Chapter 13

Having lost all appetite, he pushed back from the table and walked over to her. He wanted to leave the room, but he couldn’t allow her to remain unmonitored. He clamped a hand around her bicep and pulled her up the stairs behind him, trying to give her enough space to walk, but not so much that she could get away.

There was still an element of dragging her, because she clearly didn’t want to return to the room. No doubt, she was imagining what he was going to do to her. He was imagining it himself, and his cock ached with need, but he managed to quell that as he unlocked the door and pushed her inside before locking it again.

The wooden barrier between them was a welcome respite, though he wondered how she was now. Was she leaning against the door, sobbing silently as she cursed herself for ruining what should’ve been a special moment?

He snorted at the idea and shook his head as he walked away from the bedchamber. She couldn’t deny the passion she felt for him, but it was obvious it was tempered by hatred.

It was an unsettling thought, to realize he planned to tether himself to a woman who gave every appearance of wishing him dead, but what choice was there? He had taken her virginity, and she might even now be pregnant with his child. She would be Lady Kressley whether she wanted to or not. That was the end of it.

***

A week later, he had to tug her from the carriage when they drew up at the vicarage, muttering with impatience as he ended up lifting her out and placing her on her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist to ensure she walked with him. It was either that, or she would be dragged. Apparently, she decided she cared a little bit about her dignity, for she started walking along with him.

He looked down at her, startled by how beautiful she was in the pale gold gown. He had selected it himself when she made no effort to pick a special dress for the wedding. He had also sent up his mother’s abigail to do her hair, so it was arranged in a series of elaborate waves and ringlets before being topped by a golden hat with white ostrich feathers. She looked elegant and beautiful, save for her mutinous expression. “Behave yourself,” he said in a low, warning voice.

She didn’t even look at him. That had been most of their interactions over the past week. He had necessarily had to limit the time he spent with her, for each time they were together, it threatened to undo his resolve not to take her again until they were married. She had maintained icy silence for the most part, and he was heartily sick of the silent treatment.

He would be relieved when the marriage was over, the registry was signed, and they were legally wed. He would take her home, strip the dress from her body, and soon have her screaming his name as she climaxed over and over again. It would be impossible for her to maintain her silence under those circumstances.

Lacking any close friends in the area, and not wishing to involve his best friend, Lord Stratford, in the ceremony, since it would require his friend to ride all this way, he had imposed upon the vicar to arrange witnesses. He didn’t know the two women who stood nearby, but it didn’t matter.

When they stood in front of the clergyman, he started reciting the prayers of the ceremony. Colin realized he was nervous, but it couldn’t be attributed just to the fact he was getting married. He had accepted that already, and indeed, he was looking forward to having the matter settled.

His unease came from how silent his fiancée was. He wondered what she was planning, and when the vicar got to the point where he said, “If there are any objections to the union, let them be voiced now, or forever held within,” his stomach tensed.

He was unsurprised when she said, “I object, for I am being coerced into this match. I do not wish to marry Lord Kressley, and if you force me to, you will be breaking your own sacraments.”

The vicar started to sweat, looking alarmed. He seemed to be hoping she might turn it into a joke, but as she continued to stare at him, expression unchanging, the smaller man started to tremble slightly. He turned to face Colin. “Is her allegation true, Lord Kressley?”

“The woman is addled and does not realize this is for the best.” He expected that to be the end of the matter.

Instead, the vicar looked even more alarmed. “Sir, I cannot in good conscience or by the laws of the church wed you to a woman who is feebleminded. I am sorry, but I cannot continue with this.”

“She is not feebleminded.”

“You just said she was addled,” said the vicar with a hint of suspicion. When he looked at Maddy, he seemed to have sympathy in his gaze that was lacking when he looked at Colin.

Colin started to feel a sinking sensation in his gut, and when he looked at Maddy, who flashed him a grin of victory, he had a sneaking suspicion she had won this round. Still, he said, “We are talking about honor, Mr. Thorne. Even now, she could be carrying my child because I have compromised her.”

Rather than sway the vicar, that seemed to just make him more sympathetic, and he glared at Colin, apparently forgetting the disparity in their power. “You should be ashamed of yourself, Lord Kressley. Remove yourself from my church at once.”

He wanted to continue to argue, but he realized there was no reason to. The vicar had made up his mind, choosing to believe Maddy’s version of events. He shifted slightly in his Wellingtons, realizing perhaps the vicar wasn’t entirely unjustified for doing so. She had relayed the events as she saw them, and there was certainly some truth to it all.

Yet there was also the truth involved that he wouldn’t let her go, and if she chose to live with him in sin, that was her decision. Without another word to the vicar or his witnesses, he clamped his hand around Maddy’s arm and half-dragged her back down the aisle.

He almost expected the vicar to try to intercede and rescue her, but apparently, the man hadn’t stepped so far outside his station as to attempt that. He handled her into the carriage more roughly than intended, climbing in behind her and slamming the door before the driver could bother to assist them. “Just go,” he said to the man, who stood with his mouth partially open.

“Yes, Lord Kressley,” said the driver, and he hastily disappeared from sight when Colin dropped the drapes on the windows. He made no effort to hide how angry he was with her, though it didn’t seem to daunt her in the slightest. She gave him a cool smile of triumph, which only stirred his anger more.