Epilogue
So Reid and Prudence overcame the circumstances of her birth and made a very successful match. They gladdened Lady Jocelyn’s heart by presenting her with a grandson and granddaughter within three years, and followed that up with the surprise arrival of twin daughters two years after that.
Sir Rodney happily turned over much of the Chillendale Ale business to his son, announcing that he had a grandson to teach now, and the lad needed to learn about brewing from the best.
Reid grinned and nodded. Pru blessed him, since running around after four children could be quite wearing, in spite of nannies and servants.
Both Reid and Pru believed in a close parent-child relationship, and worked hard to make sure that happened. There would be no lonely moments for this generation of Chillendales.
Brent and Emmeline married that spring, and surprised the county by becoming the leading lights of local society. They hosted everything from teas to book readings to afternoon tea dances and the occasional ball.
And it wasn’t only the high born who were invited.
Emmeline had decided that she would help everyone from Little Chillendale who wished to be part of any or all the events she hosted.
Their social schedule was interrupted by the birth of their son, but resumed shortly thereafter, when Lady Rowdean dedicated the new schoolhouse, funded by a gift from her parents.
But you might be asking, who is Hecate and what is her story?
Hecate Ridlington.
She has gifts beyond the realm of normalcy, of course. But what talents does she possess and are they useful? If you are curious to find out, her story – and those of her five siblings – can be found in the series titled The Six Pearls of Baron Ridlington.
All six novels, and three additional connected stories, are now available in one very large digital bundle. They are also available singly, should you prefer to read one at a time. Here’s a précis of their family... and you’ll find links to their tales in the Bibliography.
“In Great Britain, a specific type of crown (or coronet) is assigned to each rank within the titled hierarchy. It can also be incorporated into a coat of arms – if one holds the rank of Baron or higher.
A Baron’s coronet is distinguished by its six points, which are known in heraldic terms as “pearls”.
So it was fortuitously convenient that Jack Holbury, Baron of Ridlington, produced six offspring during his lifetime.
It took three wives for him to get there, but at the birth of the sixth child, the Ton immediately dubbed to his family as “The Six Pearls of Baron Ridlington”.
His first wife, Margaret, gave birth to Edmund, Simon and Letitia.
They were followed by second wife Mary’s children, the twins Richard and Kitty, and the final addition of Hecate, born to third wife Moira.
The Baron outlived his wives by nearly two decades, ruling the Ridlington household with the iron hand of a stern father, while managing to almost completely ignore the unusual brood he had sired.
Whether his children turned out to be pearls remains to be seen...”