Once Upon an Irritatingly Magical Kiss by Bree Wolf

Chapter Twenty-Five

A Wedding Day

Thorne’s wedding day dawned bright and early. He felt an eagerness in his limbs he could not even remember from his childhood days. Whatever today would bring, it was the first day of the rest of his life.

A life he had always wanted, but never dared to dream of.

And then Lord Hartmore appeared on his doorstep the moment Thorne made to leave.

The other man seemed rushed, his eyes wide and his breathing more rapid than Thorne would have expected. Still, the look upon his face was one of imminent triumph, a smile curling up the corners of his mouth the second he beheld Thorne. “Ah, you haven’t left yet. How marvelous!”

Of course, Thorne found nothing marvelous about it. “I’m afraid I have no time,” he replied, making to stride past the other man and down to his waiting carriage. “You might not be aware of it, but today is my wedding day.”

A dark chuckle left Lord Hartmore’s lips. “Believe me, I’m very much aware of it. As it is, I would have sought you out much sooner. Unfortunately, the needed information only reached me this morning.” A self-serving grin came to his face.

Thorne felt a cold shiver snake down his back. “What information?” he asked frowning, wondering what Lord Hartmore was up to. After all, the man seemed sickeningly confident. It did not bode well.

“Shall we speak inside?” the other man asked, gesturing across the threshold. “You might not like for others to overhear what I have to say.” His brows rose meaningfully.

Thorne inhaled a slow breath, steeling his features so as not to let on how deeply the man’s words unsettled him. Had the man dug into his past? His life? “If you insist,” Thorne finally said, a bored expression upon his face that was not easy to maintain. “But make it quick.” They stepped inside, and Thorne gestured for the footmen to leave before turning to Lord Hartmore. “What is it then?”

The man’s grin widened. “I am here to insists that you marry my daughter as you promised, Sir.” His eyes seemed to sparkle with utter delight, and it gave Thorne pause. “I am aware it will cause quite the scandal; however, a man of your kind should not concern himself with such trivial matters.”

“Out with it!” Thorne snapped with an annoyed huff, which in turn gave Lord Hartmore pause, his eyes narrowing in mild confusion. “You clearly believe to have some kind of damning information and are here to blackmail me, is that not so?”

For a moment, Lord Hartmore seemed taken aback, his confidence wavering. Then, however, he seemed to remember that Thorne’s accusation was after all the truth and that he would walk away from this the victor.

“Well?” Thorne pressed. “I haven’t got all day as you’re well aware.”

Lord Hartmore straightened. “As you wish,” he conceded, the look upon his face one of deepest enjoyment. “I have recently learned that you, Sir, are the father of an illegitimate daughter. A child that lives in your household and bears your name.” The man’s grin widened for he clearly expected Thorne to break down, perhaps even beg for mercy or at the very least give in.

Thorne, of course, had no such intention. While he could not deny that the thought of Lord Hartmore revealing Samantha’s existence to the Whickertons—especially today of all days!—was deeply unsettling, he knew better than to allow that emotion to show upon his face. He had been in far too many confrontations to reveal his hand so easily. “Yes, and?” he asked nonchalantly, allowing the hint of boredom upon his face to deepen.

Lord Hartmore paused, his gaze once more narrowing in confusion. “If you do not call off this marriage and uphold the promise you made to my daughter, I will be forced to reveal her existence to Lord Whickerton. I cannot imagine he will allow his daughter to marry a man of your questionable character.”

Thorne snorted. “But you would?”

The man’s lips pressed together. “What will it be?” he gritted out, his expected triumph far less glorious than he had expected.

Thorne heaved a bit of an impatient sigh. “What makes you think the Whickertons are not aware of her?” he asked with as much confidence as he could muster. “After all, there is a reason the ton refers to them as the Wicked Whickertons. Believe me, I was not concerned for a second to share news of my daughter with them, and I was right to do so. They were delighted to learn of her, and if my darling girl had not caught a cold, she would be here with us today to join in our celebration.” He held the other man’s gaze as he took a step forward. “In fact, my new bride and I will travel to Pinewood Manor tomorrow so that Samantha can meet her new mother.” He allowed a slow grin to spread across his face. “But, please, if you feel the need to embarrass yourself, my lord, then feel free to accompany me to my wedding. In fact, may I offer you a ride in my carriage?”

With his look of utter indifference in place, Thorne all but held his breath, praying that Lord Hartmore was a greater fool than he had initially thought.

To his great relief, Fortune smiled on him that day.

Twice.

Within moments, Lord Hartmore’s face began to turn a darker shade of red, his hands balling into fists at his sides. Fury burnt in his eyes, and yet Thorne could read deepest shame in the man’s gaze. His mouth opened and closed a few times as though he wished to vent his anger, but then thought better of it.

A moment later, he spun around and stalked out, his footsteps thundering down the steps to the pavement.

Thorne heaved a deep breath, praying that he had been successful in fooling Lord Hartmore and that the man was not at this very moment rushing over to the Whickertons. Although Thorne could not believe that the Whickertons would reject Samantha, there was a better place and time for them to find out.

Indeed, he ought to have said something much sooner! Now, however, it was too late. Now, all he could do was proceed as planned and hope that Christina would forgive him.

If only he could be certain of that!

As it had been his bride’s wish to hold the festivities at her family’s townhouse, Thorne soon found himself striding across the Whickertons’ threshold instead of awaiting her arrival at his own rented townhouse. Fortunately, Lord Hartmore seemed blessedly absent.

The Whickerton home seemed like a beehive that morning. Maids and footmen dashed every which way, carrying items to and fro. Flowers were everywhere, all the curtains pulled back to allow in the early summer sun. It was a beautiful house; more than that, it was a home. Thorne spotted paintings of each of the siblings as well as their parents and grandparents here and there, along the wall leading up the staircase or down the corridor toward Lord Whickerton’s study.

Yes, it made him wistful. It made him realize what he had lost. What childhood joy had been denied him. The same childhood joy he now wanted for Samantha. Thorne could only hope that all would go according to plan. He had never been one to deceive others; only considering Christina’s flaring temper, he had felt rather uncertain about whether or not it would be safe to reveal his own family situation to her at an earlier moment.

Perhaps he had judged her wrongly. Still, he had not dared risk it and could now only hope that all would go well and his plans would not come crashing down around him.

“You look happy, Sir,” the dowager countess remarked from behind him, a slight chuckle in her voice.

Allowing a smile to steal onto his face, Thorne turned to face her. “I suppose I am. Are you genuinely surprised?”

Her pale eyes were watchful, but she, too, was smiling. “Not at all. We both know it is the outcome I had hoped for.”

His brows rose. “You hoped for my happiness?” He chuckled. “I would rather have thought you would hope for hers.”

Giving him a rather indulgent look, the dowager countess hobbled a step closer, leaning heavily upon her cane. “Perhaps my hopes extended to you both. Is that not what a marriage is? A union of two into one?” Her eyes swept over his face. It was a fluid motion, and yet at some point it seemed as though her gaze jarred to a halt. Her eyes narrowed as though she had detected something she had not expected. “What is it?”

Thorne swallowed. “Pardon me?”

Hobbling closer, the dowager’s eyes squinted even farther. “You are concerned,” she remarked as though reading him like a book. “There’s a frown line upon your face. It has deepened.” Her eyes met his. “Is it the child?”

Thorne almost doubled over as he stared at her. “You…You know of—?” Was Lord Hartmore here after all?

The dowager chuckled, gently patting his arm in a comforting way. “Do not worry yourself. All will be well. I guarantee it.”

Not knowing what to say, Thorne stared at her. “Does everyone else know?” His gaze moved down the corridor toward the front hall, his thoughts straying to Christina. Had she already called off the wedding?

“Not if you have not told anyone,” the dowager countess replied, once more giving his arm a reassuring pat.

“How do you know?” Thorne asked, coming to believe that the dowager had not learned what she knew from Lord Hartmore. No, it seemed she had known for some time.

The dowager grinned. “I have my ways.”

Thorne sighed deeply. “She will be furious, will she not?” Somehow it felt good to say it out loud, to have someone who would listen and not judge.

Christina’s grandmother grinned at him. “Of course, she will be…at first.” A warm smile came to her face as her thoughts no doubt settled upon her beloved granddaughter. “She is headstrong and determined, but she’s also kind and compassionate. She will be furious, yes, but in the end, she will love her because she simply won’t be able to help herself. You ought to know what that feels like.”

Thorne nodded, wondering at the same time how much the dowager truly knew about his past and about Samantha. “Thank you.” Indeed, speaking to her had lifted a heavy weight off his heart. As had knowing that Lord Hartmore was nowhere around!

“That is what family is for, is it not?”

Thorne nodded, smiling at her. “So, I have heard. I am glad to see that for once gossips were right.”

The dowager countess chuckled. “I suppose it does happen upon occasion.” She gestured down the corridor. “Now, go and speak to your betrothed. I imagine she is about as nervous as you are.”

Thorne frowned. “Who said I was nervous?”

Shaking her head at him, the dowager once more pointed her cane down the corridor and then turned and walked away, still chuckling.

Indeed, when Christina finally made her way down the stairs and met him in the front hall, Thorne could see that her nerves were about as unsteady as his own. It was a significant day, and they still knew so little about each other, no doubt each of them afraid to have their hopes disappointed.

“You look beautiful,” Thorne told her in a whispered voice as he offered her his arm the moment she stepped off the last stair. His gaze held hers for another second before it once more dipped down and swept over her light blue gown. It shimmered like the sky on a bright summer day, complementing the deep blue of her eyes and the golden glow of her curls.

She returned his smile weakly. “Thank you.” Her hand trembled as it came to rest upon his arm.

The ceremony was thankfully short-lived. It was held at a nearby church, and Thorne was relieved that he had decided to visit the Whickertons’ home beforehand.

Indeed, the dowager had been right. He was nervous, and he could see that Christina was as well. They sat seated next to one another in the carriage, the dowager across from them. Not many words were spoken on the way there or on the way back. Still, Thorne could feel Christina beside him. He heard her breathing, took note of the stolen glances she cast in his direction, saw the slight tremble in her hands as she willed herself to maintain her composure as best as possible.

It was these few moments, shared with one another, that gave him strength before they returned to the Whickertons’ home and were received by a small crowd of people. With her hand upon his arm, they gracefully accepted well-wishes and congratulations. Most of the guests were smiling while he could see apprehension and doubt as well as confusion and open disapproval on the faces of others.

The ton had come to call his new wife’s family the Wicked Whickertons for it seemed that the whispers of scandal were never far off lately. Both of Christina’s elder sisters, Louisa and Leonora, had caused somewhat of a stir before they had found their own happily-ever-after, and the news of how Thorne and Christina had come to be engaged had, of course, also spread among the ton, causing even more whispers. Yes, some very proper and sour old matrons refused to attend events if the Whickertons were present. Some had retreated, openly showing their disapproval of the family’s rather eventful life. Yet most seemed far too curious to deny themselves the first-hand experience of witnessing the Whickertons mingle.

Fortunately, Lord Hartmore was the exception.

Thorne could not help but laugh at the thought of how silly everyone was behaving. These nonsensical rules governed everyone’s life, and yet they held absolutely no meaning. No true meaning. No meaning governed by nature’s laws.

To him, it was all very ludicrous.

The wedding breakfast was a rather intimate affair for Lord and Lady Whickerton had invited only family and closest friends. Thorne himself had only a few acquaintances in London and had therefore refrained from adding to the guest list. He knew no one in town whom he would wish to see at his own wedding.

Of course, all of his new wife’s family was present. Thorne would not have wanted it any other way. After all, deep down, he was still hoping that one day, one day they would look at him and see family as well.

Today, however, he found them looking at him with caution. While the youngest, Harriet, smiled and laughed openly, the new Lady Pemberton in particular seemed rather disapproving. Her gaze narrowed whenever it fell upon him and filled with deepest concern whenever it fell upon Christina. She truly worried for her sister.

Thorne could not deny that the thought troubled him. He had hoped that his wife’s family would know that despite his humble upbringing he had grown into a decent man. He knew himself to possess numerous faults, of course. Nonetheless, he always thought of himself as someone who tried his best to do the right thing.

Perhaps with regard to Christina, he had been selfish after all. Could they sense it?

From across the room, Thorne watched his new wife speak to her two married sisters. All their faces held a look of concern as they whispered to one another. He could see Christina look up at him every once in a while before she would turn back to converse with Louisa and Leonora. He could not help but wonder what they were speaking of and wished the day would finally end so that they could be alone together and finally speak openly.

Something was bothering his new bride. Something was on her mind that plagued her. He had to know what it was, or he knew he would not find any sleep tonight.

“Welcome to the family.” Christina’s brother, Troy, stepped up to him, his words contrary to the look upon his face. His eyes were watchful, not unlike his grandmother’s. However, no smile lingered upon his face. Instead, it rather resembled a scowl, something apprehensive and even slightly threatening in the way he was looking at Thorne.

Ignoring the slight hostility in his new brother-in-law, Thorne offered him a kind smile. “Thank you. I deeply appreciate all your family has done, and I hope that in the future we all shall be close.” He glanced at Christina. “I know it would mean a lot to her.”

His new brother-in-law followed his gaze before it returned to him. “It would, yes.” Something in his expression softened; only a little, but it was there.

Still, a moment later, his lips thinned, and his jaw hardened as he took a step toward Thorne, his own blue eyes narrowed as they fixed Thorne with a somewhat menacing glare. “My sister might seem strong, dauntless even,” he said very slowly, his voice so low that Thorne had to strain his ears to listen. “Yet there is a deeply vulnerable side to her. A side she herself is not even aware of for she has yet to see the ugliest side of the world.”

Thorne nodded, finding his new brother-in-law’s words to all but echo thoughts of his own.

“I am here to make it unmistakably clear,” Christina’s brother continued, “that if you treat her with anything less than absolute respect,” his voice dropped into a low, menacing growl, “I will tear you limb from limb. Is that understood?”

Thorne would have been offended by his new brother-in-law’s words had he not seen the fierce protectiveness and deepest concern that lingered beneath the man’s hostility and his accusatory words. “You have my word,” Thorne vowed solemnly. “I shall guard her happiness with my life.”

For a long moment, the two men simply stood there, regarding one another, trying to make out the other’s character. Then Christina’s brother nodded slowly. “Good. I am glad to hear it.”

Thorne knew that he would be tested, and he did not mind. Still, he could not help but notice that while his wife had a large family surrounding her, shielding her, protecting her, he had no one.

No one except for Samantha.

If only she could have been here today!