“You can’t make a promise like that.”
“I just did.”
Chapter Four
When Ellis pulled the chaise to the front of her family’s estate the light had dimmed from the sky leaving it a steely grey. Wind picked up blowing leaves in circles over the drive. Callie tried to stop her hands from trembling, but it was a lost cause. Too many resurfaced memories.
Ellis assisted her to step free of the chaise and handed the reins to the stableman before offering his hand. It was warm wrapped in hers and his grasp was strong and steady.
When they walked into the foyer her father made a grumbling sound in his throat and turned. Lord Stanley and Lord Dransby were in the study with him, along with Pastor Elsmire.
“He must be having friends around,” she commented as they started to walk by the open door.
Her father called out. “Garrison. I need to see you in my study. Now.”
Ellis glanced over at her and raised a brow in question. She shrugged.
Her father set his whiskey glass on the piano. “I demand to know what you were doing with my daughter, unescorted, for the entire day.”
“Sir, we were on a picnic, nothing more.” Ellis’s hand tensed and then he pulled free from hers.
A hard laugh left her father. “You expect me to believe you?” his voice raised to a thunderous bellow. He’d been drinking, the smell of liquor trailed out of his open mouth. “I brought friends over today to bear witness to all…this.
Ellis rose to his full height of six-two and squared his shoulders. “With all due respect, sir. I had your permission to take your daughter out for the day…. unescorted.”
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Ellis. “Look at the state of her dress. The two of you have been rolling around in the mud! I realize what kind of girl she is and that she will give her body to any man, but, I am still her father.”
“Is that what you call yourself?” Ellis asked coldly. “Parents love and support their children, so I’m not sure where that leaves you.”
“What? How dare you speak to me that way? In my own home!” Her father’s face grew crimson.
“How dare you accuse your daughter of things which she has never done?”
“After you have been with her today I demand to know your intentions.”
“Father,” Callie pleaded. She grabbed his arm but her father yanked it free.
“Your intentions,” he repeated and puffed out his already wide chest and stomach.
“What do you wish me to do?”
“Marry her, of course. That is why the pastor is here.”
“No!” Callie cried. “Ellis had your permission to take me out today. We did nothing wrong.” She whirled toward Ellis. “You don’t need to do any of this.”
Ellis glared at her father before weaving his arm through hers, and then brought the two of them to stand in front of the pastor. “Pastor Elsmire, I ask for you to marry us here, at this moment. With the witnesses, I am sure it will be legally binding?”
“Yes,” the pastor answered. The look on his face told her that even he doubted her father’s intentions. “Are you sure about this my son? Maybe, we should wait a few days.”
“No, we will not wait. In front of you and God, there are two reasons I wish to state before taking vows. The first, I promised to protect this woman for the rest of her life. In order to do that, she will never step foot in this house again, unless she chooses to.” He slid his arm down and grasped her hand. “The other reason is… I love her.”
The sincerity on his face made another tear slip free and skitter down her cheek.
He brushed at the tear with his fingertip. “Do not cry, my love. This is the happiest day of my life. I hope yours too.” Ellis smiled at her as he turned to face the man. “Pastor, if you don’t mind, we’re ready to take our vows and then I will take her home.”
***
When they rode away from her family’s estate and headed towards Ellis’s property line, every step the horse took lifted more of life’s weight from her shoulders. They rode in silence. Too much had happened in the last few hours to even begin to formulate it into speech.
When they arrived at Garrison, Ellis gathered the staff and introduced her as his new wife. The staff looked as shocked as she felt.
“You need to do whatever my wife asks and bring whatever she needs,” he stated, then grasping her hand he led her up the stairs into a large bedroom. He shut the door behind them and let out a long slow breath before propping his cane against the door.