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“I should go inside. You seem quite lost in thought,” Harper said.

“Thank you. I shall need a moment to gather my thoughts.”

Her sister slipped through the door, and Marina had managed only one turn about the hall when the drawing room doors opened and music began to play.

It was her turn.

The footmen stepped aside, announcing the bride. She looked ahead, taking in a space that barely seemed like a wedding.

The maids had done their best to decorate the drawing room, but even the white flowers and ribbons could not disguise the solemnity of the place. The fireplace was lit brightly and the chandelier shimmered with candles. Indeed, the room was far brighter than she’d expected.

A concession from the groom, no doubt, for her and her guests.

Mr. Ernest and Mrs. Dalton were there, as expected. Her sisters stood together nearby, along with her mother, and the clergyman waited patiently at the center.

And then there he was.

Ambrose Hunt. The Duke of Griffin. The man who would soon become her second husband.

When her eyes found him, they refused to leave, and he was already watching her with a steady intensity. As usual, his expression was composed, almost unreadable, but something flickered in his gaze that made Marina’s breath catch. It reminded her of the way he had looked at her that night… as though he was bewitched.

She lowered her eyes, hoping to conceal the blush creeping into her cheeks, but it was no use. She could still feel him watching her, and the memory of his mouth on hers returned with such startling clarity that her lips tingled. Good heavens. How was she supposed to stand beside this man and exchange solemn vows when a single look from him was enough to make her wonder what it would feel like to be gathered into his arms again?

She drew a steadying breath and began to walk. The white carpet stretched from the doorway toward the center of the room, and she followed it, clutching her small bouquet within her gloved fingers. Yet with every step, she became more conscious of Ambrose waiting for her, of his broad shoulders and commanding presence, of the way his expression seemed to soften whenever their eyes met. If he looked at her like that much longer, she feared he would know precisely what she was thinking.

And yet, when Marina finally reached his side, something unexpected settled beneath her nervous excitement. The ceremony might lack the splendor expected of a duke’s wedding, but she found herself strangely unmoved by its simplicity.

There was something far more promising in the man standing beside her, in the warmth of those eyes, and in the thought of the little girl who might finally have a mother to love her. For the first time in years, Marina allowed herself to wonder whether marriage might offer her something other than duty and disappointment.

And when Ambrose’s gaze dropped briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes, she could not help wondering whether it might offer her a few considerably more pleasurable things besides.

“You look like a perfect bride, my lady,” Ambrose said, so softly that she almost missed it.

She blinked once, surprised by the statement. She wasn’t sure what she had expected but it wasn’t this. On her first wedding day, she’d arrived at the chapel feeling unconcerned and full of hope only to find her husband a terror. An ancient terror, at that. Now, she’d walked into her second wedding worried about what the future would hold and he’d given her a heartfelt compliment.

“Pray, you are not planning any surprise spells of a deadly nature, are you?”

The jest took her so much by surprise that she had to stop herself from laughing. She composed herself and whispered back, matching his volume.

“My wedding-related spells only work on Christmas Eve.”

He grinned at her while the vicar prepared his prayer book, and she whispered, “I will say, you have prepared this drawing room rather nicely. There is quite an abundance of candles.”

“I am aware. I cannot give you daylight, but I can give you more candles than I am used to.”

He was charming, that was certain. Alas, his comment regarding the lack of daylight didn’t sit right with her. How could he manage to be in the dark for so long? She didn’t know how she’d manage it.

“Perhaps in due course you will get used to more light. Emma will certainly like it.”

“That is why she has you,” he replied. “You can take her into the light. As for me, I shall stay out of it. I intend to be there for her as she grows up, even if it is from the darkness.”

She wished to discuss the matter further, because the truth was, while she had been home packing, informing her family, and debating the move with Luna, she had considered his condition. And the life they would have.

And she had opinions on both.

However, there was no time to discuss the matter further as the vicar cleared his throat.

“Dearly beloved,” he began solemnly, his voice grave. “We are gathered here today to witness the joining of these two souls in marriage, and to place before them the duties and promises that shall bind their lives together.”