Epilogue
One Month Later
“I was beginning to wonder when you would ever ask my daughter to marry you.”
David turned. Sir Geoffrey had appeared at his side, leaning on a cane while holding a glass. He looked happier than he did at the ceremony. David didn’t think he was going to stop beaming for a while.
“Are you sure you should be up and walking around, Sir Geoffrey?”
“I’m not completely infirm. I can manage for a while.”
“Even so …”
“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.” Sir Geoffrey gestured across the room with his glass. “Those three have forgotten that we exist, haven’t they?”
Caroline was sitting with Henrietta and Gwen by the window.
She looked stunning in her wedding gown, her face practically glowing.
Henrietta and Gwen were giggling at something Caroline was saying.
It was an adorable sight to watch, and David couldn’t help smiling himself.
They appeared to have forgotten that they were having the wedding breakfast.
Then he realised what Sir Geoffrey had just said. He turned to the older man.
“Sir Geoffrey, what did you just say?”
“Which part?”
“About wondering if I would ever ask Caroline to marry me. Why did you say that?”
Caroline’s father gave him a knowing smile.
“David, we’ve known that you were in love with Caroline the moment we saw you two the day you visited us with your sisters.
Of course, we suspected something was there when you were children, but it was pretty clear once we were together, and you and Caroline reunited. I’m just surprised it took this long.”
For a moment, David didn’t know what to say to that. He cleared his throat.
“I didn’t realise anyone saw that,” he mumbled.
“We may have been entranced by your sisters, but we have eyes. My wife and I were a little surprised that you offered Caroline a governess job instead of the position of being your duchess, but we weren’t about to argue if Caroline wanted to do it.”
“And I almost ruined it.”
“You don’t need me to agree with that. You know my opinion on the matter.”
“Well, you were vocal in your scolding of me when Caroline and I told you about us.”
Sir Geoffrey chuckled.
“You did almost let her slip through your fingers. I’m glad you came to your senses, and I’m happy to call you my son. Then again, I’ve probably seen you as a surrogate son, given how often you were over at our house when you were children.”
David smiled.
“It was comforting going to yours all the time. It was warm and inviting. My house was a little chilly.”
“Your father did love you. He may not have said it much, but he did love his children.”
“I know that. He closed himself off because he didn’t want his heart broken again.” David shrugged. “It was just warmer at Caroline’s home. It made me wish Father would be like that.”
The previous duke had done what he could, although he was rather reserved.
But David had memories of him before his mother, and he remembered how relaxed and loving he had been.
It had been the same with Sir Geoffrey and Lady Gabrielle.
They loved each other, and it was clear to see. David had wanted that for himself.
Now he was going to get it with his new wife.
It felt strange and yet just right calling Caroline his wife. David felt better about things, including himself, once he was certain that Caroline would be in his life more permanently.
Of course, there would be some whispers about them – Joseph had mentioned that there was already a scandal about David getting married to someone of a lower status and who had been his sisters’ governess – but the uproar wasn’t as big as David expected. If anything, it was somewhat muted.
Quite a few people weren’t happy, of course, and they had made their opinions clear to David in passing. But he didn’t care. If they wanted to grumble, they could do it on their own. It would mean less to invite to his wedding, which he didn’t want to be a big affair, anyway.
“Why don’t you go and be with your wife?” Sir Geoffrey suggested, nudging David in the back of the legs with his cane. “You don’t need to stand across the room staring at her with your tongue hanging out.”
“My tongue is not …”
Sir Geoffrey laughed.
“Off you go. I’ll go back and sit with Lady Archer. She was talking to my wife about her daughter’s upcoming wedding, so I’m sure she will be delighted with a bigger audience.”
David couldn’t help smiling at that. Eleanor and Richard Talbot had announced their engagement just a week after David and Caroline.
They were due to be married at the end of the next month, and from how Eleanor practically danced around the room, she was excited about it.
David hadn’t seen her this delighted about something for a while now.
Caroline looked up as David approached, her eyes lighting up when she saw him. Gwen giggled and nudged Henrietta.
“I think we should give the happy couple some time … alone,” she said with a slow wink at her sister.
Henrietta groaned and hauled the other girl to her feet.
“Come on. Let’s go before you start saying anything else that’s silly.”
“It wasn’t …”
The two sisters walked away, squabbling. David chuckled and sat beside his wife.
“At least they got through most of the morning before they started arguing.”
“It’s good-natured. They’ll be fine once they’ve got something to eat.” Caroline pointed. “There you go.”
Sure enough, Joseph had given both girls a piece of cake. The arguing had stopped, and Joseph said something to Henrietta that made her laugh, almost spraying cake across her sister. David tried not to laugh at the sight.
“Now that is something I didn’t expect from Henrietta. I would’ve thought Gwen would do that.”
“Do you think they will be alright while we’re on our honeymoon? Or are they coming with us?”
“I’ll go with whatever you want. Even if they come with us, they’ll be occupied enough that we’ll be able to have time together.”
Caroline pursed her lips.
“Well, I would rather they come with us. I don’t want to leave them here for two weeks. They’re going to think we abandoned them.”
“Of course they won’t think that. They understand.” David took her hand. “How about we have a week with them, and then they go home, and we spend the rest of our honeymoon together? We can compromise.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve got to look out for them as well, and I’ll always listen to you.”
Caroline grunted.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Cheeky.” David raised her hand and kissed her fingers. “I promise I’ll make sure you’re smiling every day.”
“You’ve made that promise ever since you asked me to marry you.”
“And I intend to keep saying it.”
Caroline groaned, but she was smiling. She leaned over and kissed him.
“I love you,” she said against his mouth. “Even if you’re a pain.”
“You accepted me, warts and all.” David kissed her before settling back in his seat, linking his fingers with hers. “That’s all I could ask for.”
He got a smile in return, the sparkle clear in her eyes. And, not for the first time, David was glad that he had managed to ask Caroline to be his wife.
THE END