How to Marry Your Wife Read Online Free

unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”
    “Aye, I will.” Had anyone else heard the quiver in his voice? Apparently not, for all eyes now rested on his beautiful bride.
    “Meredith Umfraville, wilt thou have this man, Thomas Stephen D’Agostine, to be thy wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
    “I will no—”
    Ann shot a hand over Merry’s mouth.
    “Mmmph.”
    “Go on, Brother, of course she does. She’s just overwhelmed with the shock of having her husband return to her, wanting to renew their vows. Prithee continue.” Ann’s voice soothed like sweet honey and she beamed.
    John glanced up at James, who nodded his tonsured head that the vows should finish.
    What a God-forsaken farce. Thomas should end it, but he’d not have another man bedding Merry nor raising his son.
    He used the opportunity of her head bowed low to study her angelic features for once not contorted in anger. His body stirred in want and his mouth went dry. Years he had waited to thrust into her.
    Damnation . He gave a quick prayer of apology to God for where his thoughts wandered, but the mass was interminable. Bread and wine miraculously turned into the body and blood of Christ and final prayers were uttered. He thanked St. Stephen that a cantor couldn’t be found or they’d still be at the first gospel acclamation.
    With the long awaited final amen, he stood from where they knelt and held out his hand to his beautiful bride. She refused to take it. With hands upon the floor, she thrust herself up onto her own feet.
    “I hate you.” Grabbing her son’s hand, she dashed down the center of the church and turned at the door.
    “I hate you all.”
    Thomas shrugged at Marcus. “That went off quite well, don’t you think?”

Chapter 3
    Meredith exited the church with little Tom in hand and rushed across the green. That . . . That . . . man was insufferable. She’d see to it the marriage was annulled, even if she had to walk all the way to Constantinople. If that annoying arse could find it, so could she.
    How dare he call her a you-know-what. Oh Merry, just say it . Certainly she’d heard it whispered behind her back. Magdalene. Harlot. Loose woman. Broken belt. The names were none she’d not called herself. And despite it all? He still caused the heat between her legs to flow at the sight of him. How was that possible? No other man had ever affected her so.
    She shook her head until her locks came loose out of their net and made the memory of that night fade. She kicked at the base of the well before storming toward the keep. Magdalene . Better to be shackled and locked in a dungeon. That’s what he thought of her now.
    For six years, Brother James had insisted that with penance all would be forgiven, at least by God.
    Ha, had she not prayed for all that time? Done charitable works? Kept her eyes lowered and her voice chaste? She’d given up all laughing and giggling in hopes that would appease the Father above. But no, no, it was never enough. Now, he’d allowed the devil to come back to life.
    He had to be a demon. Why else would her body respond as it wouldn’t to any other? Why did just a glance from him make her melt at the knees and think wanton thoughts?
    When she arrived at the arched door of the Roman fortress she called home, she gave little Tom a kiss on the top of the head and a fierce hug. “Be off to find the other children and to sweet dreams. I’ll come with kisses in a moment.”
    He nodded with a face so much like his fathers that it hurt. How she’d grieved when Thomas had left without a word. Dear Lord. It was the kind of grief that had no ending. There was always a glimmer of hope, like an escaping sunbeam through dark clouds. Mayhap today, she’d think, a pigeon would announce word