Epilogue

"A ddison, where are the children?" Christina asked as she walked into the drawing room.

Before Addison could answer, Mrs. Brimsey rushed into the room, her face flushed with urgency. "Your Grace, you must come quickly! The children are in the garden—and, well, you should hurry."

Christina's heart leaped into her throat as she immediately swept past Mrs. Brimsey and out the door, her skirts rustling as she moved swiftly through the halls and into the garden. Her breath quickened with every step, her mind racing with all the terrible possibilities.

As she approached the far edge of the garden, her eyes caught sight of Victor standing by a ditch, and her pulse slowed slightly. The girls were gathered around him, skirts lifted, peering into the muddy trench with wide-eyed fascination. Victor had Carrot in his arms, and Christina's first thought was that something had happened to the cat.

"Victor!" she called, breathless. "What's happened? Is Carrot?—"

Her words trailed off as she saw the cat nestled comfortably in Victor's arms, purring contentedly. He looked perfectly unbothered, not in the least distressed.

"Carrot is fine," Victor said, amusement in his voice. "But we seem to have found a bit of excitement."

Christina stepped closer, her eyes widening as she saw two footmen standing knee-deep in the ditch, carefully pulling out small, wriggling bundles. Puppies. A whole litter of muddy, wet puppies.

"Mama, look!" Agnes cried, bouncing on her toes. "There are five of them! Aren't they adorable?"

Cassidy beamed, her face alight with joy as she held one of the rescued pups in her arms. "We're saving them, Mama! Can we keep them all?"

The scene was chaotic but filled with so much life and love that Christina couldn't help but smile, even as the mud spattered onto her skirts. The children were buzzing with excitement, darting around the ditch as the last puppy was carefully lifted out by the footmen and placed into Amelia's arms.

Victor handed Carrot to Christina with a small smile, wiping the mud from his hands. "I think one puppy should be enough, don't you?" he said as he glanced at the eager faces of their daughters.

A chorus of protests and pleads erupted at once. "But, Papa!" Cassidy began, "We can take care of them! Please, let us keep more than one!"

Victor chuckled, shaking his head. "The gamekeeper will look after the others, Cassidy. You may choose one to keep. I'm sure the puppy will be quite happy with all of you."

Though there were some disappointed sighs, the girls quickly bounced back, more concerned with cuddling the tiny, muddy creatures than anything else. Christina's heart swelled as she watched them, her family—complete with an enthusiastic cat and a basket of puppies.

"Now," Christina said, her voice gentle but firm, "all of you need to clean up before you're allowed anywhere near the puppies again. You're all covered in mud."

With much grumbling but no real argument, the girls trooped inside to change, their laughter echoing behind them as they made their way to the house.

Victor turned to Christina, raising an eyebrow as he gestured to her mud-streaked gown. "You, too."

She glanced down at her soiled skirts and laughed softly. "I suppose I'm no better."

They walked inside together, and after a quick clean-up, the pair gathered the children in the drawing room, where the excitement over the puppies had barely diminished. The girls were chattering amongst themselves when Christina and Victor entered, and all eyes turned toward them, the expectant energy in the room palpable.

Before Christina could speak, Agnes stepped forward, her wide, eager eyes looking up at her mother. "Mama, can we give Father his present now? To celebrate?"

Christina smiled warmly, her heart swelling with affection for her daughters. "Of course, darling. Let's give him his present."

Without hesitation, Kitty darted to the pianoforte in the corner of the room, her skirts swishing as she sat gracefully at the bench. She poised her fingers over the keys, waiting. Amelia, Cassidy, Agnes, and Annie quickly lined up, standing tall, their faces filled with anticipation.

Victor watched in confusion, his eyes darting between his daughters and the pianoforte. "What is going on?"

Kitty began to play, her fingers dancing elegantly across the keys, and the sweet sound of the melody filled the room. Then, one by one, the girls began to sing, their voices blending in perfect harmony as they performed a song they had clearly practiced in secret.

Victor stood there, stunned. For a moment, all he could do was watch, his heart swelling with such emotion that it nearly overwhelmed him. The voices of his daughters filled the room, and something inside him shifted, something that had been long buried beneath the weight of his responsibilities and grief.

As they sang, his expression softened, the tenderness in his eyes unmistakable. His throat tightened, and he blinked rapidly as the moisture in his eyes threatened to spill over. By the time the final note played and the last voices trailed off, he could hardly speak.

When the room finally fell quiet, Victor turned to Christina, his voice thick with emotion. "How long have you been planning this?"

Christina's smile was soft, her eyes filled with love. "Since the day I met the children."

Victor's gaze shifted to his daughters, who were now beaming at him, proud and a little bashful. "Is that why I've seen all of you acting so suspiciously when you thought I wasn't looking?"

The girls nodded, their eyes twinkling with excitement and mischief.

Victor let out a soft laugh, his voice still thick with emotion, and then he did what felt most natural—he pulled each of his daughters into a tight embrace, their laughter filling the room once again. And when they had all been hugged, he turned to Christina, wrapping her in his arms and holding her closer than he ever had before.

He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering against her skin. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "For the love you've given me. For the family you've made us."

Christina's heart swelled with joy, her arms wrapping around him in return. She looked up into his misted eyes, seeing the man she had always known was there—the man capable of deep love and tenderness, and now, finally, the man ready to embrace it fully.