Extended Epilogue

Two years later…

“Who is the most beautiful girl in all of the world? Daddy’s little girl, that is who.” Henry touched the tip of his daughter’s nose, cradling her tightly against his chest as he looked down at her with pride.

The pregnancy had come as quite a welcome surprise to Henry and Isabelle shortly after their wedding. They had been preparing themselves for a contented life by themselves when Henrieta had come along.

“I found that book that I wanted to read to Henrieta,” Isabelle announced as she joined her husband beneath the giant oak in their garden.

The couple had taken to reading to their daughter on lazy afternoons in the summer. It hadn’t taken long for the little girl to take a liking to the dramatic renditions of the stories her parents read her.

Henrieta’s bright brown eyes, flecked with gold, lit up considerably when she spotted her mother carrying a new book. Her chubby little hands reached out almost immediately and began to make grabbing motions towards Isabelle. At only a year and eighteen months old, she remarkably resembled her mother while boasting her father’s eyes.

Isabelle laughed contentedly before reaching for her daughter and settling on the grass with her legs crossed. “This one has plenty of pictures for you to look at, darling.” She smoothed back her daughter’s bright brown hair streaked with blonde.

Gurgling happily, Henrieta proceeded to page through the book while her parents exchanged a loving glance.

“You know I heard from Richard and Caroline this morning. The letter came after breakfast while you were out. They are thoroughly enjoying their honeymoon in France.” Isabelle smiled at him, making him fall deeper in love with her personality with every passing day.

“I am glad they could finally find their way to one another. It’s never easy, but I think they can make it work.” Henry smiled at her, cursing himself for not asking her to marry him the moment he had seen her on the street. He had cherished their love story and how they had eventually got together, yet he couldn’t help feeling as if too much time had been wasted.

“Speaking of news, I heard that James Church was spotted in Spain. He was thrown out of an inn for drunk and disorderly behaviour,” Isabelle added with a sigh. “It’s such a pity he could never pull himself together in the military.”

Henry nodded in agreement. “Two years is more than enough time for him to have advanced in the ranks, even with his lack of standing among the ton. If he cannot get it together after all of this time, I’m afraid that the life of a beggar will be in store.”

“Well, I can’t say that I am glad that he’s suffering, but he did cause us all a great deal of pain, not to mention his poor brother who almost died.”

Henry pursed his lips in agreement and nodded. He never did ask Richard how exactly he knew about James Church’s plans, yet so much time had passed that it didn’t feel right to bring up the past. Things were better left unsaid for everyone to carry on with their lives.

Lord and Lady Fitzgibbon had also given the couple a wide birth every time they had seen each other on the street. It was sad to Henry that they couldn’t allow bygones to be bygones, but in the end, he was happy if everyone were healthy and living their own lives. It would have been great for them both to have their parental figures remain in their lives, but all that mattered in the end was the little family they had created on their own.

“Oh, dear, I think someone is getting a little sleepy.” Isabelle brushed back a few strands of her daughter’s hair as the little one stifled a yawn.

“I think it was the anticipation of waiting for her mommy to come back with the new book. She got all tuckered out while talking to her daddy.” Henry leaned over and pinched his daughter’s chubby cheek, eliciting a smile from Henrieta.

“Well, I would have found the book sooner if Daddy hadn’t rearranged our library according to the author’s names.” Isabelle shot him an accusatory look before cradling her daughter’s head on her shoulder.

“That’s because it’s madness to arrange books according to size and colour! Who on earth thinks that is an acceptable way of arranging their books!” Henry felt flustered as he shook his head in disbelief. The argument about their personal library had been one that started at the beginning of their marriage.

“The woman that you married, that is who.” Isabelle narrowed her eyes, challenging him with a single look.

Relenting to the fact that he would never again have his way, Henry conceded. “Oh, very well, we can arrange the books in order of size and colour, but God save us all if anyone thinks I belong in an asylum for doing it!” Leaning over, he kissed Isabelle’s cheek before laughing to himself.

All seemed bright and merry on the little estate just a stone’s throw away from London and their cherished Evergreen circulating library.

***

Three years after the wedding …

“I can’t believe that you would say such a thing. And to think that I married a man with such appalling views.” Isabelle practically flung the copy of Frankenstein above Henry’s head, making him dodge the blow with a laugh.

“Careful how you handle that book, Mrs Montague. I don’t think that Mr Charleston will thank you for returning a damaged copy.” Henry laughed at her as they sat side by side in the small alcove of the Evergreen.

The shop had become a bustling hive of activity over the years, drawing more and more customers as the story of Henry and Isabelle’s love had spread. The fiery spinster had been swept off her feet by the handsome and chivalrous widower. Neither of them could believe how the story had evolved into a famous tale by the time they married.

“I think Mr Charleston would thank me for knocking some sense into you. How could you not enjoy such a fresh and inspiring novel? The monster and even Doctor Frankenstein’s thirst for success speaks volumes on the nature of men and how badly they feel the need to succeed no matter the cost to others,” Isabelle continued, unperturbed by her husband’s remarks.

“I think it is salacious, sensational, and rather gory. Quite frankly, I am surprised that you would enjoy such vivid imagery. Is there something in your character I haven’t seen after all these years?” He narrowed his eyes at her playfully.

“Quite frankly, Doctor Frankenstein?” She returned his flirtatious remark with a sweet smirk that never failed to set his heart racing.

“Am I to take it that I am the doctor in this story? I would have thought that you would liken me to the monster since you were the one who brought me back to life.” His eyes sparkled mischievously as he looked at her.

Feeling as if she were falling in love with him all over again, Isabelle batted her eyelids. “Don’t be so dramatic, my dearest; it was you who brought me back to life. And as for the rest of the comparisons in the book, I think both of us were abandoned by family members who should have stayed by our sides in support.”

Henry smiled at her, cocking his head to the side. “Have you heard from your aunt at all?”

“No.” Isabelle shook her head sadly. “Not since before our wedding. I don’t think it sits well with her that we had a child. She was more than certain that you were to blame, but I think it had to do with her own experiences. She was locked in a loveless marriage where she couldn’t provide her husband with an heir. I do not blame her for wanting to save me from the same fate. It is only sad that she couldn’t see past how wrong she had been about you.”

Henry placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her a little closer to the small couch. “You know, I think it’s the same for Lord and Lady Fitzgibbon; they were so consumed by proving their daughter wasn’t barren that they lost sight of what truly matters in life. Living for the dead is a lonely and cruel fate that wasn’t meant for those who survived.”

“Truer words have never been said.” Isabelle nestled her head on his shoulder when she was certain that nobody was watching them.

“I am glad that we can agree on that, my love.” He kissed the side of her head and sighed contentedly. “Shall we go home now and place that awful book in our collection? I know you aren’t going to return it any time soon.” He smiled at her, already knowing the answer.

“Not until you admit, Lord Ashford, that I am right in saying this book is a creative genius!” Isabelle jumped to her feet and pulled Henry up behind her.

Laughing heartily, Henry followed her from the shop and into the waiting carriage. “Am I to hear this argument all the way home?”

“Not if you agree that I am right. The matter can be easily settled if you would only concede that I am right,” Isabelle said firmly, cocking her head to the side in a challenge after being helped into the carriage.

Taking the seat opposite hers, Henry shook his head. “And what if I can make a fairly good point that will allow me to win this argument; will you then concede that I am right and allow the matters to rest forever?”

Isabelle folded her arms over her chest and glared at him despite the smile curving her lips. “And what argument could you possibly make?” Her body jolted slightly as the carriage moved off.

“Just this one.” Henry looked out the window to ensure that nobody was watching before pulling her onto his lap and kissing her deeply.

The rest of the world faded into the background as Isabelle came up for breath. Every fibre of her being knew that she would let him win if he kissed her like that again.

“So, do I win?” he asked her with a cheeky grin.

“Yes,” she answered breathlessly. “You win this fight and any argument that will ever arise. I will promise to let you win every one as long as you promise to keep loving me as you have.”

Pulling her back into his arms, Henry kissed her deeper this time, savouring the moment for as long as he could.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before Isabelle pulled away and sat back in her seat. “Now that the argument has been settled, Lord Ashford, there is something I have been meaning to tell you.”

Henry met her gaze with eager expectation as the carriage rattled over the bumpy country lane, leaving the city far behind them. “And what is that, Lady Ashford?”

Smiling cheekily with a glint in her eyes, Isabelle reached under her seat and retrieved a copy of a book that he would have recognized in any store.

“You stole my copy of Sense and Sensibility?” Henry raised an eyebrow as he studied her face.

“Correction, My Lord. I think you meant to say ‘our’ copy of Sense and Sensibility. It was after you ruined the ending for me, but it was mine to begin with,” Isabelle shot back.

“Very well, our copy,” he corrected himself, rolling his eyes.

“And to prove how much attention you pay to the details, I would like to direct your attention to the title. It is a copy of Great Expectations with a cover similar to Sense and Sensibility.”

“By Mr Charles Dickens?” Henry took the book from her hands and opened the cover, examining the front page where a carefully crafted message had been written in the margins.

My dearest Henry, I hope this book will mean the world to you while we look to the future and all of its great expectations.

Yours forever, your faithful and dutiful wife,

Lady Isabelle Montague.

Ps. Pip revisits Stasis’ house and reconnects with the widow Estella. Now that I have ruined the ending of this new book for you, we are finally even.

Looking up after blinking a few times, Henry couldn’t help throwing his head back and laughing from the pit of his stomach. It had taken three years, but Isabelle had finally acted upon her desire for revenge.

“You know, my love, I could not have thought of a better ending to our story. I do not even feel the need to get my revenge on you. You have won the battle along with my heart. May we never ruin another book for each other ever again.” Henry shut the book with one hand, causing a loud snap to fill the carriage above the rattling sound of the wheels.

“I think that sounds like a fair deal to me.” Isabelle smiled at him, changing seats as she snuggled up to his side with her head on his shoulder.

“Are you content, my love?” He smoothed back her hair and kissed the top of her head. “Have I been as good a husband to you as I hoped I have over the years?”

She sighed softly before answering him. “You have, but I must tell you that I cannot agree to be content, at least not until the end of next summer.”

Leaning slightly back in an attempt to see her face, Henry frowned. “Whatever do you mean by that, what will be happening at the end of next summer? That is practically seven months away.”

Realization dawned on him almost as soon as he said the words.

Drawing her lips into a smile, Isabelle sighed contentedly. “You are not mistaken, My Lord, the end of summer is exactly in seven months.”

Happiness filled his chest, filling his eyes with grateful tears as he pulled Isabelle to his side. “I hope it is a boy this time, but I will be happy with another daughter as long as they are healthy and love to read.”

“And what if they do not love to read?” Isabelle asked with a note of concern in her voice.

“Well then, we had better start looking for a good orphanage or some distant relative willing to take them in,” he said seriously, paying close attention to her reaction.

Slapping his arm, Isabelle came up straight with a shocked look on her face. “Henry Montague, you take that back this instant!”

Laughing heartily, he pulled her back to his side. “Of course, I will love them no matter what. How could I not love anyone born out of our union?”

THE END