“Deal,” Greg agreed.
* * *
Three letters written, though it had taken Bella twice as long to write the one to her sister as it had taken Greg to write the ones to Cordie and Simon. However, he was certain she had much more to explain than he did.
Vicar McCloskey glanced at the letters once they were addressed and then looked Greg over as though he was a specimen he hadn’t encountered before. “TheEarlof Thurlstone, theCountessof Clayworth and aLadyPriscilla Winslett.”
Greg nodded. “You don’t mind posting them for us?”
The vicar blew out a breath. “I think I’m just startin’ to realize I’m in exalted company.”
“Lord Avery, at your service.”
The vicar snorted. “Lord Avery is a might different from the Gregory Allen Avery ye wrote down on my bit of paper.”
“I’m one in the same,” Greg said.
“My brother’s always fraternizin’ with the wrong sort,” the clergyman complained as he shook his head. “I should’ve kent there was somethin’ odd about ye. Ye are dressed too fancy for common folk.”
“I assure you even lords are not immune to falling in love, Mr. McCloskey.”
The man frowned as he glanced back at the letters in his hand. “This Earl of Thurlstone isna gonna come here lookin’ for her, is he?”
Greg couldn’t help but laugh. “I assure you he won’t.” If the Duke of Chatham knew to look in McCloskey’s church, Greg couldn’t have said the same. But Simon would not do so.
“All right, then let’s get this over with.”
Not the most romantic wedding, but when Greg glanced down at Bella on his arm, he didn’t care in the least. McCloskey could be grumpy and curse Greg through this world and into the next, just so long as he performed the marriage ceremony uniting him with the most wonderful lady in the world first.
The vicar opened his bible and then closed it. “I’d usually read some flowery words, but I’d just as soon be done with ye.”
“By all means,” Greg said. “Let us say our vows and we’ll be on our way.”
Mr. McCloskey tugged a piece of paper out of his pocket and glanced down at it. “All right, do ye, Gregory Allen Avery, take Arabella Grace Winslett to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and cherish ‘til death do ye part?”
“I do.” Greg smiled down at Bella and the soft twinkling of her silver eyes warmed his soul like she always did.
“And do ye, Arabella Grace Winslett, take Gregory Allen Avery, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love, honor and obey ‘til death do ye part?”
Without hesitation, Bella said, “I do.”
McCloskey waved his hand in the air. “Kiss yer bride and then be on yer way, milord.”
And kissing Bella was Greg’s greatest pleasure. He tipped her chin up and brushed the most chaste of kisses upon her lips. He could have kissed her all day, but not there, and he preferred their next set of kisses not be so chaste.
“All right,” McCloskey grumbled. “Ye’re man and wife or lord and lady or whatever ye are. And I will thank ye not to send any of yer friends my way in the future.”
Greg couldn’t help but laugh. He certainly couldn’t imagine any of his friends trekking this far north to be married by an ill-tempered Scottish vicar. “It’ll be our secret.”
Then Greg tucked Bella’s hand in the crook of his arm and led her back outside the church. “Well, Lady Avery, do you feel any different?”
She looked up at him, and then fell into a fit of laughter. “The was the strangest wedding, Greg.”
On that he was in complete agreement. “But we’ll never forget it.”
“No, we will not.” She dabbed at the corner of her eyes as she continued to laugh.
And that sound was the loveliest in all of the world. Bella happy. Greg hoped to hear that same melodic sound at least once a day for the rest of his life. “Come along,” he said. “I only had Simon get you enough painting supplies to last to Edinburgh. There’s got to be some place we can pick up more to tide you over until we reach Florence.” But that wasn’t all they were missing. “And actually, we should probably shop for clothing as well. As much as I enjoy having you completely to myself and naked in bed, no doubt you will soon tire of wearing the same dress day after day. There’s got to be something readymade in a city this size.”