A Most Distracting Damsel Part Twenty

Author's Note: There is only a couple of chapters left. Then, I have an epilogue. So, keep reading

Waiting a full six months to be married after the annulment had gone through caused Evan to become very annoyed with her. He had tried to cajole her many times and with several stolen kisses to marry him sooner than she wished.  It was not as if she were not ready to be married to him. It had become a simple matter of principle.

If they were to be wed, she wanted all the details to be right and not have the thing go off in too much of a hurry. She had tried to tell her betrothed her reasoning but he had pouted like a little boy and kept pestering her.

But, after the way she had done things with Wesley, she wanted to assure herself that going into her new marriage that she did so with a clear head.

And, so she told him no, along with, “If I am worth anything to you, you will wait Evan Ware.” She had turned and left the parlor without letting him visit her for a full month.

After refusing him entrance into her father’s home, at the end of that first month, he had sneaked into her window in the middle of night and she had shrieked, pulling the covers over herself. He strode forth, pulling the sheet off the bed, and had dragged her into his arms and kissed her.

When he tried touching her breasts, she squirmed from his arms, and she had glared. “Evan, you are not listening to me!”

An agonized groan had erupted from his lips. “But, I have missed you Lydia. And, I want you so much!”

Hearing him say such a thing had almost made her cry, but could not let him change her mind. “It is not that I do not want you as well, because I do. Please, Evan I mean it, if you really wish to marry me, you will stop doing this.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he had scowled. “You promised in front of many witnesses that you will marry me. You are not changing your mind, are you?”

She had crawled into his lap, snuggling against his chest. And, he had wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close.

“I am not going to change my mind.” She gazed into his eyes and had sighed. “I wish you would understand what I am trying to say. I know you are not the Earl, but I want to do things differently. We had rushed into our wedding simply because of passion and I do not wish to do that with you. I want to have a beautiful ceremony that I can remember for years.”

He had taken her cheeks within his palms, kissing her with a gentle brush of his lips. “I do understand. I am sorry for not listening. I want you to be happy.”

She kissed him, he grabbed her head and their mouths had melded for several minutes before she could tear herself away from him. “You make me happy Evan. You always have. Even as a young girl who always got herself into too much trouble.”

He had chuckled. “I’ve always been fond of trouble.”

They had kissed more after that, before she had sent him away with an admonishment to behave. After her reprimand, he had visited her at home, twice a month, during the daylight hours, honorably courting her like a gentleman should. And, finally, everything drifted into place.

%                       %

(The day of the wedding)

Getting ready for her big day had been more than pleasurable, she had smiled so much that her cheeks ached.

Her mother had cried when she saw her face, and had declared, “Now, I know you will be truly happy. I see it within your eyes. I hope you do not mind me saying so, but you never had that radiance when you were about to marry the Earl.”

Her mother saying that, made her realize how right she was. Marrying Wesley had been an obligation, something that never quite stirred her heart. No wonder she had been scared the day before the wedding. And, if she had not ran into Evan upon the sidewalk that day, she would have possibly never seen his desire for her.

The way he had gazed at her that day…

Blood rushed to her cheeks, she decided not to think about his expression then. Instead, she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other as her father escorted her on his arm to the back of a church once more.

He rolled his eyes before asking, “Are you sure you are ready this time? No declarations of love for someone else?”

She laughed. “I am ready father. I have no doubts. And, will never declare my love for anyone besides my soon to be husband.”

He smiled. “Did I tell you that I am very happy about your marriage to the Duke? I do not think that I ever got around to saying so.”

“Thank you father, I really do want your approval.”

Squeezing her hand, he frowned a bit. “It is quite a pity that his father left him without many funds.”

She blinked. “You would not object to me marrying him because he is not rich would you?”

He patted her hand. “No, I do not object, otherwise we would not be here. I caused you to be with a man who lied to you, because I was the one who insisted you marry a wealthy man. And, it turns out the Earl lied to me about his surfeit of funds. I should have known better when he told me had gambling debts. If it were not for me giving him your dowry along with…”

She shook her head, cutting off his speech. “Let us not dwell on that. He fooled us all with his declarations of affection. Besides, I am marrying the man I love and I wish to think of him.”

He smiled. “As you should, daughter, as you should.”

Then, they were moving forward and she saw Evan at the front wearing a formal navy blue jacket, matching breeches, and some highly polished black boots. As they marched toward him, he smiled like a man who gazed upon the brightest star in the universe. Her heart stumbled, she smiled brilliantly in return.

Her father placed her hand within his, before letting go; he nodded at Evan. “Take care of her will you?”

Evan nodded in return. “I will, I swear.”

They faced one another, and then the priest started his prayers. Lydia had given him permission to say as many as he wished. For she knew no matter how many he said, the man she loved would not be going anywhere. Evan grinned when the priest asked them to state their vows to one another.

He went first, and halfway through his voice faltered, tears gathering in his eyes. She squeezed his hand, trying to lend him comfort even though tears were streaming along her cheeks. Clearing his throat, he declared his love loudly, promising to trust, honor and care for her forever.

Sliding his family’s signet ring upon her finger, he leaned forward, his nose touching hers. “I love you Lydia.”

With a laugh, she said, “The ceremony is not over yet. You could have waited to say so until after I said my vows.”

His chuckle vibrated against her face. “Then, I would have said my peace too late.”

Lydia pushed at his shoulders and he backed away far enough so she could say to the priest. “I am ready to say my vows.”

The man nodded, asking her to repeat after him, so she did. And, as she slipped the ring upon his finger, she leaned forward giving his nose a gentle kiss. “I love you as well.”

He laughed so hard that tears rolled from his cheeks falling to the floor. Lydia glanced at her mother; she was holding a handkerchief to her nose sobbing like a baby. Her father had tears within his eyes, but he coughed and pretended to have a foreign object blocking his sight. Finally, she glanced to Evan’s mother and she dabbed at her tears.

The priest had to clear his throat before saying the final prayer that blessed their union and said for everyone to hear, “My lord, you may kiss your bride. And, hopefully this will be the last time one or the other of you gets married in my church. Because, frankly, I think I will need the lord’s help to pick me off of the floor if you do.”

She laughed, Evan laughed. Then, he pulled her within his arms giving her the most bone melting, heart wrenching kiss he had ever given her. And, someone almost had to pick her off the floor.

If you missed the story from the beginning, here are the links:

Part One: AMostDistractingDamselPartOne

Part Two: AMostDistractingDamselPartTwo

PartThree: AMostDistractingDamselPartThree

Part Four: AMostDistractingDamselPartFour

Part Five: AMostDistractingDamselPartFive

Part Six: AMostDistracingDamselPartSix (This Part is flagged for Mature Audiences Only)

Part Seven: AMostDistractingDamselPartSeven

Part Eight: AMostDistractingDamselPartEight

Part Nine: AMostDistractingDamselPartNine

Part Ten: AMostDistractingDamselPartTen (This Part is flagged for Mature Audiences Only)

Part Eleven: AMostDistractingDamselPartEleven

Part Twelve: AMostDistractingDamselPartTwelve

Part Thirteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartThirteen

Part Fourteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartFourteen

Part Fifteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartFifteen (This Part is flagged for Crude and Indecent language)

Part Sixteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartSixteen

Part Seventeen: AMostDistractingDamselPartSeventeen

Part Eighteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartEighteen

Part Nineteen: AMostDistractingDamselPartNineteen (This Part is flagged for Mature Audiences Only)