Epilogue
The day before Christmas, snow fell softly over Wentworth Manor, transforming the gardens into a winter wonderland. Inside the drawing room, a fire crackled in the hearth while the scent of spiced cider and pine filled the air.
Sebastian stood by the mantel, watching his wife with the contentment of a man who had found the center of his universe.
Rose sat beside Sophia on the settee, their heads bent together in quiet conversation, while James lounged in an armchair, looking more relaxed than Sebastian had seen him in years.
Having his siblings here for Christmas felt like a gift he’d never dared hope for.
Their new butler appeared in the doorway. “Excuse me, my lord, but Constable Stephens is at the door.”
Sebastian exchanged a glance with Rose before setting down his glass. In the foyer, Stephens waited with ruddy cheeks and an official-looking letter in his hand.
“Apologies for calling so late, Lord Ashford, but I didn’t think this should wait.” Stephens handed him the correspondence with a meaningful look.
Sebastian broke the seal with unsteady fingers, Rose appearing at his side as he scanned the words. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. The Crown had officially restored everything—title, wealth, and Ashford Hall. His father’s name was completely cleared.
“What is it?” Rose whispered, her hand finding his arm.
“It’s all been restored.” His voice shook with emotion. “Everything. The Crown has righted the wrong done to our family.”
Rose’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Sebastian.” She turned to the constable. “Please, you must join us for a drink. Our family is in the drawing room. They will be overjoyed to hear this news.”
Back in the drawing room, Sebastian held up the letter. “The Crown has reinstated our title and returned our estate. With their deepest apologies.”
The silence stretched for a heartbeat before James shot to his feet. “You’re serious?”
“Completely.” Sebastian’s voice broke.
Sophia covered her mouth, tears spilling over. “Papa would be so proud and happy. Finally, justice.”
James grabbed the letter, scanning it himself. “It’s all here. We’ve won. We’ve finally won.” He looked between his siblings. “It seems impossible, but it’s all true.”
They all thanked the constable and asked again if he would stay, but he declined. “My family’s home waiting for me to begin our celebrations. However, I didn’t feel this could wait.”
After Constable Stephens left, the four of them sat in contemplative silence.
“Will you return to Ashford Hall?” James asked eventually.
Sebastian looked at Rose, knowing they were of the same mind. “No. Our work is here. The estate, the tenants—they’re counting on us. This is our home.” He met James’s gaze. “It is for you to with it as you please. If you want it. We have the funds now. You can restore it to its former glory.”
James grinned, rubbing his hands together. “I accept. There is nothing I like better than a project. We will make it a beautiful home once again.”
“Perhaps you can find a bride to share it with?” Rose said.
“Let us not get ahead of ourselves,” James said, laughing.
“Sophia, you can finally have your Season,” Rose added with enthusiasm.
But Sophia shook her head. “I’m not ready to leave Amelia. She needs me.”
Sebastian studied his sister’s stubborn expression. “Sophia, you’re a lady now, not a governess. You deserve your own life.”
“I am all Amelia has. I will not abandon her as we were abandoned.”
The pain in her voice made Sebastian’s chest tighten.
“Give us one more year,” Sophia said. “Let me find someone suitable to replace me first.”
He did not believe she would leave in a year. If anything, she would be even more attached. Sebastian wanted to argue, but Rose’s gentle touch on his arm stopped him. His wife’s wisdom had guided them this far. He would trust her instincts now.
“One year,” Sebastian said. “But then you come home to us.”
“You won’t force me to marry someone I don’t love?” Sophia asked.
“Never,” Sebastian said.
When they were called to Christmas Eve supper, Sebastian offered Rose his arm. “Our first Christmas as husband and wife.”
“The first of many.” He looked into her eyes, intoxicated by her beauty and grace, awed that she was truly by his side.
Hours later, Rose lay warm in Sebastian’s arms, the manor quiet around them. Just as he was drifting toward sleep, her voice pulled him back.
“Sebastian? Are you awake?”
“Always, for you. What is it, my love?”
She turned in his arms, her eyes bright in the moonlight. “I have news. The most wonderful Christmas gift.”
Something in her tone made his heart race. “What kind of news?”
“The kind that arrives in about seven months.”
He sat up so quickly he nearly tumbled her from the bed. “Rose, are you saying—?”
“I’m saying we’re going to have a baby.”
Joy crashed over him like a warm wave. He gathered her close, one hand coming to rest reverently on her still-flat stomach. “A baby. Our baby.”
“If it’s a boy, we’ll name him after your father. And if it’s a girl, after my mother.”
Sebastian felt tears prick his eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”
As Rose nestled comfortably into his arms, moonlight spilled gently through the curtains, bathing them both in silvered peace.
Sebastian inhaled softly, breathing in the delicate scent of her hair as he gazed upward, awed by the quiet enormity of their blessings.
A cleared name, a reclaimed legacy, and now, the promise of new life.
But greater than any of these gifts was the woman beside him.
Rose was his anchor, his guiding star—his beautiful rose who had blossomed bravely through every thorn in her path.
Now, she would be the mother of his child.
The first of many, he hoped. Smiling, he decided to keep that thought to himself.
No need to overwhelm his wife with his dreams of a large, rambunctious family.
Tonight, on this most perfect of nights, he was content to pull her ever closer and fall asleep listening to the beat of her heart.
The End