Epilogue

James

T he crowd in the churchyard exchanged lively conversation, and the noise did nothing to calm my nerves. It had been two weeks since I had seen Amelia, having returned to Suffolk to ready the estate for the arrival of its new mistress, and some part of me feared the two months had been a dream, that I had come all the way to Newbury for no reason at all.

Meeting with Mr. Apsley earlier this morning to finalize the last of the details of the marriage contract had allowed me to relax to a degree, but still, my body remained anxious. I had, after all, experienced two failed engagements, and while I trusted Amelia completely, doubt had a way of disturbing one's peace. Until I saw her, until the vicar pronounced us husband and wife, my mind would not feel at ease.

A hand gripped my shoulder, and I yelped in surprise. I turned to find a grinning Gregory, dressed to the nines in a vibrant violet and yellow waistcoat like the dandy that he was.

"You look pale," he said. "Are you having second thoughts about shackling yourself?"

The words were a jest, and not the first I had endured after the announcement of the engagement. Gregory gave the appearance of a man committed to his bachelorhood. But my friend could not fool me. I had known him for too long. His head had been turned, evidenced by his moping after Sabrina and her father had departed Fallborn.

Perhaps it was for the best that Gregory did not entangle himself with the duchess, who thus far had kept her word. There were no rumors floating about London in regards to Amelia's parentage, which I had determined during a three-night stay on my way to Newbury, and for that, I was glad. Sabrina keeping her word would go a long way toward mending the bridge she had burned, though I wasn't sure I could ever trust her fully.

There were other things that had been burned in the last few weeks as well—namely, a diary and old letter containing evidence of Amelia's illegitimacy and a letter severing my former engagement. Amelia and I had decided to burn all of it together.

But not before she allowed me to read the many diary entries she'd written about me. With those, and the subsequent burning, we'd woven the final threads of our freedom.

I straightened my coat, looking out over the crowd of family and friends, some of whom had traveled a great distance for the occasion. "You say shackling, but I have never been more free. Amelia makes me feel alive and hopeful. If anything, she was the one who broke my shackles, and I am happy to connect my life to hers."

Gregory rolled his eyes. "What a lovesick fool you've become. Though I will say, if it means you will return to London instead of hiding away at your estate next Season, then Miss Scott has my deepest gratitude."

"Ah, yes. It is good to know you intend to keep company with me, gracing balls and dinner parties while Amelia sponsors Miss Grace rather than the gaming hells you once frequented." I lifted a brow, and Gregory shifted on his feet, unable to look me in the eye. I was well aware that he still struggled, that his gambling habit had not been disposed of even after the last time I had caught him.

I understood that change required time and effort, and while I would be patient, I would also not allow his behavior to go unchecked. Gregory had lost nearly everything, but he'd been given an escape by Mr. Perry, relieving him of the consequences. I feared until he truly hit the bottom, he might never learn.

"Oh! There is my favorite second son!" Mrs. Davis crossed the yard and, as per her usual form of greeting, gripped me by the collar and tugged me down until she could place a kiss on my cheek. I smiled indulgently at the woman, for how could I not?

"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Davis," I said. "And for dragging Gregory along. "

Gregory muttered something under his breath, but his mother dismissed my comment with the wave of her hand. "Nonsense. He wouldn't have missed it for anything, despite his endless complaints." She leaned closer to me, lowering her voice to impart a secret. "I think he is a romantic at heart. He'll never admit it, but I've caught him reading Byron several times since you departed. Perhaps there is someone he wishes to impress."

"We can hope," I whispered back. "A woman might be the only thing capable of straightening him out."

Mrs. Davis laughed, and Gregory narrowed his eyes. Whether he demanded the details of our conversation, I didn't know, as my attention was stolen by the arrival of a carriage. My heart sped when Mr. Apsley descended the steps and then offered his hand to the remaining occupants. First, Mrs. Scott alighted, her blonde hair the same shade as Amelia's. She wore a gown of dark gray, despite being out of her required mourning period, a clear indication that, while she had not always been faithful, she had grown to love her husband deeply.

Miss Grace alighted next and grinned the moment she caught my gaze. She wagged her brows, and I laughed. My eagerness must be rather apparent, and I couldn't blame her for teasing me. I held my breath as Mr. Apsley assisted Amelia out of the carriage. A light blue gown draped over her curves, the color a perfect match to her eyes. She searched the churchyard until she spotted me, and her expression filled with an excitement that made my heart lurch.

She'd come. It was ridiculous to ever doubt she would, but wounds often made us question logic, to assume life would offer us pain rather than happiness. I was never more grateful to have been wrong, that my worries were for naught.

Apsley led Amelia and her family toward me, and I met them halfway.

"Mrs. Scott." I dipped my head. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The woman bent into a shallow curtsy. "The pleasure is mine. Amelia has told me much about you." She stepped closer so that only I would hear her next words. "Thank you for accepting her as she is."

"Who she is, Mrs. Scott, is precisely who I needed," I whispered back.

The woman nodded, her eyes shimmering with gratitude. She backed away, and the remainder of the greetings were exchanged. I struggled to engage in polite conversation, my attention constantly shifting to Amelia. She seemed to experience the same difficulties, her eyes rarely wavering from mine.

"I think we ought to go inside," said Mrs. Scott. "Give these two a moment to themselves."

"I'll allow it." Apsley sighed and shot me a pointed look. "A few minutes. Do not make me come back out here."

"I won't." Probably. I could guarantee nothing if I ended up kissing Amelia. Time operated differently in those moments.

"Very well." Apsley offered Grace and his aunt his arms, and I watched them pick their way toward the church. The rest of the crowd had already gone inside, and once we were completely alone, I wrapped an arm around Amelia and tugged her close.

She started to speak, but I cut her off with a deep kiss, one she returned. I'd never imagined a month-long house party could change my life so drastically, or quickly. I didn't condone Gregory's gambling habits, but in this one instance, I could be grateful for them.

"I missed you," I murmured against her lips. "My house felt so empty without you there."

"A problem you can soon rectify, my lord." She lifted her hand and traced my jawline with her gloved fingers. "I missed you, too, James. You know, I never had the chance to properly thank you."

I grinned, and my gaze drifted to her lips. "What does properly thanking me entail? Though I've no idea what it is you need to thank me for , I won't deny you the opportunity."

Her nose wrinkled slightly. "You are a flirt, James Blakley."

"Only with you, my darling."

Her expression sobered. "Thank you for saving me. I may have never escaped Sabrina's cage were it not for you."

I pulled her closer, my heart a steady drum as I cupped her cheek, quietly whispering.

Vain is the glory of the sky,

The beauty vain of field and grove,

Unless, while with admiring eye

We gaze, we also learn to love .

"You have it all wrong," I said. "I was the one peering up at a beautiful sky, thinking I was free, thinking that I had healed from my wounds. I thought myself content with my life. But I saw only what lay on the surface, while my heart harbored anger and pain. The truth is you have saved me, for now I can look at the sky and fully admire the world around me and what my life contains. Happiness consumes me. Hope brightens my thoughts of the future. You have set me free. With you in my life, I am more than simply content."

We exchanged smiles and, with the properness I had longed for, expressed our gratitude for one another with kisses that defied time and gave my spirit wings.