Epilogue
Letter from John Spencer, Marquess of Stonefield, to Felix and Maisie Leafley
My dearest Father and Mother,
You will be glad to know that Vienna is not half so haunted as we feared it might be.
Theresa walks these streets with her head high and with my arm firmly about her.
She has little patience for ghosts. We visited the Spanish Hofreitschule this morning—the horses moved with such grace, I thought of the girls back home trying to braid ribbons into Lily’s tail and laughed aloud. Theresa laughed with me.
Tomorrow, she insists we see the Alps before we return. The baby seems to prefer the motion of the carriages; he sleeps longer on the road than even in my arms. A small miracle, and one for which I am daily grateful.
This journey, meant as our wedding gift and my graduation celebration, has turned into a kind of homecoming—for her, for me, for us. I never thought a city of exile could give us peace, but perhaps it is only proof that love makes any place bearable.
I placed flowers at my birthfather’s grave as you instructed. He’ll be glad to know his line has an heir already carrying his name, as is the Jewish tradition.
I owe you everything: my life, my name, my chance to be the man I am. Now I owe you more—the family you gave me, the family Theresa and I are building together. When we return to London, I hope you will not only call her daughter, but know in your hearts she already is.
With all my love and gratitude,
John
The End
Thank you for reading John and Theresa’s story.