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He steadied his own rising temper with a deep breath The little minx could resist all she liked, but she would marry him He could never release her to another man’s bed That much he knew

Perhaps no more than that He could never love her Never love anyone His ht him that love made one weak and pathetic Even in death his ht her low His father-- love--had heaped only pain and degradation upon her

Still, there was no denying he wanted Meredith And ither

His blood warant line of her nose with its charenerous curve of her bosoht with her would never be enough At least their e would have those rewards

Because physical attraction aside, it would be less than idyllic She was grasping and untrustworthy, but then, his unsavory past ently bred woood match after all

"In fact, I can"

She faced hiard "Can what?"

"Force you toset, yman cannot marry a couple without their ht amount of coin should convince sonore your protests"

He watched s, "It is really a simple matter Especially in Gretna Green where blacksmiths perform nuptial rites"

"You wouldn’t dare"

"If you fail to see reason, yes, I will" At her bleak expression, he explained carefully, "I won’t be responsible for your social ostracism And that is exactly what you face if I don’t marry you I know you think you can cope, but that’s only because you don’t know You can’t iood name It will touch every facet of your life I won’t let it happen to you"

Soaze and he sensed her te softly, "Yourto elaborate further

She sighed and looked out theagain A moment later she relented with a sreeered on the air as their coach rolled into Gretna Green, the first village on the Scottish side of the border, thereby lish couples requiring a hasty wedding The village was notorious for rushed and often dubious nuptial cere rooed papas stormed onto the scene

Their coach stopped at a five-road junction where several such inns littered the quiet crossroad

Meredith waited while Nick exchanged words with the driver before escorting her across the road to a blacksown, careful not to soil the he fro of metal to anvil reverberated from within the barn’s shadowy interior She looked to Nick expectantly, wondering if so with the horses that required the services of a blacksh to be heard over the racket "Robert Elliot?" The noise stopped A tall, dour-facedthe sweat from his broith the back of his hand

"Yes How can I be of help?" Thethe services of a priest, sir?"

"Yes," Nick answered

"How soon?" Robert Elliot jerked his thu a couple shoes, but if you’ve an angry da on your heels, I can ferret up titnesses and we’ll wed you in the blink"

She gasped, glaring at Nick with the indignation that only a vicar’s daughter could feel "In a blacks?"

Robert Elliot grinned as he used his leather apron to wipe the grime from his hands "I do it all the tial"

"Well, do not rush to add me to that impressive nuer not so forgotten that it couldn’t be revived at this indignity Nick halted her with a firm hold on her arm

He addressed the blacksmith "We’re in no rush Can you ive me an hour to finish up here The Heart’s Cross be the best inn," the blacks inns

"Thank you," Nick said before pulling her toward it

Her feet flew to keep pace with his longer strides "Did you not hear me? I will not be wed by a blacks" Nick continued to ignore her, the only indication he had even heard the slight twitching of his lips "Did you take leave of your hearing along with your senses?" she dee wheels, clasping her close when she stu her as they entered the inn Greeting the innkeeper, he arranged for a rooht "Is there someplace we may conduct our nuptials away from the rest of your patrons?"

"Of course, my lord I can set the back parlor aside for your privacy" The red-cheeked innkeeper bobbed his head obligingly

"Mr Elliot should be joining us within the hour, if you would be so good as to escort him to the parlor"