Epilogue
Five Years Later
The sun sparkled down across blue-gray waters at the cottage by the sea that they had named Felicity House when they purchased it years ago as their summer retreat.
Simone shielded her eyes against the brightness and smiled as she watched Caroline come up the sand toward her with a stringer of five fish dangling at her side.
Caroline was tanned even though she wore a straw hat Simone had made for her last summer. Simone loved when she was sun-kissed like this. She liked tracing the lines between the paleness and the tan with her tongue.
“It won’t be enough,” Caroline called out before she reached her.
Simone laughed. “Oh, we have all those lovely vegetables from the garden and the cheese from the market the other day. Plus Mr. Harper’s bread. And wine, darling. If we ply them with enough wine, they’ll be very happy.”
Caroline chuckled and set her fish aside as she flopped into the wooden chair next to Simone’s. She took her hand and lifted it to her lips. “You think I should ply the children with wine?”
“Marcus is a wild child, just like Silas. He could probably do with a little wine.”
“He’s two,” Caroline said. “And I love his boundless energy.”
“You are still too, too good,” Simone said, and leaned up to draw her hands into Caroline’s half-up, half-down hair.
The hat fell away as she scrunched her fingers against her scalp.
Simone kissed her deeply and appreciated the little sound of pleasure her love made.
“How much time until they all show up here?”
“Arabella’s letter said they’d be here before supper,” Caroline murmured against her lips. “I think Julia and Alexander and all the cats will be here around the same time.”
Simone pulled away. “Can I reiterate how wonderful I think it is that those two travel the world and take their cats with them and have never seemed to even consider having children?”
“Sounds like two other people we know,” Caroline teased. “And our resident family of four, soon-to-five sent me a post this morning that they are running late and will be here after breakfast tomorrow.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. But I think it’s best Evie, Vaughn, Isabel and Christopher take their time. Evie is almost too big to travel and I’d rather see them be late than push her too hard.”
“Vaughn will never let her push too hard,” Caroline said. “Good man. Do you know what she asked me the last time I saw her?”
Simone shook her head. “No, what?”
“She told me she saw me at the Donville Masquerade years ago. She asked if I was there with you.”
Simone’s mouth dropped open at that shocking revelation. “What? But we’ve only gone the one time. She saw us that night?”
“She teased me about it a little, said she had always wanted to ask me but never got the nerve,” Caroline said and then her expression went soft. “God, what a night that was.”
“It was.” Simone smiled.
“Do you…do you ever miss it? That wild life?”
Simone wrinkled her brow at the thought. “I didn’t hate that life. But I don’t miss it. I still see all the friends who matter. And we are with the girls and their families when we’re in London and out here when they visit.”
“Yes.” Caroline sighed with contentment. “My life is so much fuller now, really. I’ve become close to many of your friends, we have our meetings at Lady Lena’s with other women like us.”
“I’m so glad they formed that group,” Simone agreed. “It’s lovely to be with friends who have like minds and desires.”
Caroline nodded. “And then we have our hikes and swims and reading together. It’s honestly so perfect.”
Any time Caroline told her that, it made Simone soar. She winked at her. “And when I feel a little wild, I play with you.”
“Much to my joy, I assure you.” Caroline cupped her cheeks and kissed her a little more deeply this time, stirring a desire that had never faded in Simone.
When they parted, Simone rested back in her chair with a satisfied sigh.
“As for your assertion about the meal, firstly I would say that means we have plenty of fish when you count the rest,” Simone said, and then got up to pull Caroline to her feet.
“And that after we hand those lovely fish off to Mrs. Colson for preparation, it also means you and I have time to wash the sea off each other and then do something far more fun than talking about meal plans.”
Caroline cupped her face and suddenly she looked very serious. “Have I told you today how much I utterly adore you?”
“You have,” Simone answered, and swallowed against the lump in her throat that always accompanied Caroline’s unabashed declarations. “And I love you with all my heart. Now let me show you.”
“With great pleasure,” Caroline said, and they went into their lovely home and their lovely lives with nothing but certainty that this was everything. And they would always be so happy together.