Garrett squinted. The church was dim … and empty. Isabella hadn’t yet arrived. He’d tried to see Jane last night but her mother had informed him that she was with Lucy. A visit to Lucy’s house had revealed that the two women were not at home. No matter. Garrett intended to go straight to Lucy’s house this morning after he finished this odious task. He would beg Jane to marry him. No, he would demand it. No, he would ask. She had to say yes, didn’t she? She loved him as much as he loved her. He was certain of it.

The door at the side of the altar opened and a bride dressed in white, a veil covering her face, came walking out. The vicar came out, too, dressed in grand vestments. He made his way to the center of the altar.

Garrett sucked in his breath. Isabella had gone too far this time. If she thought he would marry her merely because she’d lured him to a church and arrived wearing a wedding gown, she was sorely mistaken.

Garrett made his way up to the altar. He took a deep breath and glanced at Isabella. He couldn’t see her evil face through her veil. “Reverend, you don’t understand. I can’t—”

“Would you please uncover your bride’s face?” the vicar asked.

“I’d rather not,” Garrett replied. If the man thought it was odd, so be it.

“I insist upon it, my son,” the vicar replied in a firm, steady voice.

Garrett took another deep breath. Very well. He would uncover her face, but that hardly changed the fact that he refused to marry her.

He turned toward her and placed both hands at the bottom of the thick veil. He lifted it slowly, trying to decide how best to handle the next few awkward moments. Finally, he flipped the veil over her head in one swift motion and took a step back.

It wasn’t Isabella. It was … Jane.

She smiled at him brightly. “Thank you. It was quite hot under there, Upton. I was concerned my spectacles would fog.”

Garrett’s jaw dropped. “Jane, wha—”

“I forged the letter asking you to meet here today,” Jane whispered.

Garrett only had a moment to process that before the door on the side of the altar opened again and his mother, Daphne Swift, Owen Monroe, Rafe Cavendish, the Hunt brothers, Lucy, and Claringdon all came strolling out.

Jane nodded to the vicar. “Will you please give us a moment, Reverend?”

“Of course.” The vicar nodded and moved into the small group of people.

Jane fell to one knee. She clasped Garrett’s hand. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me, Upton?”

His face broke into a huge smile. He pulled her back up to her feet, still clasping her hands. “Are you jesting?”