Epilogue
“If you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.”
One year later.
I flopped onto my bed with a yawn, my energy completely spent.
The morning had been filled with meetings about the charity foundation, the afternoon a flurry of errands, and the evening a lovely dinner that included a long-winded discussion about the life cycle of cicadas with Lord Cranford and his new wife, married just two weeks ago.
I supposed I couldn’t call her Mrs. Sweete anymore. She was Lady Cranford now. The thought still made me giddy.
The door to the bedroom opened, and I sat up and adjusted the thin fabric of my nightgown so the hem was tucked just above my knee.
“I was wondering if you were coming or not,” I said, making a show of turning up my nose at him.
Edmond froze in the doorway, his heated gaze trained on my legs. I grinned to myself. A year of marriage and he still looked at me as hungrily as he did that very first night.
He tossed his jacket to the floor and practically pounced next to me on the bed. “You really thought I wouldn’t find my way to you tonight? On our anniversary? You overestimate my strength when it comes to staying away from you.”
“It is a skill you lack.”
“A man must have flaws.”
Edmond grinned and rolled closer, pulling me in for a kiss. But I brought my finger up to intercept his lips.
“Presents first,” I ordered. “The rest can come after.”
“Are you sure? Because, when you see what I got for you, you’ll be forced to accept defeat. It might ruin your night.”
“Hardly,” I snorted. “I’m not a sore loser.”
Edmond raised an eyebrow. “Yesterday’s game of whist?”
“You were counting cards.”
“And last week’s debacle with charades?”
“The theme was insects! Lord Cranford had an unfair advantage!”
“And the pall-mall incident?”
I tossed Edmond a glare. “Are you trying to romance me, or insult me?”
He kissed me gently on the forehead. “I’m only preparing you for the humbling experience of receiving my gift.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re insufferable. And also wrong. You see, I won’t be the one losing tonight. I’ve been working on your gift for weeks.”
“We’ll see.” He stood and held out his hand with a boyish grin. “Follow me.”
I let him lead me out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Stonehill House was quiet, the servants having retired for the night. It felt like we were the only two people awake in the entire world.
Edmond stopped in front of the door to the eastern wing, which had been off-limits to me for the past few weeks. “Now, close your eyes,” he said.
I obeyed, my stomach fluttering with anticipation as he led me forward. “Can I look now?”
“Almost.” Edmond maneuvered me into position. “All right. Open.”
I did, then covered my gasp with my hand. What once was a spare parlor had been transformed into a music room, with beautiful pale-blue walls, windows that overlooked Edmond’s garden, and a crystal chandelier that hung directly over the room’s centerpiece—a pianoforte.
I blinked at the instrument, realization dawning. “Wait—” I ran my fingers along the familiar grooves, tears pricking my eyes. “This is—where did you find this?”
“It took a few months to track down. But I learned it was sold to a man in Bath, and I arranged for its return.”
A sob caught in my throat. “You found Mother’s pianoforte.”
Edmond cupped my cheek, wiping away a fallen tear with his thumb. “It’s home now. With you.”
“Thank you, Edmond. Truly.”
“That’s not the only part of the gift. I had the walls plastered with an extra two layers for soundproofing. Now you can play as much as you like, and none of the servants will resign.”
I blew out a laugh. “I love it. I really do. It is the best anniversary gift I could have asked for.”
He grinned. “Does that mean I win?”
“As lovely as the music room is, Edmond, I don’t believe you’ve won.” I stepped closer, pulling out a small box from my pocket. “This is my gift to you.”
He took the box and smiled. “You tied it with the scarlet ribbon.”
“Open it.”
He loosened the ribbon and lifted the lid. I bit back a smile as confusion flickered across his features.
“It’s a… necklace.” He held it up. “You strung the two halves of the jasmine bead on it, and in between them—is that a pearl?” He smiled and gave me a soft kiss. “Thank you, my love. It’s beautiful.”
“No need to put on an act, Edmond,” I said with a teasing eye roll. “That’s not your real gift. It’s only a hint.”
He released a tense breath. “Oh thank heavens. I wasn’t sure how I was going to pull off wearing this at business meetings.” He frowned and studied the necklace closer. “Does the real gift have something to do with that pearl?”
“It does.” I fished out the roll of parchment from my pocket and handed it to him. “This is your real gift.”
He eyed me curiously, then unrolled the parchment.
I held my breath as he searched my writing.
I could tell the exact moment he had read the surprise.
He stilled, his gaze fixed on the final word, and for a fleeting moment, I worried he might have misunderstood.
Then his hand trembled, the note slipping from his fingers as his head jerked up to meet my gaze.
His green eyes shone brightly, and his expression softened into something so tender it made my breath catch.
“Helena,” he said, his voice breaking. But a hearty laugh escaped his lips before I could say anything. He swept me up into his arms, spinning me around in a joyful circle before gently setting me down and covering my neck with kisses. “You’re—you’re certain?”
“I’m never wrong, Edmond. Surely you’ve realized that after a year of marriage.”
He pulled back far enough to hold my face in his hands. “You,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine, “are the most remarkable woman. I didn’t think I could possibly love you more than I already did. And yet, here I am, utterly undone.”
He captured my lips in a kiss that was more joy than passion, as if words weren’t enough to express how deeply he felt in that moment. I returned the kiss in equal measure, thrilled I finally shared the excitement I’d been keeping to myself for weeks.
When he pulled away again, his grin was wide and unabashed. “A child,” he marveled. “We’re going to have a child.”
“Yes. We are.”
He touched the pearl on the necklace, nestled between the halves of the broken bead. A symbol of new life, formed by unlikely circumstances, but precious nonetheless.
Edmond’s hand trailed down my arms and lightly touched my stomach, as if he could sense the life growing within. “You win, Helena. But when it comes to my heart, you have always won.”
“No, Edmond.” I tilted my head up and kissed him thoroughly. “I believe we have both won.”
The End