“To everything.” Julian brought my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it tenderly.
“I don’t see how it’s the solution to anything,” I said.
“If I marry you, my father is sure to disown me. Once I am no longer the heir to his fortune, and his place in Parliament, no one can complain about how I spend my time and energies. I’ll be able to continue my research without the old Luddite’s interference. You’ll put me on the payroll officially, won’t you, Jamie?”
“Of course.” Putnam nudged my shoulder. “He’s the best Etherographic Chemist in my labs. I’ve been funneling his pay to anti-Luddite groups before now because Capshaw hated the idea of his heir earning his way through the world, and the Progressives are more than happy to take my money to spit in the old bastard’s eye.”
I shook my head at Julian. “Fine, by marrying me you shall be free from your father, but what about me? I have a good relationship with my family I don’t wish to damage, and marrying Lord Capshaw’s son will do just that. My father will never forgive me.”
“You’ll be rid of Leopold and all the pitying looks you’re subjected to because of him. Besides, married to me, you won’t be a scandal any longer, and people will stop avoiding your father’s shop to stay in favor with the Queen.”
“You also won’t be a threat to Prince Leopold’s impending nuptials,” Putnam said. “After all, there is a legitimate fear that he may grow a spine at the last moment and escape before his mother has him shackled into a state of marital disharmony.”
“But—”
“Not to mention,” Julian said, “you’ll have a chance at revenge against Leopold.”
“I don’t want revenge.”
“You should. He was a spineless, miserable sod who didn’t deserve you. Do you know he didn’t even flinch when his mother refused his request to marry you instead of that silly German twit?”
“He told me there was no reasoning with her.”
“He didn’t even try. I was there, Aida. I watched as he stood there and let her scold him like a little boy caught sneaking sweets before dinner. He gave you up as if you were nothing more than another butterscotch toffee that she said would ruin his appetite. He’s put you at the center of a scandal because he was too weak to cut the apron strings.”
“That’s not true.” My protest sounded weak even to my own ears.
“Aida.” Julian squeezed my hand, and I could see the pity in his eyes. “He wouldn’t fight for your honor and, no matter what gossips say, he never will. He’s exposed you to ridicule. If that’s not enough of a reason to want revenge then I don’t know what is.”
“You would?” I asked. “Fight for me, I mean. You would oppose your father and society and the very fabric of English nobility itself to be with me?”
“I’ve fought my father’s society for everything that’s important to me anyway,” Julian said bitterly. “What’s one more thing?”
“I—”
“Besides,” he said before I could protest, “we get along well. We have the same mindset, and we’re both guaranteed to have a spouse who doesn’t complain about the long hours we each spend in the lab. Personally, I can’t think of a better reason to enter into a lifelong commitment with another person. So marry me and both of us shall be free of the past.”
“We barely know each other.”
“True, but you respect me, as I do you. We have common interests and a great deal of chemistry between us. Most of the marriages I’ve seen contracted have started out with significantly less.”
“True, but…”
“Come now,” Julian said. “What have we got to lose?”
What did I have to lose? Leopold was marrying another woman. I had no suitors in the wings, and because I was Irish, it was unlikely for there to be any suitable men asking for my hand in the near future. Not given the current political climate. Julian might be my only opportunity for matrimony, and no matter how much I loved my career, I had no desire to spend the rest of my life as an old maid, subject to everyone’s pity. Plus, if marrying Julian got the Queen to patronize my father’s shop that would pay for itself many times over.
Then again, I’d be marrying a man I didn’t know. A man who obviously didn’t love me and only wanted me because it would be a thorn in his father’s side.
Then again, he was wealthy and I knew I’d be cared for and safe, which was more than a lot of women could say—even in this day and age. Plus, he’d never keep me from my work; there was that to consider. In the end I could take a risk at happiness in a loveless but friendly marriage or stay an old maid and hope that things worked out for the best. Neither were exactly ideal choices.
“Fine.” I nodded forcefully and reached for the bottle of whiskey, pouring myself another glass to steady my nerves. I downed the drink and stifled a cough when it burned my throat again. “I shall be happy to marry you, but I think it’s fair to warn you that my father has a rather vicious right hook, and I’m sure he’ll use it on you when he finds out you’ve eloped with his only daughter.”
“Truly?” Julian asked. His eyes sparkled. “Not about your father—I mean of course I expect him to hit me—but you mean you’ll truly marry me?”
“Yes. Name the day and the place, and I shall be the one in white.”
Julian leaned in to kiss me, and I felt my knees get wobbly again underneath the table. “I promise you won’t regret this,” he said, his voice no more than a whisper.
“Vicar,” Putnam said loudly, breaking us out of our little bubble. “Vicar!”
A drunken man with his hair fluffed out in wild curls, wearing furry gloves, an eye mask decorated to look like a werewolf, and a black jacket and white ministerial collar stumbled to the table. “What can I help you with tonight, Mr. Putnam, slir?”
“It seems you have a wedding to officiate,” Putnam said. “If you’re sober enough to make it through that is?”
I couldn’t help smiling at Julian even as a bit of panic clawed at my guts. We were about to be married by a man disguised in fancy dress as a werewolf on an airship. What would Esther say if she could see me now?
“Well.” The werewolf minister nodded. “If you can move the witnesses to the back of the room, I’ll see what I can arrange.”
“Wonderful,” Julian said, standing and pulling me to my feet beside him. He pressed me to his side and kissed the top of my head while I tried not to have second thoughts about what we were doing.
“It seems we’ll be able to get married tonight.” Julian’s whisper unleashed a tingling where his breath tickled the side of my neck.
“Come along dear,” Putnam said, taking my elbow and leading me away.
“But—”
“No worries, my dearest one.” Julian lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it. “I shall be the man standing next to the werewolf looking exceedingly anxious. Come and find me soon.”
“Where are we going?” I asked as Putnam led me away.
“To the back of the ballroom of course.” He shook his head at me. “How else will I walk you up the aisle? Just because you’re eloping on a Scottish airship doesn’t mean we can dispense with the formalities. We do fancy ourselves a finer establishment than the blacksmith at Gretna Green, after all.”
“Oh look here!” One of the women at the buffet table cried out in surprise when the werewolf and Julian took their place at the front of the ballroom just as Putnam stopped the music with a discreet signal. “They’ve brought in a troop to perform a pantomime wedding.”
“I don’t remember this one,” the woman next to her said. “We’ve seen all the newest plays this season, and none of them involved a wedding.”
“Oh do pay attention, Emmaline!” The other one pointed out when we swept by them and took our places opposite Julian and the costumed vicar. “The actress looks exactly like the woman Prince Leopold was besotted with—the Irish one. They’ll get all the way up to ‘you may kiss the bride,’ and some hairy man in a dress will show
up, pretending to be Queen Victoria, and he’ll put a stop to it.”
“How clever,” the second woman said and turned to look at me, waving her hand patronizingly. “You’re very good, darling. You are almost identical to that woman. What was her name?”
“Aida Mulvaney,” I said, biting my tongue so I wouldn’t say anything rude.
“I don’t think so. Are you sure that was her name?”
“I’m positive,” I said.
She scrunched up her nose and glared at me. “I thought it was something more exotic sounding. Either way, my dear, you are the spitting image of her.”
“Because I am her.” I watched the woman’s mouth drop open in a most unbecoming fashion, then took Putnam’s elbow as the clockwork band began my wedding march.
Chapter Three
I swallowed and tightened my grip on Putnam’s arm. My stomach fluttered, and my hands dampened with sweat. I was about to marry a man I barely knew, on an airship full of strangers. Correction, I was marrying a man I barely knew on an airship full of strangers with a man dressed like a werewolf officiating.
Surely this was all some sort of unpleasant dream brought about by overwork and an excess of champagne and whiskey? Because I’d never done something this unplanned before in my entire life. Including my ill-thought-out scheme to wed the youngest son of the Queen of England three weeks ago and save him from marrying a woman he couldn’t stand.
“Who is the werewolf, in real life I mean?” I asked Putnam, suddenly very concerned about his answer.
“Mr. William Daughtry, Vicar of Shrewsbury.” Putnam said, patting my hand. “Chin up now, it’ll all be over soon.”
My mouth went dry. If the man were a proper vicar, the marriage would be legal. Julian intended this to be more than a rebellious winter’s evening tryst designed to anger his father. But if he didn’t, given the absurdity of the situation, it could be easily annulled after the New Year. Leaving my reputation in an even worse state than it was now but still allowing him to marry someone of better social standing.
“Shouldn’t he be in church celebrating the start of the Queen’s Jubilee and not drunk on a dirigible?”
“It’s the same thing really,” Putnam said as he patted my hand. “We’ve just got better brandy to celebrate her Majesty’s glorious reign with.”
“Oh.” I nodded, wide eyed. He turned back to the front of the airship, patted my hand once again, and began to move forward at a regal pace—keeping a firm grip on my elbow so I didn’t stumble. Or lose my nerve and bolt. At the top of the aisle, he placed my hands in Julian’s and kissed my cheek lightly before giving Julian a good-natured slap on the back.
“Dearly beloved,” the Vicar said and spread his hands wide as if welcoming them to a cathedral instead of the front ballroom of a dirigible. “We are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which is commended of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men, and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God.”
Oh my. If only the vicar had any idea about the situation he was helping to create. He’d be scandalized.
“Into this holy estate,” the vicar said, “these two persons present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.”
I swallowed and hoped no one would get the idea to be clever and try to object because the witnesses thought this was a pantomime. Instead, everyone stayed quiet.
Julian’s shoulders sagged. He let out a sigh, of what I hoped was relief, and turned to give me a reassuring smile. Maybe he had been worried about the same thing? I hoped not.
My heart fluttered in my chest. Even if this was just an arrangement to see us both settled, I wanted to see it through.
“I require and charge you both,” the vicar said, “as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well assured, that if any persons are joined together otherwise than as God’s Word doth allow, their marriage is not lawful.”
“N-n-no,” I said, my voice shaking slightly.
“No.” Julian said and then smiled at me reassuringly.
“Wonderful,” the vicar said. “Now, Miss Mulvaney, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
“Uh…” I widened my eyes slightly at Julian. Obey?
“Forgive me.” The vicar shook his head. “It is an old habit from an earlier time, Miss Mulvaney. Wilt thou love and honor him all through your days?”
“I will,” I said with a smile and noticed Julian was grinning as well.
“Splendid,” the vicar said and posed the same question to Julian.
“I would have agreed to obey her.” Julian smiled down at me again. “But, of course, I promise to love, honor, and comfort her as well.”
“Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?” The vicar looked around.
“Oh, well I guess that would be me.” Putnam stepped forward and placed my hands in Julian’s before kissing me on the cheek.
“Right.” The vicar raised an eyebrow. “Moving on. O eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made.”
He looked over at Julian and narrowed his eyes. “Do you have a ring?”
“A what?” Julian looked first at the minister and then at me with wide eyes.
“A ring.”
“Oh, um, well no.”
“Here.” Putnam twisted a heavy gold signet ring off his finger and placed it in Julian’s hand. “I’ll need that back now, mind. Once you’ve gotten her a proper one.”
“Good, yes, continuing.” The vicar frowned at Julian. “This ring given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
“Amen,” everyone said.
The vicar sped through the remainder of his final words, ending with, “God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace; that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.”
“Amen,” we both said in unison.
“Now if you’ll excuse me, I find myself in need of a medicinal brandy.” The vicar smiled at us both then toddled away.
Suddenly the enormity of what I’d just done crashed down on me like a wave. Oh heavens, I’d just eloped…with the son of my father’s nemesis…on an airship of all places.
“Ladies and gentleman,” Putnam said and the crowd fell silent. “It is my distinct pleasure to present to you, Viscount and Lady Julian Capshaw.”
“Oh my goodness!” the woman from earlier said, and I saw Julian grimace. “It’s the real Julian Capshaw.”
The Vicar smoothed back his hair with one furred glove as he stumbled toward the bar. “I did say so, Lady Teesil. I could hardly have married him without having his given name. It wouldn’t be legal.”
“But, you’re engaged to the Duke of Deverly’s daughter, Eliza!” The woman pointed an accusatory finger at Julian.
I turned to glare at my new husband. He was engaged to someone else? He had eloped with me while engaged to an
other woman? I knew he’d said he wanted to marry me to prevent his father from tying him down to someone he couldn’t tolerate, but I had assumed the intolerable woman in question was a hypothetical phantom from the future. Not a flesh and blood woman who was planning her wedding while he was quite busy kissing me. What sort of game did he think he was playing?
“Not anymore.” Julian pulled me close and pressed a kiss into the crown of my hair. “Since I am now married to the lovely Lady Aida Mulvaney Capshaw, Viscountess of Esselford.”
The woman’s eyes widened and she turned to her friend, whispering furiously.
“You’re engaged?” I asked as Julian turned away from the woman and pulled me into a waltz.
“I was but now I am not.” He smiled and then spun us around in a graceful turn. “I am recently married to the Queen of Hearts. You should congratulate me, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t be flip,” I said angrily, keeping a smile on my face so no one would see us bickering so soon after our wedding. “Were you, or were you not, engaged to another woman when we boarded this ship?”
“I was, but much like Prince Leopold and his fiancée, there is no love lost between me and the young lady in question. Unlike Leo, I have a spine and no amount of money and position would allow for it to buckle.”
“That’s fine for you but the young lady in question—”
“I assure you, Eliza will be quite relieved at this turn of events. She didn’t want to marry me any more than I wanted to marry her. We’re quite unsuited for each other, but our fathers refused to see that. I’m doing her a favor by breaking our engagement. You’ll see. She’ll be married to some Luddite clod before the end of the next season. I guarantee it.”
“So, you married me to be free of an arranged bride and to spite your father? Well, aren’t I a versatile choice.”
“I chose you.” Julian pulled me closer to continue our dance. “Because I wanted to be free. Also, you are the only woman I’ve ever met who not only comprehends my research but also who doesn’t have a face that would make the Household Cavalry quake in fear when I talk about it.”
A Riveting Affair (Entangled Ever After) Page 13