Epilogue
THREE MONTHS LATER
“Another bite?” King asked, holding up a tart for her delectation.
They were seated on a picnic blanket in the summer sunshine at Wingfield Hall, Emma and Samuel delightedly racing about in the swaying grasses not far from them. Giggles and excited puppy barks floated to them, mingling with the sound of birds calling and the peaceful rushing of a nearby stream.
Verity laughed at King’s coaxing and rubbed a hand over the gentle swell of her belly where their child grew more each day. “I think it has become your sole mission in life to feed me. But I assure you I couldn’t eat so much as another crumb.”
He frowned, dangling the tart from his long fingers. “You must keep up your strength, angel.”
Her stomach rebelled at the notion, for these days, there was far less room. “I shall explode.”
King, who was forever fretting over her and tending to her every need, replaced the pastry on its plate. “That shall never do. There is only one way I want you to explode, my love, and it doesn’t involve tarts.”
Warmth spread over her. “It is most indecent of you to make me think of that whilst we are here in the midst of the outdoors, our daughter and our puppy playing mere feet away.”
He gave her a wicked look that only served to make the blossoming heat spread. “I’m an indecent sort of man, if you will but recall.”
“Considering that I experienced it just this morning and it’s also the reason I find myself in my present condition, I do indeed recall,” she told him with a smile.
“Do you mind, wife?” he asked.
“Not at all, husband.” She cast a glance in Emma’s direction before leaning toward King and giving him a quick kiss.
He tasted of strawberry tarts and fresh lemonade, and she wanted nothing more than to steal back to the manor house with him and spend the rest of the day in bed. But they had promised their daughter a picnic, so that would have to wait.
“Mama, Papa!”
Verity hastily ended the kiss as Emma came bounding up to them, Samuel at her heels. Samuel instantly attempted to eat the last tart, with only King’s swift reaction of holding the plate aloft saving it from the pup’s ready jaws.
“What is it, dearest?” Verity asked, straightening her spine and rearranging her skirts.
No matter how many times Emma called her Mama, it would never grow old.
Verity was thankful every day, not just that Emma had survived the fire, but also that she had become their daughter as an indirect result.
The day Emma had asked if she might call them Mama and Papa would forever hold a special place in Verity’s heart.
Life was mysterious sometimes. The fire had wrought so much destruction, and it had almost taken Emma’s and Verity’s lives.
It had even robbed Verity of parts of her past for a time.
But it had also led her to King. It had led her back to love. And she had never been more content.
“I teached Samuel a new trick,” Emma declared, her voice laden with pride.
“Taught, dearest,” Verity corrected. “What is the trick?”
“Watch!” Emma pointed at Samuel, who was nosing along the empty plates, eagerly seeking crumbs. “Samuel, come here.”
The pup snuffled along a saucer, ignoring her.
“Samuel,” Emma scolded. “Naughty lad. Stop trying to eat our picnic and come here.”
At that, the puppy finally bounded back to her side, gazing up at her adoringly, his tongue lolling.
“Blink, Samuel,” Emma commanded.
The pup stared at her, then blinked.
“You see?” she exclaimed. “I taughted him to blink.”
“Taught,” King reminded her with a chuckle. “What an excellent trick, sweet girl.”
Emma dipped into a curtsy with a flourish. It was good to see how much the child had blossomed since she had first come to them. Her confidence and happiness shone through.
Samuel, seeing that there was no reward to be had for sitting at Emma’s feet, wandered again, returning to his task of nosing about the empty plates.
“Here is the last strawberry tart, Emma,” King declared, offering it to her with a gallant air. “You had best eat it before this little pig gets his muzzle on it.”
“Samuel is a dog, not a pig,” she protested, reaching for the tart.
“Tell that to him,” King countered lightly. “I do think he’s terribly confused.”
Emma laughed around a mouthful of tart, sending crumbs spraying down the front of her dress. “He knows he’s a dog, Papa.”
As if to prove King’s point, Samuel snorted into the blanket.
“You see?”
They all laughed at the pup’s antics. As their levity died, Verity cast a searching glance in King’s direction.
They had yet to tell Emma about the babe, wanting to allow her to settle into a comfortable routine before they upended it all with the news.
She hadn’t understood the news Verity shared with King that day at Riverdale Abbey, having been too distracted by the lively Samuel.
But as Verity’s condition became more apparent, they had decided it was time to let Emma know that their little family was about to grow a bit bigger.
King nodded back at her now in silent agreement.
“Emma dearest, come and sit here with Mama,” Verity invited, patting the blanket at her side.
Emma didn’t hesitate in doing so, landing in an unladylike heap, sending tart crumbs flying. Samuel instantly began a thorough investigation of the blanket where the bits had landed.
“Do you like being an older sister to Samuel?” she asked gently, smoothing a wayward curl from Emma’s cheek.
Emma giggled again. “Samuel’s a dog, and I’m a girl.”
“But he doesn’t know that. He’s convinced you are his sister.” Indeed, the girl and the pup were inseparable. Samuel even slept in the nursery.
“I love being his big sister,” Emma said, nodding.
“Papa and I were wondering if you might like to be a big sister again,” Verity said with care, watching Emma’s face.
“Another puppy?” Emma asked excitedly.
“Not quite,” King said, his tone wry.
“A brother or sister,” Verity elaborated. “One who isn’t a dog.”
“Mama is going to have a baby in a few months.”
“Oh,” Emma said, nodding. “That would be lovely.”
“You would like that?” Verity pressed.
“As long as he or she doesn’t try to eat all my tarts like Samuel,” Emma said with great seriousness.
Verity bit her lip, glancing at King, who grinned back at her. They had been worried about her reaction, but it seemed they needn’t have been.
“I don’t think the baby will be eating any of your tarts for quite some time,” Verity reassured her.
“Good.” Emma grinned, showing off the gap that had replaced the front tooth she had recently lost. “May I go and play with Samuel again now?”
“Of course, darling,” Verity told her, smiling. “You may go.”
Emma rose and raced back into the grass, Samuel following so closely that he nearly tripped her. King shifted on the blanket, moving closer and pressing a kiss to her temple. “There you are, my love. All that worrying was for naught.”
“I suppose so.” Verity sighed happily, watching as Emma and Samuel chased each other. “You were right again.”
“Angel, you ought to know by now that I am always right.” He kissed her ear. “I shall show you later in case you have forgotten.”
A frisson of longing went down her spine. “I have no doubt you will.”
The last three months of their marriage had been nothing short of glorious.
They had settled into a comfortable routine, with Verity devoting as much time to the Children’s Foundling Hospital as she could before it was time for her lying-in and King helping to hasten the rebuilding of a new and much-improved edifice.
They had also been working together to create special situations for the older orphans, including the Duchess of Whitby’s School of Cookery.
And they had finally, at long last, taken time to enjoy their postponed honeymoon, bringing Emma and her nursemaid and Samuel along with them. Thus far, they found plenty of time to steal away and be alone, and their love grew more with each passing day.
“I don’t know if I ever properly thanked you for pulling me from the fire that day,” she said softly, glancing at her handsome husband, loving the way the sun glinted off his dark hair and revealed the amber lights in his brown eyes. “You saved me.”
He cupped her cheek, giving her a look of so much love that she nearly melted into a puddle on the blanket. “On the contrary, angel. It was you who saved me.”
Thank you so very much for reading Duke with a Deception!