Epilogue

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

“ I told you! I said the answer was gold!” Ciara screamed, pointing an accusatory finger at her husband.

Jonathan looked apologetic on his wife’s behalf.

“Darling, you were not supposed to say the answer until it was our turn! You are giving them the points!” he said to her with a small smile.

“Oh, no, do not tell her! We owe a part of our victory to dearest Ciara. She might not have won the war, but it will go on record that she aided our landslide victory,” Marcus grinned.

“Landslide is quite a stretch, Marcus,” Hector tutted with a roll of his eyes. “You won with three points between yourself and the next duo. Stop fibbing, you are too old for that.”

“You are not my father, Hector. Let me embellish my life with as many falsehoods as I wish!” Marcus demanded in a dramatic way.

“Charades isn’t usually played in this rowdy manner, is it?” Juliet laughed.

“Speak for yourself, dear. All I have ever known about games is their violence,” Penelope sighed sweetly.

James looked as though he wanted to weep.

“I really thought that we could escape such…enthusiasm for at least one day,” he sighed tiredly.

“A misstep on your part, clearly, expecting anything involving the Earl of Elwike to be calm. Look alive, my sweet; they are about to start another round,” Penelope urged, winking at him.

Hector might not have been fond of such crowds and chatter, but there was something to be said about how happy he was to be there simply because Juliet was by his side.

His beautiful wife glowed with happiness, eagerly speaking whenever she was addressed, and Hector was grateful that they both had such lovely friends with whom to share this moment.

After hearing how badly she was treated at the events she attended, he was outraged. So much so that he promised that she would never have to spend another moment in the company of such shallow, cruel people.

He let her try her hand at hosting instead, and as it turned out, she had an unmistakable flair for it if this garden party was anything to go by.

“I could go for a round of croquet. Who will join me?” Marcus suggested because the day had not offered enough chaos for him.

It was not surprising that everyone’s hands came up, and there were maniacal grins on their faces. Hector liked to think that it was all in playful fun, despite someone suggesting splitting into two teams for the first round.

“Husbands versus wives? Think of the carnage,” Marcus grinned.

“Emma! Marcus is trying to start a civil war again!” Ciara quickly reported.

“Who do you think taught me how to do it?” Marcus smiled sweetly at his wife from where she stood and spoke to their children.

“You are a concerning duo,” James noted.

“I beg your pardon? Hector is much more worrisome, yet I do not see any of you questioning his methods,” Marcus pointed out.

“Likely because when he wants to commit a crime, he doesn’t mask it as something else,” Penelope countered. “Additionally, we adore his lovely wife.”

“Are you trying to say that my wife is not lovely?” Marcus asked in outrage.

“No darling, they’re trying to say that I am the only part of you they like,” Emma corrected upon her return. She was being followed by a new couple who had just arrived at the party.

“Anne!” Juliet exclaimed happily, embracing her friend.

Hector watched his wife fawn over her friend, still proud of the decision he had made one year ago.

When he told Juliet that the source of their problems had been Somerton, she immediately worried for Anne, nearly begging him to pardon the man who had greatly wronged them if it meant her friend would be spared.

Hector gently told her that he had ensured the young woman would obtain her freedom from her scheming brother, or Somerton would face the potential consequences of his actions.

“ You are truly remarkable, dearest husband, ” she had told him happily after that.

“ Only the best for you, ” he’d replied gently.

They had attended Anne’s wedding to Lord Emerson, and Hector had held Juliet as she wept tears of joy.

Thankfully, Somerton had been wise enough to take Hector’s threats seriously. After it was exposed that he had been the mastermind behind all of the nonsense spewed against Juliet, he had left London to live out the remainder of his days in social exile.

It had made Hector angry all over again when he had to tell Juliet why she had been targeted and ridiculed. It also took time for Hector to repair his relationships with the men involved in his business ventures and recoup his financial losses.

“Congratulations on the recent developments at St. Catherine’s, Your Grace!” Anne grinned, still wrapped in Juliet’s arms.

“Ah, we were going to surprise you!” Emma pouted.

Juliet whirled around, confused.

“Surprise me? With what??”

Hector beckoned forth a servant who came with a large bouquet of flowers which he carefully collected and handed over to his wife.

“We wanted to give you something to celebrate all your hard work for those girls. We know you would prefer donations to your cause…

“Not that you must offer that,” Juliet interrupted Marcus with a blush as she took the flowers.

“Oh, dear, we will still make donations. We just wanted to give you a token of our appreciation because no one else could have done what you did. It was truly inspiring, and I am immensely proud to have someone like you in my family, so my children can look up to greatness. After they have, of course, feasted their eyes on us, their parents. You can be an outside source of inspiration. But do not rope Hector into our ploy,” Marcus concluded.

Juliet was moved to tears as she stared at the flowers, and Hector felt incredibly proud of her once again.

After their return to London, Hector’s businesses regained their stability, and Juliet became the patron of St. Catherine’s. She had spent the last year working on the nunnery, renovating and rebuilding it to make it into what it was meant to be: a safe haven for young girls and women with nowhere else to go.

She was always so modest when she spoke of her achievements, so Hector played the part of the proud, boastful husband, pleased beyond measure when their friends joined in to celebrate her.

“I do not need to be included. Your children already think so highly of me,” Hector pointed out cheekily.

“Ahem,” Juliet coughed lightly, interrupting the potential argument. “Thank you. I don’t even…I barely have the words to express just how grateful I am for all of your support.” She held her husband’s stare for a moment then smiled. “Thank you, everyone. This means more to me than you know.”

Everyone, mainly the women, made adoring noises and embraced Juliet, who laughed prettily as tears sparkled on her eyelashes.

“Pardon me,” a voice spoke up after the display of affection had ended.

They all turned to see Lord Campton standing a few feet away, looking quite nervous.

Hector immediately glanced at Juliet but calmed when she lightly shook her head at him. He relaxed as she approached her father, her face a blank mask.

“Father, good afternoon.”

Lord Campton nodded jerkily.

“Juliet. Good afternoon. Thank you for inviting us.”

“I did not do it for you or your wife. I simply wanted to see my half-siblings without facing their mother or you directly.”

Lord Campton deflated slightly. “I understand completely, and I do not blame you. I wanted to apologize to you once again. The more I think about it, the more apparent my mistakes have become. You deserved more love and care than I was able to give at that time, but I still should have tried harder, instead of giving up and sending you away. I regret it and will spend the rest of my life trying to atone for what I did.”

Juliet was silent for a while, and then she said, “Thank you. I am glad you finally understand why I have been angry with you all this time. I appreciate your apology, even though it does not repair the damage that was done to me, but perhaps one day, we could try to become a family again.”

Algernon nodded with a watery smile.

“That is all I would ever ask for, Juliet. Thank you.”

As he walked away, Juliet hoped for the strength to forgive him before turning back to her husband and friends.

Hector stood a little apart from the group, speaking with Marcus and Emma’s children.

He looked at her once he felt her stare and smiled before leaning over the children again. Hector nodded eagerly at whatever they were saying before he bent down on one knee to speak with them.

It was when Juliet drew closer that she heard what he was saying,

“…are rebuilding my princess’s castle. She is working hard, and I am enormously proud of her.”

“Do you love your wife because she is a princess? Father says that even though we should love people for who they are, what they are is also a nice motivation,” Peter said.

“I worry about your father’s teaching methods sometimes,” Hector sighed. “But I love my wife for who she is. If I have to consider what she is as a factor in our relationship, I would be inclined to say that I love her even more because she is my wife.”

“Not because she has a castle? Do you not like castles?” Sarah enquired as though Hector had made a sacrilegious statement.

“I like castles, Sarah. But I like my wife more.”

The exchange warmed Juliet’s heart, and she couldn’t help but smile as the children clung to Hector, and he let them drag him around with a smile of his own present on his face.

“You should tell him.”

Juliet whirled around to see Anne linking arms with her.

“Now?” Juliet asked, uncertain.

“Yes!” Anne nodded. “It is a good day, and you both look incredibly happy. This is the perfect time to share your wonderful news.”

Juliet looked back at her husband, smiling when she saw him looking back at her.

“Perhaps I will,” she muttered, drifting away from her friend.

Hector must have sensed that she was approaching him with a purpose in mind because he managed to free himself from the children’s grasp to meet her halfway.

“Are you all right?” he asked softly, taking her hands in his.

Warmth spread over her from beneath his touch, and Juliet nodded, pleased to find out she was still as affected by him as she had been when they first married.

“I am fine, darling. But I believe that I need some time away from the party and the people.”

“Ah, of course. Let us go,” he agreed immediately.

Juliet withheld a smile as he led her away from the garden and the people gathered there and strolled into the house.

He took them to his study and settled onto the chaise there, pulling her onto his lap quickly as though it had become second nature to do so.

“You are truly a vision. Do you know that?” he grinned at her.

“Yes, husband. Only because you tell me every day,” she replied easily.

“And I mean it.”

Juliet felt her heart melt, and she leaned in to kiss him, short and sweet.

“I know. I love you…There is something I wish to tell you, Hector.”

He nodded slowly, obviously curious but not wanting her to feel as though he was acting too seriously, even if he was.

“I…” Juliet inhaled deeply. “I am with child, Hector.”

They had talked about it before, how he had been scared to father children of his own because he was worried he would be as poor a parent as his own father had been.

Juliet had told him not to think that way because he was already a much better person than his father. Nothing would go wrong if they were together.

“Are you truly?” Hector asked, eyes wide with hope.

Juliet nodded, becoming teary-eyed.

“Yes. I really am.”

Hector cupped her face tenderly and guided her closer for a kiss. She sighed into it, immediately craving more, and curled a hand at the back of his neck.

His kisses turned insistent as his hands roamed her body, tracing the curves and dips he now knew by heart.

Juliet tugged at his necktie as his hand slipped under her skirt, her nimble fingers undoing the buttons of his shirt, so she could run her hands over his chest.

“Hector,” she gasped breathlessly as he slipped his fingers into her, stroking her wet heat.

She shook her head, and he stopped immediately.

“What is wrong?” he asked in concern.

With burning cheeks, Juliet stated quietly, “I want you. I want to feel you now, Hector. Please.”

Hector was silent for a moment then unbuckled the clasp of his breeches.

“Like this?” he mumbled, equally breathless.

He made a point of bracing both hands over her hips and pulling her close, so she would understand what he meant, and he was pleased when she immediately nodded.

The moment he thrust past her entrance, Juliet moaned, her hands finding purchase on his shoulders as he bucked upward, his length stroking her walls perfectly and filling her up.

“I can’t believe I am starting a family with you,” he grunted, driving home each word.

Juliet nodded frantically as he continued to press in and out of her with every roll of his hips, his grip on her waist helping her meet him thrust for thrust.

Juliet claimed his lips in another seductive kiss, murmuring against his lips about how happy she was, how excited she felt as he drove her closer and closer to the edge of pleasure.

“I am thankful that I am the only man who gets to make love with you,” Hector muttered softly against her neck.

Juliet felt herself clench down on his length, shaking as her release enveloped her. Hector’s quaking release soon followed, and she kissed him through it while he held her in his arms during the aftershocks.

“I love you. So much, Juliet.”

Juliet smiled, drawing the tip of her nose along his jaw.

“I love you too, Hector.”

The End?