What A Rogue Wants (45 page)

Grey smiled indulgently at
her. “We do. My brother has arranged it
and
called in a favor to get us a
special license.”

“
But you haven’t even
spoken to your brother yet,” she said, all too aware that Abby and
Helen were looking between her and Grey as they spoke. “What if you
change your mind, depending on what he says?”

“
I’ll not change my mind,
Madelaine.” He turned to his aunt. “Might I have a private
moment?”

“
Hmm?” His aunt looked
riveted to her spot.

Grey sighed, his exasperation
unmistakable. “I’d like a moment alone with Madelaine, Aunt. Don’t
you and Abby have something you need to do?”

“
Of course,” Helen
exclaimed, a blush staining her cheeks. “We can get Madelaine’s
flowers and gown ready.”

“
My what?” Madelaine
exclaimed.

Helen’s answer was an airy wave of her
hand as she and Abby departed the room.

Grey slipped an arm around
Madelaine’s waist and drew her near. His heat and warmth instantly
calmed her racing heart. “Nothing Edward says will change the fact
that I want to marry you tonight. Whether I leave my brother and
feel I can continue as an
equerry
or seek a new profession, I will do it with you
as my wife.
And I refuse to wait to marry
you and chance you concocting some scheme to save me from
myself.”

“
Bravo!” Helen cried from
the other room.

Grey grinned, and Madelaine couldn’t
help but smile back. He loved her just as she loved him, heart and
soul. No matter what came next, they had each other. He pressed his
lips to her ear. “Besides, the king might be more amendable to
pretending to pardon your father in a fit of madness if he
understands that I will personally ensure my father-in-law stays
away from Court and behaves.”

She pressed her head against his chest
and curled her fingers around his arms. “I’ve no right to ask this
of you.”

“
You did not ask.” He
pulled back and kissed her full on the mouth. She returned the kiss
with abandonment, not caring that Helen and Abby might be watching
from the other room. The way he kissed her stole her breath and
left her body feeling as if she floated. Heat crept over her and
thoughts of the two of them entwined in each other’s arms as they
had been before filled her head. It was a good thing they’d be
married tonight. She refused to sleep in any bed but his, though
propriety would demand otherwise if they were unwed. When a throat
cleared in the other room, Grey laughed and brushed his finger over
her swollen, throbbing lips. “Get ready for our wedding while I’m
gone.”

She nodded, pressing her fingers to
her lips. “Hurry back.”

“
Always, for you,” he said
before leaving.

She traced a finger over her lips. She
was loved by a man who adored her for her oddness. How surprising
and wonderful. She wished her mother was still alive. For the first
time ever, she felt something she was doing―marrying Grey―would
have made her mother proud, and she was doing it in her own unique
way.

GREY HAD BEEN SO SURE Edward would
tell him Father had always put the king first. When his brother
told him otherwise, Grey could do no more than stare, while trying
to comprehend that he had truly not known his father and deal with
the sadness and regret that swelled within him.

Edward leaned back in his chair with a
smile. “Why the astonished look? Did you expect to hear
otherwise?”

“
I counted on it. I’m
uncertain what to do. I’d planned on telling the king today that
I’m retiring from the circle.”

Edward’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why the
hell would you do that? We need you more than ever now, after
losing Pearson and Stratmore. The king may let Stratmore live,
after hearing what you’ve told me, but you know the man will never
serve with us again.”

“
I know it.” Grey circled
his shoulders around and tried to ease some of the tension that
mounted every time he thought about Stratmore’s life being in his
hands. Would Madelaine forgive him if he failed to convince His
Majesty to allow her father to keep his life? The thought of her
enduring such pain because he had not succeeded sat like a lead
ball in the pit of his stomach.

“
Grey, you’ve not answered
me.”

“
What did you
ask?”

Edward leaned forward and placed his
palms on the table. “I asked why you would think it necessary to
quit the circle.”

“
I was worried that if the
choice came to the king or Madelaine, I would choose Madelaine.” No
sense in burdening Edward with the knowledge of what Grey had
already done.

Edward nodded. “I won’t
pretend to understand. I’m not like you and Father. I’ve never met
a woman who’s made me doubt the king should be first in my life.
Yet Father managed to serve both the king
and
be a good husband. I’ve no doubt
you’ll manage it as well.”

Grey sagged in his chair at Edward’s
unrealized blessing. Marrying Madelaine would not have changed no
matter what Edward said, but knowing he was treading the same path
his father had managed made Grey feel more secure. He rose and
glanced down at his brother. “I want to speak with the king before
my wedding tonight. What of his mind? How was he when last you saw
him?”

“
Completely well and
reasonable. I say we go to him now and beg Stratmore’s case. The
king’s consent to let Stratmore live would probably make your bride
very happy.”

“
We?” Grey raised an
eyebrow. “You’ll go with me? I would not have thought you could
stomach asking the king to pardon Stratmore when the man was going
to try to help put the prince on the throne.”

“
I do it for you.”
Edward’s voice was low. “You are my brother, and I’ll always stand
by you. I believe you lost this.” Edward held Grey’s ring to
him.

Grey took it and grasped
Edward. To hear his brother say he would always stand by him was
like hearing words he’d always longed for. He’d wanted to hear them
from his father, but his father
had
cared, and now Edward and he had the kind of
relationship he’d longed for but could never quite grasp because of
his hurt. Father had to be smiling on them. Today was full of
surprises. Pray God, they were all good.

Madelaine ran a finger over the gown
she wore. It was beautiful with the encrusted pearls in a pattern
of leaves. It fit a bit too tight, but the lush robe of silver
brocade that billowed from her shoulders would help disguise
that.

“
Thank you for allowing me
to borrow your wedding gown, Helen.”

Helen clasped Madelaine to her. “I
always hoped for a daughter to wear my dress. Oh, my dear.” She
sniffed. “You look exquisite.”

Butterflies fluttered in Madelaine’s
stomach. She had delayed putting on her wedding gown when Grey had
sent word pushing the ceremony time back, but now that the gown was
on, if someone dared to knock on that door and give her another
note, she’d storm the castle and drag Grey to the altar.

Helen patted Madelaine’s arm.
“Everyone in my family is always late. Wipe the furrow from your
brow and remember that. Tardiness doesn’t mean Grey has changed his
mind.”

“
I’m not worried. I trust
in Grey’s love.” The truth made her smile.

“
It’s good to see you so
sure and happy. I’m off to the chapel,” Helen said. “Abby will see
you safely there.”

Madelaine nodded, wishing her father
would be with her as she got married, yet knowing the futility of
the wish.

Once she and Abby were alone in the
room, Madelaine faced Abby. “I vow to you that if Father is
pardoned, I will do everything in my power to ensure he treats you
like a daughter, but I want you to know I always wished you were my
sister, and no matter the history, I’m glad you are.”

The two of them clung together for a
moment, hugging, laughing and alternately sniffing, but Abby
scolded Madelaine when a tear slipped down her cheek. “Don’t you
dare cry and ruin how beautiful you look. Things will work out. I
firmly believe it. No doubt Lord Grey has already set everything to
rights.”

Madelaine nibbled her lip. “I hope so.
I wish I could have gone with him to speak with the
king.”

“
Well, you couldn’t.” Abby
placed a wreath of flowers on Madelaine’s head. “He thinks only to
protect you, and you need to let him.”

A few minutes later, they entered the
courtyard before the chapel, and Abby paused by the fountain. “I’m
so happy for you. And I know your father―”

“
Our father,” Madelaine
corrected in a very low voice.

Abby frowned, but jerked her head in a
nod. “He’ll be happy for you too, once he hears about your wedding,
of course.”

Madelaine blinked back tears at the
reminder that while she was dressed in finery and about to marry
the man she loved, her father had counted on her to save him and
she had failed. It didn’t seem right to marry Grey today when her
father might hang tomorrow or the next day, yet marrying Grey would
not change her father’s fate.

“
Ready?” Abby
asked.

Madelaine nodded and drew in a deep
breath as she followed Abby to the chapel door.

SHIFTING FROM FOOT TO FOOT, Grey stood
at the front of the chapel beside his brother and tried to quell
his impatience. Getting the king to agree to pardon Stratmore had
been much easier than Grey had expected. No one outside of their
small circle, and the two guards assigned to watch Stratmore at the
tower, knew of his incarceration, and Grey suspected that fact,
along with the king’s guilt over Sutton, helped decide the king’s
mind. Those who had known Stratmore was in the tower now thought
he’d been cleared and was free to go home. Of course, Grey was now
responsible for making sure Stratmore never attempted to come back
to Court, but he had no worries about that.

He would do anything for Madelaine,
and when he’d told Stratmore that he was not going to hang, the man
had alternated between relief and fear the king would make another
bad decision that would cost another man his life. Stratmore’s
fears had calmed when Grey told him the king had put cautionary
measures in place in case his mind became muddled again. Then
Madelaine’s father had become angry when Grey had given him the
news of his impending marriage. Stratmore was a smart man. He’d
agreed to come rather quickly when Grey told him he could either
give his blessing to the wedding, or Grey would pretend he had and
not release the man until after the wedding was over.

Stratmore glared at Grey from the back
of the church. Grey didn’t mind the duke’s anger. The most
important thing was how happy Madelaine would be to see her father
when she entered the church and to have him walk with her down the
aisle, even if the man did have to leave Court immediately after
with Edward as his escort.

Edward tapped Grey on the shoulder.
“You can quit fidgeting now. Your bride’s here.”

THE FIRST PERSON MADELAINE SAW when
she entered the church was her father. He stood by the door, his
hair freshly cut, clothes pressed to perfection, but dark shadows
under his eyes. “Father!” Her voice caught in her throat, and she
dashed at the tears streaming down her face.

He embraced her and pressed a kiss to
her head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I should have never asked for
your help. I set you an impossible task against formidable
opponents.”

“
Do you regret the choice
you made?”

“
I made it out of love for
the king and England, but I fear I was wrong, that I went about
trying to protect the king in the wrong way. I was angry, confused
and desperate, but none of it excuses my betrayal. I’ve sat in the
grime, and I’ve realized my betrayal of the king was worse than
anything I blamed on him.”

His voice broke on the last word and
dropped even lower. “I cannot change what I’ve done, and I’ve been
thrown from Court, but I’ve been told by Lord Grey, I’ll keep my
life and my properties. If you can find it in your heart to forgive
me, I beg you to try.”