Love Me Always (36 page)

Wedding guests bearing down upon him and his wife pulled Nick from his thoughts, and he turned to greet them. Mrs. Berkley appeared much better. Her injuries were healing nicely. A few bruises still marred her face and neck and hands, but they weren’t as noticeable as they’d been two weeks ago.

Gregg gave him a hug, then stepped to Catherine. The smile on his brother’s face wavered. His love for Catherine and the loss were obvious. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. Nick patted his brother’s shoulder and squeezed.

Gregg pointed his head in Catherine’s direction as he looked at Nick. “You had better take good care of her, or I’ll be tempted to teach you a lesson in manners.”

Nick tilted his head back and laughed. He gave his brother a wink. “Oh, Gregg. You can bet I’ll cherish her. I have been through too much to lose her now.”

When Gregg moved past, Ian stepped up. No enthusiastic smile graced his face, and yet it wasn’t pulled into a scowl like it’d been a while back. In fact, Nick would have guessed by Ian’s droopy eyes and lips that sadness was the emotion building inside his brother.

Catherine’s gaze dropped to the floor of the church and she scooted closer to Nick’s side. He slid his arm around her in a secure grip.

“Ian.” He nodded.

The longer Ian stared at Nick, water pooled in his brother’s eyes. He blinked and looked away, but soon returned his attention. Ian’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Nick...Catherine,” Ian began, then cleared his throat.

Catherine looked at him. “Yes, Ian?”

“I...I...um...I would like to apologize. It’s hard for me to admit I’m wrong, and I’m so very broken to think my stubbornness might have caused your death.” Ian touched her hand. “Will you ever forgive me for distrusting you?”

“Yes.” Catherine’s voice squeaked.

Nick clapped his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “You forget, my dear brother, this wonderful woman forgave me when I showed a moment of doubt.” He glanced at his bride and winked, then looked back at Ian. “She has a huge heart, and that’s why I love her so much.”

Her arm tightened around his waist and she smiled up at him.

Ian wiped a stray tear falling from his eye and nodded. “I can see why you love her, Nick. She is indeed a forgiving woman.”

She pulled away and hugged Ian. He kissed her cheek.

After a little while, the guests wandered out of the church, leaving Nick alone with his bride. Beautiful as an angel, her hair had been swept up in a fancy styled bun while tendrils brushed near her ears and across her forehead. The ice-blue, silk dress she wore hugged her shoulders and made her blue eyes stand out more.

He gathered her in his arms. She’s always fit in his embrace. So perfectly. Now he knew why. They were meant to be together as husband and wife.

“Well, we made it.”

She smiled. “Yes we did.”

“You know, society
will look down on us for creating such a scandal. We really should have waited until the full year of mourning before we married.”

A chuckle sprang from her throat. “Do you regret your decision?”

“Not me. I’m used to scandal. Runs in the blood. My uncle was wild in his younger days, as well.”

She caressed his chin. “I’m not surprised.”

He turned his face just enough to kiss her hand. “But what of you? Will you love me through it all?”

“But of course, my love.” She lifted her mouth to his and brushed her lips across his briefly. “You will be the father of my children, so I’ll have to love you.” She grinned.

Tilting back his head, he laughed. “Oh, such a hard task, I’m sure.”
“Extremely.”

Happiness burst in his chest. He laughed and picked her up, swinging her around. She joined him, and their musical voices rang throughout the empty church, nearly matching the bells humming from the steeple.

“You have made me one satisfied man, my dear. Hopefully, I can please you until we’re old and gray.”

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes softening. “As long as you love me always.”

“Nothing will stop me, I assure you.”

He kissed her, sealing their promise of a future in paradise.

*The End*

COMING SOON…

Charmed By Knight

Book Two in the “Fielding Brother’s Saga”

© 2011 Marie Higgins

Lady Megan Saxton will do anything not to marry the drunken lord her grandmother selected. But when she thinks she’s trapped herself a duke, will a mistake in identity have her falling in love with the man who put her family in financial ruins?

Clever Scoundrel, Edmund Knight will stop at nothing to take back the deed to his goldmine that has been stolen. When his enemy’s daughter mistakes him for someone else, his plans change. Now he’s after her.

Vows of Deception

Book Three in the “Fielding Brother’s Saga”

© 2011 Marie Higgins

Not even lies can deceive the heart.

Juliana Beaumont wants to keep her freedom—and her grandmother’s estate in Scotland.
 
But can she do both?
 
Especially when her father demands she marry a man from England before he can give her an inheritance.

Andrew Dean is tired of being the stable help, and jumps at the chance of playing Miss Juliana’s pretend husband.
 
But he doesn’t believe in marrying unless in a church.
 
He hopes Juliana doesn’t know they are legally married now, and he wants her to fall in love with him.
 
But a secret that has been hidden in his memory for twenty years might just keep them apart.

Belong To Me

Book Four in the “Fielding Brother’s Saga”

© 2011 Marie Higgins

Charlotte Fielding, tired of being without her wayward husband, travels to Bath to find him. She discovers him at a masked ball amidst the throng of revelers. Her revenge on him is that he doesn’t know who she is, so she seduces him. When his reaction to her identity isn’t what she expects, she hardens her heart against him. Charlotte wants an annulment and nothing less. He talks her into a bargain—to stay as his wife for a month and then if they don’t suit well with each other, he’ll grant her wish. What she uncovers about his life is far more than she bargained for. In addition to the disguises in his closet from his investigative business, she stumbles across secrets. Those of which she wished she’s never known.

Framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Ian Fielding has his hands full with proving his innocence. His wife picks that moment to show up on his doorstep, and he’s forced to take her with him. What complicates things is when he becomes unexplainably attracted to her. The timing couldn’t be more inconvenient. When the couple takes refuge in an old castle own by a recluse beastly lord, they soon become aware that the owner has plans of his own.

Swept into a whirlwind of mystery, passion and adventure, Charlotte must discover the truth of her own heart before it’s too late for them both.

Love Comes Blindly

Book Five in the “Fielding Brother’s Saga”

© 2011 Marie Higgins

If love isn’t blind to past indiscretions, can absence truly make the heart grow fonder?

Lord Gregory Fielding has been wounded when he travels to Scotland to find the next big story for his London newspaper.
 
Now blinded, he relies on the soft, comforting touch of one of the nurses at St. Mary’s Abbey.
 
He thinks she’s a novice, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to give her his heart.

Madeline O’Neil cannot believe her misfortune.
 
The man she had almost married three years ago is back in her life.
 
Gregg doesn’t know who she is and she doesn’t dare tell him.
 
Not until she makes him like the new Madeline.
 
But as each day passes and her heart grows fonder, she fears he’ll hate her for certain once his eyesight returns.
 
Especially when he discovers the secret she’s been keeping from him for three years…