Epilogue

WHAT YOU DESERVE

(ONE MONTH LATER)

" Y ou certainly took your time getting here. If I did not know any better, I would accuse you of most inappropriate behaviour on your way here." Frederick gave Dominic and Charlotte an overly exaggerated suspicious look as they walked into Caverton castle.

"Then it is a good thing you know better." Dominic retorted as he helped Charlotte shrug out of her coat, grinning at his cousin. "Besides, my Precious Plum is a gentlewoman."

He saw Charlotte roll her eyes good naturedly. "And Sweetkins is every bit the gentleman."

"Ugh, stop it." Fredrick pulled a disgusted face and then broke into a broad smile. "Anyway, it is good to see you both."

"And you." Dominic embraced his cousin and clapped him on the back. In the month since his engagement, they had not had time to meet. It turns out wedding planning is a rather involved process.

"Where is everyone?" Charlotte asked, peering around the empty entrance hall.

"In the hall. It's the only room big enough to comfortably accommodate us all." Frederick began to walk in that direction with Dominic and Charlotte following suit.

As they walked, Charlotte slipped her hand into Dominic's. The warmth of it spread through him like a sip of the most exquisite whiskey. He smiled at her, marvelling at how good it still felt to be near her. Her answering smile melted his heart.

"Do you have any idea what this is about?" Dominic asked, trying to focus on the present and not get swept up in his feelings for his actual fiancée.

"Of course, I do not. It may be my estate, but Grandmother never tells me anything." Frederick sighed. "Come to think of it, I do not think Grandmother ever tells anyone of her plans."

"That is because it would spoil the drama," Cecily added, making them all jump as no one had realised she was behind them.

"You are nearly as good as Grandmother at sneaking up on people," Dominic said disgruntledly.

"Thank you." Cecily curtsied.

He frowned at her. "I did not say it was a compliment."

"Well, I am choosing to take it as one," Cecily replied airily before turning to Charlotte and embracing her. "It is wonderful to see you Charlotte, even if it means I must endure my cousin for a little while."

"You know you adore me, Cousin." Dominic hugged Cecily fondly, and spotted Thomas over her shoulder.

Thomas walked over to them, running a hand through his hair. "I see Grandmother has roped you into these shenanigans as well."

"Of course. You know that when she calls, we must all come running," Dominic sighed.

"Indeed," Cecily agreed.

"You should be careful, Cousin; she might use the occasion to trap you in a match." Dominic directed his words at Thomas, thinking of just how right his cousin had been about his grandmother's motivations during the games.

Though perhaps a match would do him good.

"I would like to see her try," Thomas scoffed.

Before Dominic could say anything further, a voice from beside them hissed, "Shhh. She's starting."

"My darling relatives and friends. I thank you all for joining me today at such short notice," the Dowager Duchess said in a loud and clear voice as she stood on a raised dais at the front of the hall. "I am sure you are all wondering why I have summoned you here."

"We are," Thomas murmured though not quite loud enough for anyone else to hear.

"Well, the reason is rather simple. At my first Dowager Dabbles, you were all given points, and it has taken me some time to decide on the prizes." Dominic's grandmother smiled at all of them, and even from this distance, he could see the mischief in her eyes.

"Did she say ‘first'?" murmured someone closer to the front.

"What does she mean?" another voice murmured.

His grandmother held up a hand for silence, and it was a mark of the control she had that everyone immediately stopped talking.

"For you see I wanted to ensure I could sustain these prizes at the next games and the ones after that." She waved her hands as if indicating multiple things. "After all, my plan is that they will be a yearly affair."

"So you are not dying?" a voice called near the front.

"No, I am not. Though if you continue interrupting me, I may yet pass on from this world due to irritation or old age or both." The Dowager Duchess narrowed her eyes at the speaker, and Dominic suspected that whoever it was would be slinking away with their tail between their legs.

"My apologies, Grandmama," the voice replied.

"Your grandmother has lost none of her edge in this last month," Charlotte whispered, her breath tickling his face as she did.

"I doubt she will ever lose it," Dominic whispered back.

"Now, as I was saying, I have finally decided on the prizes, and I wished for you all to be here at the inaugural prize giving ceremony." His grandmother made an expansive gesture, and two servants appeared, carrying trays laden with envelopes.

More muttering broke out amongst the crowd as his grandmother procured a fencing rapier and surveyed everyone.

"What was the final count on the name by the way?" Thomas murmured, reminding Dominic of the wager they had all made.

"Seventeen," Cecily answered, surveying the rapier in her grandmother's hand warily. "What on Earth do you think she plans on doing with that?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Dominic shrugged. "With the count being seventeen, that means none of us won."

"Actually, your fiancée did. You owe her six guineas." Cecily nodded to Charlotte, who was a delicate shade of red. "I paid her when we met for tea two weeks ago."

"When did you enter the wager?" Dominic asked, his surprise making his voice louder than he had anticipated.

"If you continue talking Dominic, I shall ask you to leave." His grandmother's voice cut across the room, and he glanced up at her, finding her pointing the rapier at him ominously.

"Sorry, Grandmother. It will not happen again." His cheeks reddened.

"See that it does not." His grandmother lowered her rapier and looked at Charlotte. "Honestly, Lady Charlotte, I thought you would have better control of my errant grandson."

Dominic noticed the corners of Charlotte's mouth quirk upwards though she managed to reply somewhat solemnly, "He is rather stubborn, Your Grace, but I will do my best to see that my Sweetkins behaves himself."

"Good. Now, for the first prize, I gift the sum of ￡7,549 — the amount of points the winner received over the course of the event," his grandmother announced.

There were gasps from the crowd, and everyone looked around, wondering who the grand prize winner would be.

"Lady Andrea Cowper, kindly present yourself so that you might receive your prize." The Dowager Duchess gestured to a space on the dais beside her.

Dominic followed the ripples in the crowd as Lady Andrea made her careful way towards the stage. Her eyes were wide with shock, but she carried herself with grim determination and composure.

"Your Grace, this… this means more to me than you will ever know. Thank you." He heard Lady Andrea's words as she reached his grandmother.

"Think nothing of it, you were an exemplary competitor, and a little bird told me that of everyone here, you had done him a good turn. And so, in turn, I will do you one." His grandmother gave Lady Andrea a kind smile.

"Was that little bird you by any chance?" Charlotte murmured so quietly he almost could not hear her.

"It was," Dominic answered just as quietly.

"Now, I must ask that you kneel down so that you might receive your prize." The Dowager Duchess gestured to Lady Andrea, who did as she was told.

His grandmother brought the rapier up and gently touched each of Lady Andrea's shoulders as she proclaimed, "I, Agatha Felton, Dowager Duchess of Caverton, pronounce you, Lady Andrea Cowper, daughter of the Earl of Stratton, the winner of the grand prize of my Dabbles. Rise, and claim your prize."

Lady Andrea took a small envelope from one of the servants and made her way back into the crowd. As she did, their eyes met, and she mouthed the words, ‘Thank you.'

The money would allow her some level of independence, and Dominic hoped it would spare her from a marriage to the awful Viscount.

The applause died down as the Dowager Duchess raised her hands, signalling that she was once again ready to speak. "My next prize goes to a contestant who has been unfailingly kind, compassionate, and above all, has furthered the cause of love amongst us. To my darling Beatrice, I gift a house in London and a sum of ￡3000 so that she and her terriers might live independently."

"Oh, I shall have to tell them all that we are moving, but at least we will be close to Hyde Park."

There was a chorus of laughter at Batty's words.

"Come up to the stage, so I might pronounce you the victor."

Once more, his grandmother went through her little ceremony, clearly delighting in the pageantry of it all. Dominic could not help but marvel at her showmanship, half wondering what kind of spectacle she was likely to cause at his own wedding.

Over the next half hour, she announced more consolation prizes including gifting Charlotte and himself ￡500. Charlotte and Dominic managed to hide their surprise, after all, the Dowager Duchess had already gifted them a substantial sum as an engagement present. As the proceedings drew to a close, his grandmother held up her hand once more.

"And now, for my final prize, I should like to invite Lady Lydia Grey, daughter of the Baron of Banbury, to the stage."

Dominic frowned and glanced at Charlotte. "Was it not Lady Lydia who Grandmother dismissed for her rudeness?"

"Yes. It was." Charlotte's brow was furrowed as well.

Lady Lydia approached the dais with a sickeningly self-satisfied smile on her face. The look on his grandmother's face was almost predatory. Dominic felt as though he were watching a lamb being led to the slaughter.

Except this lamb does not seem to realise what is happening.

"Your Grace, I am so incredibly thankful for your generosity. That you have seen fit to reward me. Well, I am not surprised," Lady Lydia said, and everyone around Dominic groaned.

"How can the woman be quite so vapid?" Cecily asked.

Dominic expected his grandmother to dress the woman down, but she did not. Instead, she smiled at the woman and said, "Oh, I am so glad. After all, I have chosen a gift that is perfect for you and is exactly what you deserve."

"Lady Lydia Grey, daughter of Baron Banbury, kneel." His grandmother pointed to the floor in front of her.

"I would rather —" Lady Lydia began, but his grandmother cut her off.

"I said kneel." The Dowager Duchess's smile was all teeth.

"Yes, Your Grace." Lady Lydia dropped into a kneel.

"To you, I gift this tea set." His grandmother gestured to a servant who procured the very same tea set that the woman had derided. "I look forward to using it, each time I come to visit."

Lady Lydia looked as though she had been slapped in the face. A chorus of laughter broke out. The woman took the tea set from his grandmother's servant, clearly trying and failing to get a hold of her expression.

"Your Grace is too kind. I could not possibly accept —"

"Nonsense. Of course, you can accept it. And I look forward to using it whenever I visit you. And I have already told all of my friends about the gift, and I know that they too look forward to experiencing your most excellent hospitality."

"They do?" Lady Lydia sounded horrified.

Beside him, Thomas and Frederick had tears of laughter streaking down their faces, and both Cecily and Charlotte seemed overcome with fits of giggles. Dominic, himself, was struggling to contain his amusement.

"They do." His grandmother gave out a wicked laugh as she dismissed the other woman. "Take care, Lady Lydia. It has been so very good to see you again."

More laughter rang through the hall, and the Dowager Duchess clapped her hands together. Music began to play as she called out, "And with that, let the dancing begin. I hope you all have a truly wonderful day."

Couples began to journey to the dance floor while Dominic's group of companions attempted to get a hold of themselves. Lady Lydia was grumbling to anyone who would listen, which was no one.

"Remind me never to get on the wrong side of your grandmother," Charlotte said, leaning against him, her familiar lavender and violet perfume washing over him.

"I doubt you would ever manage that," Dominic replied.

"Oh, she might." A familiar voice said from behind them, making everyone jump.

"Grandmother! I did not see you," Dominic exclaimed, his heart beating wildly.

"I know," his grandmother replied and then gestured to each of his cousins. "Thomas, stop standing around gawping, and go and ask Lady Andrea to dance. Frederick, if you do not find an eligible woman to dance with, I shall tell the kitchens you are on a diet, and you will not get pudding for a month."

"Yes, Grandmother," his cousins chorused, leaping into action.

"Now, for you two, if you intend to stay on my good side, I have two requests." His grandmother gave them both a stern look, and Dominic swallowed.

"Of course, Your Grace," Charlotte replied.

"The first is that you allow me to admire that splendid engagement ring, Lady Charlotte." She held out her hand, and Charlotte obligingly placed her own hand in it, allowing his grandmother to inspect her sapphire ring. "Ah, it is superb. It suits you perfectly."

"Thank you." Charlotte's cheeks reddened, and Dominic felt his heart squeeze.

"And what is your second request?" he asked.

"That you dance together," his grandmother replied simply.

Ever the matchmaker. Dominic laughed. "That I can do. If I might have the honour of this dance?"

"You certainly may." Charlotte allowed him to guide her to the dance floor.

Dominic wrapped his arms around Charlotte, adopting the starting position of the waltz. They began to move in time with the music, each smiling at one another.

"I have been thinking about our wedding." Charlotte said as he turned her.

"Are you reconsidering my proposal to elope now that you have remembered the chaos that is my family?" Dominic winked. "Gretna Green is always an option you know.

"Only if you want to deal with the anger of my sisters, your cousin Cecily, my stepmother, and your grandmother," Charlotte laughed.

"I would deal with a thousand angry dragons if it meant I could call you my wife even one day sooner," he replied with an air of bravado.

"You are utterly ridiculous, you know that, do you not?" Charlotte swatted him.

"I know. But you love me." He caught her hand, swaying in time with the music.

"I do," Charlotte agreed.

"What were you thinking about our wedding?" he asked.

"Well, I wondered how you might feel about using some of our winnings to apply for a special license," she suggested.

"I would not be opposed, but we have nearly completed the reading of the Banns." He chewed his lip thoughtfully.

"I know. But… Well, you told me that Caverton was particularly special to you, and I wondered how you would feel about having the wedding here?" Charlotte's cheeks flushed with colour, but her green eyes met his calmly.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you not think that is a little presumptuous?"

"It would be, if your grandmother and your cousin had not been the ones to initially suggest it." Charlotte nodded her head towards his grandmother who was watching them.

He sighed. Of course, she would suggest such a thing. "Cleary she will always play the matchmaker."

"I turned them down as I did not know if we could procure a special license, but now…" Charlotte looked at him and then around at the hall. "This place is so much a part of our story, and well, it seemed a fitting end."

"I think you mean beginning," Dominic murmured.

"So, is that a yes?" She looked hopeful.

"Of course, it is. I love you, and I love this place. And I cannot wait to begin our lives together." He smiled at her.

"Nor can I."

And they continued to dance, long after the music had faded.