Read Online Redemption of a Fallen Woman by Joanna Fulford - Free Book Online
Authors: Joanna Fulford
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married.’
‘That is not possible. Perhaps tomorrow...’
A fat leather purse landed on the floor at his feet, the jingle of coin seeming loud in the still air.
‘Marry them,’ said Don Manuel.
The priest hesitated and licked dry lips. Then he nodded. ‘As you wish.’
Elena’s heart thumped against her ribs and she closed her eyes, willing that she might wake up. White-faced, she glanced at the man beside her. This time he saw it and returned her gaze. His face was impassive but the expression in the grey eyes was unmistakable. Good heavens, he was furious. How he must despise her now. She shivered inwardly. Mingled with dread was a deep sadness that she had forfeited whatever small regard he might once have had for her. At that moment she would almost have preferred to be in a convent cell.
At the priest’s command they knelt. Harry was scarcely aware of the droning voice, only of roiling emotion. Elena had correctly read the fury uppermost in his mind but she had entirely mistaken its direction. For a moment or two he indulged a savage fantasy involving a dull blade and Don Manuel’s vital organs. Underlying that were very different feelings.
He threw a covert glance at the woman beside him. He hadn’t missed the expression of abject terror in her eyes just now; by rights she should have fallen into a fit of hysterics. Most women would have done so long since. But then Elena wasn’t most women. She’d had the courage to face her uncle’s wrath and to take responsibility for her actions, to exonerate everyone else. But for that determined intervention he and Jack would almost certainly be swinging from a tree by now. She had been subjected to public insult and humiliation into the bargain, another bone he’d like to pick with her uncle. As for this present outrage...
‘...do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?’
The priest’s voice brought him back to reality with a jolt. Taking a deep breath Harry made his reply. A short time later he heard the corresponding affirmation from Elena.
‘Do you have the ring?’
Harry looked blankly at the priest for a moment and then, as his brain caught up, realised he’d got nothing of the kind or indeed anything that would serve. In consequence it looked as though Elena’s humiliation wasn’t over yet. He took a deep breath.
‘I regret...’
Don Manuel cut him off. ‘It is here.’
From his jacket pocket he produced a fine gold band and placed it on the open bible. Harry stared at it in astonishment. Where the devil had the man got that from? Borrowed it from one of his entourage, perhaps? However, when he picked it up, it was immediately evident that so small a ring could never have belonged to any of the brawny thugs who had accompanied Don Manuel. It slid easily onto Elena’s slender finger though, almost as if it had been intended for the purpose. Suspicion took root. He shot a swift glance at the don and saw the faint cold smile on his lips. Implication became certainty and Harry understood then that this had been the intention from the outset. If ever I need a favour I will know where to come. When he discovered Elena had fled, her uncle had taken a shrewd guess at her plan and laid his own accordingly. On discovering his guess to be correct, he’d baited the trap and drawn them in. They’d fallen for it hook, line and sinker! In that moment Harry didn’t know what he wanted most: to shoot the old fox, to run him through or to strangle him with his bare hands.
Elena sensed the sudden increased tension in the man beside her. His anger was almost palpable now. She swallowed hard, not daring to look at him, too keenly aware of the enormity of what she had done. Instead she looked down at the ring on her hand. It felt like an alien presence but it bound them fast, like the promises they had just made. For one irrational moment she thought that, if they had been compelled to wed years ago, then their chance of happiness would surely
‘That is not possible. Perhaps tomorrow...’
A fat leather purse landed on the floor at his feet, the jingle of coin seeming loud in the still air.
‘Marry them,’ said Don Manuel.
The priest hesitated and licked dry lips. Then he nodded. ‘As you wish.’
Elena’s heart thumped against her ribs and she closed her eyes, willing that she might wake up. White-faced, she glanced at the man beside her. This time he saw it and returned her gaze. His face was impassive but the expression in the grey eyes was unmistakable. Good heavens, he was furious. How he must despise her now. She shivered inwardly. Mingled with dread was a deep sadness that she had forfeited whatever small regard he might once have had for her. At that moment she would almost have preferred to be in a convent cell.
At the priest’s command they knelt. Harry was scarcely aware of the droning voice, only of roiling emotion. Elena had correctly read the fury uppermost in his mind but she had entirely mistaken its direction. For a moment or two he indulged a savage fantasy involving a dull blade and Don Manuel’s vital organs. Underlying that were very different feelings.
He threw a covert glance at the woman beside him. He hadn’t missed the expression of abject terror in her eyes just now; by rights she should have fallen into a fit of hysterics. Most women would have done so long since. But then Elena wasn’t most women. She’d had the courage to face her uncle’s wrath and to take responsibility for her actions, to exonerate everyone else. But for that determined intervention he and Jack would almost certainly be swinging from a tree by now. She had been subjected to public insult and humiliation into the bargain, another bone he’d like to pick with her uncle. As for this present outrage...
‘...do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?’
The priest’s voice brought him back to reality with a jolt. Taking a deep breath Harry made his reply. A short time later he heard the corresponding affirmation from Elena.
‘Do you have the ring?’
Harry looked blankly at the priest for a moment and then, as his brain caught up, realised he’d got nothing of the kind or indeed anything that would serve. In consequence it looked as though Elena’s humiliation wasn’t over yet. He took a deep breath.
‘I regret...’
Don Manuel cut him off. ‘It is here.’
From his jacket pocket he produced a fine gold band and placed it on the open bible. Harry stared at it in astonishment. Where the devil had the man got that from? Borrowed it from one of his entourage, perhaps? However, when he picked it up, it was immediately evident that so small a ring could never have belonged to any of the brawny thugs who had accompanied Don Manuel. It slid easily onto Elena’s slender finger though, almost as if it had been intended for the purpose. Suspicion took root. He shot a swift glance at the don and saw the faint cold smile on his lips. Implication became certainty and Harry understood then that this had been the intention from the outset. If ever I need a favour I will know where to come. When he discovered Elena had fled, her uncle had taken a shrewd guess at her plan and laid his own accordingly. On discovering his guess to be correct, he’d baited the trap and drawn them in. They’d fallen for it hook, line and sinker! In that moment Harry didn’t know what he wanted most: to shoot the old fox, to run him through or to strangle him with his bare hands.
Elena sensed the sudden increased tension in the man beside her. His anger was almost palpable now. She swallowed hard, not daring to look at him, too keenly aware of the enormity of what she had done. Instead she looked down at the ring on her hand. It felt like an alien presence but it bound them fast, like the promises they had just made. For one irrational moment she thought that, if they had been compelled to wed years ago, then their chance of happiness would surely
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