Chapter Thirty-Two
“You should have come to us, Liberty, and you, Edward, when you realized all was not well in Bidham.”
Liberty looked across the carriage to her father. The Talbots were on their way to the fair. The day dawned clear and bright, and full of hope as far as Liberty was concerned. More hope than she’d allowed herself to hold inside for many years.
“I’m sorry, Father,” she and Edward said at the same time, as they had often since her parents had walked into their house to find a bloodied Lord Michael.
“In my defense, I am a child, so it really is far more Liberty’s fault than mine surely?” Edward then added.
They all laughed at that, as he’d wanted them to.
“So, from the way Lord Corbyn behaved with you last night, am I to expect a visit from him?”
“Yes,” Liberty said battling the blush at her father’s words. “He has seen me in my glasses and still wishes to have a future with me,” she added.
Her mother sighed. “Perhaps I was wrong there.”
“Did you just admit you were wrong?” her husband asked. His wife poked out her tongue in a very un-Duchess of Talbot way.
“I’m glad you are to marry that man, daughter,” her father then said. “I always believed he would be your husband one day. Your mother and I never knew what happened between you two or why, but I’m glad you resolved it.
Liberty sniffed back the tears, pressing her face into her handkerchief.
“He will do fine as a brother-in-law, and with him comes Florence and Barnaby, who I will enjoy having in the family very much,” Edward added.
The carriage stopped then, and they stepped down and Liberty felt her excitement climb. Toby would be here; she knew he would.
“I always like to see it looking like this,” her father said as they took in the village of Bidham alive with activity before them. Color was everywhere they looked. People too, and most appeared to be laughing, unlike yesterday. Finally, the people of Bidham could once again be happy.
Toby and his friends did this.
“Good day to you, Your Graces. My lady. My lord.”
“Mr. Bridget.” Liberty acknowledged the man who came toward them wearing a flowing cape, as he always did at the event.
“It is a fine day for the Bidham fair.”
“Indeed, it is,” her mother said.
“I’ve never seen that man smile,” her father said, before wandering off to inspect a table laden with food he could buy.
The sounds of laughter and music filled the air as they walked down the cobbled streets.
“Does it feel different to you here today, Liberty?”
She looked at her brother, but his eyes were on the village before them.
“Happiness,” she whispered. “I can feel that today, when recently I have not.”
“Exactly that.”
Liberty and Edward smiled and stopped to chat with people who wanted to talk. Those who she hadn’t conversed with in some time wanted to spend time doing so today.
“They are free,” Edward said.
“They are,” Liberty said, choking back more tears.
“If you will all come this way!”
Liberty found Mr. Bridget now standing on a small platform. It was he who spoke.
Edward and she made their way to him along with everyone else who was attending the fair. So far, she’d not seen Toby, but knew he would be here. He’d shot Lord Michael last night to rescue her. Then he’d held her close while she’d sobbed out her fears.
The love inside her for that man was fierce. Once, it had been a childish love, but no more. Now it consumed her, and Liberty knew, always would.
“Today we have many reasons to celebrate,” Mr. Bridget began. “For so long, a cloud hung over our village, but no more, and the men responsible for removing the threat to Bidham are here today. For the first time in many years, a Lord Corbyn will now open our fair once more!”
She saw him then. His long legs took him up the steps to stand beside Mr. Bridget.
Liberty’s heart did a double beat as she looked at the man she loved.
Tall, his curls fluttering in the breeze as he held his hat in one hand.
Dressed in a deep-green jacket, and green-and-ivory waistcoat, his long legs were in white breeches and his large feet in polished black hessians. Every inch a gentleman… her gentleman.
“Welcome, everyone,” he said with a smile.
“Before I continue, I would like to apologize for the years I was not here to open your fair. That is about to change from this day onward. You will see me in the village of Bidham frequently, as my ward, Miss Florence, has a taste for gingerbread now, as my brother and I once did.”
She sniffed back the tears at his mention of Mathew.
“Very well, we forgive you!” someone called out, which had everyone laughing.
“Thank you. I am humbled to receive your forgiveness,” Toby said bowing. “Now I would like to declare the Bidham fair open.” Loud clapping greeted his words.
Toby’s eyes moved through the people gathered and found her. His smile grew. That look felt like warm sunshine running through her entire body. She smiled back, pouring all her love into it.
“I think I’m going to enjoy having him in our family,” Edward said. “Especially as he makes you happy, sister.”
She did cry then. Edward tutted and took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
“I don’t remember you being a watering pot. I suppose it must be love.”
“I-I suppose it must be.”
Toby’s eyes stayed on her as he continued to speak. People turned and looked at her, and then smiled when they realized it was Liberty he was looking at.
“And now I have an announcement,” Toby said.
“What?”
“I’m about to tell you, Mr. Jasper,” Toby added patiently. “I am going to marry Lady Liberty, but as yet I have not asked her.”
“I have agreed to the match!” her father yelled from a few feet away.
Liberty was now laughing through her tears.
“Well then, it’s about time,” Miss Ainsley, also known as Harry, who was once Toby and Mathew’s nanny, said.
Cheers went up, and everyone clapped loudly again, as Toby jumped off the stage and came to her.
“Hello, my love.” He kissed her.
“I can’t believe you said that up there,” she said, putting her hands into the ones he held out to her.
“Of course, you can believe it. But, because I want us to start our marriage off on the right footing, I will tell you I spoke to your father before I got up there.”
“Toby,” she whispered as he tugged her close.
“Liberty.” He hugged her gently. “I love you,” he said so only she could hear. “Marry me, my sweet. Friend, lover, and soul mate. You are my life.”
“Yes,” Liberty said throwing her arms around his neck. Why not? Clearly, today was not one for decorum.
“Excellent. Now, let us walk and spend time with our people.”
Lord Hamilton appeared with Florence and Barnaby. The little girl went willingly to Toby, clutching the hand he held out to her.
“Hello, Florence,” Liberty said. “It is lovely to see you again.”
“Hello,” she said with a smile that would melt even the hardest heart, Liberty was sure. “Where is Edward?”
“And now we know who her favorite is,” Toby drawled. “You only want to find Edward so you can coax sweets out of him, don’t you, Florence?”
“Lemon drops,” Florence said.
“Come, we will find him, and my guess is that he will already be at the sweets table, which is perfect, don’t you think?” Liberty said, taking Toby’s other hand.
They walked then, among people who’d known them since childhood, and the day was filled with promise.
“This much happiness is terrifying,” Toby said a while later. “But I find that now I have it, I never want to let it go.
“Then we won’t,” Liberty said. “We are going to make a home filled with love, you, me, and Florence.”
“There are also Barnaby and the cat.”
“Cat?” Liberty looked at him.
“In London. He has decided to make a home with us, and as long as you are there with us too, it will always be that… a home.”
He bent to press a kiss to her cheek, and Liberty knew no more words were needed. They’d found their way back to each other, and nothing would ever change that.
The End