whisper.
Harry grimaced before answering. 'Now.'
She opened her mouth to shout her denial, but Caine moved closer, blocking her view from the audience. 'We can do this the easy way, Jade, or the hard way. You call it.'
She shut her mouth and glared up at him. Caine could see how frightened she was. She was in a near panic. She was actually shaking. 'The easy way is for you to walk over to the minister and recite your vows.'
'And the hard way?' Jade asked.
'I drag you over there by your hair,' Caine told her. He made sure he looked as if he were up to that task, too. 'Either way, I win. We are getting married.'
'Caine…'
The fear in her voice tore at his heart. 'Decide,' he ordered, his voice hard. 'Easy or hard?'
'I won't let you leave me,' she whispered. 'I won't! I'll leave you first.'
'What are you stammering about, girl?' Harry asked.
'Jade? Which is it?' Caine demanded again, ignoring both her protest and Harry's interference.
Her shoulders sagged. 'Easy.'
He nodded.
'I'll be walking her over to the preacher man,' Harry announced. 'Nathan,' he called out. 'You can
trail behind.'
'In just a minute,' Caine ordered.
While Jade stood there trembling with panic and Harry stood there giving the Duchess downright lecherous looks, Caine went over to the minister and spoke to him. When he was finished, he handed a piece of paper to the man.
All was finally ready. Colin stood up at his brother's side, supported by Caine's arm. Jade stood beside Caine. Harry had to support her.
Jade repeated her vows first, a breach from tradition Caine had insisted upon. He stared at his bride while he repeated each of his vows. He let her keep her gaze downcast until he reached the end of the litany. Then he tilted her chin up and forced her to look at him.
She looked so scared, so vulnerable. Her eyes glistened with tears. He loved her so much. He wanted to give her the world. But first he had to gain her trust in him.
The minister closed his book, opened the sheet of paper in his hand, and began to read. 'Do you promise to stay with your wife for as long as you shall live? Do you give your word before God and these witnesses that you will never leave her until death do you part?'
Her eyes had widened during the minister's questions. She turned and saw the paper he was holding.
'I do,' Caine whispered when Jade turned back to him. 'And now the last,' Caine directed the minister.
'This is highly irregular,' the minister whispered. He turned to address Jade. 'And do you promise to tell your husband you love him before this day is out?'
Her smile was radiant. 'I do,' she promised.
'You may kiss the bride,' the minister announced.
Caine happily obliged. When he lifted his head, he said, 'You're mine now.'
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. 'I never make the same mistake twice, sweetheart,'
he whispered.
'I don't understand, Caine,' she replied. She was still on the verge of tears and was desperately trying to maintain her composure. 'Then why didn't you have the minister make me promise not to leave you? Don't you believe I'd honor my vows?'
'Once you give your word, I know you won't break it,' he answered her. 'But you have to give it freely. When you're ready, you'll tell me.'
He wasn't given any more time to talk to her, for the crowd of well-wishers moved in on them to offer their congratulations.
Harry stood in the corner with his men, dabbing at his eyes with the edge of his sash. Caine's mother seemed genuinely happy to have Jade in the family. Of course she didn't know her new daughter-in-law was a common thief, Jade reminded herself.
'Will your uncle be visiting you often?' Gweneth asked after giving Harry a quick glance.
'He lives a fair distance from England,' Jade explained. 'He'll probably come just once a year.'
Caine heard the last of Jade's explanation, saw his mother's quick relief, and started to laugh.
'My mother's a little nervous around your uncle,' he said.
'Oh, you shouldn't be,' Jade countered. 'Harry is really a very kind man. Perhaps if you got to know
him better…'
Caine's mother looked absolutely appalled by that suggestion. Jade didn't know what to make of that. 'That was Harry's idea a while back,' Caine explained. 'He wanted to get to know my mother a whole
lot better.'
Since Jade hadn't witnessed Harry trying to drag the Duchess out the front door, she didn't understand why
