Eloping with the Princess (Brotherhood of the Sword #3)(53)

She wasn’t certain this scenario counted as her heart pounded with nerves. “Where are you taking me?” she asked. He’d blindfolded her at their townhome, then led her to a carriage where they’d ridden somewhere. Now he was leading her into a building and up a staircase.

“You shall see,” Jason said, a playfulness in his tone.

“Not if you have me blindfolded, I will not.”

“Relax, Isabel, it is almost time. One more step up, that’s it.”

They reached the top of the staircase, and a door opened. The chill of the night air brushed against her, and she knew they’d stepped out onto a balcony. Precisely what was he up to? He’d never given her any kind of surprise.

“Now you may remove the blindfold,” he said.

She reached up and pulled the strip of fabric from her eyes. They stood on a balcony overlooking the lights of the city. Their friends and his family were already there, waiting quietly. She scanned their faces, but could tell nothing from their expressions. She felt the weight of a frown. “What is this?”

“Isabel, our marriage was not one born of love. We hastily agreed to be husband and wife for our country, and I want you to know that I do not regret that decision. However, things have changed.”

Her heart seemed to have stopped beating, the blood halted in her veins, and her breathing slowed. What was he saying? Had he brought her here in front of his family and the only people in London whom she knew to tell her their marriage was no longer necessary? After all, they had caught the people responsible for the plot to usurp the Crown.

Jason dropped to one knee in front of her. “Though I fought it every step of the way, I fell in love with you. And I want to make you the vows a husband makes a wife.” His head tilted to one side. “If you will still have me.”

“You love me?” she asked numbly.

“I do.” He stood. “Will you marry me again?”

Tears clouded her eyes, and love filled her chest so wholly that she feared her heart might burst from her body. “Yes, of course.”

“Lynford, would you do the honors?”

“No one can call him the Priest anymore,” Somersby said.

“Still, he’s the closest thing we’ve got,” Jason said. “I’d already asked him.”

“Right here? Right now?” Isabel asked, swiping at her tears.

“Yes, I want to begin our new life together straightaway,” Jason said.

Isabel grinned at her aunt Lilith and then at Jason’s mother. She probably looked every bit the lovesick fool she was, but she didn’t care. Jason loved her. Her husband loved her.

Lynford opened the Common Book of Prayer, then cleared his throat. “Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”

“I will,” Jason said.

His blue eyes never left her own, and Isabel barely heard Lord Lynford ask her the same questions. “I will,” she said.

Jason held her hands and vowed, “I, Jason, take thee Isabel to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”

She repeated the vows and then they kissed. And their friends cheered, celebrating with them.

…

Two hours later Jason had come upstairs to the exercise room as she’d instructed him. She stood in the middle of the room with a foil hanging from her hand.

“We are well and truly married now,” she said.

He took a step toward her. “We are.”

“There is something I want to know. What changed?”

“I didn’t imagine you’d be armed when we had this conversation.” He nodded toward the foil, but she made no move to drop it. “You were right. About everything. It all comes down to my damned foolish pride.” He closed the distance between them but made no move to touch her. “I don’t want to pick pride over us. I choose you. Again and again, I choose you. We can have as many children as you want, or none. Whichever you prefer.”

“I love you, Jason.”

He grinned. “I don’t believe I’ll ever tire of hearing that from you.”

She tilted her head and grinned. “I think I’ve loved you since that first time you rescued me. I suspect I always will.”

He looped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

“I’ve been itching for another match.” A wanton look filled her eyes. Then she stepped back, swiped the foil, and slid it down the front of his shirt. The fabric fell open.

“Is that how this is going to be?” He moved swiftly from her and retrieved his own foil.

Thus began their approach-retreat dance. It took only two swipes for him to slice open her bodice, the dress falling away to pool at her feet.

She shrieked and lunged at him, and he fell to his knees, dropping the foil. He held up his hands in surrender.

“You have slayed me, my lady fair,” he said.

“You were a notorious beast, and now I am victorious.”