Epilogue
Nathaniel climbed the curved wooden staircase, cooing at his crying daughter.
“We’ll find your mummy, little one. I’ll lay odds ten to one she’s up here painting her stars.”
He opened the door, the baby giving him away. Olivia turned, her face a picture of rapture. “Nathaniel, look! It’s a shower of falling stars. Look, Eloise!”
Nathaniel handed the baby to Olivia, watching as Eloise stopped crying and looked with rapture at the stars.
“Ungrateful child. I’m the one who built this tower.”
Olivia laughed. “She’ll thank you when she’s older.” She reached up and kissed him passionately. “I’ll thank you right now.”
“You can thank me tonight.”
“Nathaniel!”
He wrapped his arms around her, staring at the night sky. “I’m sorry the tower wasn’t finished until after Eloise was born, Livvy.” He squeezed her. “I was quite tired of sleeping outside in that chair.”
Olivia smiled. “I couldn’t have climbed the stairs anyway with that big belly.”
They watched together until the shower of stars faded, until Eloise began crying again. Olivia and Nathaniel looked at each other and shared a moment of complete togetherness.
She said loudly over the wails, “Thank you for teaching me the acts of seduction, Mr. Jenkins. And the art of love.”
Nathaniel kissed her tenderly, also speaking loudly. “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Jenkins. Entirely my pleasure.”
And they went downstairs, tossing ideas back and forth on how to silence the interminable screeching.
***