Extended Epilogue

Jenny pushed the door open and carried the watering can out to the garden. She had only a few more weeks to enjoy her garden before the summer heat would give way to the crisp fall mornings. Days were getting shorter, but the nights, her favorite time of day, were getting longer. She was just fine with that.

She bent over to pick out a few stubborn weeds that continued to push through regardless of how many times she yanked them out of the soil.

"I knew I'd find you out here."

Jenny looked over her shoulder to see her husband leaning against the doorframe. No matter how many times she saw him, no matter if it was first thing in the morning when he was wiping the sleep from his eyes, or across their dinner table as they ate, or after they made love for the third time that day, she always felt a jolt of electricity run through her veins when she looked at him.

Sure, the ton considered them still in their newlywed phase, only been married a few months, but she couldn't fathom the thrill ever disappearing from their life. There were old biddies and jealous peers who would tell them it would wear off, but Jenny knew in her heart they were wrong.

They still saw her as a talkative commoner and David as a rakish scoundrel. It made no difference to her. The more they misunderstood them, the more they left them alone, and she was fine with that.

"Your brother and Frannie will be here shortly with Simon. Do you want to wash up before they come?" David stepped off the porch and into the garden.

She looked back down to her chrysanthemums. The bright golds and oranges mimicked the colors of the setting sun.

"They look beautiful," David said as he wrapped his arms around her stomach and kissed her cheek.

She lifted one hand and cupped his face. "They were my mother's favorite. Thank you for getting them for me." She looked over the rest of the garden.

Since she had moved in, she spent most of her days out here, tending to David's mother's and sister's plants while adding in some of her own. It became a beautiful homage to the two families coming together.

"No need to thank me, kitten. You wanted them, so you got them. It's as simple as that."

Jenny turned into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. "Is that all it takes? Me asking?"

David placed a chaste kiss on the tip of her nose. "That's it."

Jenny chewed on her bottom lip. "Oh, well, I didn't know I wielded such great power. I must choose my next wish carefully."

David chuckled. "Ah, but remember, kitten, just because I would gladly move heaven and earth for you does not mean there won't be a price to be paid for my services."

Jenny raised an auburn eyebrow. "Your services, huh? And what is this price I must pay?"

He nodded towards the flowers. "For the mums, let's say…" He paused to ponder. "A kiss."

Jenny giggled. "Lucky for me, I happen to be quite wealthy in kisses." She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him.

He took her by the hand and led her into the house.

"What if I wanted to go on a trip?" she asked.

David licked his lips. "Where?"

Jenny gave it a thought. "Paris."

He pulled her into his arms. "I'm not a fan of Paris, so I think the payment will need to be heftier than a simple kiss."

Jenny bit her cheek to stop from giggling. She had learned that her once emotionless husband had quite a playful side to him. "Oh, do tell. I hope I can afford it. It's always been a dream of mine to go to Paris."

David raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well then, I would have to say, a weekend with you tangled in our bed would suffice."

Jenny let out a laugh that echoed down the hallway. "Is that all?" she said as she batted her eyelashes at him.

David laughed as he reached for her and pulled her in for another kiss. "Well, well, kitten, how far you've come from the naive girl I met in a darkened library."

He backed her into his study and shut the door behind him. He turned her so her back was against the door and trailed kisses down her neck. He was about to drop to his knees when she stopped him.

"As much as this pains me, Your Grace, my brother and his family are about to come knocking on our door. Trust me, I have heard one too many stories about his love life with Frannie—I do not want to subject him to such a topic regarding his sister."

David groaned and straightened. "Would you like a drink before they come?"

Jenny waved him off while she walked around his study. So many things happened in this room. She couldn't look at his desk without blushing. However, she always felt it was too dark and moody. It fit the old David, but not the man he was now.

"David?"

"Hmm?" he murmured as he poured himself a whiskey.

"What would the price be to renovate this room? Bring some color and life into it?"

David choked on his drink. "Oh no. I saw what the renovation did to your brother. This room is fine, it doesn't need to be updated."

Jenny scrunched up her nose. "Come now, David. It represents the old you, someone who was afraid of life."

She made her way over to him, using some of the tricks he taught her to entice him. She ran her fingertips over his shoulders and played with the hair just above his collar, causing a thrill to run through him.

His eyes grew heavy-lidded as he peered down at her. "I thought we were not going to start anything before your brother came."

Jenny smiled. "I'm not. I'm just trying to have a conversation about breathing new life into this place."

David studied his wife. "Alright, if that's how you want to play. Do you want me to renovate this room? Bring some new life into it?"

Jenny nodded. "Yes."

"Fine. It's done."

Jenny stood straighter. "Just like that?"

David smiled. "Just like that."

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him. "What's it going to cost me?"

David paused, his smile growing. "New life for a new life."

She was confused by his words for a second before realization dawned on her. "Ohh, you want to have a baby?"

David nodded.

"If I have a baby, you'll renovate this dusty, old study?"

David stood with his wife in his arms, smug that he bested her at her own game.

Jenny reached up and picked an errant thread from his shirt. "Well, if that's the case, you should get working. I'd say you're about four weeks behind schedule."

She patted his shoulder and moved past him towards the door.

David stood still for a second. "Wait. What?"

Jenny paused in the doorway. "What? You said you'd renovate this room if I were pregnant. A new life for a new life, I think is what you said." She rested her hand on her stomach. "Considering my courses haven't come this month, I'm guessing I'm about four maybe five weeks pregnant." She looked around the room. "You could almost be done by now—"

Her words were cut off as he scooped her up into his arms. "We're truly having a baby?"

"Yes, we are, David."

David lowered her and took her mouth in a deep kiss. "Just when I think I can't love you anymore, you give me the greatest gift."

A knock sounded at the front door, and they could hear the butler opening it.

David lowered Jenny to her feet.

"Well, don't thank me yet. You still have to renovate this room."

David took her hand. "As long as we don't use the same people your brother used for his library, I'll be fine."

Jenny laughed as they made their way towards the front door to greet their guests.

"Oh, and Jenny?" David pulled her back just before they reached Thomas and Frances. "Don't think I forgot about our trip to Paris."

"David, I was joking about that. I mean, I always wanted to go to Paris, but we don't need to go now."

David shook his head. "Nope. Sorry, I've already made up my mind—we're going." He tugged her closer. "And I'm getting my weekend in bed with you right after your brother leaves."

"Anything you wish, husband."

Jenny leaned up and kissed him, already thinking of ways to get her brother to cut his visit short so they could get started on their weekend.

The End.