“I am beginning to believe you” was her satisfying reply.
For the second time today, he was struck by the dreamy, dizzy joy in her smile. That smile had been his undoing from the very first, Brandon realized.
There were countless other reasons he’d fallen for her, though. She fired his blood; she made him burn from the inside out. Yet it was her spirit, her zest, her fearlessness, her persistence, that had ultimately captured him.
She’d refused to let him languish in his own cold, emotionless world. She’d made him confront his own demons, spurring the rebirth of feeling inside him, dredging it up from where he had long ago buried it.
He felt as though he was coming back to life. For Kate, he had let down his guard. For her, he’d opened his heart and let the wave of unwanted emotions flood him.
Slowly Brandon raised his fingers to her lips to trace her soft smile.
Loving her felt right, like filling a hollow space inside him that had been empty for too long. And he would vanquish any lingering doubts she might have by proving his love to her for the rest of their days.
Kent, England, July 1817
Remarkably, his feelings for Kate grew stronger by the day, so that when they married five weeks later, Brandon wondered how he had ever managed to live so long without her.
Yesterday, with all the Wildes present, poignant memorial services had been held at both the Beaufort and Traherne estate
s in Kent in remembrance of their late family members. But Kate’s grand wedding had been deliberately set for the morning afterward, the timing designed to counterbalance sadness with happiness.
Which was why just now as they spoke their vows in the chapel at Beauvoir, it concerned Brandon when he saw a tear roll down her cheek.
“Good God, are you crying, princess?” he murmured under the droning tone of the vicar.
Kate wiped at her eyes and whispered back, “You know I tend to cry at weddings. But they are tears of happiness.”
“Ah yes, you are a hopeless romantic.”
“On the contrary. I am not hopeless any longer, thanks to you.”
She gazed up at him lovingly, making his heart swell. When it came time to kiss the bride, Brandon couldn’t help but marvel at the depth of his own happiness.
After the ceremony Kate stood by his side, accepting the good wishes of the wedding guests, her smile warm and joyful. He wanted to give her reason to smile like that always.
She made a stunning bride, he thought watching her. Kate was only one of the fiery, sensual Wilde clan, but the glow of life that surrounded her evinced a special quality all her own. She was vibrant, almost incandescent. Clearly a woman in love.
Lady Isabella Wilde was the first to crow about their obvious love match. Bella, the vivacious, half-Spanish, half-English widow whose third husband was Cornelius Wilde’s late brother, Henry, sounded smug in her exultation. “I knew all along you were right for each other. You were destined to marry.”
“Perhaps so,” Brandon agreed before remarking to his new wife, “I’m fated to love you for the rest of my life, and there’s nothing you can do to change it.”
Amusement danced in Kate’s green eyes before she turned to greet her former companion, Nell, with an affectionate embrace.
Amusement also laced his cousin’s voice moments later when Trey slapped him heartily on the back. “We are elated to have you join our ranks of happily married men, old fellow.”
“I am exceedingly fortunate.”
In more ways than one, Brandon added to himself. Several of his former colleagues in the Guardians had attended his wedding, and he was gratified to be welcomed back into their ranks, knowing this was his second chance for the life he wanted.
Kate would be the center of his life, however.
During a brief lull in the congratulations, Brandon took her hand and brought her fingers to his lips for a tender kiss—and then found himself captured by her enchanting gaze.
He could see everything she felt, every nuance of raw emotion in her eyes. But most satisfying was how she looked at him as if he were the most fascinating, wonderful man alive. There was no defense against that.
He wanted no defense, either. She made his world a better place. She made him feel again; she made him complete. He wanted to share every part of himself with her. And he was counting the minutes until he could get her alone and express his desire in more reassuring ways.
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