Chapter Two
1815 had been a year of extremes for Gareth.
It was the year his uncle had died and he’d inherited not just the old man’s property, but his baronetcy, too.
It was the year he’d fought at Waterloo and lost one of his dearest friends in the battle—and lost his own left arm.
It was the year his fiancée, Miss Eugenia Swinthorp, had balked at marrying him, baronetcy or not.
And it was the year he’d met Cecily Dunn and fallen head over heels in love with her in the space of a few days.
1815 had quite literally been the worst year of his life, but now, halfway through December, Gareth had just had what felt like one of the best days of his life.
Because today was the day he’d married Cecily.
He allowed himself to remember the moment: the church in Gripton, the marriage license
