Adelaide nodded, her mind made up, and she turned her head toward her ever-curious mother. “Mama! We must visit the watchmaker when we are done here. I must have a watch made for Lord Basset for the wedding. I will not be seen as ungenerous toward my husband-to-be.”

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The bells were tolling ominously, and it was giving him a headache. Perhaps that ought to have been a warning.

Too late now.

“Are you sure about this, Basset? You barely know her.”

Harrison flicked his eyes to his right where his groomsman stood, ready to support him. Or, it seemed, offer him a way out.

“As sure as I am going to be, Granger,” Harrison replied, barely moving his lips. “We are in the church, and my bride will be here at any moment.”

“Until the vows are made, nothing is legally binding.” Granger leaned closer, whispering, “I checked.”

Harrison coughed a very soft laugh, praying it would not be noticed. “And you consider yourself a happily married man?”

“I am,” Granger retorted. “Very happily. I love my wife. Unless I am very much mistaken, you don’t even like your bride.”

“Not particularly, no.” Harrison had no trouble admitting that; it could hardly be a secret. Anybody who had seen the two of them together over the last four weeks would know of their mutual distaste for each other, which was why they had not been seen together at any events outside of her home.

The only thing Harrison could safely admit was that provoking her was an inordinate amount of fun simply because he did not rise to her own provocation, but he could always garner a reaction from her. It was clear that no one had withstood Miss Dyer’s strong will or opinions, perhaps in her entire life, and the resistance she found in Harrison did not sit well.

He had no intention of browbeating her in their marriage, but neither could he let her think she would have her own way in all things. He’d give her what liberty and independence he could, but if she willfully acted against him, he would have to intercede against what ought to have been a rather simple thing.

He could have chosen a more docile wife, he supposed. That might have been easier, all things considered, but the most important items had been addressed in the person of Miss Dyer. Differences in personality and temper could be adjusted to on both sides once the newness of the marriage had worn off.

“And you don’t see a problem with that?” Granger scoffed very softly beside him, bringing him back to his present situation and their previous topic. “If you are struck down by the Almighty in the next few minutes, Basset, so help me—”