Married By Midnight (23 page)

The others came rushing down the stairs just then, and his angel stepped out of his arms.

He knew instantly that it had been the wrong thing to say.

“
Thank heavens you’re all right!” Charlotte cried as she, too, launched herself into Garrett’s arms.

“
We were so worried,” his mother said.

“
What happened to you?” Devon asked.

Devon held out his hand to Dr. Thomas who had stayed back to give Garrett a moment alone with Anne. He was only just then reaching them on the steps. “Merry Christmas, Doctor. What a pleasure to see you. You are the reason for Garrett’s last-minute trip to London, I presume?”

“
Yes, he came to extend an invitation to the wedding. I do apologize for this very late arrival, but something urgent came up. I hope you will allow Garrett a chance to explain.”

“
Of course we will,” Devon replied. “Please, everyone, come inside.”

As they made their way to the door, Charlotte turned to Dr. Thomas and held out her hand. “I am so happy to see you, sir.”

He cupped her hand inside both of his, and his eyes glimmered with warmth. “I am happy to see you, too, my dear. Merry Christmas.”

“
I have a present for you,” Charlotte said with a grin.

“
And I have something for you as well.”

Garrett realized he would have to catch up on the familiarity that existed between these two. He was not sorry, for it, however. It was something he would anticipate with great joy.

Then he turned to Anne and hoped she would be willing to hear him out.

* * *

“You saved his life?” Anne said from clear across the drawing room.

Standing with his brothers around the Christmas tree, Garrett gestured toward Dr. Thomas, who stood in front of the mantel. “It was mostly the good doctor who did the saving.”

“
That is pure rubbish,” Dr. Thomas replied. “I couldn’t possibly have pulled that boy out of the water and carried him all the way back to the coach through the deep snow as you did. You were the hero of the day long before I withdrew my stethoscope.”

“
Sounds like it was a shared effort,” Devon said, raising his cup of hot cider for an informal toast. Blake raised his cup as well.

Anne smiled at Garrett, for she, more than anyone else in the room, understood what it must have meant for him to save that boy’s life. He had come home to Pembroke seeking to atone for quite another tragedy, and perhaps this unexpected Christmas Eve ordeal had provided him some relief and validation for what he had not been able to accomplish in the past.

Everyone gathered around the tree, except for Anne, who remained at the sofa. They all raised their cups and toasted the boy’s recovery, as well as Garrett’s safe return.

But there was another glaring issue to which no one had yet alluded. The will... The family fortune...

Garrett finished his cider and set down his cup. “What happened with Father last night? Was he very distraught when the wedding did not take place?”

“
We were all distraught,” Adelaide replied, “but mostly because we were worried about you. But your father...” She paused. “He didn’t seem to realize that it was Christmas Eve, or that your wedding was scheduled to take place. Of course none of us said anything. He fell asleep early and slept through most of the storm. I checked on him this morning and he ate a small breakfast, then ordered a hot bath.”

Garrett regarded his mother with relief. “Thank heavens for that. I was very concerned last night. I know how anxious he can be.”

“
Some days are worse than others,” his mother replied. “Yesterday was a good day.”

Everyone stood quietly for a moment until Garrett finally broached the subject of the will, and the wedding that did not take place. “Will you fight the terms?” he asked Devon. “Try to keep our family fortune intact?”

“
I’ve had lawyers working on it for months,” Devon replied, “and I will continue to do what I can. Now that the deadline has passed, however, I am not sure what hope there will be. We must all prepare ourselves for reduced circumstances.”

Charlotte sighed heavily. “Then I suppose it will be up to me to refill the family coffers. Perhaps I will run off to America and marry a rich railroad tycoon who wants to purchase our family name for his business interests.”

The duchess slid an arm around her waist. “Only if he’s handsome, dear.”

Everyone chuckled, except for Anne, who was not sure what role she would play in this family’s new future. She had not been able to fulfill her contract with Garrett and secure the Pembroke fortune. She would therefore not receive the compensation that had been promised to her—the compensation that would have ensured her independence.

But what would Garrett
want
? she wondered as she listened to him describe how grateful Marcus and Joshua’s parents had been when they arrived to collect the boys that morning. They had wept tears of joy as they thanked Garrett and Dr. Thomas.

Anne was so happy for him, and so thankful that everything had worked out.

At last, Garrett told his family about his boating accident in the spring, and how he had not been able to save the passengers on board. “I came home seeking some form of atonement, but what I’ve learned is that nothing will ever erase what happened on the water that day. Nothing will take away the grief of those who were left behind. All I can do is try to remember that I did my best to save them, and that in the future, I will find ways to be useful and helpful in this life. Yesterday, it took all of us to bring that boy back from disaster. Not one of us could have done it alone. It was a shared effort.” He paused. “I do not believe I am meant to be alone.”

“
No, you are not.” The duchess took hold of his hand and kissed it with all the love and compassion Anne knew she would provide, if only Garrett would open up to her and the rest of his family.

Garrett met Anne’s eyes just then and gazed at her for a tortuous moment while she tried to read his thoughts about their future together, but it was no use. She was lost in a haze of longing and desire.

“
Anne.” he said in front of everyone. “You, more than anyone, deserve my most heartfelt apologies for keeping you waiting last night. How can I ever make it up to you?”

She looked down at the floor. “That is not necessary, Garrett. You and Dr. Thomas have explained why you could not be here. It could not be helped and I am so happy you were able to help those boys. I certainly bear no ill will.”

Before she realized what was happening, Garrett had crossed the room and was down on one knee before her. She blinked down at him with surprise.

“
This is something I must do in front of witnesses, Anne, and please listen carefully.” He took hold of her hand. “I came home to Pembroke Palace a broken man, but in a very short time, you helped make me whole again—with your kindness, your understanding, and your beauty, inside and out. If I am not mistaken, my entire family has fallen in love with you, and I more than any of them cannot imagine a life without you here with all of us at Pembroke. I kneel down before you now, not to fulfill the terms of any contract or to act out a charade, but to satisfy my own heart, because I love you with every breath in my body.”

She laid a hand over her own heart, fearing that it might stop beating.

But there was more. He still had more beautiful things to say.

“
I want you for the rest of my life, Anne. I want you as my bride, and as the mother of my children. And there
will
be children, I guarantee it—a whole houseful of them—if you would but honor me with your hand.”

Anne sucked in a breath and struggled to find her voice. Was this really happening?

Garrett smiled up at her with those dazzling blue eyes and said, “Will you marry me, Anne? For real? Never to be apart? Will you make me the happiest man alive?”

Overcome by a dizzying mixture of joy and disbelief, feeling as if she were caught in a glorious, heavenly dream, she reached out to run her hand over his thick, golden hair.

“
You haven’t answered me,” he said with a confident, seductive smile.

She responded by tugging at the shoulders of his jacket to pull him to his feet. “You know I love you, Garrett, so how can there be any answer but
yes
?”

She was vaguely aware of the others cheering and applauding as he pulled her into his arms and pressed his mouth to hers for a passionate kiss that sent the whole world spinning.

His hands settled on the curve of her hips as he drew back and looked down at her dress. “You are already dressed for our wedding. Can we not do it now?”

Anne couldn’t help herself. She laughed out loud and glanced at Charlotte, who was watching with wide, hopeful eyes.

“
Say yes!” Charlotte shouted. “The vicar is still here. He couldn’t leave in the storm last night. He is probably in the breakfast room by now. He already has all the papers prepared.”

Anne’s heart beat fast with excitement. “Am I dreaming?” she asked.

“
No, by God, you are fully awake,” Garrett replied, as he kissed her again with fierce, relentless passion. The touch of his lips seared her blood. Then he swept her into his arms like an eager groom about to cross the threshold on the wedding night.

It was the morning after, of course, but Anne was not about to split hairs.
Better late than never
, her mother always used to say.

She laughed out loud as her soon-to-be husband carried her out of the room to hunt down the vicar.

Chapter Eighteen

Later that afternoon, Anne threw her head back in ecstasy as Garrett made love to her for the third time in the wedding chamber that had been prepared for them the day before.

Charlotte had placed rose petals between the sheets—clipped and stolen from the duke’s prized conservatory. It was a briefly distracting but pleasant surprise when they slipped naked into bed.

Now they lay together in the fading light, talking about the private ceremony in the chapel.

“
The duke seemed well,” Anne said. “He was so happy for you, Garrett. How proud he looked when he shook your hand after the vicar pronounced us man and wife.”

“
That was all I ever wanted from him,” Garrett replied. “Just a sign that he cared.”

“
I saw it very clearly today,” she assured him, while she ran the tip of her finger across the smooth muscles of her husband’s chest and reveled in the wonderful notion that she was no longer a social outcast. She had been accepted into this powerful aristocratic family, and had spoken vows before God in their beautiful chapel.

“
And he didn’t mention the curse,” she added. “Not once. Do you think he has forgotten about it, or will he imagine it again the next time it rains or snows?”

“
I’m not sure.” Garrett gently stroked her shoulder and was quiet for a long time. “Do you ever wonder if he really is talking to ghosts?”

She sat up. “Why do you ask?”

He felt foolish bringing it up, but something his father said to him would not leave his mind. “After we found him in the catacombs last week, he told me that Brother Salvador said there was a reason I was not lost, and that it wasn’t time for me to leave. I cannot help but wonder what Brother Salvador knows about my future.”

Anne smiled tenderly at him. “I am sure time will tell all.”

Garrett sighed and continued to stroke her shoulder. “Yes. We simply have to
live
. Seek out our destinies. In the meantime, I feel very blessed. And inspired.”

She lifted her head and rested her chin on her hands. “About the future?”

“
Yes. I know now that I want to enrol in Kings College to study medicine, if they will have me. I know it is not quite the proper thing for the son of a duke, but we must remember that I am actually the son of a doctor, and I feel compelled to follow in his footsteps. Perhaps that is my true destiny. I respect Dr. Thomas a great deal, Anne. He is a brilliant man.”