Whirlwind Wedding

A child with his ebony hair and gray eyes.

His child.

Their child.

Austin opened one eye. From the sliver of pale light peeking through the burgundy velvet curtains, he judged it was just after dawn-a perfectly respectable time to awaken his bride with soft kisses, gentle lovemaking, and tender confessions of love.

Turning his head he discovered his bride on the other side of his massive bed lying curled on her side, facing away from him. Too far away to touch.

Acute disappointment flooded him, and he nearly laughed aloud at himself. Bloody hell, what a besotted lovesick individual he'd become. And in an appallingly short period of time. No doubt I'll be spouting poetry by dinner. Sonnets by sundown. A chuckle rumbled in his chest. Yes, indeed, he could all but picture himself, down on one knee, passionately reciting 'Ode to Elizabeth.'

He had only to shift closer to be able to wrap his arms around her, feel her warmth, but he knew once he did that, there would be no more slumber for her. Don't be selfish. Let her sleep. Clasping his hands behind his head he forced himself to remain where he was and not disturb her rest, at least for a few more minutes. Yes, he'd simply lie here and marvel at how this woman had so drastically changed his life. And all of it for the better.

He imagined the ribbing he was going to receive from both Miles and Robert when they realized the 'Notorious Duke of Bradford' had fallen under his own wife's spell. And they absolutely would realize it because it would be impossible for him to hide his love for Elizabeth.

And he didn't even want to try. Of course, it was highly unfashionable to be in love with one's own wife, but he couldn't have cared less.

A grin he couldn't suppress eased across his face. Yes, Robert and Miles would needle him unmercifully. But I'll have my revenge when love bites them on their unsuspecting arses. And it will. If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.

He couldn't wait another minute to touch her.

He wouldn't wake her… he'd simply hold her. Moving carefully, he slid across the bed until he lay behind her, then eased his arm around her waist.

The instant he touched her, she gasped.

'Good morning, love,' he said pressing a kiss to her shoulder. 'I didn't mean to wake you.'

'I… I thought you were asleep.'

'I was. But now I'm awake. And so are you. Hrnmm.' He buried his face in her hair and breathed in her lilac scent. Slipping his arm more snugly around her, he eased her closer, molding her back to his front.

He stilled when she stiffened in his embrace. 'Don't,' she whispered. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she pulled from his embrace and sat up, covering herself with the counterpane.

He quickly sat up. 'Elizabeth? Are you all right?'

When she didn't answer, he cupped her chin, gently turning her averted face until she looked at him.

She was crying. Her eyes looked like huge, golden brown wells of hurt. The usual warmth that shimmered in her gaze was gone, replaced by an utterly bleak expression that broke his heart.

He let go of her chin and gripped her arms. 'What's wrong? Are you hurt?'

Instead of answering his question, she simply looked at him with those pain-filled eyes. Something akin to panic slithered down his back.

He gave her a tiny shake. 'Tell me what's wrong.'

'I… I have something to tell you.'

'About William?'

'No. About me.'

Ah. So that's what this was about. Clearly she was finally going to share her secrets with him… explain why she'd left America so suddenly.

Relief edged aside his alarm and he relaxed his hold on her arms. Obviously she trusted him enough to bare her soul. And if she trusted him… wasn't it logical that love would soon follow?

God was she going to tell him she loved him? And if so, she was no doubt agonizing over the decision because she didn't know how he felt about her. Because she'd never heard him tell her. She was probably afraid that he'd reject her love.

But that was a fear he could place to rest with three simple words.

'Elizabeth, I I-' 'I lied to you.'

Definitely not the words he'd hoped or expected to hear. 'I beg your pardon?'

Instead of answering, she eased herself from his grasp and picked up his shirt from the floor. Slipping on the garment, she gathered the edges together, then passed him his silk robe. He shrugged into it and knotted the sash, watching her inch away from him. Only when several feet separated them did she speak again. 'I lied to you about why I'm here in England.'

'Indeed? You did not come to visit your aunt?'

'No. I came here to live with her.'

'Darling, I'd hardly call that a lie.' He reached for her, but she shook her head and stepped away from him.

'You don't understand. I had to come here. I didn't want to, but I had nowhere else to go.'

'What do you mean?'

She drew a deep breath. 'After my father's death, I couldn't bear living alone in our house. An unmarried woman living alone bordered on impropriety, and in truth I was horribly lonely. Distant cousins on my father's side, the Longrens, resided in the same town and they invited me to live with them. It seemed a perfect solution as I loved them dearly and their daughter Alberta was my closest friend so I sold my house and moved in with them.'

He recognized the name Longren as the one that Miles had reported to him. 'Go on.'

'I loved being part of their family, and the younger children, rascals all three of them, were delights. For almost two years everything was wonderful.' She twisted her fingers together and looked at the carpet. 'Then Alberta met David.'

He watched her, forcing himself to remain silent, to allow her to tell him her tale.

'David moved to town from Boston where he'd worked at a livery. He was wonderful with horses and a talented farrier, and Mr. Longren immediately hired him on at his livery. David was a very attractive young man, and all the ladies were quite smitten with him.'

Austin's hands clenched. 'Including you?'

'I must admit, the first time I met him, I thought him handsome and charming.' She paused then added in a quiet voice, 'But then I touched him.'

'What did you see?'

'Lies. Deceit. Nothing specific, but I knew he was not as he seemed. I forced myself to shrug it off. After all, as long as he worked hard for Mr. Longren, it was not my business if he'd lied in the past. I convinced myself he was making a fresh start and deserved a second chance. But several weeks later, Alberta told me that she was in love. With David.'

She began pacing. 'I was very concerned. I gently told her that she didn't know him very well, but she wouldn't listen to me. No one in the town, including Alberta, knew anything about my visions. I experienced them infrequently, and as you yourself know, they are not easy to believe in or accept. I therefore hesitated to tell her, especially when what I'd felt had been so vague. And I certainly did not want to destroy Alberta's happiness if I was wrong.

'I needed to know more, to find out if he was indeed dishonorable. I needed to touch him again, or at least something that belonged to him.' She drew a shaky breath then continued in an agitated voice. 'The next day I visited the livery and spoke to David. I touched his tools and even managed to hold his hand under the guise of examining a cut on his finger. And my suspicions were confirmed.'

'What had he done?'

'I didn't know exactly, but I knew he'd left Boston in disgrace. I knew he was a liar and a cheat. I knew he