The Wedding of the Century & Other Stories Read Online Free PDF Page A

Her resolve strengthened. She would never give up his love for the dubious pleasure of marrying a nondescript duke. Never.
    Remembering the reason for her visit, she reluctantly ended the kiss. “Oh, Paul, something dreadful has happened!” she said miserably. “Today my mother told me that she has arranged for me to marry someone else. I told her about our betrothal, but she won’t hear of it. She locked me in my room and swore I’d stay there on bread and water until I changed my mind.”
    â€œHow dare she treat you in such a way!” Paul exclaimed. “I won’t permit it.”
    â€œI refused to agree to her wishes, of course, but it was so difficult. I…I think we should elope. Tonight.”
    â€œRight now?” he said, startled. “That’s not what I want for you, darling. You deserve the grandest wedding of the century, not a furtive, hole-in-corner affair.”
    â€œWhat does that matter?” she said impatiently. “I’m trying to be strong, but my mother is…is not easy to resist.”
    â€œWho does she want you to marry?”
    â€œThe new Duke of Thornborough, Justin Aubrey. His brother, Gavin, just died, and Justin needs a rich wife.”
    Before she could say more, Paul said in a stunned voice, “The Duke of Thornborough! You would be one of the most influential women in England.”
    â€œAnd one of the unhappiest.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked them back angrily. “I need to be with you, Paul.”
    â€œWe must reason this out.” He stroked her back soothingly. “Your mother flatly refused to consider me as a suitor?”
    â€œShe said that it was unthinkable that I should marry a nobody.” Sunny relaxed again, comforted by his touch. “Such nonsense! Titles mean nothing. What matters is being a gentleman, and no one is more gentlemanly than you.”
    There was a long pause. Then Paul said gravely, “Sunny, I can’t marry you against your mother’s wishes. Though I knew that she would not be enthusiastic about my suit, I thought I would be able to persuade her. But to be Duchess of Thornborough! With that in prospect, she will never accept me.”
    A tendril of fear curled through Sunny. “It is not my mother’s place to choose my husband,” she said sharply. “It’s mine, and you are my choice. That’s all that matters.”
    â€œIf only it were that simple!” He sighed. “But it’s not, my dear. You are not simply my own sweet love, but a national treasure—one of America’s princesses. What kind of cad would I be to take advantage of your innocence to keep you from a glorious future?”
    Sunny stared at him, thinking that this scene couldn’t be real. Perhaps she had fallen off her bicycle and injured her head, and everything that had happened since wasonly a bad dream. Very carefully she said, “You’re saying that you don’t want to marry me?”
    â€œOf course I do, but clearly that is impossible. If you marry me, you will become estranged from your family. I don’t want to be the cause of that.” He gazed lovingly into her eyes. “This won’t be so bad, darling. In fact, one could see it as a piece of good fortune. With your influence to further my career, I’ll be in the Cabinet in no time.”
    â€œIs that what matters most—your career?” she said brittlely.
    â€œOf course not!” He pulled her close again. “The most important thing is our love, and your mother can’t take that away from us. After you’ve given Thornborough an heir and a spare, we’ll be free to love each other as we were meant to.”
    She went rigid, unable to believe what he was saying.
    Feeling her withdrawal, he said tenderly, “I don’t want to wait, either. If we’re discreet, we can be together as soon as you’re back from your honeymoon. Believe me,