He tightened his hold on her hand. She gulped for breath.

Bishop Walters frowned. "Is it possible for us to continue with this service?" he asked pointedly in an

undervoice.

Tess nodded. The bishop began saying her vows. She repeated them in a faint, solemn voice.

Listening to her, Brenn couldn't help wondering sourly if she thought of Draycutt. He'd make her forget

that rogue if he had to lock her in the bedroom and make pa.s.sionate love to her every hour of theday...an idea that didn't sound at all distasteful. No, not at all-"My lord?" the bishop's voice interrupted Brenn's thoughts. "Do you have the ring?""The ring?" Brenn repeated blankly."It's time for the ring," the clergyman whispered with a touch of exasperation."Yes, the ring," Brenn answered. He pulled the moonstone from his pocket.

Tess removed her gloves. Her hands were like blocks of ice.He slipped the moonstone on her finger. It wouldn't go beyond her knuckle. He pressed harder, fightingoff a sick sense of dread. He'd designed this ring himself. He'd had it sized especially for her. Paid thejeweler extra to rush its fabrication. It had to fit.

"Don't force it," Bishop Walters warned through a frozen smile. "Sometimes this happens when the bride

is very nervous. Her fingers have swollen."

"Oh," Tess said, embarra.s.sed. She closed her fist so that she could keep the ring in place. Tears welled in her eyes and she gave him an uncertain smile. "It's lovely."

Brenn covered her hand with his warm one, fighting off a sense that this marriage was going to be a

disaster. Together, they would build a life for themselves. "Together," he repeated.

Tess gave a small start. The tears vanished as if by magic. "Yes, together," she echoed. Her smile was like a ray of light on an overclouded day.

Brenn couldn't help but return her smile, his doubts evaporating even as the bishop's voice filled the corners of the church. "I p.r.o.nounce they are man and wife."

The deed was done.Brenn placed Tess's hand on his arm and turned to face the congregation. He walked down the aisle,proud of the woman by his side. Faces he hardly recognized beamed approving smiles at them. Tess'sbrother seemed inordinately pleased. Stella was sobbing softly for effect, huge tears rolling down hercheeks from remarkably clear eyes.

They paused at the door to sign the register as man and wife. Then Brenn escorted her out of the church.

The day was fresh and sunny with a fair breeze. Lazy clouds drifted across a blue sky. The perfect day for a wedding.

A shiny green barouche with bra.s.s tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs and a high-stepping set of matched grays waited for them at the front step. Brenn had hired the conveyance to drive them back to Hamlin's house where the wedding breakfast would be held. Surrounding it was a group of idlers and gawkers, members of the populace who wanted to see the fancy people or catch a glimpse of Prinny. The Hamlin footmen attempted to wave them away.

"We want to see the bride!" one impudent voice shouted out. The demand was quickly echoed by the others.

"Come," Brenn said to Tess. "Let's give them what they want. Let them see the most beautiful bride in the world."

Tess colored prettily. She waved to the crowd and they "ah'ed" their approval.

"Kiss her!" a chimney sweep's lad shouted. He'd pushed his way to the front. A footman tried to pushhim back, but the lad ducked and repeated his demand.Brenn didn't know what was considered proper-behind him, Stella complained about the "dirty rabble outside"-but a kiss sounded like an excellent idea.The last time he'd kissed her, he'd been demanding, wanting to know the truth of his suspicions. Now, under the blue sky and in front of the world, he approached this kiss with reverence. This was his wife.

His helpmate. The one for whom he had forsaken all others.

As his lips came down on hers, her lips parted and then sweetly fit against his.

Kissing Tess could be habit-forming. The world around them faded and there was only this delicious

woman in his arms.

The crowd roaring with approval brought him back to his senses. He broke off the kiss. Her face was red but her eyes sparkled with laughter. He didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful.

He helped Tess into the carriage and with a snap of the whip, the coachman drove them on their way.

Children ran at its wheels while the adults shouted good wishes.

Tess leaned out the window and waved until they'd gone around the corner. She sat back on the velvet seat, her color still high.

"Look," she said proudly and held up her left hand for him to admire. The moonstone ring was in its

proper place. "I was so nervous," she admitted. Then she looked away before adding softly, "I still am."

"I am too."

Her eyes flashed up to him. "You?"

He nodded.

She pressed her lips together, her gaze dropping as if she didn't know what to do with the information.

"The ring is lovely."

"It's a moonstone." He could have added that it was the only thing of value besides his dreams that heowned.She turned her hand this way and that to catch the gem's pearly light.

He said, "It's a dull stone when compared to emeralds and rubies, but in India it is considered sacred." The words came out a touch bitter. He was all too aware of how little he had to offer her. And she was bringing so much into the marriage.

She self-consciously touched the rubies around her throat. "Together," she whispered."What?""You said it in the ceremony. You said, 'Together.' That word is a motto of sorts in my family.""I didn't know."She smiled. "Then perhaps it is an omen." Her expression turned pensive. "Perhaps this was meant to be."

Brenn reached for her hand. "I purchased the stone from an old beggar man. He promised me good

fortune if I paid his price." He traced the swirl of gold around the stone. "The stone reminds me of thenight we first met. The moon was full."Her lips curved into a shy smile. "It was. A full, silver moon." She paused. "Did you pay his price?""What? Oh. No. You haggle. It's expected.""Even when something is sacred?" she asked softly.He gave her a sharp look. His wife was beautiful, but he hadn't really thought her insightful. He ran his thumb back and forth across the back of her hand. "The moonstone is also said to arouse the pa.s.sion of

lovers."

"Really?" Her voice had gone breathless. Her cheeks turned bright pink, a maidenly blush that made him think of taking her to bed.

Suddenly, Draycutt and the baby no longer mattered. He wanted this woman. Pa.s.sionately.

He eased his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "I know your secret, Tess."

She jerked away. "My secret?" she repeated, horrified.

Brenn took her hand again. "It doesn't matter. All I ask is that you be a good wife to me. That you honor

the vows we made this day."A small frown formed between her eyebrows. "You know and you married me anyway?"Feeling n.o.ble, Brenn nodded.But her reaction was not what he had antic.i.p.ated. The color drained from her face. "Who else knows?"He wasn't going to tell her about G.o.dwin. "No one."Even then, the information did not relax her. He didn't get a chance to say more because at that moment they drew up at the Hamlins' front door. Almost before the wheels had stopped turning, his bride opened the door and jumped down to the ground. She hurried back to the coach following them, waiting impatiently for her brother to climb down.

Puzzled, Brenn watched brother and sister have a hurried consultation. Hamlin hadn't been interested in what she had to say, until she apparently repeated herself. He then quickly hurried her inside.

"What the devil?" Brenn asked himself, and then realized he'd been left behind by the rest of the wedding party. He followed the celebrating guests at his leisure, mulling over his wife's state of panic.

Guests were arriving from all directions. They swept Brenn inside the door on a tide of good wishes. Inside, gla.s.ses of champagne were poured and downed with only the briefest of ceremonies. The haut ton, the elite of London, was a group of people who knew only excess. They now celebrated Brenn's wedding with bottle after bottle of the finest vintage. Nor did they notice when Brenn set his gla.s.s aside.

He wasn't a heavy drinker. There had been a time, when he'd first seen battle, that he had turned to the bottle, but he had quickly learned there was no solace to be found there. He preferred a more prudent and sober course now.

Suddenly, Hamlin was at Brenn's elbow. His manner was one of supreme agitation. He pushed him toward the relative privacy of his study. "How did you find out?"

Brenn shook his head. He wasn't going to admit to eavesdropping on the servants. "It doesn't matter. I' ve taken her to wife."

"But it matters to me! Who else knows?"

"No one, and no one ever will," Brenn promised. "After all, what good would it serve me? It is between Tess and me."

Hamlin stared into his face as if searching for an ulterior motive. At last, he eased his guarded stance. "You have relieved me of a terrible burden. You're a good man, Merton." A group of gentlemen spied them in the doorway and called Hamlin's name.

He turned to them. "Gentlemen, let us drink to the good health of my new brother-in-law!"

Such a suggestion didn't need to be seconded.

They toasted the wedding soberly at first, their enthusiasm building with each subsequent toast. Hamlin, of course, egged on his fellow drinkers.

There wasn't a man there that didn't claim to envy Brenn. He'd married the prize, the most sought-after heiress of the Season, the beautiful princess. However, when they started toasting Tess's fingernails, Brenn decided the time had come to leave. He wandered away, going from room to room searching for his bride and meeting relatives.

Suddenly Tess appeared by his side. She held an empty winegla.s.s and her expressive eyes brimmed with happiness.

"Uncle Isaac!" she cried, throwing her arms around the old man's neck in a gesture of genuine affection.

"My favorite niece," Uncle Isaac responded and started talking about the day he'd first held her in his arms when she was a tiny babe but Tess interrupted him.

"This is my wonderful, wonderful husband," she declared, linking her arm in Brenn's. "You'll excuse us, won't you, dear uncle?" She didn't wait for an answer but skillfully guided Brenn away.

"He is so long-winded," she whispered.

Brenn took the empty gla.s.s from her and handed it to a servant. "Do you drink much?" he asked in a less than casual voice.

"Oh...no, not often." She swallowed. "I have had a gla.s.s or two to relax me a bit. For tonight."

Tonight. Yes, he wanted her relaxed for tonight. Desire raced through his veins.

Then, in a voice that made him feel like Sir Galahad and Saint George the Dragon Slayer combined, she

said, "I can't tell you what your acceptance of the situation means to me. You have saved my family."

He pulled her aside to a small corner of the hallway where they could have some measure of privacy.

"Tess, I want to always protect you."

She smiled, her eyes shiny. Reaching out, she smoothed his shoulder with the palm of her hand. A wifely

gesture.