Epilogue
Valentine’s Day
“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
MONROE
I TIPTOED PAST MUM B.’s suite, only because I didn’t have time today for our usual tête-à- tête—more like verbal sparring matches that Beatrix apparently lived for. She wasn’t exactly the warmest mother-in-law.
It was Valentine’s Day, and I’d been planning a romantic night at home in front of the fireplace with Fitz’s favorite meal, and me in something sexy. Colette had just finished helping me make an Indian curry dish and decorate his library in cutesy Valentine’s decorations I knew he would think were ridiculous, but that’s how we rolled in this relationship. I just needed to change and grab my gift for him before he came home.
I’d given the staff, including Kingston, the rest of the night off. I’d hinted to Kingston that he should take Anna out, but they were so stubborn. Kingston’s newest excuse was that Anna was too young for him. A twelve-year age gap didn’t seem like a lot to me. He didn’t want anyone to think that he was being untoward, but Fitz and I would never think such a thing. I could still understand his caution, even though it was heartbreaking to watch them fight their feelings. And I think some things had happened between them that they were keeping secret.
I barely made it past Beatrix’s door when her pups, Alfie and Oscar, came running out, giving me away.
“Is that you ?” Beatrix called.
That’s basically how she addressed me: you .
“Yes, it’s me, the duchess,” I responded, knowing she loathed that I’d received her title. It’s not like I loved it, other than it meaning I was married to Fitz. So far, I had done nothing too embarrassing in the public eye. Other than at Viscount Phillips’s Christmas party—the same viscount who had beat Fitz for hottest eligible bachelor in the UK. Still didn’t agree with that assessment. Anyway, in my haste to help one of the waitstaff steady a tray of hors d’oeuvres she was about to drop, I tripped over my own feet and went hurtling into her and, well ... It was a mess. It was a good thing Viscount Phillips has such a good sense of humor.
“Enter,” she said tersely. Why she thought I wished to come into her room, I had no idea, but I knew it was best to just get it over with.
With the pooches by my side, I walked into her elegantly decorated sitting area, which was larger than most of the bedrooms in the mansion. Intricately carved tables and plush velvet furniture adorned the room. She spent most of her time holed up in here with her harp and shelves full of books. I’d heard her play it a few times, but she didn’t appreciate when I mentioned how much I enjoyed it. Heaven forbid she did anything I liked.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked as soon as I walked in to find her sitting on the couch, going through a box of what looked like old letters. Mr. Darcy, my cat, was curled up next to her. Beatrix would never admit it but she loved my cat, and for some reason, Mr. Darcy loved her. It was kind of cute. I didn’t draw attention to it or she would have told me to keep better watch of my cat. Little did she know, I’d seen her on more than one occasion lure my kitty into her room with a can of tuna. In fact, her room faintly smelled of tuna now.
Her head snapped up, her brow scrunching. “I wish to speak to you.”
I leaned against the doorframe, hoping this wouldn’t take long. “What about?”
She set the box aside and sat up tall in her silk pajamas and robe. It surprised me she was wearing pajamas so early in the evening.
“Don’t think I’m not aware of everyone’s opinion of me. I know you and my children believe I am a cold-hearted old woman.”
That about summed it up, but I didn’t argue the point. I mean, she’d refused to attend our wedding. And though it had been Fitz’s grandmother’s wish for him to gift his wife her wedding ring, Beatrix wouldn’t hear of me wearing it. Not that I didn’t love the sparkler he’d given me, but Fitz’s grandmother had meant a lot to him. According to Fitz, she was much warmer than his mother. The ring would have had sentimental value, and I love sentimentality.
I said nothing. This felt like a trap, and I just wanted to get ready for my husband.
When I didn’t respond, Beatrix continued with a huff. “You don’t think that I used to be happy and have dreams of my own? Well, I did.”
This was definitely news to me. “What dreams?” I asked.
She adjusted herself and swallowed hard. “I was in love once, too.”
“I’m sure you loved Reginald.” That was Fitz’s father.
“Yes,” she admitted. “At one time I was very much in love with him, but ...”
“But what?” I stepped farther into the room, more than curious now.
“Things change. Love doesn’t always last,” she said, like she was warning me.
“But it can.”
“That’s what the young always think.”
“I love Fitz—I mean Alastair.” She hated my nickname for him. “We’ve loved each other for a long time.”
“You were wise to become friends first,” she said in a hushed tone, like she didn’t want me to hear her.
Huh. She thought I’d done something smart. “I think so.”
“Anyway.” She took her mother’s ring off her hand. “You can have this.”
“Is this a trick?”
Her lips ticked up slightly. Oh my gosh, was she going to smile? I didn’t know she could do that. “Just take it,” she snapped.
I tiptoed toward her, a little afraid. I peeked at the letters in the box, and they seemed to be love letters from Reginald. Some of them were yellow and faded, but a few of them had hearts drawn on them. What made them drift away from each other? I wondered. I hesitated to take the ring out of her aged, but well-manicured, hand.
“I mean it; you can have it. My son is obviously in love with you. Quite frankly, it’s nauseating how in love you two seem to be.”
I couldn’t help but giggle.
She wrinkled her nose. “That said, you are good for him.”
“What?” I asked, stunned.
“Don’t expect me to repeat it,” she barked. “Take the ring and go. And try to keep it down. I don’t need to hear any of your sexual escapades tonight.”
I took the ring, still in shock and really hoping she’d never heard Fitz and me ... well ... you know. “Mum B.,” I dared to say. “If you ever want to talk about what’s in that box, I’m all ears.”
She said nothing, but waved me away.
“I’ll take that as a rain check.” I pranced out of the room, carefully cradling the ring. It felt weird for me to swap my wedding ring for it. I would add it to Fitz’s Valentine’s Day gift and let him decide.
I rushed down the hall to our wing of the house and into our bedroom to change into the black slinky gown I’d bought for the occasion. The dress, barely more than a slip, was lying across the floral comforter. I’d added several womanly touches to the stately room with grand, dark wood furniture, including the pink parfait wallpaper with cream flowers I adored from Pride and Prejudice Park. Fitz didn’t seem to mind. He’d said I was the best addition to his room.
I changed quickly and grabbed the small gift bag holding his present, carefully dropping his grandmother’s ring into it. Before I walked out, I couldn’t help but read the letter Fitz had left on my pillow this morning one more time. It was just a simple Valentine’s Day note.
My dearest Monroe,
Happy Valentine’s Day. Thank you for continuing to love me without pride and prejudice.
All my love,
Fitz
PS: I plan on showing you more of my duke side tonight.
Oh, baby, I could not wait.
I glided down the stairs, eager for tonight. Halfway down, Fitz opened the door, carrying a single red rose that was just starting to bloom. I don’t know why, but I found that so romantic—maybe because I knew he’d picked out the perfect one just for me.
“Hello, lover,” I purred.
Fitz’s head snapped up, and he dropped his satchel. “Monroe,” he said, like he was out of breath.
“Do you like?” I slinked down the rest of the stairs.
He met me at the bottom at lightning speed. “You are a vision.” He handed me the rose before pulling me to him, smashing the flower and bag between us. His hands slid down all my curves. “Happy Valentine’s Day to me.”
A shiver that had nothing to do with how chilled his hands were went through me. My lips met his, and he immediately deepened the kiss, urgently twisting his tongue with mine. He pressed me against the nearest wall, and I dropped the bag and rose so that I could run my hands through his hair as his warm lips trailed kisses down my neck. I gasped when he worked his way back up and began to nuzzle my ear. It was then I remembered what his mother had said. “We need to take this into the library before your mum hears us. And I want to give you my gift before we go any further.”
“This is all the gift I need.” His fingers pressed into my bare back while he nipped my earlobe.
I held on to him, feeling woozy. So woozy. “Fitz,” I whispered, breathless. “Let’s go to the library.”
“As you wish.” He swept me up into his arms, managing to grab the gift bag too. The poor rose got left in the dust. Wild, passionate kissing ensued on our trek to the library. When we crossed the threshold, Fitz only came up for air because I’d filled the library with hundreds of paper hearts and balloons.
Fitz chuckled and shook his head.
“It kind of adds something to the broody vibes you have going on in here.”
He walked us over to the brick fireplace, where a fire was crackling nicely. I’d set a picnic blanket out in front of it. A basket full of food waited for us, but I had a feeling our food was going to get cold.
Fitz gently set me on the blanket. He shed his coat and kicked off his shoes before he joined me. He started unbuttoning his shirt.
I placed my hand over his furiously working ones. “Hold, please.” I smiled.
He groaned but stopped, his hungry eyes roving over me.
“I promise the wait will be worth it.”
“Of that I have no doubt.” His sexy smile begged me to hurry.
I reached for the bag next to me and handed it to him.
“Did you get my letter this morning?” he asked before looking in the bag.
“Uh-huh.” I felt all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking of it. As simple as it was, it was the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for me. “I was going to text or call you about it, but I didn’t want to interrupt any of your classes with my sexy words.”
“Feel free to interrupt me anytime.”
I smiled, knowing he meant that. “Open your gift.”
He reached in and pulled out the ring first. I’d enclosed the other gift in a box. He pulled out the ring and stared blankly at it, alarmed. “Did my mother die?”
“No,” I laughed. “But I about died when she gave it to me just moments ago. By the way, she thinks we are nauseatingly in love.”
Fitz chuckled. “Why did she give it to you?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe she kind of likes me, or else she’s cursed it.”
Fitz stared at the ring. “I knew if anyone could get to her, it would be you.”
“Well, I don’t know about that, but today gave me some hope.”
“Would you wear my grandmother’s ring? It would mean a lot to me. To her. She would have loved you. She said I should only give this ring to the woman who would love me not only on the good days, but on the worst days as well.”
“I love that.” I held out my hands and let Fitz switch the ring he had given me to my right hand before he slipped his grandmother’s ring on my left ring finger. It was a little big, but I held up my hand and admired it. “It’s beautiful. I’m honored to wear it.”
Fitz kissed my hand. He was such a romantic.
“There’s one more gift for you. Well, for us.” I grinned.
“Hmm.” Fitz reached into the bag and pulled out the slender rectangular box. “This isn’t a trip to Pride and Prejudice Park, is it?” he teased.
“No,” I sang. “But you have to admit, we might not be here if it weren’t for that place.”
“Rubbish. I planned to have you regardless.”
“Well, I admit, our second honeymoon in the Maldives over Christmas was better.” At least I didn’t fall off a horse or have any crazy dreams. “And ... I think it contributed to what’s in the box.”
Fitz tilted his head, a question in his eyes.
“Open it,” I encouraged, eager to see his response.
He opened the box and pulled out the pregnancy test. “Monroe,” he said, astonished. “Are you—” he choked up, “pregnant?”
“Yes,” I cried. We’d decided we’d just let nature take its course since we’d known each other for years. “Are you happy?” I wasn’t sure. He seemed at a loss for words.
“Yes, love.” He snapped out of his stupor and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m more than happy.”
I fell against him. My head resting on his shoulder. “Me too. Very happy.”
I couldn’t help but think, I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh.