Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER
T he grand ballroom was filled with the warm glow of chandeliers, laughter, and the soft hum of conversation.
Lady Brimsleigh’s London event was the social gathering of the season, and no one was spared an invitation. Eloise looked around, remembering the last ball they had attended there, and she was overjoyed that their marriage had become so much more since then.
Everyone who was anyone was in attendance; the whole of London had been invited. Even the begrudging Lord Mortcombe was there though he looked tired and worn down by life. At his side stood his rather displeased-looking wife, her lips pursed in a sour expression.
Felix leaned in close to Eloise, his brandy glass held close to his chest. “Do you think Lord Mortcombe realizes how miserable he looks? He is glaring at that punch bowl as though it had insulted his mother.”
Eloise stifled a laugh, glancing discreetly at Mortcombe and his wife. “Or perhaps he is weighing his options,” she whispered back, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Either that punch bowl gets him through the evening, or he makes a run for the door.”
Felix smirked, watching Mortcombe’s wife cross her arms, her mouth set in a thin line as she chastised her husband for some transgression. “I would wager the door. That expression of hers could curdle milk.”
Eloise giggled, her gloved hand coming up to cover her mouth. “You are positively wicked, husband.”
“Oh, I know,” he murmured, his gaze warm as he looked at her. “But you would not have me any other way, would you?”
She met his eyes, her own softening. “Not in a thousand lifetimes.”
Felix leaned back and let out a sigh of happiness. “I would say you got away lightly, in fact. Just think—in another universe, another life, you could be married to Mortcombe yourself.”
Eloise groaned. “Do not remind me. Mind you, I think I would do a better job at keeping a smile on his face.”
Felix turned to her and ran a finger down her cheek. “But yours would be utterly miserable, my love. Without me.”
“I do not know,” Eloise said in a sensual whisper. “I would wager that even if I were married to someone else, I would find a way to get a… dance lesson or two from you.”
Felix snorted. “I do not doubt it. You are as bad as me when it comes to all that!”
“Oh, Felix, darling… there is nothing bad about it.”
Jeremy approached them from across the room with a smirk though his eyes narrowed when Felix’s hand settled at the small of Eloise’s back, his fingers trailing with possessive affection.
“Ah, here we are again,” Jeremy muttered, crossing his arms with exaggerated annoyance. “Must you two always make a spectacle of yourselves? Really, sister, have a care for the rest of us. We do not wish to be subjected to your nauseating affections all the time.”
Eloise’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she linked her arm through Felix’s, leaning into him with a grin. “Well, I would not want you to get too comfortable, Jeremy. Besides, you know we are just doing our best to keep you entertained.”
Jeremy huffed, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he rolled his eyes. “Entertained? Tortured, more like. I am certain Lady Brimsleigh would thank you to save such displays for home. You know how proper she is.”
“Just because no woman wants you , Jeremy,” Felix teased. “doesn’t mean you have to speak so coldly about my own marriage.”
“Except your wife is not a woman, Felix,” Jeremy retorted. “She is my sister.”
“And I promise you,” Felix said smoothly, “she is all woman.”
“All right, all right!” Jeremy said, holding his hands up in defeat. “That is one step too far. Jesting is one thing, but…” He feigned a shudder. “Surely there is something else we can talk about. Anything at all.”
“Is Mother here?” Eloise asked. “It feels like an age since I last saw her.”
“Yes, she is here,” Lady Danridge said of herself as she swept over to them in a flurry of satin and lace, fanning herself with unnecessary vigor. “And I must say, Eloise, you look an absolute vision. And Felix,” she added, tilting her chin with a nod of approval, “if I were twenty years younger…”
“Mother!” Jeremy and Eloise admonished in unison, but Lady Danridge merely laughed, and Felix chuckled along.
“Can an old lady not enjoy teasing her family now and then?” Lady Danridge said. “You must allow me some theatrics, or otherwise I shall become terribly bored. Besides, His Grace has become such a worthy husband. The Ton is quite jealous—even the men!”
Felix chuckled again. “You are most kind, Lady Danridge,” he replied, casting Eloise a wink. “It is all due to Eloise’s remarkable influence, I assure you.”
“I can attest to that,” Jeremy said. “Felix was a terrible human until Eloise became involved.”
“Actually,” Eloise interrupted, “he turned for the good before I was involved. In some strange way, we have got Carlisle and his men to thank for it all. If it was not for Felix walking in on them destroying our home, he would have never married me.”
“And you would have been married to some bore like Mortcombe,” Felix added.
“Mortcombe?” Jeremy asked, confusion crossing his face.
Eloise giggled. “Ignore him.”
Lady Danridge dabbed at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. “You could even say that your dear father brought you together. After all, it was his debts that caused Carlisle’s men to be there in first place. Is it not lovely to believe your father had a hand in it? It is like he was giving his permission from beyond the grave.”
Eloise rolled her eyes. “Perhaps, Mother, but if that is true, I would have preferred that he played his hand in a far less dramatic manner.”
“It is all nonsense anyhow,” Felix said, taking a sip of his brandy.
“How so?” Eloise asked, gazing up at him lovingly.
He looked down into her eyes and smiled. “It was fate that brought us together, Eloise. No matter what else happened, we would have found our way to one another eventually.”
Jeremy let out a load groan, rolling his eyes. “Goodness, no! Please make it stop.”
Lady Danridge, still dabbing at her eyes, let out a wistful sigh. “Oh, how dramatic life has been! And yet, here we are, perfectly settled,” she said. She rested a hand over her heart as though she might burst from the emotions it contained. “And I am proud to say I have accepted it with all the grace I can muster.”
Eloise shared an amused glance with Felix.
Lady Danridge’s dramatics had become far more endearing since she had offered her heartfelt apology. Her displays were now less of an annoyance and more of a fond quirk—one that Lady Brimsleigh herself sometimes encouraged.
“Have you heard?” Lady Danridge continued, leaning in conspiratorially.
“You must give us a little more information than that, Mother,” Jeremy said.
“About that dreadful Lord Kaylocke? Left the country without so much as a goodbye and with nothing to his name but a tattered reputation and an empty bank account.”
“Oh, we have heard,” Felix replied in a satisfied tone. “And I cannot say that London mourns his absence.”
“Nor should it!” Lady Danridge scoffed, her gaze flitting over to Mortcombe and his equally sour wife. “There are enough unpleasant people left in town as it is.”
“I trust that you are not referring to me,” Percy said as he joined them.
To Eloise’s surprise, Hannah trailed behind him with a dreamy look on her face. She looked at her curiously as the conversation continued around her.
“I would never say such a thing about you!” Lady Danridge gasped, placing a hand over her heart. “Why, Lord Stentford, you are practically family by now.”
Percy chuckled, casting an amused glance at Eloise and Felix. “Family? My, how low my standards have fallen.”
Eloise laughed, shaking her head. “Oh, Percy, if anyone’s standards are questionable, it is clearly ours for putting up with you all these years.”
Felix raised his glass in a mock toast. “And it is a wonder, really, given how you can charm the boots off anyone in one moment and then drive them half-mad the next.”
Hannah looped her arm through Percy’s and offered a playful roll of her eyes. “Yes, well, it seems I have been offered the official position of keeping him under control,” she said with a laugh, earning a warm smile from him. “Someone has to ensure he behaves, after all.”
Eloise gasped. “Surely not!” She giggled as Hannah sipped her wine, hiding behind the wine glass. “You would have told me.”
“I am sorry, Eloise,” Hannah said quietly. “I wanted to be completely sure before I told anyone.”
“And now we are,” Percy said, patting Hannah’s hand as it rested on his arm. “Are we not, My Lady?”
“With absolute certainty.”
Eloise watched the exchange open-mouthed. “You mean to say that you and this… this rake…?”
She laughed, showing she meant no harm by the slight, but when Hannah looked at her, she beamed with pride and happiness.
“Yes, it is true. Lord Stentford and I… well, we have decided to court, officially.”
Eloise grinned. “Congratulations to you both. I am so thrilled you have found someone.”
“And we are all grateful that you have taken on such a formidable task as ensuring he behaves himself,” Felix teased.
“It is no task at all when it makes one happy,” Hannah said, gazing up at Percy as Eloise knew she gazed up at Felix.
There was no mistaking it; Hannah and Percy were falling in love.
Jeremy cleared his throat, casting a disbelieving eye on the floor. “Is everyone at it? Good Lord, I am utterly surrounded by it!”
Felix snorted. “It will be your turn soon enough, Jeremy, fret not. Though who will take you on, I have no idea.”
“You will have the pick of the ladies, dear boy,” Lady Danridge said dramatically, patting her son on the shoulder and making everyone laugh.
“Can we expect to hear the ring of wedding bells soon, then?” Felix asked, looking at his old friend.
Percy raised his brows in surprise, his cheeks twitching as he looked between Hannah and the group.
“Well now, that would be up to Lady Hannah, would it not?” he replied, giving her an affectionate glance. “Though if I am to join this ever-growing family, I shall need all the luck I can get.”
Hannah blushed but tilted her chin up, a spark of humor in her eyes. “Oh, I would say you have earned it by now, My Lord.”
Lady Danridge clasped her hands together, her face lighting up. “How marvelous! Another match made! I am quite beside myself with happiness.”
Eloise exchanged a fond look with Felix. “It seems happiness is contagious this evening.”
“Is it?” Jeremy muttered although he said it with a sly smile.
Taking Hannah’s hand, Percy smiled with rare sincerity. “Well, if I have learned anything from you two,” he said, nodding toward Felix and Eloise, “it is that taking a risk for true love is worth it, even if it means the world will never again be the same.”
Hannah squeezed his hand, her gaze soft as she looked at him, and Eloise felt her heart swell as she watched her friends share a quiet, tender moment.
“Love is worth taking a risk for, indeed,” Felix murmured, pulling Eloise a little closer, his gaze warm as he held hers.
“Enough, enough!” Jeremy exclaimed, waving his hands dramatically. “If I see one more display of affection, I may be the one running for the door.”
“Oh, come now, Jeremy,” Hannah teased, casting him a knowing smile. “You will find someone to put up with you someday.”
Percy laughed, clapping Jeremy on the shoulder. “Until then, we will just have to keep him around to witness all of ours.”
The group shared a laugh, the warmth of friendship and family filling the room.
It was an evening to remember, the perfect conclusion to a whirlwind of a year: a night filled with love, laughter, and the promise of many more happy days to come.
As the laughter settled, a stately figure approached, her movements as graceful as always. Lady Brimsleigh joined their circle, her discerning eyes twinkling with delight as she took in the lively scene.
“My, my, what a raucous bunch we have become!” she said, arching an elegant brow. “I trust none of you are planning to disgrace my event by turning it into a family reunion?”
She cast a knowing smile at each of them, lingering a touch longer on Felix and Eloise.
Eloise laughed, inclining her head graciously. “We would not dream of it, Lady Brimsleigh. Although, considering the company here tonight, I do not believe any of us could disgrace you if we tried.”
Lady Brimsleigh gave a mock sigh, fanning herself. “Ah, such assurance! You know, you are the loudest group in the entire ball. You are drawing everybody’s eye—and every single one of them is jealous that they have not been invited to your little soirée within a soirée.”
“Only the very best people are welcome to join our little group, Lady Brimsleigh,” Eloise said.
“And I,” Lady Brimsleigh replied, her hand on her chest, “am honored to consider myself one amongst you.”
“Always,” Felix said, sharing a silent moment with her. “I shall never forget what you said to me in London.”
“Well someone had to,” Lady Brimsleigh muttered with a tease in her voice. “You were acting like an idiot.”
Felix chuckled. “There is no denying that.”
Lady Brimsleigh’s gaze softened as she looked at Felix. “You have come a long way, Your Grace. Both of you.” She turned to Eloise, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I could not be happier to see how you two have grown together.”
Felix bowed his head, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. “That means a great deal, Lady Brimsleigh.”
Eloise felt Felix’s arm slide around her waist, and she glanced up at him, her heart brimming with happiness. Lady Brimsleigh looked from them to the entire group, her expression softening as she took in the scene.
“Well, I must say,” she sighed, a trace of satisfaction in her voice. “I believe we have quite the family here.”
“Quite right,” Lady Danridge added, dabbing at her eyes once more. “A family worthy of every dramatic turn along the way.”
Felix raised his glass, nodding at Lady Brimsleigh. “To family, then. And to our very own Lady Brimsleigh, who deserves more credit than we could ever give her.”
Lady Brimsleigh’s cheeks colored, but she raised her glass, smiling with pride.
“To family,” she echoed, her voice soft as she met each of their gazes. “And to every happiness you have all earned.”
The End?