Epilogue

Twelfth Night, Mid Wales, 1825

"With Arabella so close to having the baby, I am surprised the party is going ahead," Julia said as she entered the ballroom. The room was festive as always, with fresh green swags scenting the air and a large Twelfth cake resting on a platter at the centre of a table groaning with food.

"She said that she had promised the tenants that every year there would be a ball in their honour; she was adamant it would go ahead," Grace said.

"At least she is resting," Julia said. "I think Michael would have cancelled the whole thing if she had refused his request."

"He can be forceful when he needs to be, and she knows that he was worried after last time when Isabelle's birth did not quite go to plan," Grace said with a shudder at the memory.

"It must have been terrifying for him, but she survived, and this time has been a lot healthier than her first pregnancy. We can only hope that it is a good sign." Julia and Grace walked over to their husbands. "What are you two concocting?"

"It is when William is speaking to Florry that you need to worry; I am the sensible one." Hugh ignored the snort from his wife and turned to Grace and William. "Please excuse us, I want to dance the next with my wife."

"Of course," Grace said with a smile before sitting with William. "Are you ready for this evening? At any point, say the word, and we can return to our chamber."

"I am well," William said. "The aches have not been too bad these last few days." He suffered from feelings that his leg was still whole, including itching and aching. Thinking he was going mad, it had come as a relief to know that it was the nerves higher up in his leg causing the problems.

"Good."

"I hope you are ready to dance when the waltz is played."

"Are you sure the wooden leg will not hurt as you twist?"

"The sock between the wood and what is left of my leg seems to help. I know you will hold me up if I should stumble."

Grace snorted. "You would do it on purpose if I said I would. I know the way that teasing mind of yours works."

"I knew I should have married a stranger. You remember far too much."

"Thankfully, these days, I only remember the good bits."

William sighed. "We both spent too much time dwelling on the wrong things, but I cannot regret how our lives have turned out."

Grace leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Nor I. I have never been as happy as I am with you, and I think you just about put up with my foibles."

"It is sometimes a strain," William started before laughing. "You have not a single foible that I am aware of; you are practically perfect in every way."

"Now that is a good response."

They sat in companionable silence, watching what was going on around them for a while before William sighed. "I never did develop that wooden leg on wheels."

"Because you were on a fool's errand from the start," Grace said. "The moment Florry started to laugh at what you had both tried to create, I knew I could breathe easier."

"You worry too much."

"You try to kill yourself too often."

"Talking of which, has Fanny written recently?"

Grace laughed. "No, I think my reply to her last letter was enough to finally stop the yearly diatribe. She will never be happy if she cannot find contentment with Mr Betez. I cannot help her, and there is no point going over and over why she was hard done by, and I got the man I wanted when she has, too, but she will never see it that way."

"Are there no regrets? You would have travelled the world with Betez."

"I would have been more unhappy than I was when I was apart from you," Grace assured him. It was usually around this time of year when he became a little insecure, probably because they returned to the place where he lost his leg. She had asked time and again if he was sure about going, to which he always said yes, but she knew he was doing it because she loved being with her Bluestockings, and if it was possible, she worshipped him even more for it.

"That is good to know. Perhaps we should plan a trip."

Grace looked at him. "And miss travelling around to see all our babies. I love being a grandmother, and it takes years off you when you are playing with the grandchildren."

"It is an honour that they have all adopted us as grandparents," William said with a smile.

"It is, and as a result, I have everything I want. Why would I travel when everything I love is here?"

William kissed her hand. "You have been taking lessons from Alice. Your words make my heart melt, but I think it is time I took you upstairs and showed you how fit and healthy this old man still is."

"Are you propositioning me? I am a respectable wife, I will have you know."

"I most certainly am because I know the real you," William whispered.

"In that case, I will try to catch James's eye," Grace said. "We need to return to our chamber."

"Excellent. Just what I was thinking."

A tap on Grace's shoulder had her turning to see a pale-faced Michael. "It is happening."

"Now?" Grace asked. "She still has three weeks to go."

"Arabella confessed that she has been having pains all day but did not wish to admit it." Michael looked mortified that his wife had been suffering and not confided in him.

"Do not worry," Grace assured him. "I will bring Julia and Frances with me; it will soon be over."

"I hope so. She has to be well, for I cannot stand to think of how she was last time."

"We will all do the best we can," Grace said. "Go to her, I will follow in a moment." Michael left the ballroom, and Grace waved to Julia and Frances, who started to make their way towards her. "I could be gone some time," she said to William.

"I gathered that. I cannot criticise Arabella for the interruption and can only hope she gets through it quickly, but I will be waiting for my chance to pounce, so be warned."

Grace laughed. "You are incorrigible."

"Only with you, my love, only with you."

"That is because you know what my Bluestockings would do if it was not."

"I most certainly do. They are all slightly terrifying."

"We heard that!" Julia choked out a laugh.

"You were meant to." William grinned at his niece. "Now go and help Arabella, I want another grandchild to moon over."

"We will, but you will have to get in line for baby cuddles," Grace said.

"I am a poor, bullied man."

"Only by your family," Julia said.

"And you love every single part of what it entails to belong to these wonderful girls, as do I," Grace said, walking towards the door.

"Do not forget to put my case forward if it is a boy. William is a wonderful name," William called after them.

"Will someone please put the poor man out of his misery and name a child after him," Frances said with a laugh as the three started up the stairs.

"I have promised him that the next boy we have will be named in his honour, but the gap since Susan seems to suggest there will not be any more," Julia said.

"I am certainly not putting Arabella under any pressure; he is just a silly old fool. My silly old fool, but one nonetheless."

The three women laughed together before entering the room to try to make their friend comfortable and supported, along with the most experienced nurse for miles.

Luckily for Arabella, it was a reasonably short labour, but unfortunately for William, it was another girl, and she was to be named Grace.

"It is the only name I could accept instead of mine," he said to anyone who would listen. And if he spent a little more time than usual looking at little Grace with a wistful smile on his face, no one teased him. A child named after the love of his life seemed a very precious gift to dote on, and so he did.

The End