Epilogue
Broadmere Hall
Lake District, England
Merry sat at the large, round table beside the glass doors leading to the terrace in what the family had dubbed the party room.
With the portable walls in place, it was half of Broadmere Hall’s sprawling ballroom, but ample enough for their lively family gatherings to celebrate birthdays, holidays, or special events.
Today, they were celebrating Serendipity’s birthday.
The rest of her sisters sat at the table with her, all of them eyeing their eldest sibling as she flitted about the room in her perpetual role of perfect hostess rather than the guest of honor.
“Seri is next.” Merry hid the words behind her teacup. All of them suspected Serendipity could read lips.
“She thinks she is safe because she is nine and twenty now,” Blessing said while dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
“Are you saying she wishes to keep mothering Chance?” Fortuity asked.
Grace and Felicity snorted in unison.
“She intends to be a spinster. The favorite auntie to all the nieces and nephews.” Joy hid her mouth with one hand while fiddling with the jeweled knob of her cane with the other.
“That is ridiculous.” Merry studied her lovely eldest sister, who deserved every happiness because of all the sacrifices she had made. “I say we find her a match. Chance won’t because he is afraid to cross her.”
“Oh, he’ll help,” Grace said.
“He wants that last percentage of the inheritance,” Felicity added. “Remember the will? He doesn’t fully get the keys to the kingdom until all of us are happily married.”
Merry took her saucer, placed it in the center of the table, and added her teaspoon to it. “I say we get her matched this Season. What say you?”
One by one, each sister added their teaspoon to the saucer and nodded.
Serendipity joined them just as they finished. She pursed her lips and eyed the saucer while slowly arching a brow. “And what pact have the six of you made?”
“A pact for happiness,” Merry said, which wasn’t a lie. “A steadfast pact for happiness.”
With a dubious look, Serendipity folded her arms. “Happiness?”
“Happiness.” Blessing picked up a teaspoon and held it out. “Care to join us?”
Serendipity took it from her, stared at it for a moment, then placed it on the plate. “There. Happy?”
“Very much so,” Merry said. “Very much so, indeed.”
The End