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Oh, and I nearly got my sister killed.

“Ye well assured that so many as are coupled together otherwise than God’s word doth allow are not joined together by God, neither is their matrimony lawful. At which day of marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment why they may not be coupled together in matrimony, by God’s law or the laws of this realm, and will be bound and sufficient sureties with him to the parties…”

Andrew stole a sideways look at the audience to his and Marcia’s wedding.

Surely one of the people present intended todeclare any impediment.Because they knew, and they were certainly less cowardly than he was and would speak out.

But no one did.

“Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her so long as ye both shall live?”

Andrew’s ears hummed, and his pulse hammered under the weight of what he was being asked and what he was committing to.

This was Marcia.

She deserved a man who could be all things for her. Who could love her and comfort her and honor her as she deserved.

Andrew was a selfish bastard.

But he was also a coward, because he knew he’d eventually hurt her, but he could not do so in this moment. Not in this way. Not as Thornton had.

“I will,” Andrew said quietly.

Marcia’s eyes lit with a joy from within, and he should have withdrawn his consent for that very reason, for the faith she had in him. Because her eyes hinted at more, and that more terrified the everlasting hell out of him. Granted, he’d have the means to see her cared for. But that wasn’t the “more” he knew this woman would want. Love. She’d want that.

“So… is that a yes?” Marcia asked.

He looked down and stared blankly at her.

“You vow to keep only unto me, forsaking all others?”

Oh, hell.This again.

“Can we discuss this later, Marcia?” he whispered in pained tones.

She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

“I…” His late father had been a bounder. What if Andrew was destined to become him? “What if I can’t be the faithful husband?”

“You can. You just have to commit yourself to me.”

She said it so simply, so matter-of-factly, that he stilled, actually believing in that instant that he could, that it really was that simple—because of her.

“I will.”

She beamed, and he stared at the tilt of that entrancing upside-down pout of her lips that made him dizzy.

“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 other, keep thee only unto him so long as ye both shall live?”

“I will.” Marcia’s answer rang with conviction and lacked none of the hesitancy of which Andrew deserved. And he was humbled in that moment by her ability to speak those words with such truth and confidence because she had that level of faith in him.

And she was the only one.

Even his family didn’t believe he could be anything more than what he was. They had no grand illusions.

But Marcia did.

And it was a gift he was wholly undeserving of.