Chapter 15

TWO DAYS LATER

Elise held her breath as the coach rolled to a stop in front of St. George's. Her hands shook as she tried to calm her racing heart. She smoothed out the ivory wedding gown that flowed around her in a waterfall of silk. Her father reached across the coach and clasped her hands.

"Ready, my darling girl?" His gaze was solemn and intense as he waited for her reply.

"Were you nervous the day you married Mama?" Elise asked.

"Was I?" He smiled at some old memory. "I cut myself shaving. I didn't have a valet back then. My hands shook so much that I nicked a spot just here." Her father pointed to a faint scar partially hidden by his beard.

"But why were you nervous? Didn't you love her?"

"Oh, I did. Fiercely. But weddings can still terrify someone, even if they are in love. Perhaps especially so."

She nodded, somehow understanding that answer. "I just don't want everyone to look at me. You know I don't like this sort of attention." It was different when she was speaking about scientific matters to other naturalists, but to be paraded down an aisle as a woman about to be married? She'd never wanted that sort of attention.

Her father squeezed her hand. "Well, my dear, that's the price you pay for your loved ones. You must walk down that aisle with all eyes on you, but you won't be alone. You know that's why fathers walk their daughters down the aisle, don't you?"

"Is it? I thought it was a symbolic transferring of ownership to my husband because I am chattel?" She'd always hated the thought of weddings for that reason. She was more like Cinna in that way than the more romantic Edwina, who saw it as a joining of two souls.

Her father shook his head.

"Bah! Some man who never had a daughter made up that nonsense. The real reason a father escorts his daughter to the altar is so that she doesn't have to make that journey alone. It is our last chance to protect our daughters, to show you that we care so much for you that we want to be by your side until the very moment that honor and duty demand we let go."

His words cut straight to the very core of her soul, and her entire being filled with so much love that it hurt to breathe.

"That moment you step away will break my heart, because I must then share you with another. Everything changes once I let go of you in that church."

Hot, stinging tears blinded her, and she flung herself into her father's arms. She felt like she was a child again, facing a grave in a quiet churchyard and clinging to the only parent she had left. All her life, it had been her and her father against the world.

"Why does everything have to change?" she asked, her voice muffled by his waistcoat. He smelled of cigars, the rich kind that came from India, and it made her heart ache for those nights long ago when he read her stories in the study and she sat upon his lap, falling asleep as his voice followed her into her sweet dreams of magical beasts and beautiful kingdoms. If she'd known back then that someday, sooner than she realized, there would be no more nights like that, she would have wept. Her father had surely known such a time would come. How much had that burden hurt him?

"You know better than most that all life must change," her father said. "It is a part of living on this tiny planet among the stars. We grow, change, and learn. This is but one more step on the path you are on to become the best version of yourself. You will live your own life now with a good man. Every bird must someday leave their parents' nest."

Live her own life? Leave the nest? Did he think she would abandon him?

"Prospero and I won't leave you, Papa. You know that, don't you?" She looked up into his brown eyes, so much like hers. She hadn't spoken to her future husband about it, but she knew he would never force her to leave her father.

"It won't be the same."

Never had so few words held the power to hurt while spoken with so much love. He tipped her chin up. "Now dry your eyes. Poor March will suffer if he sees you've been crying, and I like the fellow enough to want to spare him that."

"You truly like him?"

John nodded. "He's quiet. Respectful. But there is also an intensity to him, a fierceness that matches your own. You cannot love a man who would command you, nor could you love a man whom you must command. You can only love someone who is your equal. You and March fit each other."

"He called me fierce," she said thoughtfully. "He said he truly sees me."

Her father nodded. "That he does. And it is important that you see him too. He has had great sorrows in his life, as you have. He will guard his heart, and you mustn't let him." Her father held her gaze seriously. "You mustn't guard your heart either. Let love in when it comes for you."

But how could she even know what love was? What did it feel like? She lived in a world where theories were meant to be tested and proven. How could one prove love? Would there be some sign, like when a caterpillar crawled into a cocoon and began its transformation? Nature, as often as it was mysterious, still held many answers. Yet when it came to love, Elise had no studies, no books, no charts to analyze that could prepare her.

"How do you know he will come to love me?"

Her father's eyes brightened. "A woman like you? How could he not?"

He removed his handkerchief and gave it to her. She wiped her eyes.

"Feeling better?" He asked it in a way only a father could, with the same tone he'd used when she'd fallen from a tree or scraped her arm as a child. She nodded.

"Good, now let's face this together." He exited the coach and turned to assist her.

Once out of the coach, she accepted a bouquet of flowers from Cinna who stood with Edwina stood outside the church doors, waiting for her. They shared the same look of concern.

"You don't have to do this," Cinna said in a low voice. She curled her hand around Elise's arm. "I have a carriage waiting out back if you want to run."

"I love you for that," she told her dear friend, "but it will be all right. I want to do this. It's just a bit frightening. Remember the time we dove off those cliffs into that lake when we were seventeen?"

Cinna nodded. "It took a moment to build up the courage."

"And we still screamed all the way down to the water," Elise added.

"But damned if it wasn't glorious. We did it several more times that day."

"Exactly," Elise said with a small smile. "I'm taking another leap today, and it will be just as wonderful, I think, if I can but trust myself."

She then turned to Edwina. "I know you've worked so hard on the wedding plans. I can't thank you enough, my dearest friend."

Edwina wiped her eyes. "I know you don't believe in fairy tales or princes, but someone has to."

Cinna smiled in understanding as she put an arm around Edwina's shoulders. "And you believe in it enough for all three of us."

Music began to play inside, and two gentlemen opened the church doors for them. Edwina went in first, followed by Cinna, both wearing lavender bustle gowns.

Elise tucked her arm in her father's and clenched her bouquet with her other hand. Then she and her father walked into the church together.

The guests stood and faced her as they walked past. Her father's presence kept her focused on the distant altar. Sunlight poured in through the windows, making everything in its path glow. Instead of looking at everyone around her, she watched the sunlight and the motes of dust that seemed to dance above her head. She'd never noticed that something as common as dust, when moving in sunlight, could be so beautiful.

I wish you could be here, Mama. She'd spent so much of her day trying not to think about the loss she'd suffered as a child. But today of all days, her mother seemed to quietly exist all around her, even in the dancing motes caught in sunbeams.

Prospero stood at the altar, and his friends Nicholas and Guy stood beside him. He neither smiled nor frowned when he saw her, but his eyes—Lord, his eyes—were like two brilliant sapphires. As she reached Prospero, Edwina stepped forward and took Elise's bouquet. Her father turned to Elise and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"The hardest part is letting go," he whispered. "Holding on to love is infinitely easier." Then he gave a small nod to Prospero, who returned the gesture.

Her father held on to her just a moment longer. Then, with a soft sigh, he let go of her hands and stepped back. She walked up the two steps where Prospero and the clergyman stood.

Her future husband curled his hands around her trembling fingers.

"Ready?" he asked in a low whisper. So much meaning contained in such a small word.

"Yes." She was ready, even if she was also frightened. I am ready to face this new change. Ready to take a chance. Ready to leap from this cliff and feel the joy of the water below.

Prospero gave her hands a squeeze, and his sinfully attractive lips twitched into a ghost of a smile. He pretended to be calm and unaffected, but really, he was ready to smile or laugh. Unable to resist teasing him, she leaned in so only he could hear her.

"Now I shall observe a gentleman in his marriage ceremony and learn his secret rituals."

Prospero's eyes sparkled, and he suddenly barked out a laugh before he coughed and met the disproving glare of the clergyman.

* * *

"Man and wife," the clergyman pronounced, drawing the ceremony to a close.

"Er... husband and wife," Prospero corrected him. "If you don't mind, sir."

The clergyman raised a brow but cleared his throat. "Husband and wife."

Elise's brown eyes lit up.

"Thank you."

"We belong to each other now." He had never liked the idea of a woman being labeled wife while the man remained man in the pronouncement. He belonged to Elise just as fully as she belonged to him, and he wanted her to know it. He wanted her to believe it, starting now and for the rest of their lives. They were equals in nature, even if the laws of man didn't agree, and nature outlasted everything.

He leaned in and whispered, "We are mates," before he stole a kiss that was not nearly as chaste as it was supposed to be.

She tasted wonderfully sweet, and he couldn't wait to have her alone. The last two days had been busy for both of them as wedding preparations had eaten up many of the hours in the day. They'd met for breakfast and dinner, and not much else. He'd grown used to her going nearly everywhere with him, had grown used to her in bed beside him, even though it had been for just a handful of days. She'd become... indispensable. And he found he longed for her smile, her laugh, her lectures on science, her desire to explore the world, and even her tendency to get into trouble.

She had insisted on accompanying him to the tailor for a wedding suit, but she had been forced to visit the dressmaker for her wedding gown. Her maid had thrown a fit when Elise had dared to argue that she could simply wear one of her everyday gowns for the ceremony.

He and John had eaten a late lunch and listened to the two argue all the way downstairs. They'd cringed at the shouting, but in the end Mary had triumphed, and Prospero was glad because the lavish bustle gown made of pale ivory silk trimmed with lace looked exquisite on Elise. He hoped someday she would look back on this moment and remember it as a beautiful day and that she had been the most stunning bride.

Fear shone in her eyes, and he saw the vulnerable young woman that she'd fought so hard to hide from the world. She was trusting him with her body, her freedom, even her life. He was infinitely aware of that. He straightened a little, filled with an ancient pride. This was his duty, his honor, his destiny. To be her defender, her protector, her lover, her shield, so she could grow toward a brighter future like a young oak sapling stretching its branches toward the sky.

His wife was going to accomplish so many wonderful things, and his joy would be to witness them at her side.

"I'm here, darling," he whispered as he held her close a moment longer. Elise trembled but burrowed closer. His heart ached with an exquisite agony at knowing how much she trusted him at this moment. "You have only to reach for me and I will be here for you."

"Today?" she asked.

"Every day."

She murmured something that sounded like thank you, but the words were muffled against his chest. Then he let her go so they could face the crowd. His eyes sharpened on two men seated near the back. He hadn't seen them before while he'd waited for his bride to arrive.

"I say... Is that...? No, it can't be."

Elise laced her fingers through his as they looked toward the back of the church. "Who?"

He nodded in their direction. "I believe that's the famous detective Mr. Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson."

A guilty look flashed over Elise's face, and a blush deepened her cheeks.

"Oh... They're my neighbors. Or rather, the society's neighbors on Baker Street. We extended an invitation to them."

"By Jove, I'd love a chance to talk to Mr. Holmes. Could you introduce me?" Prospero asked, but his wife glanced away.

"Perhaps, if he has time," she hedged. "I don't think he'll be staying long."

She was avoiding discussing Mr. Holmes, but why? But this wasn't the time to question her further, so he planned to seduce the truth out of her tonight once they were in bed. Prospero led her down the steps and shook his new father-in-law's hand.

"Thank you," John said and stepped back as a crowd of friends swarmed them, mostly ladies, but quite a few others Prospero had known before he left for France.

"Damned glad to see you back in London, March," one man said. "May I offer my congratulations?"

On and on the well wishes came, and each one was genuine. It seemed his fear that he was being endlessly judged was not entirely true. He did have friends, more than he'd imagined. As he and Elise walked toward their waiting carriage, they shared a glance and his heart took flight when she smiled at him. She looked more at ease now than she had when the ceremony had ended.

He lifted her up into the open carriage by her waist and adjusted the elaborate silk train on her gown, tucking it around her. Petals had been strewn in and around the carriage, and flowers draped along the edges of the vehicle—even on the horses' harnesses.

Prospero saw Edwina standing in the crowd close by, watching him and Elise, discreetly wiping at her eyes with a handkerchief. The decorations would have been her doing. He gave her a nod of thanks for all the work she had done to make this day special.

The sun came out from behind the clouds to illuminate Elise's golden hair like a halo. Mary had pulled Elise's locks into a loose tumble of curled waves, and nestled in the crown of her hair was a jeweled beetle with bright blue wings.

"That must be your something blue," he said as he sat beside her in the carriage.

"Hmm?" she asked distractedly.

"The beetle in your hair. It's blue."

Elise beamed at him. "Oh yes. That was Cinna's doing. It was her gift to me. She wanted something less traditional, and this was perfect."

"'Tis a perfect gift," he agreed.

They waved to the crowd out on the church steps as they headed home for the wedding breakfast her father would be hosting. The ride gave Prospero time to enjoy this moment alone with his wife. His wife. The words made him smile so wide his face hurt.

"What about your something old, new, and borrowed?" he asked. Cinna would have seen to those as well, even if she insisted she was dead set against weddings.

Elise touched the necklace at her throat. "My borrowed." It was a single pearl drop hanging from a fine gold chain. "This belongs to Cinna's mother." She then discreetly reached into her cleavage, which immediately caught Prospero's undivided attention. She pulled out a circular shell that reminded him of the nautilus they had seen at the museum. She must have stashed it between her breasts, just out of sight. The shell was worn smooth and was of a creamy brown color with thin veins of dark purple that ran through it.

"It's an ammonite. I found this in a riverbed in Dorset when I was there on holiday." She placed it in his palm. "You cannot imagine how old it is."

"It's heavy." It had the weight of a perfect skipping stone that he would've thrown out onto the lake as a boy. It was also warm from being nestled in Elise's delectable cleavage.

"When something turns into a fossil, it essentially becomes stone. The organic material is replaced over time by minerals. It's called petrification. Fascinating, isn't it?"

"Yes. To think how something living and breathing can turn to stone over millions of years, that it could be permanently changed. It's incredible..." He put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Then with a rakish grin, he slipped the stone back into the soft spot between her breasts, which made her blush. Despite his smile, his inner thoughts had taken a more serious turn. His own heart, which had been stone for so long, had reversed course. It was beating stronger and stronger, and each beat belonged to this woman... his wife.

"And your something new?" He cleared his throat, trying to hold his emotions in check.

Red stained her cheeks. "That is something I must show you later." She giggled at his stunned look, then gave him a flirtatious wink.

"You're wearing it?" he guessed with a grin and glanced around. They were in an open carriage, but there was no one nearby who could see them clearly. Using her gown's train as a cover, he slid a hand up her skirts, tracing her calf with his palm.

"Prospero!" Elise gasped, clutching at his hand through the layers of her skirt. At any moment their driver could turn around and see them, let alone anyone else.

"Hush," he teased wickedly. "It is your duty to let me explore these beautiful legs." He knew his words would fluster her, but even if she railed against the institution of marriage, there was a part of her that liked it when he took control of their sensual encounters.

She looked torn between slapping him and kissing him. She would belong to no man as a piece of property, but she would belong to him as a lover just as he belonged to her, and a bit of teasing would do her good. Elise needed to understand that as husband and wife, they should have the right to tease each other, to feel comfortable enough to be playful.

She wriggled as he reached her inner knee and found the tie at the top of her stocking. He tugged at the tied bow of satin ribbon. Elise's lips parted, and she breathed faster. Nothing unusual about a stocking, so he continued on, feeling the silken skin of her inner thighs. She squirmed adorably when he found a scrap of lace that banded around her thigh. Ah... so that was it. A new garter. He made a note to remove it later tonight with his teeth.

He pretended not to notice the garter and slid his fingers up higher until he found her mound.

"Prosper—oh!" She jerked as he penetrated her with one index finger, and the last syllable of his name came out a delightful gasp.

"Is this the pretty present you've been hiding from me?" he asked, his voice deep and rough as he moved his finger in and around her sheath, spreading the wetness there.

She made a soft, strangled sound, her hands clenching her skirts, no longer trying to stop him.

"Now be a good girl, darling, and let your husband play with you," he purred and kissed her neck, not caring who saw them. She let out a sweet sigh, and her legs opened wider to let him do whatever he wished. Her surrender was beautiful, beautiful because it meant she not only desired him, she trusted him.

"That's it." He pushed a second finger in, gently fucking her as he murmured in her ear how excited he was for tonight, how he couldn't wait to get her alone, and she arched beneath his touch. He found the slightly rough spot inside her channel that would give her greater pleasure, and he curled his fingers on that singular spot over and over while she held back all the little sounds he couldn't wait to hear from her tonight. He was hard and desperate to have her right now, but this was about her pleasure, about showing her that he would always put her needs first, even in this.

"Oh!" She couldn't hold back her sounds any longer as she came. He chuckled as he drew out her climax, feeling her body clenched around his fingers.

Her face, flushed pink, turned shyly away, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"You have no idea how much I adore you, wife. How much it pleases me to touch you like this. And someday, if you wish, I can show you how to tease me like this in return."

She looked back at him, eyes shimmering. She had needed to hear that, he realized, that she could still have some power in their relationship when it came to matters of desire.

"Oh yes, my little naturalist. I can show you all the ways you can bend me to your will," he promised, and her responding smile hit him hard behind the knees. Yes, this was going to work between them. He knew it would.

After he slowly withdrew his fingers from her, he used a handkerchief to wipe his hand. Again, his wife blushed madly.

"And do I get to have a pet name for you?" she asked, an impish glint in her eye. "My little earl, perhaps? My?—"

He silenced her with a kiss and relished the moment she melted into him. He chuckled against her soft, warm lips and teased her with his tongue. She let out another delicious sigh as they broke apart.

He smirked playfully. "How about my wonderfully large, well-endowed earl?"

This time she silenced him as she kissed him back. He groaned in exquisite agony as his body tensed with a desire he could not fulfill for several hours still.

"Goodness gracious!" a woman shrieked.

Prospero jerked away from his wife. Another carriage had pulled up alongside theirs. A round-faced middle-aged woman in an expensive gown sat in an open carriage beside theirs, holding a ruffled parasol over her head. She gawked at them as if they were cavorting completely naked... and he secretly wished they had been.

"Pardon me, but I'm newly married and quite excited about it." He winked at the woman, who huffed and commanded her driver to drive on at once.

"Oh dear," Elise groaned. "She'll tell everyone?—"

"That you and I were embracing after our nuptials? I don't care who she is or what she says. Neither should you, countess."

"Countess?" Elise stared up at him with rounded eyes. "I suppose I am a countess, aren't I?"

"You hadn't realized that yet, had you?" He laughed.

"I hadn't considered it, no. I was a bit busy worrying about other things. Oh dear. This means I'll have to appear in society more frequently."

"Regrettably, yes." He still couldn't stop smiling. Most women would have been thrilled at the prospect. Not Elise.

"Perhaps we should run away." She clutched his arm desperately. "Let's run away to America and never come back."

"Easy there," he soothed and pulled her onto his lap. "We'll take it slow with society. I won't let them frighten you."

"I'm not afraid," she insisted. "I just don't want to be bothered with all of that."

"Then we will keep our social calendar limited."

"Promise?"

He touched his forehead to hers. "I promise."

A minute later, the carriage stopped. They climbed out, ready to face their wedding guests and partake in the wedding breakfast. He held her hand, giving it a squeeze, and she let out a breath.

"Together," he promised her.

The townhouse door opened, and they stepped inside as husband and wife.