“You were watching us?” She finally asked.

He shrugged. “I assumed the darkness would be more than enough to keep me hidden. Clearly, it wasn't.” He said, covering the distance that stood between them and pulling Gretchen into his arms. “I find it impossible not to get protective when it concerns the woman I love —the woman who, in a few hours, shall officially be my wife.”

Gretchen smiled then and wrapped her arms around him, her head coming to rest on his chest. “And you will be my husband.”

“Seeing as we're on the same page, we should get some sleep.” He smiled,releasing his hold around her. “We have a wedding to attend tomorrow morning.”

Chapter Twenty Five

With the final button of his suit jacket in place, Ethan stood back and examined his image in the mirror, excitement racing through his veins as the realization that he was finally getting married, finally began to sink in. It was the best feeling in the world knowing that his family was about to be complete.

Reaching up, he brushed aside the strand of his hair that had fallen carelessly out of place on his forehead. With one last look in the mirror, he finally decided that he looked perfect in his black tailored suit with gold buttons that lined each sleeve. And while he had never been one to care much for fashion, he desired to look good enough to stand beside Gretchen whom he was certain would look absolutely breathtaking.

A loud knock sounded on the door of his bedchamber, drawing his attention. Tearing his gaze from his image in the mirror, Ethan turned to walk to the door. He reached it and pulled it wide open.

“Lord Williams...” Jacob began.

“I think I can take it from here, Jacob.” A voice sounded behind Jacob—a voice he recognized too well, one that left him standing there, trembling with fear.

**

THERE WAS NO RECONCILING the image that stood staring back at Gretchen with the woman who left everything behind in America to come to a country she knew nothing about. Yet, the image before her was that same woman, dressed in a flawless wedding gown that made her look like royalty.

It had taken several maids and several hours to come to this perfect moment, but it had been well worth it. Her lace wedding gown was perfect. Her hair was braided to form a crown that sat perfectly at the center of her head with a veil that was as long as the train of her dress clipped to it. Her hands were covered in elbow length white gloves as they clutched her bouquet of white roses.

She took a deep breath, the reality of the moment hard to grasp —she was getting married! After all she had done, after all she had lost, she was finally here, about to walk down the aisle and into her own happy ending. The longer she stared at herself, the more she was certain she made the right choice. Perhaps in the past she considered her choices a mistake; turning down Matthew's proposal, trying to destroy Matthew's marriage, moving to London... They had all seemed like terrible mistakes back then, but she couldn't help but be thankful for those mistakes. If she hadn't rejected Matthew, he wouldn't have found Sharon. Their love was one that had put all of Gretchen's scheming to shame and she was thankful that Matthew found someone he could love. If she hadn't tried to destroy Matthew's marriage, she wouldn't have realized how wrong she had been to even try, neither would she have decided to leave them both to their happiness by accepting her own fate; a fate that led her to London and finally, to the man of her dreams.