Epilogue
Sophia encouraged Felix to speak to Dorry’s husband before approaching her uncle regarding the marriage settlements.
Miles was accustomed to the matter, having had to discuss terms when he wished to marry Dorothea.
For a guardian, Lady Poole’s brother was absent much of the time, but when he wished to, he could be particular.
Sophia did not want Felix to be bullied for not having a living her uncle might think indispensable.
Miles would understand, for although his own situation had vastly improved by the time he offered Dorothea his hand in marriage, he was sensible of what it was to negotiate from an inferior position.
The terms were agreed upon, and the wedding was set for July.
Both Sophia and Felix were eager to tie the knot as soon as possible, but there were many things that needed to be handled first. For one thing, Felix wished to see that his name was fully cleared before Sophia tied hers to it.
She had no doubt that it would be, but he insisted on being above reproach.
His father had accepted another living that would put him under a friendlier patronage in Kent and would need to move.
To everyone’s surprise, the patron of the living was none other than Lord Pembroke, Miles’s cousin, though he had not known of the connection when he had accepted Mr. Blackwood’s recommendation.
Sophia had a delightful time coming to know Margaret—Megs, Megabits, whichever name Felix happened to bestow upon her in the moment—before she returned to her younger sisters.
Sophia promised to come and meet all of them as soon as she and Felix had returned from their honeymoon, a plan to which Margaret gave her wholehearted approval.
After all they had shared in their years growing up, Sophia almost thought Robert might offer Felix an apology, but Felix informed her that he had received none.
Instead, Robert appeared to have dug down in his belief, for he avoided him in Society.
Fortunately, they frequented different clubs and did not often cross paths.
Robert, therefore, would be responsible for his own misery, but he did not affect their happiness in the least.
Felix had not considered Tom Perkins a close friend and was unsurprised when he followed Robert’s direction.
However, Grantly surprised him by offering an olive branch in the way of sitting down with him at a coffee shop and speaking to him as easily as if there had never been any disagreement.
He was assisting Miss Edwards with some of her work in the naval asylum and thought he might try his hand at obtaining a clerical position at the Admiralty.
He rushed on to assure Felix that he was not asking for a favor and would find his own way.
If, as Felix suspected, Miss Edwards had managed to wiggle through Grantly’s usual antipathy toward women, they would all be seeing more of each other.
Marie and Mr. Edwards announced their own engagement shortly after Felix and Sophia, and the two couples were often in company.
Felix asked Bartholomew if he would stand up for him at his wedding, having no close male relations, and was gratified to hear that he would.
So all that was left for Sophia and Felix to arrange was the matter of decorating their house, a subject they did not easily tire of and which required many visits to the house they were to occupy in Russell Square.
On this particular day, Camilla and Lady Poole were discussing the proper way the new furniture should be arranged in the drawing room, while Tilly and Joanna were running through the empty rooms in a manner that was wholly unladylike but which no one corrected.
Evo had gone back to school but would return in time for their wedding, which was to be held in Surrey.
And Dorothea and Miles had just arrived in time to listen to Camilla’s complaint that it was most annoying to have the seats so far from one another that one had to shout to be heard.
This caused their debates about furniture placement to break out once again.
Felix came to stand next to Sophia and discreetly slid his hand into hers. She stayed there for a moment, enjoying the feeling of having him so close. They listened to the discussion with half-an-ear but did not participate.
He released her hand and folded his arms as he leaned. “We might display your memento book right above the fireplace.” He had been delighted to learn about its existence and bemoaned that Robert had never returned her silhouette so he might add to it.
She pursed her lips and lifted her chin. “The memento book will remain firmly stashed in my wardrobe.”
“Mm-hm.” He listened for another beat, then said, “We can always move the furniture after everyone has established it to their liking.”
She covered her silent laughter.
“After all, the only one whose opinion matters is yours. You see how wholly I am under your power,” he continued, his words coming softly to her ear.
“Are you?” She turned and raised an eyebrow playfully. “I have fully snared you, then, have I?”
“Yes, you’ve caught me in your net,” he replied with playful mockery. A wide grin spread across his face. “I will call you “Sophia-net.’”
Her lips twitched, but she repressed a smile. “I am not sure I approve of you calling me a net.”
“Sophia-web?”
“Even worse!” she said, finding it hard to keep a straight face.
Felix sighed as he linked his fingers through hers. “I suppose I shall just have to call you—wife!”