A Hathaway Wedding (The Hathaways #2.5)(10)

Behind Beatrix, Ollie flapped his ears and gave a rumbling chortle.

Fulloway found himself corralled between Leo and Merripen.

“Have you heard of the legislation passed three years ago, outlawing wanton and malicious cruelty to animals?” Leo asked. “No? Well, I know all about it, as I’ve had to sit through everlasting sessions of Parliament while they’ve brought up new amendments. And if you give us any further difficulty, you’ll find yourself so busy defending against prosecutions, you’ll have to close your bloody traveling show and—”

“All right,” Fulloway said, unnerved by Merripen’s threatening glare. “I’m willing to negotiate. But I want a fair price. This is no cut-rate elephant!”

Beatrix sighed in relief. Ollie came to stand beside her, and she stroked his ear comfortingly. “You’re not going back,” she murmured. “You’re safe now.”

Her sister Amelia approached them, gazing at Ollie in wonder. Carefully Amelia reached out and rubbed the elephant’s forehead, and smiled into his clear brown eyes. “What a well-behaved fellow,” she said. “I never suspected an elephant would comport himself so nicely at a wedding.”

“Amelia,” Beatrix said apologetically, “I know what I promised earlier, but—”

“Wait,” Amelia said, her voice gentle. “Before you say anything, Bea . . . Cam told me to let you follow your own path. And he was right. You don’t have to change yourself to suit someone else. You’re perfectly wonderful the way you are.” She smiled. “All I want is for you to be happy. And I don’t think you could be, if you weren’t free to follow your heart.”

Beatrix launched forward and hugged her sister. “I love you,” she said.

As they stood embracing, Ollie tried to wrap his trunk around them.

“We’re not keeping him,” Leo warned. “You’re going to find some kind of sanctuary or refuge for him, Beatrix.”

“Yes, of course. Some place with other elephants. He’ll want to live among his own kind.” Beaming, Beatrix led the elephant out of the granary. “But in the meantime . . . won’t the neighbors love it when I take Ollie out for a walk?”

Dressed in a white nightgown, her fair hair loose and flowing, Win entered the bedroom to find Kev waiting for her.

Their first night as husband and wife.

And although Kev, in all his dark handsomeness, was beloved and familiar to her, she felt a pleasant ripple of nervousness.

He stripped off his shirt, revealing a sleek, powerful torso, and tossed it aside.

His gaze smoldered as it passed over her slowly. Standing beside the bed, he extended a commanding hand, palm-up.

“Your slipper,” he said.

So he intended to adhere to the Romany tradition, Win thought, amused and perhaps the slightest bit annoyed. Her shoe would be placed on his side of the bed to show who was master. Very well. He could have his symbolic victory.

Although it would prove nothing.

Win removed a slipper and went to hand it to him.

In the process, however, she nearly tripped over something on the floor. She paused to glance down at it in mild surprise.

A large black man’s shoe had been placed on her side of the bed.

Understanding, Win glanced up at him with laughter in her gaze. “But who’ll be in charge?”

Taking her slipper, Kev set it ceremoniously on the floor, and reached for her.

“We’ll take turns,” he said, his hard arms closing around her, his warm breath caressing her lips just before he kissed her. “Me first.”

- The End -