Epilogue
Three Months Later
Caris rolled over in bed as Felix settled himself on the edge of it. “Where did you go?”
“A missive was delivered from Mr. Fitzsimmons… and Mrs. Fitzsimmons.”
Caris blinked in surprise, her sleepiness vanished. “I wasn’t aware such a person existed!”
“Well, they have only recently taken up the role… as of yesterday, I think. And you are quite familiar with the newly minted missus. It’s none other than Grace Burnham.
She and Fitz married by common license yesterday at St. Michael’s Highgate.
And apparently there was a bit of scandal which prompted the action. ”
Caris sat up fully then, heedless of the sheet falling away and revealing the very, very sheer night rail she wore.
“Oh… I have a theory about the Gray Lady. And now, that theory makes even more sense! Either Grace or Mr. Fitzsimmons must be connected to the Hayton family. It’s the only possible explanation. ”
He nodded. “Indeed. I have had much the same thought and that is why I hired someone to look into the matter… it seems that Mr. Fitzsimmons’ mother is a distant relation born on the wrong side of the blanket. But he does have a blood connection to Hayton House and thus the Gray Lady.”
Caris sat back, quietly satisfied.
Felix continued. “I understand Fitz being at the house, since he often takes care of matters there for us… but why was Miss Burnham there?”
He was too astute for her good, she thought. “I sent her there… I made up an excuse because I knew Mr. Fitzsimmons would be there. Just as I knew that Grace had no small amount of admiration for him.”
“That was rather underhanded of you,” he remarked. “Brilliant and unscrupulous.”
“It’s only unscrupulous if I had ill intent. And I had only the best of intentions… They belong together. In fact, they are perfect for one another.”
He smiled suddenly, the wide grin making his eyes crinkle ever so slightly. Then he began to laugh. “You did to them precisely what Aunt Edith did to us.”
“Yes, I did. But look how marvelously it has worked out for us.”
He leaned over, planting a kiss on her lips.
“I have work to do.” He kissed her again, this time on the curve of her jaw.
“There are account books demanding my attention.” His lips coasted to her neck, just below her ear.
“Merchants and vendors to be paid.” He pressed a soft kiss to her bare shoulder. “Always so distracting.”
“You’re the one with wandering lips,” she replied, a sly smile curving her own. “We should invite Grace and Mr. Fitzsimmons for a visit.”
“Must we? Must we really?” Felix asked, pressing her back onto the bed and lying down beside her, one leg thrown over hers and his very eager hands moving over her in a way that illustrated perfectly well what was on his mind.
“Yes,” she said. “I want to see a couple happy and in love!”
He drew back. “Look to your left.”
She did and there in the corner of the room was a cheval mirror, their images perfectly reflected in it.
“There,” he said. “You’ve seen a couple happy and in love.”
She closed her arms about him, pulling him back down to her. “So I have… and I do love you. Quite desperately, in fact. Do you think Mrs. Denworthy had any notion that it would be this way?”
“I think she had hopes,” Felix replied. “And I think we have fulfilled them for her. I’ll devote the remainder of my days to your happiness and pleasure.”
Caris let out a blissful sigh. “You say such lovely things… I’ve been thinking that the Gray Lady of Hayton House isn’t the frightful thing I’d imagined her to be.
The more I think on it, the more I find her sad.
Sad and lonely. Looking to her descendants to ensure they do not enter loveless marriages as she did… She’s a protector of sorts, I think.”
“I agree… and that is why, rather than having Grace and Fitz come here, we’re going there to visit them. But not right now. Tomorrow is soon enough to plan our journey. I have other plans for the remainder of our morning. And none of them involve talking.”
The End