Page 35 of The Duke’s Sharpshooter (The Duke’s Guard #14)

F laherty paced from the sitting room fireplace to the French doors leading the terrace and back. He paused to glare at the open door before resuming his pacing.

“Ye’re giving me a pain in me head,” Garahan grumbled.

“Ye’ve been a pain in me arse all day!”

“Ye have no reason to be nervous, Rory. She’s been married before and won’t be fearing the marriage bed.”

Flaherty grunted. “But that’s the problem! What if her expectations are high? ’Tisn’t like I could ask her about her experience with lovemaking. Can ye imagine me asking, How many times did ye make love before ye fainted from the orgasms yer husband gave ye? ”

Garahan snorted. “Ye might not want to lead with that question, but it would be good to know.”

“Ye see? I need to know. What if she’s cold as ice, and never felt anything?”

“I’m thinking ye’d get a hint of whether or not she’d be passionate from kissing her.

” Garahan stared at his cousin’s back. “Stop pacing and pay attention!” When Flaherty spun around and stalked over, his cousin said, “I know ye’ve kissed her more than once—as I’ve walked in on ye and caught the two of ye in a passionate embrace.

So what is the real reason yer bollocks are in a knot? ”

Flaherty raked both hands through his hair until it stood on end. “What If I cannot satisfy her in bed?”

Garahan scoffed. “Ye wouldn’t be any cousin of mine, nor an Irishman worth yer salt, if ye couldn’t figure out to how bring a woman to the gates of Heaven, boy-o.”

When Flaherty remained silent, Garahan sighed and placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “Ye’ve been with more than one woman—have ye not been able to bring one of them to peak?”

Flaherty shoved Garahan and growled, “I’ll be willing to wager, I’ve satisfied more lasses than ye have!”

“Did ye worry about whether or not ye’d satisfy any of those other lasses beforehand?”

“Nay. I’ve never left a woman’s bed without hearing her cry out me name at least five times.”

Garahan snorted. “There’s the cousin I love like a brother, confirming what we all heard back home… That ye had a score of women fawning over ye, following ye around begging for crumbs.”

Flaherty swore without any heat behind it. “Sorry I shoved ye, Aiden. I let me temper loose for a few minutes. I’ve contained it. I’m an arse.”

“That ye are, but faith, I’m fond of ye. About tonight—don’t let doubts plague ye. Woo the lass with kisses, and when she’s pliant in yer arms, whisper of the things ye have in mind. Ye’ll know if she’s experienced any of them by her reaction.”

“Is that what ye did?”

Garahan eyes darkened with grief and anger before he masked it.

“I know ye heard what happened to me wife. ’Tisn’t something I willingly speak about.

Emily was attacked at that inn—ye remember the bruises on her face, and Helen’s too—but I stopped the blackguard before he forced himself on her.

On our wedding night, I treated her as if she were made of fine china.

” He scrubbed a hand over his face and rasped, “Asking permission before I touched her—even to brush a finger along the line of her jaw—went a long way to earning her trust.”

Flaherty nudged Garahan with his shoulder.

“Yer temper is equal to mine, ye showed restraint and patience, and ’tis plain for anyone with eyes in their head that ye healed her invisible scars.

Ye’re a far better man than meself, Aiden.

Here I am worried about whether or not I’ll be up to the challenge of competing with the memory of her dead husband in bed, while ye had the worry of doing or saying something that would remind yer bride of what happened to her during the attack. ”

When Garahan didn’t reply right away, Flaherty pulled his flask out of his waistcoat pocket and handed it to him. “Take it. I won’t need it tonight. Ye can give it back to me tomorrow—but it’d best not be empty.”

Garahan nodded. “Ye won’t say anything to Temperance about what happened to Emily, will ye?”

Flaherty put his hand over his heart. “Ye have me word.”

“Thank ye.”

“Vicar Digby,” Humphries announced from the doorway.

The vicar walked toward them with his hand outstretched. “Congratulations, Flaherty. I’ve heard about your bride-to-be and her daughter.”

Flaherty shook the vicar’s hand. “Whatever ye heard, ’tisn’t true.”

The vicar frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. I was led to believe that she was a God-fearing widow who has been raising her four-year-old daughter on her own since her husband died in a coal-mining accident.”

“Ye mustn’t mind himself,” Garahan said. “Flaherty’s worried about tonight.”

Flaherty glared at his cousin, then turned to the vicar. “Forgive me. There’s been rumors circulating about me intended that simply aren’t true—though what ye’ve just said is true. I’m sorry that I jumped to the conclusion that ye heard only the vicious lies.”

The vicar sighed. “I did hear those terrible rumors, but then I heard the other story as well. I’m a firm believer in judging a person for myself. And while I have not had the pleasure of meeting your intended, Her Grace sent a note singing Widow Johnson’s praises.”

“Thank ye, vicar. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions, but to be honest, I never thought to marry—let alone be lucky enough to find a woman as lovely inside and out as Temperance.

I’ve confessed that her Maddy’s bravery, when I rescued her and her ma, touched me heart.

Temperance doesn’t mind that I loved her daughter first, because she knows I do not love her less. ”

Vicar Digby smiled. “You are a good man, Flaherty. I know you will be a good husband and father. Now, do I have time for a cup of tea, or is your bride ready?”

“His Grace plans to escort her downstairs,” Garahan announced. “I’ll check with Humphries to see if he knows.”

“Thank you, Garahan. Now then, Flaherty, would you care to tell me what’s worrying you about tonight?”

Flaherty snorted, then begged the vicar’s forgiveness. “Thank ye for the offer, but no.”

The vicar chuckled. “If you change your mind, just let me know.”

“I won’t.”

*

Temperance brushed Maddy’s curls until they shone, and held the looking glass close so her daughter could see her reflection. “You look beautiful, Maddy.”

Her daughter touched her curls, then turned and threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “You do too, Mum. I’m ready, are you?”

Temperance laughed at her daughter’s excitement. “I am, but we need to wait for His Grace—he’s going to escort us downstairs.”

A few minutes later, the duke knocked on the open door to their bedchamber. “Temperance, are you ready to get married?”

“I am, Your Grace, but I do have a small favor to ask.”

“Of course. What can I do for you?”

“Would you escort the both of us? Flaherty might be marrying me, but he’s gaining a daughter at the same time.”

“He is a very lucky man. I have a feeling he will have his hands full protecting the both of you, but is more than up to the task.” The duke held out his arm to Temperance, and his hand to Maddy.

They walked to the staircase, where he stopped.

“I’d prefer to carry you, Maddy—that way you won’t trip. May I?”

“Yes, Mr. Duke.”

The duke chuckled. “Thank you, Miss Maddy.” He did not let go of Temperance when he scooped her daughter up and placed her on his hip. “How is the view from up here?”

Maddy hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. “Wonderful!”

The duke was still smiling when he entered the sitting room.

He kissed his wife and greeted the vicar before addressing Flaherty.

“It is an honor to escort these fine ladies, but also my solemn duty to inquire whether you accept the responsibility of honoring and protecting Temperance and her daughter.”

“Aye, Yer Grace. I will honor and protect them with me life.”

The duke inclined his head, then passed Maddy to Flaherty first. Once she was settled on his hip, with her arms wrapped around his neck, the duke took hold of Temperance’s hand and urged her toward Flaherty.

“By placing these women in your care, I am letting them know that I trust you with their lives as I have trusted you with my wife and twins—and the growing list of those you have sworn an oath to protect.”

“Thank ye, Yer Grace.”

When the duke walked over to stand beside his wife, the vicar nodded to the gathered group and smiled. “It is my pleasure to perform the marriage of Rory Flaherty and Temperance Johnson this afternoon—”

Maddy interrupted, “Don’t forget me!”

“I would not dream of it. As I was saying,” the vicar continued, “as well as asking him to willingly accept Maddy Johnson as his daughter and to treat her as if she were his own.”

Temperance had trouble listening to what the vicar was saying.

She could not stop looking at the way Maddy was holding on to Rory as if she would never let him go.

Had she missed not having a father that much?

Of course she had. Maddy must have noticed other children with their papas and wondered if she would ever have one.

Temperance was still smiling when the vicar told Flaherty to kiss his bride, but Rory surprised everyone by kissing Maddy’s cheek first.

The little girl giggled when he kissed Temperance with gusto. “Why didn’t you kiss me like that?”

Flaherty touched the tip of his finger to the end of her little nose. “Because ye’re me daughter, and yer mum is me wife.”

She wrinkled her nose as she considered his answer. “Oh. All right. But do you promise to tuck me in and kiss me every night and every morning when I give you your good morning hugs?”

Temperance’s heart filled with joy as she watched the auburn-haired giant’s eyes well with tears. Tears he didn’t bother to hide. “I promise, mo chroí . God has truly blessed me this day.”

Maddy turned to the vicar. “That means my heart. I’m Just Flaherty’s heart, and Mum is his love. Tell him, Just Flaherty!”

“Ye are me heart, mo chroí . Yer mum is mo ghrá , me love.”

Maddy poked Flaherty in the back of the head. “Kiss Mum later. I want cake!”