Epilogue
MADDIE
The grand entrance hall of Ravensworth Manor sparkled with candlelight, holly, and ribbons of crimson and gold.
Maddie stood beneath an archway adorned with evergreen boughs and winter berries, her hand resting gently on the pronounced curve of her belly.
The Christmas Eve gathering hummed with conversation and laughter as family and close friends mingled after supper.
Through the windows, fat snowflakes drifted lazily past, adding to the festive beauty of the grounds.
She caught John’s eye across the room and felt the same flutter in her chest that had been there since they’d reconciled a year ago.
In truth, since the day she’d first met him.
He was engaged in conversation with James’s younger brother, William, but his attention immediately shifted to her.
His blue eyes softened as they often did when he looked at her.
Even after nearly a year of marriage, that look still made her breath catch.
She smiled and turned her attention to the decorated hall.
Evergreen garlands adorned the sweeping staircase, placed there just that morning as tradition dictated.
This was their first Christmas as hosts, a decision they’d made when they realized Maddie would be in her eighth month of carrying their babe, and John refused to have her traveling in such a condition.
John excused himself from his conversation and crossed the room to her side, slipping an arm around her waist. “Are you tired? You’ve been on your feet most of the evening.”
“I’m perfectly fine,” she assured him, leaning into his touch. “The babe is active tonight, though. Perhaps excited about tomorrow.”
His hand joined hers on her belly, and they both felt the distinct movement beneath.
The wonder in John’s eyes hadn’t dimmed since the first time they’d felt their child stir.
For a man who had once been consumed by melancholy, the joy that now regularly graced his features was a transformation Maddie cherished.
Across the room, Rosina and James sat near the main fireplace, their two children sprawled on the rug before them playing with their new dolls.
The duke’s twin brothers now flanked them like little miniature versions of James as they watched their nieces’ antics with amusement.
The scene made Maddie’s heart tighten with anticipation for her own family’s future.
“Your sister outdid herself with the gifts for our expected arrival,” Maddie commented, nodding toward Rosina. “I think she’s more excited than we are.”
John pressed a kiss to her temple. “Impossible. Though she mentioned something about being a godmother before I could even ask her.”
Maddie laughed, the sound drawing a smile from Lady Callan, who was passing by with a piece of gingerbread. The viscountess stopped to place a gentle hand on Maddie’s arm.
“You are positively glowing, Maddie,” she said warmly. “Motherhood suits you already.” Her gaze flickered to John with approval before she continued on her way to rejoin her husband.
“The Callans are expecting their second addition in the spring,” John murmured in her ear.
Maddie raised an eyebrow. “And how would you know that?”
A mischievous smile played on his lips. “Callan is quite obvious about it. He barely lets his wife lift a finger.”
Her gaze drifted to where Louis had joined the Callans, engaged in a lively discussion. He caught Maddie’s eye and raised his glass in a small salute, his smile genuine.
When she and John had announced their engagement last spring, she’d braced herself for Louis’ disappointment or perhaps even anger.
Instead, he’d congratulated them with unexpected warmth, taking her aside later to confess that he’d seen the inevitability of her and John’s reunion long before she had.
In the months that followed, Louis had proven himself to be a loyal friend to them both.
He’d even helped John navigate a difficult property negotiation that summer, spending hours poring over documents in the study when John’s patience had worn thin.
Maddie watched him now, grateful for his presence and the ease that existed between all of them.
The darker periods for John still came at times, though he said they were less frequent and with less intensity than before.
John had continued to share his journal with her, stating that he didn’t want any secrets between them.
She had started to keep a journal as well, sharing it with him in turn.
She wanted them to always feel equal to each other, not with him bearing the burden of vulnerability alone.
Since then, their journals had become a bridge between them during the times when words failed.
On John’s worst days, when the weight of his dark feelings threatened to overwhelm him, he would write for hours.
Later, he would share the pages with her, and she would always meet him with grace and understanding.
Maddie had also learned to read the signs—the slight furrow between his brows, the way his fingers would tap restlessly against his thigh, the quietness that preceded his internal storms. She’d developed her own methods to support him: sometimes space and silence, other times quiet conversation, and occasionally the simple remedy of her body against his, reminding him he was not alone.
Their partnership had strengthened through these challenges. John no longer retreated into himself, and Maddie had grown more confident in her ability to navigate the complexities of loving a man whose mind sometimes betrayed him. It wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it.
“A penny for your thoughts,” John murmured, bringing her back to the present moment. “You’ve gone somewhere far away.”
“Just reflecting on how much has changed in a year,” she replied, turning to face him. “It’s been quite a journey.”
“Any regrets?” he asked, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his face despite the confidence he’d gained over the past year.
She shook her head without hesitation. “Not one.”
John kissed her brow, then nodded toward Louis. “I think he has a love interest.”
“Who?” Maddie asked, intrigued. “What makes you think so?”
“He asked me a few interesting questions, and I surmised as much,” John said, tightening his hold on her.
“You must tell me everything,” Maddie declared, leaning her head back on his shoulder.
“Of course. But later.”
Across the room, James was helping Rosina to her feet, one of their twins now asleep in her arms. The duke caught Maddie’s eye and nodded toward the staircase, silently communicating their intention to retire for the night.
She nodded in acknowledgment, watching as they gathered their small family and began making their way toward the guest wing.
The gathering was naturally winding down, as Christmas Eve celebrations often did, with anticipation of the following day hanging in the air.
Tomorrow would bring the excitement of gifts and delicious food, church services and traditional games.
But tonight, as Maddie looked around at the people who had shaped her life over the past year, she felt a deep sense of contentment.
“Shall we say goodnight to our guests?” John suggested, his hand warm in the small of her back.
Maddie nodded, taking his arm as they moved to bid farewell to those heading to bed.
As they made their rounds, accepting well-wishes and gentle teasing about their impending parenthood, she felt the baby shift again beneath her heart.
A reminder of how much had changed, and how much more change was yet to come.
She wouldn’t have it any other way.
The door to their bedchamber closed with a soft click behind them, sealing out the rest of the world.
A roaring fire had been set in their fireplace, heating the room.
Maddie watched as John shed his formal evening coat and waistcoat.
The sight of him undressing sent a ripple of desire through her body.
“Let me help you now,” he said, moving behind her to unfasten the row of tiny buttons that ran down her back.
“The evening went well,” she murmured, closing her eyes as he pressed a kiss to her exposed shoulder. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”
“Mmm,” he agreed, continuing his task. “Though I confess I’ve been counting the hours until I could have you to myself.”
The last button gave way, and the burgundy gown loosened around her. John slipped his hands inside, palms sliding around to cup the fuller curve of her breasts. Maddie leaned back against him, feeling the solid strength of his chest.
“I love exploring all the changes of your body,” he whispered, thumbs brushing over her nipples through the thin chemise. “And I think I shall keep you increasing with our children.”
He guided her to sit on the edge of the bed while he knelt to remove her slippers and stockings.
The firelight caught the angles of his face, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw that drove her wild.
When he looked at her with nothing but love and desire, it did wicked things to her, even in her advanced state.
With gentle hands, he helped her stand again and eased the gown from her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. The chemise followed, leaving her naked. John remained kneeling before her, his hands spanning her hips as he gazed up.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice low and sincere. “For taking a chance on us.”
His palm pressed against the rounded curve where their child grew, his expression one of wonder and gratitude, before he placed a light kiss on her stomach. The tenderness of the moment made her throat tighten with emotion.
“Come,” she said, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. “I think you deserve an early Christmas gift.”
She led him not to their bed but to the settee near the fire, working at the buttons of his shirt as they moved. Her fingers slipped beneath the fine linen to touch the warm skin of his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.
When she had his shirt open, she pushed it from his shoulders, revealing the broad expanse of his chest with its light smattering of hair.
Maddie leaned in to press her lips to his collarbone, tasting the salt of his skin.
Her hands moved lower, unfastening his falls with ease before pushing them down his hips.
“Sit,” she commanded softly when he was naked.
John obeyed, lowering himself onto the settee. His cock stood hard and ready, the sight making Maddie’s thighs damp. She stepped between his spread legs, running her hands through his hair before leaning down to capture his mouth in a kiss that quickly deepened from tender to demanding.
Without breaking the kiss, she eased herself onto his lap, straddling him. When she settled, his hot length pressed against her inner thigh, so close to where she wanted him.
John’s hands cupped her face. A groan escaped him as she reached between them to guide him to her entrance when she came up on her knees. With deliberate movement, she lowered herself, taking him inch by inch until she was fully seated with him inside of her.
“Fuck,” John breathed, his hands moving to grip her hips. “You feel incredible.”
Maddie began to move, rising and falling in a slow rhythm that sent pleasure spiraling through her. She braced her hands on his shoulders, using the leverage to control the pace and depth. John’s eyes never left hers, watching every flicker of sensation cross her face.
“I need you,” she whispered, grinding down harder. “I always need you.”
He thrust up to meet her, his cock hitting places deep inside that made her moan. His hands moved to cup her breasts, which had grown more sensitive with pregnancy. When his thumbs brushed across her nipples, she shuddered, her core clenching tighter around him.
“Just like that,” he encouraged, voice rough with desire. “You feel so good, my perfect wife.”
Maddie increased her pace, riding him with more urgency. The slick sounds of their joining filled the room. She felt the solid heat of his body beneath her, the firmness of his chest under her grasp, the thick length of him stretching her as he moved his hips to thrust into her as she rode him.
John leaned forward to take one of her nipples into his mouth, sucking gently before grazing it with his teeth. The sensation shot straight to her core, making her cry out. Her hands tangled in his hair, holding him to her breast as she continued to move on his cock.
“It’s taking all I have in me not to flip you over right now,” he murmured against her skin.
“John,” she gasped, feeling the first flutters of her approaching climax.
He redoubled his efforts, thrusting harder. “That’s it. Take your pleasure from my cock. Such a good girl.”
The deliberate vulgarity of his words pushed her closer to the edge. The raw need in his voice, the way he claimed her with words as well as his body.
“Harder,” she demanded, grinding down against him. “Make me lose control.”
John gripped her hips with both hands, holding her steady as he thrust up with powerful strokes.
Each movement drove him deeper, hitting that perfect spot inside her that made stars burst behind her eyelids.
His face was flushed with exertion, muscles straining as he gave her exactly what she asked for.
The intensity built within her, a cascade of sensations that threatened to overwhelm.
Her climax crashed through her like a wave.
Her body clenched rhythmically around his cock as she cried out.
John held her tightly, continuing to thrust through her orgasm, prolonging the ripples of pleasure that made her shake in his arms.
“Maddie,” he groaned, his movements growing more erratic. “God, Maddie. Do you feel what you do to me?”
He tensed beneath her, his fingers digging into her hips as he found his own release. She felt the hot pulse of him inside her, his face transformed by pleasure as he let go completely.
They stayed joined for long moments afterward, kissing tenderly as their breathing slowly returned to normal. John’s hands moved in gentle strokes up and down her back, while Maddie clung to him.
“Happy Christmas, my love,” she whispered.
John pressed his lips to her temple, one hand coming to rest protectively over their unborn child. “Happy Christmas, indeed, Sweetheart.”