Epilogue

"T his is perfect, don't you agree?" Emmie asked excitedly as she glanced at her mother sitting across from her in their carriage. "Father's brother has been arrested and awaits sentencing, and Father decided to come get us and meet us at Mr. Compton's estate. The timing couldn't have been better, I think."

Her mother nodded. "I agree. That man is a threat to everyone, so locking him away is the best thing, in my opinion. I will never understand men who want to run England their own way."

"Did you tell your father about the surprise?" Broderick asked.

Emmie looked at him and smiled. She reached over and patted his hand. The coach they were riding in seemed cramped, since her mother and brother were sharing the same vehicle. But her mother wouldn't allow Emmie to ride with Broderick alone, since it would ruin her reputation.

"When I replied to Father's letter, I told him we were in Brighton, but that we would return to Greenwich. I let him know that I had couple of surprises for him." Emmie grinned. "So, Mother, you and Elias stay in the carriage until Broderick comes to get you."

Her mother nodded as she twisted her hands in her lap. This was all so exciting for Emmie—and nerve-racking—and she could only assume her mother felt more jitters than her at this moment.

Emmie looked out the coach's window as they came upon Mr. Crampton's estate. She couldn't wait to let her father know that his brother had been lying to them all for fifteen years. Emmie was relieved that her father had already disowned his brother after his arrest.

Nervously, she wrung her hands in her lap and noticed her mother doing the same. Broderick had his arm around Emmie's shoulders, and he squeezed lovingly. When she met his eyes, he winked.

"You will be all right. I just know it."

She smiled. "Thank you for everything. We wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you."

He kissed her forehead and pulled her against him tighter. Across the seat, Daphne tried to hide a grin as she looked away. Elias, however, chuckled as if it were funny to see his sister kissing a man.

When the coach stopped, Broderick opened the door and hopped out before assisting Emmie down. She glanced at the second coach that had a few of her mother's servants along with Anna as they rode with the trunks. Emmie didn't want to wait for Anna to climb out to instruct her on what to do, so she hurried toward the house, Broderick following closely behind. Thankfully, Mr. and Mrs. Crampton had decided to stay in Brighton for another day to allow Emmie's family to use the house for their special homecoming.

When they reached the door, she inhaled deeply before entering. She looked at Broderick and smiled. "Let me do all the talking."

He chuckled. "Yes, dear."

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"I do."

She hurried inside, peering in every room until she noticed her father reading a book on the sofa in the sitting room. Moistening her suddenly dry throat with a swallow, she stepped inside.

Her father's head jerked toward her. Immediately, he set the book down and stood, holding out his arms. He beamed with happiness. "Welcome back, my little Emmie."

She rushed into his embrace and hugged him tight. "Oh, I have missed you so."

"Not as much as I have missed you." He kissed her cheek and pulled away.

It was then when his attention moved behind her. "Father," she said quickly before he could ask, "I told you I was bringing you a couple of surprises, and this is one of them." She motioned to Broderick. "Father, meet the Marquess of Wilshire, Broderick Worthington. He is Mr. and Mrs. Crampton's nephew."

Broderick stepped forward and offered his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. I feel as if I know you, since your daughter has talked nonstop about you."

Her father shook Broderick's hand. "It is always a pleasure to meet Henry's family. I fear it's been years since I have seen my good friend. How is he faring?"

"Quite well. He and my aunt will be home tomorrow. I'm sure my uncle will enjoy catching up on old times with you."

Her father nodded. "I would certainly enjoy that."

She dared to move closer to Broderick, even right up next to him. Slowly, Broderick slid his arm around her waist. Her father watched every movement until his eyes widened in understanding.

Once again, she quickly offered up explanation before her father said anything. "And Father, Broderick and I have become… um… very close lately. And he would like to ask you a question."

Broderick cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. "Lord Langston, I have fallen deeply in love with your daughter, and I would like your permission to marry her."

Emmie held her breath as her father's focus darted between her and Broderick. Smiling, she cuddled closer to him and laid her hand on his chest. "Father, I love him with all my heart, and I cannot imagine life without him."

Blowing out a gust of air from between his lips, her father scratched his brown hair, sprinkled lightly with strands of white. He scrubbed his chin, studying Broderick closely.

She removed her attention from her father and gazed lovingly at Broderick. He had colored his hair brown again to hide the natural black. He did this so as not to get noticed. One of these days she would like to see him with his natural color. Their children would have raven hair, too, she just knew it.

"Well," her father finally said. "I must admit this is quite a surprise—a shock, in fact. Emiline, my dear, I had no idea your surprise would be bringing home a man."

She chuckled. "Actually, I brought home more than that, but right now, I wanted to have you meet this wonderful man who risked his life to save mine."

Her father's eyes widened. "What is this you say?"

Shaking her head, she waved her hand through the air. "That is another story, which I will gladly tell you, but for now, we are anxiously awaiting an answer."

He paced in front of the hearth with his hands behind his back. "I suppose I need to know where the marquess plans to live if I give you both my blessings."

"Actually," Broderick said, "we plan on living in Devonshire. I have recently been given this title and some lands in that location."

Finally, her father stopped and faced them, a smile stretching across his face. "Now that is the answer I was seeking." He stepped forward and clapped his hand on Broderick's shoulder. "Welcome to the family, son."

Emmie sighed in relief and hugged her father. Broderick moved to shake his hand again, but her father gave him a hug instead. They all laughed together. It was then she realized Broderick was even taller than her father, and she'd always thought he was a large man. And even though her father's shoulders were wide, Broderick's were even wider.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to give him the next big surprise. "Well, now that is all settled, do you want your next surprise?"

Her father tilted his head, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "It depends. Is it anything like this surprise was?"

"Oh, no, Father. This surprise is much better." She glanced at Broderick, giving him the nod to go fetch her mother and brother. Once Broderick left the room, she took her father's hands and held them. "This trip to Greenwich has opened my eyes to a lot of things, which Broderick was all part of. But one of the things I discovered was how your devious brother has tricked you and me for years now."

Her father's forehead creased. "How so?"

"Well, fifteen years ago he told us some disturbing news that was nothing but a lie."

Slowly, color faded from his cheeks. She knew he was thinking of her mother.

"Your brother made us believe that my mother—your wife—had been killed. But that is not the truth." She took another deep breath. "Father, Mother is alive. I found her living in Brighton."

He swayed slightly and then stumbled to the chair where he'd been sitting. Tears collected in his eyes as he stared at her. "Daphne… is alive?"

"Yes." Emmie sat on the footstool and took his hands again. "Your brother orchestrated this whole thing, Father. He gave us the note that said Mother had died, and he gave Mother a similar note that told her we had died."

"Are… are you certain he did that?"

"Yes, I'm quite sure." Emotion stuck in her throat, making her voice crack. "I pray your brother pays dearly for what he has done to our family."

Anger blazed across her father's expression. "I pray that, too. I'll never let him—or anyone—break up my family again."

"I'm so glad you think that way," she said.

Silence stretched in the room for several moments. The only sounds were the wood crackling in the fireplace and her father's ragged breaths as he tried to hold back tears. Then she heard the floor in the hallway creak, and she knew Broderick had returned.

Emmie stood and walked to the door then opened it. She smiled at her mother and brother, motioning them to enter.

When Daphne glided into the room, looking lovelier than Emmie could remember, her father jumped to his feet. His gaze nearly devoured his wife. Tears streamed down Daphne's cheeks as she held her hands out to her husband.

"Oh, Byron." Her voice broke. "You are really alive!"

Emmie's father released a sob and ran to his wife, sweeping her in his arms. Emmie placed her fisted hand to her mouth to keep the cries from spilling forth from her own throat as she watched her father and mother hug and kiss—something she'd missed seeing for all these years.

The presence beside her alerted her that her brother was also seeing his father for the first time. She took hold of Elias's hand and squeezed. "What do you think of him?" she asked softly.

"He is amazing." Even Elias's voice was choked with emotion.

Daphne turned, still in her husband's arms, and reached her hand out for Elias. "Byron, I want you to meet your son, Elias Byron Langston."

A hoarse laugh escaped Byron's throat as he pulled Elias in for a hug. "I have a son," he shouted in joy.

Everyone laughed, still with tears in their eyes.

Standing beside Emmie, Broderick wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled up into his eyes. "I love you more."

He bent and kissed her lips briefly. "I love you higher than the sky."

"I cannot beat that, now can I?"

"Not unless you are an angel in heaven."

She turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You are my heaven."