him as ‘Your Grace’. If a gentleman is a count, a marquess, or a viscount, you would address him as ‘my lord’.”

  “Do you address your brother as ‘Your Grace’?”

  “No. Since he’s my brother, I address him by his name, just as we address each other.” As an afterthought, he added, “You can address someone by their name if they are a friend or family member. Addressing someone by their title is only necessary if you don’t know them all that well.”

  She nodded, and he picked up a slice of bread and spread butter on it.

  A few seconds passed by before she asked, “What are other reasons people marry?”

  Oh. He’d already forgotten that he’d been discussing reasons for marriage when he’d gotten sidetracked by the subject of titles. “Well, some couples marry for money. Most of the time, the bride’s family is financially well off and the gentlemen’s side isn’t. So the union brings him money. Sometimes a gentleman will marry after the loss of his wife so that the children can have a mother. Some couples marry because they were caught in a scandal. Most of those are rushed.”

  “Rushed like ours was?”

  “In a way. We didn’t get caught doing anything wrong.” In case she got the wrong idea, he hurried to add, “We didn’t do anything wrong. The only thing is that it would be a scandal if people found out you were living here without being married to me.”

  “So we married to avoid a scandal,” she replied.

  “And you made it clear you didn’t want me to take you anywhere else.”

  “I had nowhere else to go.”

  He was sure she did. She just didn’t have anywhere else she wanted to go. Instead of pointing th
is out, he chose to say, “Marriage is what a couple makes of it. No matter what brings two people together, it’s their dedication to the marriage that makes the difference.”

  He’d come across enough happy and miserable people who’d been married for years to know that. He hoped he wasn’t going to regret marrying Ophelia. He’d married her because she seemed so scared. Yes, she struck him as a kind-hearted person, but it was her fear that had convinced him to take her as his wife. Perhaps Vicar Williams had a right to be concerned.

  It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her if she’d tell him what she’d been running from now that he had married her, but in the end, he decided against it. For one, he wasn’t sure she’d tell him, even now. And two, he didn’t want to find out he’d just made a huge mistake. He’d rather think that he was going to be one of those gentlemen who ended up with a good marriage.

  He turned his attention back to the food in front of him and continued to eat in silence.

  ***

  In the morning, Ophelia woke up, and thankfully, her leg seemed to be better. It was no longer stinging in pain. She couldn’t say the same for her ankle, though. The only thing that made it feel better was to have it propped up.

  Getting dressed was more complicated since she had the splint that kept her ankle still. It would be easier to wear a gown than trousers, but being a gentleman who lived by himself, Julian didn’t have any gowns. And she didn’t know how to make them. So she carefully worked on slipping the old pair of his trousers on. When she was finished buttoning them, she was breaking into a sweat. She’d had difficulty getting them on yesterday, of course, but it was only beginning to occur to her how much nicer gowns were. Perhaps she might be able to talk to Julian about this.