Epilogue

EPILOGUE

“ I never thought this day would come,” Simon muttered to Harriet.

The Duke of Atherton, stood with his wife, Harriet, in the front row of guests, watching as Tobias, his younger brother, waited nervously at the altar.

Dressed in a finely tailored suit, Tobias looked every bit the groom —handsome, poised, but with an unmistakable flicker of anxiety in his eyes. Simon noticed the way Tobias kept glancing towards the entrance of the garden, waiting for the first glimpse of his bride.

Could anyone believe that this man was a notorious rake? One that swore to never see the inside of a church? He was a reformed man now.

But then again, love had the power to change people. The same had happened to Simon – he was all for the better now that he had fallen in love with Harriet.

Harriet, standing beside Simon, reached out to squeeze his hand for comfort.

She knew that it had been a long journey for Tobias to reach this point — and for Simon to witness it.

“He’s nervous,” Harriet whispered to her husband, her eyes soft with understanding.

Simon nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. “He has every right to be. He’s never done anything like this before.”

“Neither had you,” Harriet teased, “But look at us now.”

Simon turned to her, his gaze locking onto hers, and for a moment, the rest of the world faded away.

His mind flitted to their own wedding day. Things had been so different between them then. His conceptions of what marriage was, what he was capable of – all of that was so different than what it was now. Now, in her eyes, he saw the love and support that had carried him through his own uncertainties.

Their marriage had come a long way.

Slowly, very slowly, they had fixed their issues. Their love had grown, and still continued to grow each day.

Their marriage was no longer for show only. It was based on genuine love.

“Tell me,” Harriet nudged him softly. “What did you feel when it was you who stood at the aisle?”

Simon smiled at her, “Shall I give you an honest answer?”

“Well… it would not hurt to know,” she shrugged. They were not in love back then. If anything, Simon had been under the assumption that their marriage had been an elaborate scheme.

“I had… my own feelings about the matter,” he laughed. “But there is one thing I can say with certainty.”

“And that is?” she probed. His eyes flitted to her lip, the top one jutting out slightly as she looked onto him with curiosity.

He really appreciated that about Harriet. She always wanted to know the truth. In this scenario, she must know that there is a possibility that Simon might say something that no longer reflects this current feelings for her.

Most women would not wish to know, if that was a possibility.

But Harriet was different. She wished to know the truth, always.

“I remember that you looked beautiful when you walked down the aisle,” he smiled.

Harriet shook her head, “Always looking to flatter, are you not?”

“It is hard not to when you are married to someone who looks as you do.”

Being this way came easy to him now. This wonderful blend of playfulness and a deep connection that he had established with Harriet.

For this, Simon felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the woman who had helped him find his way — this feeling was nothing new for him, of course.

He often found himself in awe of the woman he had married.

The atmosphere in the room shifted again, and all eyes turned to the back of the church, signaling the arrival of the bride.

Emma Spencer appeared, her arm linked with that of her father, her face glowing with happiness.

“He is a lucky man,” Simon muttered under his breath. “That he has managed to find a wife at all.”

Harriet shot him a look, “Play nice.”

“I am,” Simon chuckled under his breath. For all his criticism of his brother, he had to acknowledge that he had come a long way.

He was now a responsible father — one that had stepped up to take care of Catherine, and one that had promised to give Emma the life that she deserved by leaving his rakish ways behind.

As Emma reached the altar, Tobias stepped forward to take her hand.

“Oh, we are starting,” Harriet said, her voice choked with emotion.

“Are you crying, love?” he teased.

She shot him a glare, but sniffled into her napkin. He could only stare back at her with amusement.

Simon found it quite endearing how easy it was for his wife to cry for other people. She possessed unending empathy when it came to others, like she could feel the pain of people whom she did not even know well.

For Simon, it was a new thing. As a duke, he had been taught to not be so soft, and it was not something he had seen around him much either. It showed Simon the softness of her heart, which was something of hers that he was quite fond of himself.

A soft, tender and loving heart that had somehow decided to love him back.

How lucky was I?

The ceremony began.

"We gather here today to witness the union of two souls,” the minister’s voice was calm and steady.

The minister continued on with the ceremony.

“I now pronounce you, Man and Wife.”

As the minister finally said the final words, the guests erupted into applause and the newly married couple finally kissed.

Simon and Harriet watched from the sidelines, their hands entwined. As the kiss lingered, Simon leaned down to whisper in Harriet's ear. “Well, he finally did it. And we did not have a runaway bride situation either.”

Harriet smiled, her eyes misty with emotion. “He did. And so did we.”

After the ceremony, as the guests mingled and enjoyed the reception, Simon and Harriet quietly slipped away from the festivities.

There was something that they wanted to do that was a lot more important.

“She’s supposed to be here somewhere,” Harriet said, in search of Catherine. She was meant to be with her nursemaid, who had brought her to the venue.

Finally, after some searching, they found the room.

Catherine was nestled in her makeshift cradle, peacefully asleep, her tiny chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. Harriet felt her heart swell with love as she looked down at her, the child who had brought so much joy and meaning into her life.

The child who had changed everything for her.

And one whom they must depart with now.

“Can we have a moment with her?” Harriet requested to the nursemaid, who nodded and left the room promptly.

“We are going to visit her all the time,” she whispered to Simon.

Saying goodbye to Catherine was a difficult thing for both of them. But they had made their peace with it, knowing that she was never theirs to begin with.

Catherine had her parents, who had now united. She deserved to grow up with them, and witness their love.

“I will miss you so much,” Harriet leaned over to kiss little Catherine slightly on her cheek.

“As will I,” Simon added behind her.

Catherine cooed happily at them, affirming her affection in her own special way.

Harriet’s smile widened. “Look at her. Precious.”

Simon smiled, wrapping an arm around his wife.

“She is going to grow up to be a lovely woman,” Simon said.

“Oh, I am sure of that. Tobias and Emma will be lovely parents to her.”

Harriet stood there in silence for a moment, just admiring little Catherine.

“We love you, little Catherine,” she announced.

Afterwards when they exited the room, Harriet felt a rush of emotion.

“Oh, Simon. Look at how far all of us have come. I’m so happy we’re here together. I couldn't have imagined a better day.”

Simon turned to her, clearing his throat gently. “Harriet,” he said quietly, “There was something I wanted to speak to you about.”

Harriet tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. “What is it?”

Simon took her hand, his gaze locking onto hers. “I want us to have a proper honeymoon,” he said, his voice filled with a mixture of excitement and a touch of nervousness. “Just the two of us. I’ve already made the necessary preparations.”

Harriet’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A honeymoon?” she repeated.

“It will be a chance for us to relax and enjoy each other’s company, without any distractions.”

And then, he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “And it will give us the time we need to… start our own… family.”

Harriet blushed.

It was something that she wished to do with him. But there was some unfinished business left for her to handle.

“That sounds wonderful,” she whispered, and then leaned up to kiss him softly. “But before we go, I'd like to see my family. It’s important to me that we have time with them, especially now that we’re starting our own.”

Simon nodded, “Of course,” he said, his voice filled with understanding. “Whatever you want, Harriet. You know I can never say no to you.”

Harriet smiled, “Thank you, Simon. For everything.”

A few days later, the Atherton estate was once again filled with the lively presence of Harriet’s entire family.

Harriet stood in the drawing room, her eyes taking in the scene before her. Her sisters, Esther and Frances, were engaged in a lively conversation with their husbands, while their children played nearby. The sight filled Harriet with a deep sense of contentment — this was the family she had always dreamed of, a family united by love and mutual respect.

But as much as she cherished this moment, there was one conversation that still weighed heavily on her mind. Her parents, Albina and William, had arrived earlier in the day, and Harriet could sense the tension in the air.

Their last encounter had been less than ideal, after all.

Harriet knew that the time had come to address the issues that had lingered between them for so long. It was a conversation she had avoided, but now, with her sisters by her side and the future of her own family at stake, she knew it was a conversation that could no longer be delayed.

In a quiet moment, Harriet approached her mother.

“Mother,” Harriet began, her voice calm but firm. “Would you have a moment to spare?”

Albina looked up, “I assume that you want to discuss what… happened last time?”

Harriet nodded. At least her mother was not making it harder for her than it ought to be.

“I really think we need to discuss what happened so nothing of the sort can ever happen again.”

Albina sighed loudly.

“Harriet... I know I've made mistakes,” Albina began, her voice trembling slightly. “I’ve been too controlling, too demanding. I thought I was doing what was best for you, but I see now that I was wrong. I was so afraid of losing you, of not being part of your lives, that I pushed you all away.”

Harriet froze. She was not expecting her mother to simply accept her mistakes so easily.

She had expected Albina Cooper to put up a fight. Frances and Esther had also overheard the conversation, and eagerly joined in — looking just as astonished as the youngest sibling.

Albina nodded at them, acknowledging their presence. “I suppose I must extend an apology to the both of you, as well. I have caused some trouble that I am not proud of, in retrospect.”

Now Harriet was really sure that she was imagining things. Or that her mother had gone through a tremendous amount of self-growth.

“Mother, do you mean this?” she asked. “In earnest?”

She searched for signs of insincerity in her mother’s eyes, but was pleasantly surprised to find none.

Had Albina Cooper finally learned her lesson for good?

“When have I ever said a thing I do not mean?” she said, a touch of her old self-peeking through. “My daughters are now married. It is safe to say that their absence has given me some time to think.”

And grow, it seemed.

Frances could not resist staying out of the conversation.

“Mother, I see that you have done some thinking…” she quipped. “I believe this is quite mature of you.”

“I have only ever tried to do what was best for you,” she replied.

“I agree,” Frances nodded. “But you have to let us live our lives, make our own decisions.”

Esther added, “we love you, Mother, but we need you to respect our choices, even if they’re not what you would choose.”

Albina’s eyes filled with tears, and she looked down at her hands. “I never meant to push you away,” she whispered. “I was just so afraid of losing you, of not being needed anymore.”

Not being needed anymore.

For the first time, Harriet saw that her mother had her own fears.

She reached out, taking her mother’s hand in hers. “We understand that, but things have to change. We need space to live our lives, to raise our families. We want you in our lives, but it has to be on terms that respect our boundaries.”

William, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward.

“Your mother and I... we’ve been so proud of all of you, but we’ve also been so afraid. I've been unwell, and I didn’t want to burden you with it, but I see now that keeping secrets has only hurt us all more.”

Harriet felt a tug at her heartstrings. All three sisters crowded around their father.

“Unwell? Father, what has happened?”

“Oh, it is only the passage of time and my own age that has finally caught up with me,” William smiled in a bittersweet manner.

Harriet’s heart ached at the sight of her father’s frailty, and she felt a deep sympathy for her parents’ struggle. “We want you in our lives,” she said softly. “But we need honesty, respect, and understanding. We need to be able to trust you, and that will take time.”

Albina nodded, “I’m so sorry, Harriet,” she whispered. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

Harriet squeezed her mother’s hand. “You can be close to us, Mother, but you need to let go of the need to control.”

William reached out and took Harriet’s other hand. “We will, Harriet,” he promised. “We’ll do whatever it takes to be close to you all again. We want to be part of your lives, part of our grandchildren’s lives.”

Harriet looked at her sisters, who appeared to be in agreement.

Albina and William both nodded.

It felt like a landmark victory. Never had they had such a candid conversation like this before.

Harriet felt a sense of closure, of healing. It wasn’t a perfect resolution, but it was a start. They were a family, and they would work through their issues together.

Later that afternoon, the entire family gathered outside in the garden for a grand celebration. The air was filled with the sound of children’s laughter as they ran and played, their joy infectious as they chased each other across the lawn.

It was a rare and precious moment — one where the worries and challenges of the past seemed to fade away, replaced by the simple pleasure of being together.

Harriet sat beside Simon. She watched as her father, William, played with his grandchildren, his face lighting up with joy despite his recent illness. The sight of him, so engaged and happy, brought tears to Harriet’s eyes.

Simon noticed the tears and gently reached over to take her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You’ve done something wonderful here, Harriet,” he said softly, his voice filled with warmth. “Your family is stronger than ever because of you.”

Harriet smiled through her tears, her heart swelling with happiness. “It’s all I ever wanted,” she whispered. “To have a family that’s together, that supports each other.”

Simon leaned in to kiss her cheek, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. “And we will, Harriet. We’ll make sure of it.”

As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting a golden glow over the garden, Tobias and Emma, the newlyweds, shared a dance in the center of the lawn. Their faces were glowing with happiness, their love for each other evident in every glance, and every touch.

The sight filled Harriet with a deep sense of contentment — her family, once fractured, was now whole.

Nearby, Harriet’s mother, Albina, sat with her sisters, Esther and Frances. The tension that had once defined their relationship was gone, replaced by a newfound understanding.

Harriet watched her family — her sisters, her parents, her husband.

She knew that they had all been through so much, had faced challenges and heartache, but they had come out stronger, more united than ever.

She leaned over to kiss Simon’s cheek, feeling his arm tighten around her. “I love you,” she whispered.

Simon smiled, leaning in to kiss her softly. “I love you too, Harriet.”

Harriet knew that they had finally found their happily ever after —together, as a family, ready to face whatever the future held, united in love and in hope.

The End?