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Perhaps later this afternoon, Lord Tristan would take Hermione aboard his ship They could sail the world--even if she got dreadfully sick in a rowboat A ship would be different His ship would be different Perhaps they would even kiss It wasn’t fair that he’d never even tried to steal a kiss from her

She was startled froed onto the pew beside her

Organ music floated toward the rafters and everyone stood as Lady Anne glided down the aisle, her hand on her father’s arm As she neared the altar, Lord Tristan stepped out from behind Lord Chetwyn and took his place beside her

"No," she whispered and started to move past Lord Jaaze up to Lord Jameson His eyes held pity--no, sadness For her She wanted to weep Lord Tristan would forever be beyond her reach if she didn’t stop it But then she realized he had always been so She simply had been too foolish to admit it

As everyone took their seats, Lady Hermione sank onto the hard pew

Lord Jameson leaned near her and whispered, "At the reception atPerhaps you would honor me with your first dance"

She looked at him then, really looked at him Hadn’t Lord Tristan told her that Lord Jameson was for her? Hadn’t he bid on her at that awful charity ball when no one else had?

In answer to his question, she siave her a s his attention to the cere in her shifted and she saw him quite differently He was far more handsome than Lord Tristan More polished And someday he would be an earl Lord Tristan, well, he would always beelse as well Lord Jameson had always been there for her How could she have overlooked him with such ease? What a silly chit she’d been

Anne watched as Tristan stepped around Chetwyn to take his place beside her The favor he had asked of Chetas to stand in the groom’s place until Anne arrived at the altar He feared if he was initially standing there that the speculation and gossip would create a stir that would detract froasps, ht She iined the loudest of all was Lady Hermione’s but Ja thisthe barnacle out of the church

Then Anne was no longer thinking of Lady Hermione or the people in the pews All her attention was focused on the strong handso in front of her She didn’t knohat had possessed her to think she could have married anyone else, that she would have been content with hi the world without her at his side

She loved him so much, wounded soul and all They were each broken in their oay, but soether perfectly

He looked so deeply into her eyes that she felt as though he touched the very core of her In his iht He’d asked her father for his blessing He’d included Chetwyn so he wouldn’t feel completely cast aside

As words about love and devotion echoed around her, she slid her gaze to Chetwyn With a smile, he winked at her She did hope he would find soainst her for not being that person He was so rerateful to hied voith Tristan, she knew Chetas correct: she was on the path to having a very wonderful life, indeed

With thethe water to silver, Anne stood on the deck of the Revenge with Tristan’s arhtly around her It seeether as husband and wife He’d paid Jenkins to take them to Yorkshire They planned to stay at the ancestral estate at Pembrook, in his brother’s new residence, while they searched for a home of their own

She didn’t think she’d ever known such happiness

He pressed his lips to the nape of her neck "Had enough of the sea, ainst him "Will you truly be able to stay away fro ht it was the traveling I loved, the exploration, the adventure But I caht my home was the sea, and instead, I finally realized that my home ith you"

She turned about in his arms and cradled his face between her hands "Poetic words, Tristan, but not an answer"

"I ht need the sea froet a smaller ship, perhaps We’ll sail around Great Britain Picnic on an island I can be content with a piece of the sea as long as I have you"

"You shall always haveup on her toes, she pressed her body to his as she kissed hiht she could not endure the loneliness if she married him A bit of time with him was preferable to none at all She would always have a tender regard for Chetwyn for his forcing her to face that fact Walter had taught her that life was short, could be snatched away at any h to be content Tristan had revealed to her that love was based on choices, sacrifices, and passion A passion that was not limited to bedchambers