Christiana smiled uncertainly at the man and then gave a start as Richard took her arm. “Shall we?”

“Yes, of course,” Christiana murmured, but felt some trepidation as he urged her to follow the pastor, who was making his way through the now parting people in the room. She was going to be married . . . Again. It hadn’t been that long since Christiana had vowed to herself that she would never marry again and yet here she was doing it, and while she knew they had to for several very good reasons, not least of which was that she might even now be carrying Richard’s child, she couldn’t help worrying that it would be her first marriage all over again. That the moment the ceremony was over, Richard, like George before him, would suddenly find her wanting and turn from the considerate kind man he’d proven to be, to a critical, cold stranger. The thought was a depressing one and she felt more like she was being led to the gallows than to a wedding as they followed Reverend Bertrand out of the house and to the chapel with her sisters, Daniel, Robert and every last Radnor servant following.

Richard, on the other hand, didn’t appear to be suffering the same misgivings, Christiana noted, glancing at him from under her lashes. He was rushing along, nearly treading on the pastor’s heels in his eagerness to get to the church. Weren’t men supposed to be the reluctant ones when it came to weddings?

“Here we are.” Reverend Bertrand led them to the altar in the small church and busied himself positioning Christiana and Richard where he wanted them, then took a moment to arrange everyone else before rushing off to collect his bible. He was back almost before Christiana could take a breath.

The service was a blur for Christiana and she gave her responses automatically without really taking in what she was saying. Her mind was on the worry of what would happen once it was done. In that state, she was taken rather by surprise when it ended, even giving a start when Richard kissed her. Before she could gather herself enough to kiss him back, he was straightening and urging her to follow the pastor to sign the marriage register.

Christiana signed first, her hand shaking as she did, and then she stepped back to make room for Richard to sign and found herself surrounded by her sisters and the servants, all offering congratulations. She managed to smile and nod in response, but was distracted by the panic that wanted to claim her. She noticed that Daniel and Robert signed as witnesses, then the three men put their heads together with the pastor. She wondered what they were talking about when he suddenly nodded and then Richard turned to make his way to her as the pastor clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention.

“We shall go back to the house now and eat the fine meal Cook prepared for the arrival of the Earl and Countess and their guests. Come along. Let us head back to the house.”