“Will someone please get that woman before she escapes to plague us another day?” she asked, and struggled to move when her aunt lunged toward her with a long knife appearing in her hand.
Several people moved at once and Primrose winced as she heard another gunshot. She did not need to look again to see who had fallen to that shot. She could see her aunt’s arm stretched out beside her. Slumping back against Lilybet, she was both relieved and pleased that the threat her aunt had presented for so long was finally gone.
All she felt was tired. There was no grief, which did not surprise her. There was just emptiness. The woman had destroyed her family all for greed. She watched as her aunt’s body was taken away, surprised to hear her uncle yelling and demanding answers as he chased the cart with the bodies of his friend and his wife inside. Primrose wondered if she would eventually feel some sympathy for the man but doubted it. She would leave the problem of what to do about their uncle to Bened.
“Come along, Primrose,” said Bened as he swung her up into his arms. “The pastor has already gone to fetch the magistrates.”
“Is where we are going now free of all of Auntie’s men?”
“Actually, I thought we would stay here for just a bit and have the good pastor marry us,” Bened said, watching her closely.
Primrose stared up at him but saw no attempt to make a jest. “You wish to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Perhaps we could have that talk after the ceremony.”
“No, I think not. How about you set me down in one of the pews and we can talk quietly. All these people can go stand about outside for a few minutes.”
She almost smiled as she watched Lilybet herd the others outside, even the preacher. Despite her aching head, she was eager to hear what Bened had to say. She was also eager to marry him but she would not do so if all he spoke of was honor.
“I was going to leave,” he began. “I saw all you have, all you’ve known and knew I could not match it so I was going to be honorable and just ride away,” he said. “I could not do it. Obviously I don’t have that much honor. I decided I would come here and ask you at least. Instead of assuming I knew what you want and need, I would offer you all I have and leave it to you.”
The man looked like he was in pain, she thought, and tried not to let sympathy force her to put a halt to what he was saying. “What is this all you are offering me, Bened?”
“I am not really your equal by birth but near enough now with what I have earned for myself.” He looked at her in confusion when she placed her fingers against his lips.
“Bened, I know that if you offer to marry me that you offer your honors and home and fortune. That needs not be said. What else? Your faithfulness?” It pleased her to see how offended he was by even being asked that.
“Of course. If I did not intend to be faithful, then I would not even ask you to marry me.” He pulled her into his arms and whispered. “I want you. I want you in my home, helping me make something fine of it. I want you in my bed. I want you to give me children. I even want you with your foolish dog. You are mine. Knew it the first time I saw you.” He slid her hand to his belly. “Knew it in here then.” He then slowly slid her hand up to his heart. “Know it here now.”
“Then, yes, I will marry you for I have known you were mine, in both places, for a very long time.” She laughed when he heaved such a sigh of relief she was surprised he did not keel over.
It happened so quickly that Primrose began to think he was afraid she would change her mind. One minute they were talking about getting married, the next minute they were married. The fact that he had rings for her, ones shoved into his hand by her laughing brother, thrilled her. When he promised to get some of her own, she shook her head. These had been her mother’s. By giving them to Bened to give to her, Simeon had shown his acceptance and approval and she cherished it.
Mrs. Jakes served them a hasty feast and the marriage was toasted with both serious and rowdy toasts. Then, Primrose hurried up to her room to pack some clothes as Bened had been serious about needing to get to his home. She realized she was eager to get there as well for it was now her home, too.
“Prim?” Simeon said as he stepped into the bedchamber when the maids left with her chests of clothing.
“Is something wrong, Simeon?” she asked, afraid he was about to prove her assumption about the rings wrong and express his disapproval over the marriage.