Page 49 of The Duke’s Defiant Love

"Unfortunately, it also did not make me forget everything bad."

He sighed.

"Fair."

The carriage continued through the streets.

The clerk's office, when they reached it, smelled of dust and old paper and sealing wax, a small, cramped room presided over by a man who took down their particulars with flat efficiency.

The formalities were completed with solemnity. When they were asked to confirm that they intended to marry, Amelia's voice was steady.

"Yes."

Sebastian answered immediately after her.

"Yes."

"The earliest date available is one week from today," the clerk said, not looking up from his ledger.

Amelia inhaled softly. Sebastian looked at her.

"One week."

"That is rather soon."

"It is."

She looked down at the document before her.

"Then I suppose there is little reason to delay."

"That will do," Sebastian said, and Amelia said nothing at all.

Sebastian watched her sign her name in the register beside his with a strange, hollow feeling that had nothing to do with reluctance and everything to do with wishing the whole arrangement had come to her differently. Her hand did not tremble.

His did not either.

Everything was quickly settled, one week hence, a special licence in place of the banns to expedite the process and they would marry.

They stepped out into the grey afternoon light, and for a moment neither spoke.

One week.

Amelia had known that marriage would have to happen quickly. That had been the purpose of the special license. But knowing and hearing the date fixed were two different things.

Sebastian glanced at her. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t know.” She drew a slow breath. “But I need some time to think, everything has changed so quickly.”

His expression sharpened.

"I do not wish to see you again until the wedding day."

He went very still, "Amelia."

"Please.” She looked at him then. “I have one week before I become your wife. I would like some time to sit with it without you standing in front of me making it difficult to think clearly.”

"I make it difficult for you to think clearly?" Something in his voice had gone rougher than the words alone accounted for.