Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
“I do not like the look of that cloud.” Thomas squinted up at the sky.
Vivian followed his gaze. The sky was blue with the barest hint of gray cloud on the horizon. It was the kind of crisp winter morning that made the world feel as though it were just waking up.
They were walking toward the waiting carriage, and Thomas had his arm linked through hers. She could feel the tension in his muscles, ready to spring in front of her at any moment to protect her from danger. His head was constantly turning, scanning the horizon.
She smiled, feeling a mixture of exasperation and amusement warring within her. It had taken nearly a week to convince him to let her make the journey to visit the school, and she suspected he would still have refused if not for his grandmother’s intervention.
Vivian squeezed his arm. “I am sure we will be perfectly fine. Besides, a little rain never hurt anyone.”
Thomas was still surveying the horizon, chewing his lip. “But a lot of rain could.”
“Then it is lucky that the journey is a little more than ten minutes and that there is a lovely inn in town that we can pass the time together in until the weather improves.” Vivian brushed against Thomas. “Though I doubt that will be necessary.”
“Perhaps we should go another day, just to be sure?” Thomas slowed, and Vivian felt him begin to turn toward the house.
Repressing a sigh, she shook her head and gently tugged him forward.
“The carriage is already prepared, and I need to make sure that everything is progressing as planned. The school is due to open in a month, and everything must be in order. These girls are depending on this. And I have already delayed my visit once at your behest.”
“Which you agreed at the time was sensible. After all, there was nothing to do until the wallpaper and the paint were dry.” Thomas glanced back toward the cloud and frowned. “I swear it is getting bigger.”
Vivian just managed not to roll her eyes as she looked at the sky and the barely existent cloud. “It is not. If anything, it is getting smaller.”
“Hmmm.” Thomas took a step forward and then stopped, standing in her path as his entire face lit up.
“I know, how about I go to the school and check on everything for you? You can return to the house, settle on the sofa, and read a nice book. Relax, perhaps have some cake. Cook did make a rather lovely—”
“I am the patroness of this school, and I intend to visit it. Besides, there are things that only I will be able to discuss.” Vivian straightened.
“Such as?” Thomas folded his arms across his chest and arched an eyebrow at her.
“Asking whether their laundry has ensured adequate facilities to support women through their courses.” To her satisfaction, she saw spots of color appear on his cheeks. “Such things are not the kind of thing a lady discusses with a gentleman, and yet they are essential for a school for girls.”
“Very well.” Thomas turned and then stopped again. “But have you thought about smells? After all, certain smells turn your stomach.”
“I doubt very much that anyone will be smoking in the school, and hopefully they will not be drinking copious quantities of whisky or cooking pheasant.” Vivian shuddered. Discovering the last one had been one of the most embarrassing dinners she had ever attended.
Luckily, it was only close family members.
“And of course there was Lady Everbury’s perfume,” Thomas added.
“That was less to do with her perfume, and more to do with her company.” Vivian’s cheeks flushed as Thomas looked at her, his eyes wide and a half-smile on his face.
“Vivian Heathcliff, you scoundrel.” He chuckled. “Are you telling me you feigned illness simply to leave her party?”
“Yes, but in my defense, I feared that if I spent any more time with Lady Everbury, my ability to remain civil and proper would disappear.” Vivian wrinkled her nose. “You should have heard some of the things she was saying! Honestly, the less time we spend with such people, the better.”
“I suppose her husband was a rather odious fellow.” Thomas massaged his neck.
“Besides, if I had not done that, we would never have seen my parents being escorted from the premises for gate crashing.” Vivian smiled at the memory. “I still cannot believe they have become such social pariahs.”
“It is no less than they deserve.” Thomas’s face darkened.
“They continued to disrespect you, and while I have spared them at your bidding, I do not control my grandmother. And they were foolish enough to speak ill of you to one of her close friends. This is the consequence of such foolishness. And they had the gall to ask you to intercede on their behalf. They did not even apologize, simply tried to guilt you into doing it.”
Vivian placed a calming hand on Thomas’s arm. “I know darling. And while a part of me hoped they might see the error of their ways, I have to admit, I am rather enjoying seeing them reap the consequences of their actions.”
“It would seem my grandmother is rubbing off on you.” Thomas smiled at her. “The ton best watch out, lest you follow in her footsteps. After all, it starts with sneaking out of balls, next it will be you exacting vengeance on behalf of someone who has been wronged.”
“Why get my hands dirty when patience and time will do it for me? Just look at what happened to Lord Brixten. His wife found out about his affairs, told her father, and now the man is on the run, utterly disgraced and his wife and their son get to live in peace. By all accounts, she is thriving in his absence. She even wrote me an apology letter and asked if she might visit the school.” Vivian looped an arm through Thomas’s.
“Besides, it is not only your grandmother who sneaks away from balls.”
“I am fairly certain that it was a certain marquess who encouraged such antics when we were trying to leave the Haversham ball a few weeks ago.” Vivian grinned as they began to walk toward the carriage again.
“It was the most boring ball I have ever been to! Besides, there were other, more enjoyable activities that we wished to turn our attention to.” He met her gaze, his blue eyes dark with hunger.
Vivian’s mouth went dry, and her stomach twisted, even as her cheeks flushed scarlet. Will he ever stop having that effect on me? She hoped not.
“As I am well aware.” Vivian’s voice was hoarser than she had wished. “The point is, I think we are perfectly safe to visit the school.”
“At least let me check the carriage once more.” Thomas gestured to the carriage waiting for them at the end of the path.
“You have already checked it three times. I fear that if you check it a fourth time, the driver will quit.” Vivian shook her head.
Thomas made a dismissive gesture. “Mr. Hansom understands just how important it is to ensure your safety.”
“Which means he will have taken all the necessary measures to ensure the carriage is roadworthy,” Vivian countered. “Though I suppose if you are truly worried about its safety, we could always walk. Or simply ride.”
“And risk you getting trampled by some hellion of a rider? Or thrown from your horse? I think not.” Thomas shook his head vehemently, twirling his top hat between his fingers.
“Then a carriage it is.” Vivian absently reached up and adjusted Thomas’s coat lapels. “Now let us get a move on.”
“Let us not be too hasty. The path could still be dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” Vivian laughed and shook her head. “It is a proper path!”
“There could be weeds or a loose brick, or it could be uneven. What if you fell? What if you slipped and broke your neck?” All the color drained from her face.
“You would never let that happen.” Vivian tried to give him a reassuring smile. “You always catch me.”
“I am serious, Vivian.” There was a wildness in her husband’s eyes as he glared at the path as though daring it to even think of harming her.
Vivian sighed and took a step toward her husband. “I know you are just trying to keep us all safe, but really, it is getting ridiculous. I have to be able to walk places; you can hardly carry me everywhere we go.”
Thomas stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Now that is a thought.”
“No, Thomas.” Vivian put her hands on her hips, shaking her head vehemently. “Absolutely not.”
“But you enjoy when I sweep you off your feet.” He gave her an impish grin that made Vivian’s heart swoop and twist.
She did her best to give him a frank look, but suspected she had fallen short of the mark when she saw his eyes darken and his grin broaden. “I do. But I have no wish to be treated like some delicate thing who might break at the slightest touch.”
“I am only trying to make sure that you are looked after. I swore that I would always keep you safe.” He ran a hand through his hair, his expression sobering.
“And you do. I know very few men who would ride seven hours just to get their wife the cured ham she was craving. And even fewer who go to every florist for miles to buy her flowers that were out of season.” Vivan reached up and smoothed his hair, letting her fingertips lightly graze against his temples.
“Especially when his grandmother grew such things in her greenhouse.”
“Something she neglected to mention when I was dispatched on my quest.” Thomas shook his head.
Vivian shrugged. “Perhaps she assumed you knew.”
“Or she simply wished to distract me with some ridiculous task.”
“Who knows why your grandmother does the things she does? Now, let us get a move on. I am eager to be—ah!” Vivian tried to step around Thomas and move toward the carriage, but her foot slipped, and she stumbled.
Her heart fluttered as she started to fall, and then Thomas was there, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.
The smell of him washed over her, and she breathed it in.
Her ear was pressed against his chest, and she could feel the thumping of his heart against her—or maybe it was her own.
“You see? You always catch me.” She looked into her husband’s pale face and his wide eyes.
His blue eyes searched her, and she felt his arms tighten around her even as his muscles relaxed. It was clear from the shifting weight that he was torn between wanting to hold her close and needing to release her so he could check for injuries.
His grip loosened, and he inspected her. “What happened? If that dratted groundskeeper has not fixed that loose brick, I swear I will wring his neck.”
“It was my own clumsiness, that is all.” Vivian gestured at her feet. “I tripped; the blame lies solely with me, not the groundskeeper.”
“Are you hurt? I should run back to the house—no, I should get a physician, wait, maybe I should—” As Thomas turned as though to run to the house, Vivian cut him off.
“Thomas, breathe.”
She placed one hand on her husband’s chest and another on his face, gently turning him back to look at her. “I am perfectly safe. It was a little stumble, that is all. I am pregnant, not made of glass.”
“If anything had happened to you…” He trailed off.
“I know. But it did not, and it will not.” She brushed her thumb against the line of his jaw. “I know that you are worried about us, both of us, but you cannot keep treating me like the world could break me with a stiff breeze. I am made of sterner stuff than that.”
She felt his shoulders relax, his sigh tickling the skin of her face. “I suppose I have been a little overzealous in my protection of you.”
“Just a little.” She smiled at him.
“How are you so calm about all of this?” He leaned into her hand.
“I am not, but when I find myself panicking about it, I remind myself of one simple thing.” She cocked her head. “I have you. We are a partnership. And whatever comes, we will figure it out together.”
There was a heartbeat of silence, and then Thomas murmured. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She kissed him. “Now let us get to the school.”
Arm in arm, they walked toward the carriage, ready to start their next adventure.
The End?