Page 23 of The Countess's Awakening (The Lovers’ Arch #3)

CHAPTER 23

S unlight streamed through the tall arched windows of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, casting golden hues over the worn stone floors. The scent of incense lingered faintly in the cool air, mingling with the heady aroma of fresh hothouse roses adorning the altar.

Esther stood next to Wang. They had walked down the aisle together, as she was no young girl being given away by a male relative. She was a woman. Standing by the man she was pledging to love. Her hands clasped lightly before her, holding a small bouquet, her fingers trembling—not with fear, but with an emotion far sweeter.

Her heart fluttered as she lifted her gaze to Wang’s face. His dark eyes met hers, steady and sure, filled with a quiet intensity that made warmth bloom in her chest. He wore a perfectly tailored suit, the deep charcoal fabric stark against the crisp white of his collar. He was so breathtakingly handsome that her breath caught. But it was the way he treated her. The way he had seen her when she was all but invisible. The way he spoke to her deepest desires and understood her interior self that made her knees weaken with love for this man.

She was wearing the same dress she had worn to the ball. It was the most beautiful gown she owned, and it made her sparkle. She wanted to look her best on this day. Wanted to take his breath away. Not that it was difficult to do. He always looked at her as if she hung the moon and the stars.

The vicar cleared his throat, ready to begin the ceremony. The small congregation stirred, but she paid no attention. There were just a few attendees. Her maid, two doctors from the hospital with their wives. The vicar’s wife and their daughter.

A pang of sadness tightened her chest. Elizabeth should have been here. Her daughter, her precious girl, was waiting for her in England, blissfully unaware that her mother’s heart had found a new home. She hoped her daughter would understand. Esther and Wang had made the difficult decision to marry here, before their voyage, so that when they arrived in England, their union would be unshakable—a fait accompli.

The minister’s voice rang through the quiet church, solemn and steady. Wang’s fingers brushed hers as he took her hand, his touch warm and grounding. A soft shiver ran through her. Even now, even after everything they had shared, he still made her pulse race.

As he spoke the vows, her heart swelled with the weight of them. His voice, rich and unwavering, declared: “I take thee, Esther, to be my wedded wife…”

They were not merely words; they were a promise, an unbreakable bond.

And then it was her turn. “I, Esther Knightsbridge”—her voice wavered for only a moment before she steadied it—“ take thee, Wang Kaiwen, to be my wedded husband…”

No hesitation. No doubt. Only love. She was marrying the man she loved.

When the minister gave his final blessing, Wang turned to her, his hands framing her face, and kissed her—a soft kiss, merely a butterfly caress of his lips upon hers, but it lingered. Warm, almost reverent. Pulsing with such a deep, aching tenderness that the rest of the world fell away.

At long last, she was his. And he was hers.

They left the church in a flurry of well wishes. The gentle snowfall outside felt as if the heavens themselves were blessing them with a shower of petals.

Tonight, they would stay at the St. Nicholas Hotel for their wedding night, where Wang had insisted on reserving the bridal suite. Tomorrow, they would board the ship to England. Their honeymoon would be spent beneath the vast open sky, rocked by the motion of the waves.

As soon as they settled onto the deep cushioned seats of the coach, Wang enfolded her in his arms and lifted her onto his lap.

“Hello, Mrs. Wang.” He touched his forehead to hers.

The tender smile that lit his eyes filled her with longing.

“Hello, husband.” She smiled back.

“Are you ready for the next chapter of our lives? There will be much work ahead.”

Wang had made the decision to sell his house, and his tenants were interested in buying it, so the sale had been arranged and was in the hands of an agent. In England, they would find a new home together, and he and Colin would open a new clinic, a sanctuary of healing just as they had in New York.

“I am eager.” She brushed back her favorite, rebellious lock of hair. “What about you? You are leaving your home, your work, your entire life behind. How do you feel about it?”

“You are my entire life, and my home is where you are. I am excited. Happy as I have not been in years.”

A new beginning awaited them across the ocean. But for now, there was only this moment—their love, their vow, their future entwined.

And as Wang kissed her once more, she knew—without doubt, without fear—that together they’d conquer whatever came their way.