the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: wedding plans II

"So... October. When in October?" Marianne asked.

Cassian looked as if he was still contemplating, then he said with alnost certainty. "The first Saturday."

Marian smiled.

Then she glanced toward the calendar on the writing table.

It took her a moment to calculate.

July.

Already the middle of July.

Her eyes widened slightly.

"That’s less than three months."

Cassian nodded.

"I know."

She turned back to him.

"You really thought about this."

"No."

The answer came far too quickly.

Marian narrowed her eyes.

"You did."

"I considered the calendar."

"That is the same thing."

"It isn’t."

"It is."

He smiled.

"I simply wanted to know the earliest reasonable opportunity."

Marian laughed.

"And apparently you found it."

"I did."

She shook her head, amused.

"You really have been thinking about marrying me."

Cassian’s expression softened.

"Of course I have."

The simple answer quieted her.

For a moment, she looked at him.

Then she smiled.

"All right."

She reached for the writing table.

"We have less than three months."

Cassian followed her.

"Then we’d better start."

Marian gathered several sheets of paper, an ink pot, and a pen.

She arranged everything carefully on the table before them.

Cassian sat beside her.

Marian looked at the blank page.

Then at him.

"Where do we begin?"

"The date is settled."

She nodded.

"The venue."

"Yes."

She wrote the heading.

Venue.

"The capital."

She said it almost to herself.

Then her expression brightened.

"Yes."

Cassian watched her.

"Yes?"

"The capital."

She began writing.

"Everyone is already here. The Season is underway, the House of Lords is sitting, the court is here..."

She paused.

"And the Emperor."

Cassian nodded.

"It makes everything easier."

Marian continued writing.

"The guests won’t have to travel all the way to Ashford."

"Exactly."

"And your vassals won’t have to travel there either."

"Exactly."

"And neither family would have to host everyone for days before the ceremony."

She looked pleased with herself.

"The capital is definitely better."

She finished writing.

Then stopped.

Her eyes remained on the paper.

"The capital."

She could already imagine it.

The cathedral filled with flowers.

The great doors opening.

The music.

The people gathered outside.

Her father waiting for her.

The entire capital watching.

Marian smiled.

Then suddenly looked up.

"Unless..."

Cassian raised an eyebrow.

"Unless?"

She hesitated.

"Would you rather have it somewhere else?"

"Why would I?"

"Ashford, perhaps."

She glanced at him.

"I’ve never been there. Maybe you’d prefer to marry there."

Cassian smiled.

"The capital is fine."

"Really?"

"Really."

Marian looked at him curiously.

"I thought you didn’t like crowds."

"I don’t."

"You don’t like attention."

"I don’t."

"You prefer being private."

"Usually."

She tilted her head.

"Then why the capital?"

Cassian looked at her.

"Because I’m not marrying everyone else."

The answer caught her off guard.

He smiled.

"I’m marrying you."

Marian’s expression softened.

"And I want to do it here."

He glanced toward the paper.

"In front of everyone."

She smiled.

"I never thought you’d want that."

"Neither did I."

"You’re surprisingly determined."

"I’ve had five months to think about what I want."

That quieted her.

Cassian reached for her hand.

"I want the capital."

Marian smiled.

"Then the capital."

She wrote it down.

Venue — Capital Cathedral.

Then she looked at the page again.

And suddenly another thought occurred to her.

"Wait."

Cassian looked at her.

"What?"

"The expense."

His expression changed slightly.

"Marian."

"No, listen."

She turned toward him.

"We’ve already..."

She stopped herself.

There was no need to recount the money that had already changed hands.

They both knew.

House Valmont had paid.

Cassian had paid.

And although both families remained wealthy beyond what most people could imagine, neither situation was exactly what it had been before.

A wedding of this scale was not insignificant.

Especially one held in the capital.

Especially one attended by half the nobility.

Marian looked at the paper.

"Perhaps Ashford would actually be more sensible."

Cassian looked at her.

"Ashford?"

She nodded.

"It would be less complicated."

"For whom?"

"For everyone."

She glanced down at the paper.

"And less expensive."

There it was.

Cassian understood.

Marian was already calculating.

The cathedral.

The reception.

The flowers.

The guests.

The accommodations.

Everything that would come with holding a wedding of this scale in the capital.

She looked at him.

"We’ve already spent so much."

Cassian’s expression softened.

"Marian."

"I know we’re not poor."

A small smile touched her lips.

"Very far from it, actually."

"But?"

"But there is no reason to spend simply because we can."

Cassian leaned back slightly.

"You don’t need to worry about the expense."

"I do."

"No."

His answer was gentle.

"Let me handle it."

Marian looked at him.

"You?"

"Yes."

"But—"

"I can afford it."

She hesitated.

"I know you can."

"Then trust me."

The words quieted her.

Cassian reached for her hand.

"I don’t want you choosing something smaller because you’re worried about what it will cost me."

Marian looked down at their joined hands.

"I just don’t want to be unreasonable."

"You aren’t."

"And if the wedding is in the capital—"

"It will be."

She looked up.

Cassian smiled.

"I want it here."

Marian’s lips curved.

"You really are determined."

"Very."

She laughed softly.

Then her expression changed.

Another thought had occurred to her.

One that was considerably more embarrassing.

"Then..."

Cassian waited.

Marian looked down.

"And what about what I bring into the marriage?"

He frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

She hesitated.

"The dowry."

The word came quietly.

Cassian’s expression changed.

"Marian."

"I know it’s customary."

"It doesn’t matter to me."

"But it is still—"

"No."

His answer was immediate.

"You don’t need to bring me anything."

She looked at him.

"Cassian, that’s not how these things work."

"I know how they work."

He smiled faintly.

"And I don’t care."

Marian’s cheeks warmed.

"But your family—, you vassals..."

"They will have no objection."

"And my father?"

"I’ll speak to him."

She stared.

"You already thought about this?"

Cassian smiled.

"I thought about marrying you."

That answer made her heart flutter.

He squeezed her hand.

"Everything else is secondary."

Marian looked down again.

"But the tradition—"

"Let it be a tradition other people worry about."

She laughed softly.

"That sounds very convenient."

"It is."

He lifted her hand.

"I don’t need a dowry."

His voice softened.

"I don’t need anything from your family."

Marian met his eyes.

"I only want you."

For a moment, she couldn’t answer.

Then she smiled.

"You make everything sound very simple."

"It is simple."

"It really isn’t."

"For me, it is."

His thumb brushed over her fingers.

"I want to marry you."

A pause.

"That’s all."

Marian’s smile returned.

"Then I suppose I’ll let you handle the expenses."

"You will."

"And the dowry?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

She shook her head, amused.

"You’re very stubborn."

"I’ve been told."

She laughed.

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