Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER
“Imust pinch myself. I can’t believe this is happening!” Margaret said.
“Me neither,” Lydia replied with a mischievous smile. “I never thought I would see the day!”
“There is no need for all that. I was not such a hopeless cause,” Rose said.
Margaret and Lydia shared a look that suggested they disagreed, but since this was Rose and Edmund’s wedding day, neither said anything to upset the bride.
Rose’s hair was displayed in beautiful tresses, and she had a gorgeous glow about her.
Her smile was radiant, and the flowers, a collection of different colored roses to honor her name, complemented her well.
Rose looked in the mirror.
“In truth, I cannot believe this has happened either. I thought my life would be spent alone, and instead I am marrying an impossible, infuriating, irritating man,” she said with a smile, because both Lydia and her mother understood that Edmund was so many other things to her as well, things that were too profound to name.
“I am proud of you, Rose. I know this has not been an easy journey, but I can tell that you and His Grace mean so much to each other. It will be a joy to watch you grow even closer,” Margaret said, squeezing Rose’s hand.
“And soon we will be sisters,” Lydia added, squeezing Rose’s other hand. Rose smiled sweetly at her friend.
“We have been sisters from the first moment we met, Lydia. Thank you for your counsel in all of this. It has been most valuable,” Rose said. With that, she rose and was escorted to the carriage that awaited her outside. Her father wore a look of awe.
“Rose, you look beautiful,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “Are you nervous?”
Rose thought about it for a moment, but then shook her head. “No, I am not. I know this is what I want. I know Edmund is the man for me.”
Thomas chuckled. “You have always known your own mind. I am glad that it is serving you well,” he said as he helped her into the carriage.
They rode through London with her parents, Lydia, and her dog.
She had called it Addie, short for adventure, and he had settled into the house as if he had always belonged.
The day was bright and clear. They were blessed with good weather, though Rose believed she would have been happy even if they had been caught in storms. A smile adorned her face as she thought about the step she was about to take, giving herself to a man, trusting him with her heart and soul and everything else that was precious about her.
They reached the church. All of Edmund’s family was there, as well as their friends.
It was a vast crowd, and they all turned at once to see Rose.
Thomas took her hand, and she walked down the aisle.
Thoughts of everyone else melted away because standing there was Edmund, this man who had won her company in an auction and then won her heart.
He looked so handsome that her knees threatened to buckle. Thomas and Edmund shook hands as Thomas stepped away, giving her to Edmund. There were many solemn vows spoken during the ceremony, but Rose was thinking about all the moments they had shared.
The chase through the park, the slip near the lake, the torn gloves, the mishap with the goat, and everything in between.
She had been to the depths of despair and the heights of hope, and part of her wondered what else might be in store for her with Edmund.
It would definitely be an interesting life, no doubt about that, and she could not wait for it to start.
Before she knew it, they were united in marriage. She was a duchess, although that was hardly a concern for her. More importantly, she was Edmund’s wife. The title did not matter as much compared to that.
They clasped hands and faced their friends and family. An uproarious cheer echoed through the church. They all applauded, and Rose’s smile grew as wide as the moon. She turned to Edmund.
“This is it,” she said. “There is no going back now. I hope you are happy with your choice.”
“I am thrilled,” Edmund said. “What use is living in this world if I cannot live with you?”
Rose blushed, and then the married couple walked back down the aisle, ready to celebrate further.
Edmund had arranged for extravagant celebrations to take place back at the estate, sparing no expense, of course.
There would be games, feasts, and entertainment, and it was said that this would put even a royal wedding to shame.
Rose stared at the ring on her finger and smiled. In the end, Edmund had been correct. Living life had been much better than simply reading about it.
Rose and Edmund had returned to the estate after the wedding.
The sense of celebration had faded, leaving them exhausted.
Rose felt as though she had been through a whirlwind, and only when she settled on a comfortable seat did she feel herself able to relax.
Edmund poured them both a drink and came to sit with her, pressing the glass into her hand.
“I am not sure how you can think about drinking more,” she teased.
“It comes quite naturally to a rogue like me, although I suppose I shall have to put my rakish ways behind me now. There is no way I can continue as I did as a married man. This ring upon my finger is proof of it,” he lifted his hand.
“Old habits are hard to break. I hope that you are up to the challenge.”
“If I can win your hand in marriage, then there is no challenge beyond my capabilities. I have half a mind to climb the tallest mountain in the world.”
Rose gave him a flat look. “I thought you were giving up your life of adventure. I hope you were not lying to me.”
Edmund grinned and turned to face her fully.
He placed a tender hand on hers. The weight of it was gentle, comfortable, and felt entirely natural to Rose now.
For so long, she had been used to making her way through life alone, but Edmund’s presence added something she never realized she was missing.
Now, she knew she could never go back to the way things were before.
“I would never leave you like that, Rose. Although if you did want to join me, then we could climb that mountain together.”
“Perhaps in the future, although I believe we can find enough adventure in Paris to keep us occupied on our honeymoon.”
“You are probably right. I am thinking about establishing a Pall Mall league in Paris. We could take the city by storm, Rose.”
Rose chuckled. “Are you so full of ideas that you cannot simply enjoy sitting in a room quietly together?”
“You knew the kind of man you were marrying.”
“I am not sure I do. You have so many different identities, Edmund. The rakish noble. The gregarious duke. The gambler. The drunk. The jester.”
Edmund recoiled in mock horror.
“You wound me, my dear. I thought a wife was supposed to stand up for her husband, not tear him down.”
“Perhaps you should have read the fine print of marriage.”
“That always has been my downfall. It is why Alfred is so important to me,” he grinned. Laughter was bubbling in Rose’s voice.
“I hope you are not suggesting making him a part of our marriage either.”
“Oh no, of course not. Mary would never agree to such a thing,” he chuckled, as if that was the only thing stopping him. Then he turned serious and lifted her hand, running his thumb over the finger that bore the wedding ring. His flesh met the gold band and rotated it around her finger.
Rose felt a surge of pride as she watched the ring spin, knowing it symbolized her unbreakable bond with Edmund.
Their hearts, souls, and lives were forever intertwined.
Her life had gained new purpose, and her sense of belonging was rooted in her marriage.
This did not diminish her; instead, it made her feel more important.
“You do not really mean that, do you, Rose? I do hope you have seen a different side to me,” he said with a surprising earnestness and vulnerability.
“Of course I have, Edmund. I remember how you helped that farmer without expecting reward or recognition. I think you have spent so long trying to be many things to many people that you find it difficult to be yourself. I hope that can change now that we are married. I want all of London to see you the way I see you.”
“I am not sure they are entirely ready for that,” he said.
“I certainly was not, but look at me now. I am married, when I swore I would never do such a thing.”
“And I have planted roots in London when I swore I would tear up everything and never look back.”
“I hope you are not going to regret your decision.”
“Not for a moment. But I could say the same of you as well.”
She lifted her gaze from her hand and looked at him directly in the eyes. They were the same eyes that had glinted with mischief since their first meeting, the eyes that had grown more profound and more comforting, the eyes that now brought a sense of peace to her soul.
“No, Edmund. But I can say that if I were not married to you, then I would not be married at all. You are the exception.”
“And exceptional, I hope,” he murmured. They both giggled, getting closer and closer to each other, as though invisible strings were bringing them together.
“Let me handle the compliments, Edmund. It is unbecoming when you compliment yourself.”
“One of the many lessons I am sure I will learn through marriage.”
“I am glad you admit that you do not know everything yet.”
“Not yet, but I am sure that we can enjoy this education together.”
“It will be most enlightening, I am sure,” she said.
Their lips were barely an inch apart. She could feel the heat and sweetness of his breath.
She could feel the presence of his body beside her.
She tingled and prickled with anticipation, but just as they were about to kiss, they felt something leaping between them and squirming. They both looked down.
“Oh, Addie,” they said. The dog looked up at them, all wide-eyed with his tongue lolling out. They both petted him. Edmund chuckled.
“I suppose if we are traditional, then eventually there will be another little creature joining us.”
“I do not think Charlotte will be pleased to hear you referring to your nephew as a ‘creature’. But yes, I suppose if we are traditional, that does lie in our future. Then again, neither of us has been accused of being traditional…” she said as a means to test him.
“No, but I suppose some traditions do exist for a reason. It might be arrogant to refuse to abide by the conventions of family.”
“And you do need an heir after all. It would be a shame to lose all of this,” she said, gesturing vaguely with her hand.
“You make a good point. And really, if everyone did expect us to eschew tradition, then the most unpredictable thing we could do would be the traditional thing. I suppose we really have no choice,” Edmund said.
They grinned at each other, and she nestled her head into the crook of his neck. They petted Addie some more, and he started making happy noises. His tail wagged excitedly, and Rose began to feel a new future taking shape before her eyes.
They kissed deeply and lovingly, and this time they were not interrupted by Addie. Then, Edmund took her by the hand and led her up the stairs to their bedchamber. They closed the door, shutting away London and the world, ready to begin the rest of their lives.
The End?