Epilogue
Six months had passed since the most terrifying night of Adelaide’s life, and everything had changed.
It was quiet outside that morning. Adelaide shifted beneath the warm covers, her eyes blinking open to find Cassian sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the window.
He turned at the sound of her stirring and smiled. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” she croaked, stretching gently.
Since the incident with Hargrave, he had refused to let her sleep alone.
He needed to be by her side to protect her, and rather than feeling smothered by it, she enjoyed it more than anything else in the world.
She reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her, as though nothing could ever touch her again.
“I cannot remember the last morning we spent like this,” he murmured. “We have had so much to do of late.”
“I know, all the teas and state visits and meetings with landlords. I do not know how we do it.”
He laughed quietly, the sound low and fond. “I know that we are fortunate. I will never deny that. Regardless, I am grateful for these quiet moments, where it is only you and me.”
“As am I. However, you might not like what I have to suggest, especially if you were hoping for a quiet day.”
He grumbled in jest, chuckling under his breath as he lay back in bed. “You may try to persuade me if you wish.”
“I do,” she said tentatively. “I think that it is time for us to repair our home.”
Adelaide had wanted to ask him for weeks.
They had still not made any changes since the fire.
All that had happened was that her belongings had been moved into Cassian’s room, and she had slept in there ever since.
She did not want that to change, but a large part of her also longed to have a finished home.
Cassian chuckled, reaching for her hand. “I know this is what you have wanted for some time. We will do it together.”
She smiled at the offer.
He hardly ever refused her a thing, and it worked for them. For if he did say no to her, she would know that it was for a good reason and would not question him. In the past six months, she had allowed herself to trust him, and he had proven himself in return.
They dressed for the day, broke their fast, and then went to the west wing. Adelaide hesitated when she reached it, remembering what had happened the last time she had been there. But things had changed since then.
Cassian gave her hand a comforting squeeze. “I know,” he said softly. “I know. It will be difficult at times, but we can do it. You and I faced a criminal. We can face a hallway.”
She giggled, her nerves settling.
They stepped into the hallway, and Adelaide looked at the blackened marks that stretched along it.
A foreman approached and checked different parts of the wing, before coming back to them. Adelaide knew that he would find several things to change, so when he returned looking uncertain, she thought nothing of it.
“We will need to replace most of it,” he declared. “You see, if we cover the charred parts, it might cause trouble later. It is best that we fix everything now.”
Cassian nodded. “Of course. If you deem it in need of replacement, then you need not ask my permission.”
The foreman left, satisfied.
Cassian looked around. His gaze lingered on the ceiling for a moment, and Adelaide followed it. She did not ask him what he was thinking, for she already knew.
He was wondering what they were going to do with it all, how they would make it look now that they were the ones in control.
She was thinking the same, though she knew that she was going to let her husband decide what they would do. After so many years of him not being able to look at that part of the house, he deserved to make it his own.
Not only that, but she had something else on her mind.
For the past month, she had felt different. It was not sudden. Instead, it was a creeping feeling that something had changed. At first, she had simply thought it was stress, but then the feeling grew stronger.
In the last week, she realized what it was.
She wondered if Cassian had sensed the change too, and if that was why he wanted to repair the house. To her knowledge, he did not know a thing about it. But then he had softened so much that it was possible that he had sensed it.
She wanted to tell him right then and there, but the words refused to come. She had imagined the moment countless times, rehearsing the words, the way she would look at him, the way she would wait for his reaction. Yet, as she raised her gaze to his, it seemed impossible.
“What is it?” he prompted, having noticed her hesitation. “Did you want to say something about the renovations?”
“No, I… Do you think that we are ready for this?”
He turned to her and took her hands in his own, giving her a steady look. “Adelaide, we have been through such trials and tribulations that some meager changes will be nothing in comparison.”
“And what if the changes were larger, life-changing even?”
“Then we would navigate them.”
There was a certainty in his tone that she had once thought she would never hear. With it came a sense of ease, a reassurance that he would always be there for her.
Which was good, for she could not wait any longer.
She touched her fingers to the chain around her neck, grounding herself. She drew a slow breath, one that caught his attention.
The concern on his face was evident, and she almost enjoyed seeing it. Even after the months that had passed, she delighted in seeing the signs that he cared for her.
But she did not want him to worry too much.
With a faint smile, she began, “Cassian, there is something I must tell you. It is something very important, and I wanted to wait for the perfect moment.”
He chuckled, twisting a lock of her hair around his finger. “We never seem to find that moment, do we? In any case, you may tell me anything, Adelaide. Always.”
Emotion welled within her at his words. They had shared so much in the past six months, but this was different. This child was a life that belonged to both of them, yet had been hers alone to hold until now.
She had enjoyed keeping the secret to herself, but she also wanted to share in her joy. And at last, that was what she was going to do.
She reached for his hand, smiling softly. “I am with child,” she revealed.
She watched her husband as the words sank in. For a moment, he seemed to struggle to make sense of it all. He froze for a heartbeat. His eyes widened, not in fear but in pure joy. Then, slowly, he pulled her into his arms, holding her as if she were the most precious thing.
It was strange for such a large and commanding man to be so tender, but Adelaide knew that part of him was reserved only for her. Nothing made her feel even half as special as he did, and she knew that that would only grow.
“How long have you known?”
“I have only known for a week, but I have had this feeling inside of me for a month now. I know that I should have told you sooner, but I—”
He interrupted her with a gentle kiss, and she knew that it meant he forgave her for not telling him as soon as she knew.
For a moment, neither spoke. They did not need to say anything more, for they understood each other perfectly without words.
Adelaide reached up to rest her head briefly against his shoulder. “I do not ever want you to doubt yourself,” she whispered. “I do not want you to ever question whether or not you will be a good father, for you will be the best.”
“With you as the mother of my children, I know that I will be.”
It was incredible just how much Cassian trusted himself. The shadow his mother had cast over him was long gone, and though he had days when he was back in the burning hallway, he always found his way back to Adelaide.
He was not perfect, nor was she, but she knew that what they shared was the most special gift in the world, and there was no comparing it to anything else.
“However,” she warned, “I do not want you to use this as an excuse to never let me out of your sight. I am not fragile.”
But she was laughing as she said it, and he did the same.
He held her tightly, kissing the top of her head. “I do not need an excuse. I will always protect you, Adelaide, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop that.”
And she believed that wholly.
Hand in hand, they left for the garden, and all the while Adelaide wondered just how much more their home would change and grow.
It was not perfect, but it was loving, and that was all she needed.
The End?