Epilogue

September 1817

Denton Hall

D ory flopped down into the chair at the table in the garden. “I’m so tired, I may just sleep here.”

Lissette chuckled. “We didn’t walk that far.”

“Not far? We were in the woods for two hours!” How could Lissette appear ready for the next ball? She still hadn’t taken a chair yet. “Are you not tired?”

Lissette shook her head as she walked to a blackberry bush and plucked a berry off. “This is the most beautiful garden I’ve seen since arriving in England. The natural chaos of the plants and flowers makes it feel welcoming. It reminds me of walking in the woods, but with fewer trees.”

Dory studied the wild garden, quite happy it was hers now. There was surely none other like it among those of any of her peers. “I like to think that the plants are happy to do as they wish.”

“I would be happy if I could do as I wish as well.” Lissette turned around and finally took a seat. “But Grandmaman has expectations.” She popped the blackberry into her mouth.

“I understand. I do hope you like being at the school.” She noticed the butler coming out with lemonade, no doubt sent by Fen. “I know there is much to learn, but you are very quick to understand.”

As the butler set down the tray with the glasses, Lissette waited. After he’d left, she waited still longer before answering, always intentional in her comments and actions. “It is not as exciting as when I lived in France, but it is very safe. I had forgotten what it was like to be safe.”

Dory took a large swallow of lemonade, thankful for its coolness as it went down. “If wearing men’s clothes and learning to throw knives and to track animals like we did today was all part of your days, I’m not surprised the school here is a bit boring for you. What we read about in books, you’ve actually done.”

Lissette twirled the glass, not yet taking a sip. “It may seem romantic, but it was not. It was war, and those of us who lived there were caught in the middle. We did what we had to, as would you have.”

As much as she’d like to think that she would have adapted, she was far less sure after learning more about Lissette’s life, something her friend had just begun to share with her. Little did the other Curious Ladies know how fitting their nickname of Dague was for Lissette. Not only did she have skills they would never have, but she was precise, sharp, and to the point in her actions.

“Did you try on the pantaloons?”

She grinned at Lissette’s question. “I did. I fear my behind is much larger than yours, making them indecently tight, but since my husband is sure to enjoy them that way, I’m very pleased with them.”

“Ah, you mean he will enjoy you .” Lissette’s dark eyes held knowledge far beyond her years.

Dory refused comment on that, taking another gulp of lemonade instead. Her husband was most inventive in ways and places for them to enjoy each other’s bodies. She quite enjoyed the challenges of inventing her own. She studied the area where she and Lissette sat. It was in view of the house, but only the second floor. It definitely had possibilities.

“I am pleased that you found the earl and that he finally recognized what a wonderful person you are.”

Dory shook her head. “I never imagined how enjoyable it would be confounding the earl or that it would lead to love. I can only surmise that I was able to keep him wondering about my ideas long enough for him to appreciate my many charms.”

Lissette looked askance at her. “As to that, you may enjoy those pantaloons. I still have another pair that Grandmaman doesn’t know of. The rest, she made me burn.”

It took her a moment to remember what they had been speaking about. “The rest?”

“ Oui , I did not wear dresses once the war started. It was far too dangerous.” Lissette finally lifted her glass and took a delicate sip before continuing. “I enjoy these pretty dresses, but they are not so good for tracking, non ?”

“No, they are not.” Dory grinned sheepishly. She’d barely kept up with Lissette, but the woman knew so much, Dory had been anxious to learn it all, especially that there were indeed many bunnies in the forest.

She definitely missed the school, though. She’d asked both Rose and Lissette to visit, but Rose didn’t want to leave her studies. She understood that feeling. “I so enjoyed our trek through the woods, and as promised, I will return the favor this evening. Which philosopher are you most interested in learning about?”

“Jean-Jacques Rousseau.”

Lissette’s quick answer didn’t surprise her. The woman never meandered in her thoughts, like Dory did. “This French philosopher writes much on equality and the state of man. I believe there are two of his works in our library here, though the school has a good dozen. He was quite interested in man’s natural state and how he was the same in two ways yet different in his perfectibility from animals. He believes that a man can improve himself. I believe that by attending our school, we all seek to improve upon ourselves—otherwise, why attend? I wonder, though, if there are different motivations for each woman or if at the heart of it, we all attend for a similar reason. I do not believe the latter is the case, as from my talks with fellow students, I have been given different reasons. But if we could look at all these reasons and discover that we all essentially want to improve ourselves, then that is what could be said for the Curious Ladies.”

Lissette held her hand out. “As you say it, it does make sense, though I lost where man’s nature is involved.”

“I apologize. I promise to focus on the philosopher’s ideas this evening and not my own.”

Lissette raised her brows. “I highly doubt that, but I look forward to our conversation nonetheless.”

Dory grinned, pleased that Lissette was her friend as well as classmate. Taking a sip of her lemonade, she caught sight of her husband walking down the path toward them. That he took inordinate amounts of time from his day to spend with her made her feel truly treasured. It was such a change from being at home with her parents. Now, her heart ached for her mother, who had been banished to dowager house in Shefford, while her father lived in London. She’d seen her father at her wedding, but her mother had already been banished. That Felton had agreed on a trip to see her mother made her love him that much more.

“I see you ladies have completed your tour of the east wood.” He passed behind her to take the empty seat next to her, his pine scent filling her nose.

“We didn’t tour the wood —we tracked animals.”

His brows raised. “Truly? And what animals did you find?”

Dory laughed, too excited to tell him. “We found bunnies! Many, many bunnies.”

His eyes rounded. “Tell me you are only teasing.”

She yawned before smiling widely. “No, it’s true. I cannot wait to tell Rose.”

“I forbid you to tell Rose.”

She stared in shock, as he’d never forbidden her anything, but his lips twitched as he obviously held back a smile. Straightening her shoulders, she gave him a single nod. “Very well, I bow to your wishes.” She turned her head toward Lissette. “Please tell Rose that there are hundreds of bunnies in the east wood.”

“I would be pleased to.” Lissette tilted her head before speaking to Felton. “You may also enjoy knowing you have pheasants, martens, and foxes.”

Dory hid a smile at Felton’s attempt to hide his surprise. “And my wife can now spot these creatures by following their tracks?”

Lissette shook her head as she lifted her glass. “No. We only saw rabbits. The others stayed well hidden.”

Dory’s husband glanced at her as if for confirmation and she nodded.

“It seems I have underestimated Belinda’s school once again.”

“Oh, no. We didn’t learn that at the school. Lissette has skills from living in France during the war. Tracking is not on the slate of subjects. I just wished to learn about it and tonight, I will help Lissette understand Jean-Jacques Rousseau.” She yawned again, the morning’s activity taking a toll.

Felton sat back and crossed his legs. “I wish the school had a weapon’s expert among its instructors as well as a knife thrower.”

Surprised, Dory blinked. “Whyever would you wish that?”

“I received a letter from Mr. Taylour. He—”

Lissette spoke up, suddenly very attentive. “Mr. Taylour? Is that Mr. Anthony Taylour?”

“Yes.” Felton turned his attention to Lissette. “Do you know him?”

“I do.” She waved her hand. “It has been a long time. My grandmaman saved Lord Blackmore’s life and Mr. Taylour, he came and found Lord Blackmore at our home. He also made the arrangements for Mr. Blackmore to help my grandmaman and me to travel to England. Grandmaman has met with him several times, but I have not seen him in a number of years. Is he well?”

“I believe he is. He has been investigating various people for some of the peers. He has a very good reputation.”

Lissette seemed to mull over the information Felton had given her. “I would expect as much. He is thorough in all that he does. Please give him my regards.”

Lissette’s connection to the mysterious man whom Felton had tracking Lord Leighhall gave Dory an idea. “Silver Meadows does have a weapons expert.”

“Is that who taught you how to throw a knife?”

She nodded. “Yes, though I never finished my training. Tell Mr. Taylour to go to Silver Meadows and request a meeting with Dague.”

Lissette’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly schooled her features.

“Dague.” Her husband gave a nod. “I will write to Mr. Taylour this very afternoon.”

She would have to remember to tell Fen about “Dague” after Lissette was reacquainted with her old friend. She yawned again before finishing her lemonade.

Felton stood. “My dear, it appears that you need to rest. Allow me to escort you to your room.”

She eyed his hand speculatively. Now that he mentioned it, she was tired, but if he were to escort her, she could think of something they could indulge in together first. “You are very kind, but I would not leave Lissette alone.”

“If it would be permissible, I would like to find those books by Rousseau you spoke of and begin reading.” Lissette stood. “I have no need of companionship for that.”

She placed her hand in her husband’s and he helped her rise. “Of course. The books are on the second bookshelf on the right. That’s where I keep all the philosophical texts.” She didn’t add that there was a statue of a rabbit on the shelf. Since Felton hadn’t mentioned the various new decorations, she didn’t care to make a point of them.

“Yes, I had to move my natural science books to another bookcase entirely.” Felton grimaced, though he’d been more than willing to move them.

“It was such a sacrifice.” She looked to Lissette, who strolled next to her as they headed for the house. “I found one volume where the pages were stuck together with some kind of sticky substance, so he’d hardly missed reading it.”

“I’ll have you know, wife, that was from a scientific experiment.”

She looked askance at her husband. “Then why did it still smell of strawberry jam?”

His lips twitched. “As I said, it was a science experiment, which I might add was quite successful when compared to my attempt to make the school successful.”

“Anything is more successful than that.”

The trio stepped into the parlor and Dory found the cooler air rather reviving.

“I will go into the library, then.” Lissette strode ahead of them then halted at the doorway. “I trust there will be no jam in the Rousseau book?”

Felton chuckled. “No jam. That one is clean, but I wouldn’t look into the one by Voltaire. I believe a rather large bug was killed between the pages.”

“I have seen far worse.” Lissette waved her hand as if it were of no consequence and continued down the corridor.

As Dory and her husband passed the mantle, she gave a nod to the small portrait of Belinda she’d found in the desk in the library. Felton had thought to keep it there, but she’d insisted on having his first love and the Angel she’d come to admire out where they could see her. Next to it was a small, porcelain bunny.

Felton led her to the grand staircase and spoke as they took the first step. “Do you miss the school very much?”

“Sometimes I miss my friends and our lively conversations, but I find the more days I am wed, the more I enjoy my life here. I’m not sure how I would have time to continue my studies if I wished. I’d actually taken out a treatise discussing Hippocrates’s seven stages of life for this very reason, but that was a fortnight past. But it does bear upon this topic, as he thought there were seven stages of man. Of course, I would have preferred seven stages of woman, but the premise remains the same. According to this, I am still at the young woman stage, which I believe would constitute still growing and learning and changing. I do believe that my life as a wife is a new stage, which no doubt will change again when I become a mother. Can you imagine all the changes in thought that will need to occur in my head, which does bring to mind the idea of humans as natural beings and what is instinct and what is reason. According to—”

Felton’s lips on hers sent her thoughts flying skyward as usual, and she wrapped her arms around his neck to fully enjoy him.

After making her dizzy with desire, he pulled away and opened the door to her bedroom. “Perhaps we should continue this inside.”

She kept her hands around his neck, not sure her balance had returned yet. “The discourse or the kiss?”

“Most definitely the kiss. If you mean to talk further about you becoming a mother, then we should dispose of our clothes and continue this in your bed, where the topic is much more relevant.”

Oh, she did like that idea. “I agree.”

“Good.” He kept one arm about her and led her into the room, closing the door behind them. Guiding her to the bed, he allowed her to sit as he began to undress. “Now as to this discourse. I believe we first need to determine if you wish to populate this house with as many children as you have populated it with rabbits.”

She laughed, thrilled that he’d noticed. She moved forward and unbuttoned his pantaloons as he undid his cravat. “I’m not sure I’m ready for one and twenty children, but we can start and just see how it feels.” She slipped her hand beneath the loosened fall of his pants and pleased at his intake of breath.

He grabbed her wrist. “One and twenty?”

“Of course. I’ve put one in every place we’ve enjoyed each other…so far.”

“Is there one in your dressing room?”

She frowned, as it was not that large a space. “No.”

A sly smile formed on his face. “Then I say that is where we shall go.” Taking her hand, he pulled her into the dressing room.

“Why would you want to—” She stopped as he turned her to face the full-length mirror in the corner and cupped her breasts. “Oh.”

He dipped his head near her ear and growled. “I hope you desire many children, Lady Harewood, because I intend to have a rabbit in every room in this house.”

Her breath caught at his meaning, but he had already let go and begun to loosen the ties on her dress. As it slipped down, exposing her shift and stays, she smiled. “I do hope we can add some rabbits in the garden too.”

His head jerked up as he met her gaze in the mirror, his own having darkened to almost forest green. “Now that’s a muddle I’ll gladly jump into.”

His words sent both a thrill and joy rifling through her before his hands dispelled all thoughts except one. “Fen.”

The End