Then Came You (The Gamblers #1)(83)

“And arrogant,” Lily added, her smile widening.

The vicar smiled also. “Yes, perhaps that too. But he is also responsible and compassionate, and if he follows the family tradition, he’ll prove to be an unusually devoted husband. The Raiford blood, you see. I am glad that the earl has chosen a woman of strong mettle as his companion. Throughout the years he has been given many burdens to carry.” The vicar glanced at Alex’s averted face, and returned to Lily’s attentive expression. “Have you ever been on a sea voyage, Miss Lawson? You may have heard the word ‘marry’ as a nautical term. It refers to the sailors’ practice of matching two ropes together to give them greater strength as one. I pray this will be true of your union.”

Lily nodded, touched by the quiet atmosphere of the church, the vicar’s kind face, the sight of the color creeping up from Alex’s collar. Alex did not look at her, only kept his gaze on the floor, but she sensed that he was as affected by the moment as she was. “I hope so,” she whispered.

The vicar gestured to both of them, and walked toward the altar at the front of the church. Lily hesitated, her heart racing with emotion. Slowly she removed her gloves and handed them to Alex. He put the white kid gloves in his pocket and took her hand, folding her fingers between his. Lily looked up at him with a tremulous smile. But there was no smile on his face, only a grave expression and a flash of heat in his gaze.

They stood before the vicar with their hands linked. Lily only half-heard the clergyman’s measured voice as it drifted in and out of her consciousness. It was like a dream—a blurred, bewildering dream. Of all the twists and turns her life had taken, this was the most unexpected. She was marrying a man she barely knew, but somehow it seemed she had known him for a lifetime. The feel of her hand in his, turning warm and damp, was oddly familiar. The sound of his even breathing, the quiet timbre of his voice as he spoke the vows, all of it called to something deep within her, soothing the restless fear that had been a part of her for so long. She repeated her own vows carefully, trying to make her faltering voice steady. Alex brought her hand up and slid a heavy, carved gold ring on her finger. The band, a little too loose for her finger, was adorned with a large ruby that glowed as if a flame were trapped in the brilliant depths.

The vicar pronounced them man and wife, and sealed the marriage with the blessings of God. They signed the church register and affixed their names to a marriage certificate and special license. With one last stroke of the pen, Lily gave a trembling sigh, knowing it was done. There was a sound at the back of the church as an elderly couple entered, some of the vicar’s parishioners. Excusing himself, the vicar went to talk to the pair, leaving Alex and Lily alone in front of the heavy register book. They looked down at their two names and the date inscribed below. Lily glanced at her ring, twisting it around her finger. The ruby, and the duster of diamonds that surrounded it, was almost too large for her small hand.

“It belonged to my mother,” Alex said gruffly.

“It’s beautiful,” Lily replied, raising her eyes to his. “Did you ever…did Caroline…”

“No,” he said swiftly. “She never even saw it.” He touched her hand. “I wouldn’t ask you to wear something tainted with memories of another woman.”

“Thank you.” Lily couldn’t prevent a shy, pleased smile.

His hand tightened on hers until it almost hurt. “I did care for Caroline. Had she lived, I would have married her, and…I believe we would have been content.”

“Of course you would have,” Lily murmured, puzzled by the short speech.

“But with you it’s different…” Alex stopped and cleared his throat awkwardly.

Breathlessly Lily waited for him to continue, feeling as if she were poised at the brink of a dizzying height. “What do you mean, different?” She stared at his golden face, wreathed in shadows and candlelight. “Different in what way?”

But the vicar interrupted them just then, returning from his brief conversation with the elderly couple. “Lord and Lady Raiford. I have a matter to attend to. Counsel to offer to some parishioners—”

“Yes, of course,” Alex said smoothly. “Thank you.”

The shock of being addressed as Lady Raiford caused Lily to forget her question. Dutifully she said good-bye to the vicar as she walked to the door with Alex. “I’m a countess,” she said, and gave an incredulous laugh once they had left the church. She stared up at Alex’s amused expression. “Do you think my mother will be pleased?”

“She’ll faint,” Alex replied, helping her into the phaeton, “and then she’ll ask for a cup of strong tea.” He grinned as he saw her reach for the reins. “Don’t touch those, Lady Raiford. I’ll be the one to drive us home.”

At Lily’s request, Alex took her to the bank of Forbes, Bertram, and Company, and withdrew five thousand pounds from the venerable institution. Lily was surprised that Alex didn’t bully her with questions about her obligation. She knew he assumed it was a gambling debt. Perhaps he thought she owed the money to Derek. “Will it be enough?” was all he asked, pulling her to a private corner as his banker headed toward the vaults and security boxes in the next room.

Lily nodded with a guilty blush. “Yes, thank you. I’ll need to take care of some things this afternoon.” She hesitated almost imperceptibly. “I would prefer to do them by myself.”