Epilogue

Pen hadn’t been quite correct. The banns were called after the third ball of the Season. Her mother insisted on the extra time to plan a ball of her own. It was originally to be a betrothal announcement ball, but her parents finally saw sense and acquiesced to the marriage.

They’d been married that morning in a small, quiet ceremony, and Pen boarded Henry’s carriage as his wife. If the carriage hadn’t also contained both of her dogs and her cat, they might have done more than kiss on the way to the Greer estate. They would return to Town on the morrow for her mother’s event. Although neither of them was particularly fond of social events, they were both long accustomed to them. Pen had to admit to a certain delight in considering how those who once schemed to marry him, such as Miss Coates, would have to see the two of them celebrated as very happy newlyweds.

She was distracted enough by his kisses that she barely noticed the carriage had come to a stop. She was hesitant about how the Greer hounds would react to her own, but when the carriage door opened, she didn’t see any of them dancing around. Ion jumped out immediately of course, and Augustus followed after Henry. Lady Julia stayed crouched on the carriage seat and eyed the door suspiciously.

Pen scooped up Lady Julia and took Henry’s hand to descend the steps. She saw that Augustus and Euclid were sniffing each other like the gentlemen they were, while Ion ran around them and yapped. She realized they were in a newly constructed courtyard outside the old carriage house. It had a gravel drive that curved in front of the house, and the Greer gardener had filled the space with both greenery and autumn flowers. It was beautiful.

“What did you do?” Pen asked, eyes wide.

“I wanted you to be comfortable, and you did point out that this could be a nice enough home. It also seemed wise to give these poor lads a chance to settle in before they had to face my parent’s hounds.” He crouched down to scrub Ion’s furry ears, which caused the little jester to dance around and then sprawl on his back to have his tummy scratched.

Euclid came over to nose at Pen’s hand. She was relieved the hound remembered her.

Hen stood again. “Are you ready to see what I’ve done inside?”

“There’s more?”

“You thought I expected you to live in two rooms upstairs?”

She smiled at him and shrugged. “It seemed like plenty of room when I was here before.”

He kissed her briefly, then took her hand and tugged her toward the door. She laughed and followed him. Even before entering she could see that work had been done. Windows had been added. A fresh coat of paint brightened the building.

When he opened the door, it was clear that a great deal of work had been done, and the building was truly a home now.

“Oh, Hen, this is lovely.” Everything was light toned wood, pale paint, and floral accents.

“I was a bit concerned, making choices without you, but I wanted it completed in time for our marriage.”

Setting down Lady Julia, she ran a hand over the beautiful maple table in the entry and leaned over to smell the bouquet of late summer roses, undoubtedly bounty from his mother’s conservatory, displayed on it. “Everything is exquisite, the perfect country cottage.”

“You can, of course, ask for changes. Especially in the first room I want to show you.”

He took her hand again and led her down the hallway. She peeked in open doors to see a parlor and dining room. The last door was closed, and he pushed it open to lead her inside.

“Oh, Hen.” She thought she might cry. It was everything she’d described to him. Tall bookcases ready for her books, a small writing desk, a cozy circle of chairs to chat with friends, and a green velvet chaise looking out French doors into a walled garden.

Lady Julia jumped onto the chaise, putting the final stamp of approval on the room. Penelope snuggled into her husband’s arms and knew they would be happy forever.

SUE LONDON AND HER husband love animals just as much as Henry and Penelope. They currently share their home with two dogs and one cat, but over the years their menagerie has included fish, birds, and even a lizard.

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