Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER
St. George’s was celebrating, just like the rest of Mayfair, it seemed. The bells were not only ringing, but also seemed to have taken a life of their own. They pealed away in glee, as if the loud sound could banish the evil that used to overshadow their lives.
No more shadows.
No more secrets.
No more ghosts.
Those were just some of the promises Daniel Brighton, the Duke of Stonewynn and former Marquess of Grisham, made to Lady Lucy Coulson, his bride.
The church was splendid, with its beautiful architecture, but today was different.
It transformed. Daniel no longer saw a cold stone structure built intricately.
Rather, he saw the heavens themselves. Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, scattering brilliant colors over the interior, which included the guests.
While the rainbow colors appeared like glittering gems, the only light that mattered to him was the woman slowly walking down the aisle toward him.
He stood by the altar, marveling at the easy grace with which Lucy bore her silk and ivory lace gown. Despite the delicate fabrics, she looked anything but delicate. Her back was straight, and her gaze was steady on him.
When she reached him, he took her hand, his thumb grazing her knuckles through her glove.
Admittedly, it was the last thing he remembered.
The ceremony was a blur of vows, excited whispers among the crowd, incense, and light perfume.
If someone asked him about what happened, he would only be able to describe his feelings.
Feelings. He felt love and happiness. Bliss.
When the priest pronounced them husband and wife, sighs of relief rose from the front pews, where his sisters sat. The sound carried the weight of what felt like a year’s worth of held breaths.
Daniel chuckled, knowing exactly why they did that. They had had enough of the tension between them, and knowing the danger that surrounded them had filled everyone with worry.
When he glanced toward his sisters, he saw Victoria dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief. That would never cease to be amusing. Wilhelmina had a wide smile, as if she were already spinning a tale in her head about the wedding.
Daniel turned to Lucy, holding her hand gently with his own. His thumb traced circles over the back of her hand to ground her—and him.
“We are home, Lucy,” he choked out a whisper.
His bride looked up at him with trust and love in her eyes. She did not just lean into him with her body, but she stood beside him. He could trust her to be a partner in every sense.
Outside, the bells were pealing, announcing to the world that the Duke of Stonewynn was no longer a hunter but was now a husband.
The wedding breakfast was held at Stonewynn House. It was an event that certainly nobody would forget. The grand ballroom was decorated with thousands of white roses and dramatic trailing ivy. The bird motif could be seen everywhere, too, much to the curiosity of the guests.
“To the Duke and Duchess of Stonewynn,” Theo declared, raising his champagne flute with a grin.
As usual, the Marquess of Barton was a splash of bright colors, in a coat of evergreen and a deep purple cravat.
“May you find the peace that you both deserve,” he added, surprising the couple with his seriousness.
Later, though, he teased them.
“Your husband was a fool, Your Grace, but it is to my great relief that he woke up. He does have an excellent taste in women.”
Daniel remembered the last wedding he had attended—Victoria’s.
Even then, he had been at the receiving end of much teasing.
After all, his sisters had married before him.
His older sisters, Marianne and Elizabeth.
Wilhelmina, whom he had not seen for a while.
And the twins, Daphne and Victoria, who had become his responsibility.
Each of his sisters had married dukes. Somebody had jested that Brighton women had power over dukes. Now, he was also a duke.
He had made sure to send an invitation to Lady Grisham—he had chosen not to live in bitterness—but she chose not to come. It was for the best, he thought.
“Daniel is a fool who is fortunate that I am a forgiving woman.” Lucy chuckled.
Daniel could not help but flinch. His bride meant it, he could tell. At least she was still clutching his arm. It meant that she was happy and did not regret marrying him.
“What about you, Barton?” he asked, knowing it was his turn to tease his friend. “When are you going to take a lady to the altar? Perhaps you can find someone who loves wearing bright colors as you do.”
“On the contrary, my dear friend,” Theo countered. “I believe I need a lady who likes dreary gray and black to complement my attire.”
“I hope that you do not force her to wear those colors,” Lucy warned darkly.
“Don’t you worry, Your Grace,” Theo replied somberly. “I will never.”
They weaved through the crowd, greeting family members and friends. Richard and Victoria stood proudly with the little flower girl, Melody, who was clutching a basket of white roses. Elizabeth and Alasdair hovered nearby with their three children.
“Jamie!” Daniel greeted his eleven-year-old nephew. “I have not seen much of you lately!”
“Uncle Daniel! You look a lot happier now that you’re out and about more often.”
It made sense. For the past year, Daniel had focused solely on revenge. He would often spend time in his study or lurking at the docks. The twins had been the most persistent of his visitors.
“You will hopefully see more of me, Jamie. Of course, I will see Clara and William, too.”
The two younger children were busy studying their new aunt, giving her their best smiles.
They like her.
“You look like a piece of art, Lucy,” Elizabeth murmured as she embraced her new sister-in-law.
Lucy noted how Daniel’s older sister looked young for her age. She had heard about her troubles when she was younger, and how the late Lord Grisham liked to accompany her to balls to introduce her to his various colleagues.
“And you, Duchess,” she replied.
“Oh, darling. We are family now. Call me Elizabeth,” the older woman said with a smile. “And the sketches you sent last week were marvelous. I saw your range. It goes beyond sketching my brother.”
“Elizabeth!” Lucy spluttered, giggling.
“I knew it was him, but I didn’t tell anyone. But I meant what I said about your sketches and talent.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth. Your critique was helpful and appreciated. I needed that guidance from someone who knows art not only as a mere hobby. Joshua never truly gave me a chance to explore what he thought was a frivolous pastime.”
“Of course. I would do everything for the sake of art. It is the language of the soul, after all. I would want to see your latest creation soon.”
“Soon?” Daniel echoed, joining them. “Do remember that my wife might be engaging in other creative pursuits in the meantime.”
The insinuation was clear.
Lucy blushed and swatted him with her fan, while Elizabeth chuckled.
They moved toward the head table for the actual breakfast. While the day was all about love and happiness, it was inevitable for the conversation to shift to something darker. People were curious.
Daniel had rightfully invited his main investigator, Silas, to celebrate with them. The man seemed uncomfortable in his formal attire, but had managed to act just like the rest of the ton.
“A final report as a gift, Your Grace,” he announced, causing everyone else to fall quiet. “The magistrate has announced his ruling. The Earl of Marsleigh will spend the rest of his life in a cell. There was some talk about the gallows, but it was quickly dismissed.”
Lucy felt a sharp sting in her chest. She was not mourning the monster Joshua had become in recent years, but the brother she had lost. Perhaps he was as good as she had thought him to be. Only he knew if he ever did some self-reflection.
She let out a sharp breath.
Daniel squeezed her hand.
“What of Moses Gordon?” he asked.
“Two years,” Silas replied, to which murmurs of surprise followed. “He received leniency in exchange for information not only about the Earl but also about smuggling routes. He will be transported to the colonies, as planned, after he survives his time in a cell.”
Sighs of relief rose around the table.
“Good. Neither of them would trouble us again,” Daniel said, his jaw clenched. But when he met Lucy’s eyes, he softened.
“I am so sorry, Lucy. We will refrain from such talk. Today is about us. The two of us.”
Later in the afternoon, the last of the guests finally left. The carriages rolled away, and Stonewynn House settled into the peace Lucy had been craving. She and Daniel went to his study, with him promising another gift.
“From you?” she asked as they reached the room.
Now she was curious.
“No, love,” he replied. “It’s from Valentine St. Clair. Oh, I see you are amused. Well, we invited him, remember. However, he felt his presence would cause a stir and provide the wrong kind of excitement on our wedding day. But he did send you something he believed you must have.”
“I must have?” Lucy echoed, surprised. “We didn’t even meet.”
“He said that based on the arrangements made by Victoria, he felt like he knew you. Take a look,” Daniel urged, passing her the wrapped present.
Although Lucy tried to be as calm as possible, she could not help but tear at the wrapper, revealing nothing else but a copy of Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
“Oh…”
“He does know you,” Daniel commented proudly. “He gifted you a book about female agency.”
“It is lovely! I wish he could come out of the shadows, too.”
“In time,” Daniel muttered, his eyes glazing over, probably wondering if it would ever happen.
Later, after dinner, the newlyweds finally made it to their bedchamber.
In fact, it was Daniel’s bedchamber. Lucy’s rooms stood adjacent. But it was their wedding night, after all.
“Why would I even need a separate room?” she wondered aloud.