A Rescue by the Rakish Duke (A Game of Rakes #5)

Extended Epilogue

Twelve Years Later

Greyvale had always been known for its elegant but foreboding allure. People used to go there to visit the Redmonds, who were as cold as the place they lived in. The present Redmonds, however, filled the place with laughter.

Yes, laughter. And yes, that included Damian Redmond, the Duke of Greyvale.

Gwendoline couldn’t help but smile contentedly as she drank her tea by the balcony, watching her children run up and down the expansive gardens. Their laughter mingled with the rustling of the breeze and the chirping of birds. It was music to her ears. How could J. Lewis top that?

It was summer. The warmth and the colors in the gardens created a serene scene. If her children were like music, they were certainly like paintings, too—like the seascapes from Eric Westback.

Gwendoline should take up another hobby. She and Daisy had been trotting about more often, though, as the children learned to ride their ponies. It was beautiful chaos.

Even if she didn’t find anything else to occupy her time, she did have two boys and a little girl to contend with.

At that moment, they were chasing each other on the green grass. Daniel and Frederick were competitive and would take a lot of cajoling to stop, while Charlotte—or Charlie for short—the youngest, was easily distracted. She paused mid-chase to pluck a daisy, her delicate fingers fumbling with the stem. She was only five.

“Charlie, perhaps you want to come to Mama!” Gwendoline called. She knew that her daughter tended to daydream. “Don’t wander too far!”

“Let her enjoy herself, Gwen,” Damian said gently as he stepped out onto the balcony to join his wife.

As usual, his presence could be commanding and a little intimidating, but he was also softer now. Warmer. It made sense that he would transform Greyvale from the home he knew as a child to the one they had now.

He was carrying a tray of lemonade which he set down on the iron table between them. Gwendoline couldn’t help but glance at him, appreciating the husband and father he had become.

“She is mischievous like you,” she commented with a smile.

“Oh, but she’s stubborn like you,” he retorted as he took a seat. “I imagine I need more guards when she’s older. This time, I’ll ensure they know how to do their job.”

“Without hurting our children,” Gwendoline added, giving him a mock frown.

“Of course,” Damian reassured her, rolling his eyes, to which she laughed.

In a few minutes, the children joined them, demanding their own lemonade.

Hannah came with another tray, laughing.

“Of course, you will have your own, children. What else do you want? Here are some biscuits and tarts!” she chirped.

Daniel, aged eleven, was the couple’s oldest son and Damian’s spitting image, with his dark, unruly hair and piercing gray eyes. He seemed to notice everything but would rather sit in a quiet corner and read—after a wicked game of cricket, of course.

His younger brother, Frederick, was eight and blond like Gwendoline. He was just as playful and prone to making jokes—not at anyone’s expense, of course. Their mother had made sure they refrained from being mean.

“I have a complaint,” he said. “Daniel can’t be both bowler and batter!”

“Why? Are you two planning to play cricket later?” their father asked, trying not to look amused.

“Yes, we are,” Daniel confirmed. “I just wish that Freddy wouldn’t argue too much. He complains about everything.”

Gwendoline giggled, shaking her head. “You boys are as competitive as ever. However, you need to play fair, and you must remember that it’s only a game and that you are brothers. Allies.”

“Competitive? Ah, they got that from me,” Damian remarked proudly. “However, your mother is right, boys. You must get a rule book if you need to. Play fair. No fighting.”

“Thomas should be able to give you one,” Gwendoline suggested, although she was not so fond of her husband’s trainer.

“What about me, Mama?” Charlotte asked. She was now standing in front of her parents, daisies in her hands.

“Oh, what do you want, sweetheart?” Gwendoline asked. “It has to be something you want to do.”

“I want to play kwiket!” Charlotte announced, jumping up and down.

Her parents laughed, while the boys groaned.

“She can’t play with us! She’ll make things worse!” Daniel protested.

“Oh, watch it with that tone. Don’t be mean to your sister,” Damian warned. “You can tell her to play with something else without having to say that.”

Gwendoline looked at her husband. His eyes remained kind. He didn’t like scaring their children, but they were also serious about raising them to be kind and considerate and mindful of their words. He had learned his lessons the hard way.

“I’m sorry, Father,” Daniel said, bowing his head.

“It’s all right, my dear. Look at Charlie. She’s doing something else now.”

True enough, Charlotte was already seated with two of her dolls. Hannah was helping her set up a tea party.

The boys looked at each other and grinned. Then, they downed their lemonade and ran back to the gardens to play.

“Problem solved,” Gwendoline said, looking at their youngest fondly.

“Charlotte is a force of nature who has her own ideas. She always manages to get what she wants because she finds fun in everything,” Damian murmured, also looking at their daughter. “She has both of us in her.”

“Absolutely,” Gwendoline agreed, her voice a little husky.

Charlotte seemed to have sensed their eyes on her because she looked up at them and gave them a gap-toothed smile.

“Lucy and Belle want to say hello!” she said, referring to her dolls.

“Oh, thank you, Lucy and Belle,” Gwendoline replied, her heart swelling at her daughter’s innocence. She hoped that Charlotte didn’t have to encounter the evils of this world. “I hope you two are taking care of our Charlie.”

“Silly Mama! I’m taking care of them!” Charlotte said with a little squeal of happiness.

“Well, they should take care of you, too, little one,” Damian said, ruffling her curls. “You’re kind to them. They will watch over you. Are you sure you don’t want to play with your brothers?”

Gwendoline shot her husband a warning look, but he only gave a playful shrug. She knew he liked to tease their children. He could be that mischievous.

“They say I’m too little. But I’m bigger than Lucy and Belle. So, I take care of them.”

“Your brothers can take care of you,” Damian said in a gentle voice. “They can be rough, though. So maybe you should stay here with us until you are bigger.”

“But I’m here with you, and you’re bigger,” Charlotte babbled.

“Oh, you’re right, my love. You are. You have a big heart, too.”

Charlotte seemed happy with that. She went back to playing with her dolls and drinking lemonade. It wasn’t a tea party. It was a lemonade party with Lucy and Belle.

“Do you think about how far we’ve come, my love?” Damian asked his wife, suddenly looking thoughtful.

“All the time,” Gwendoline admitted. “Sometimes, this life does not feel like that life at all. I feel like I’m a different person now.”

“We are the same people, given a chance to live the life we deserve,” Damian said, his eyes suddenly darkening.

Gwendoline could only guess that her husband was thinking of the times they had suffered threats and betrayal. Those memories were distant, but they would never be forgotten. They helped them navigate their present and their future. They had survived insurmountable odds, forging a bond that grew stronger with time.

“You were the one who gave me hope. If I hadn’t had you with me back then, I probably would have given up on avenging Levi and Mary the right way. I thought of rash things—things I knew I would regret—but my hate for Montrose was so strong. I felt like I had nothing left. So, I rushed to his townhouse without much of a plan. With only a handful of flimsy evidence against him.”

“I also imagine what it would have been like if you hadn’t barged into my father’s parlor. What it would have been like if I ended up married to one of Timothy’s associates,” she murmured, her brow furrowed. “You taught me how to fight, not just physically. I didn’t have to accept the future someone else planned for me.”

“I will spend the rest of my life making sure you will never regret choosing this life.”

“Did I truly choose this life?” she teased, referring to his decision to marry her when they were still strangers.

Damian groaned as he rubbed his face with both hands. “I was desperate, Gwendoline,” he said, his words full of apology and his face full of pain.

“It might not be the best of beginnings, Damian, but if you hadn’t whisked me away then, I could be living a terrible life now.”

“We do have the best life, don’t we, Gwen?”

“We do,” Gwendoline said sincerely.

***

Later that afternoon, Greyvale had more to celebrate with the arrival of a familiar carriage. Abigail had just arrived with her husband. Their visits were always welcome.

“Abigail!” Gwendoline cried, rushing down the steps to greet her dearest friend.

Abigail stepped out of the carriage, her face the usual ray of sunshine. Oh, how Gwendoline missed her.

“It’s been far too long.”

The two embraced warmly, while Damian received Abigal’s husband, and they exchanged pleasantries.

“I hope you saved some tea for me,” Abigail said, her eyes sparkling.

“Of course. And oh, we still have a lot of lemonade. I do hope you’ll tell me all about your travels. Damian and I are thinking of going on a trip with the children, but we will have to plan it well in advance.”

“You’re absolutely right. I always praise the wonders of traveling, but it’s also been exhausting. I’m ready to just settle in one place.”

“In one place?” Gwendoline asked, raising an eyebrow.

“In one place,” Abigail confirmed, and they both giggled.

That evening, after the guests had departed and the children were tucked in bed, Damian and Gwendoline watched the fire in the hearth in the sitting room. They had many quiet moments like this, where they reflected on their lives and simply savored a good night’s conversation.

The passion was still there. They still enjoyed tearing each other’s clothes off and making love until dawn, but they also bonded well in those moments when Gwendoline would lean against Damian’s shoulder with her eyes half-closed.

“Today was perfect,” she murmured.

“Every day with you is perfect,” Damian said, kissing the top of her head.

“Do you ever wonder what the future holds?”

“All I’m certain of is that we will be facing it together.”

“You always know the right thing to say,” Gwendoline breathed, looking up at her husband adoringly.

“I learned that words are powerful, and I do have the right person to say those words to,” Damian replied, smiling.

The fire in the hearth flickered, and the night deepened. Although their day had been long, they treasured these moments as their hearts beat in perfect harmony.

Their story was far from over. However, they had survived so many dangers and heartaches. Now, they were ready for anything. They were stronger. They also had so much to live for. They whispered prayers for Levi and Mary.

Then, they did the same for their children: Daniel, Frederick, and Charlotte.

The End.