Chad had to confess that he’d hoped they were gaining ground. He’d done all right with her in the bedroom last night. Though to be fair, it was where he did all his best work.
But here today, he was failing. What did it say about him that the one bright spot in their wedding ceremony was delivered by another man?
He wished to make her happy, but he’d nearly ruined the day. She was right, marrying in a maid’s gown with no family was terrible.
He was an ass…
He barely held back his sigh of frustration as the priest moved behind the altar, swaying on his feet. The man was knackered.
On the one hand, it made pulling off the ceremony easier. A drunk priest didn’t ask very many questions, ones like: Are you a parish member? Why the rush? Do you have a second witness?
But as the man opened his mouth to speak then closed it again, looking confused, Chad closed his eyes.
Next to him, Abigail shifted.
Finally, the service started, though Chad could barely understand most of it. He hoped it was because the man was speaking Latin, but he had a feeling that in fact, he was just slurring his words.
And when he sat after the homily for that moment of prayer, the silence stretched on and on only broken by a faint snore.
“For the love of—” Abigail started next to him.
“I’ll take care of it,” Vanity said and then reached out, knocking a tray from the nearby table. The clatter against the wood floor startled the man awake.
“Where was I?” he asked, looking confused.
“Vows,” Chad said, speaking through his clenched back molars and attempting to hold down his irritation.
“Oh yes.” The priest stood, nearly falling over.
Finally, he and Emily repeated the words that would make them man and wife. She didn’t meet his eye as she softly agreed to love, honor, and cherish him.
He died a bit inside.
Somewhere in his heart he’d wondered if she might teach him if not love, then affection, but now he knew that was not going to happen. He wasn’t a man who inspired such devotion. He didn’t know how. And she wanted those things from a husband—she’d been quite upfront about needing love in a marriage.
“You may kisth the bride,” the priest finally muttered.
Chad swooped down, taking her mouth with his. It was a quick kiss, meant to ensure their union, but the moment her soft lips pressed to his, his chest constricted with an ache. She deserved the best sort of wedding. Hell, she deserved a better marriage.
But she’d gotten him.
Man and wife.
She blinked several times as he lifted his head. “We’ve done it,” she whispered.
“We have,” he answered and then he looked to Vanity. “Can you make certain all the paperwork is filled out correctly?”
“Of course,” he gave them a smile, a dimple forming in his cheek. “Congratulations to you both. Lady Blackwater…” Then he nodded his head and disappeared behind the priest to see the union done properly.
“What do we do next?” Abigail asked. Her hand was in his arm, but she didn’t meet his gaze.
“We eat. You must be famished. And then we’ll continue on. It will take us all of today and most of tomorrow to reach my country estate.”
“Country estate?” Her brows went up. “How many properties do you have?”
“Just the one and it’s in disrepair.” He frowned. Why did he need to add that? She already knew he needed funds. Why belabor the point now?
“Can I ask in what province it’s located?” She was back to looking at the dratted window. When had he started to use the word dratted?