Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Two Months Later, October, The Duke of Southbury’s Drawing Room

“ F our more months until the baby comes,” Meredith said, rubbing her hand over her belly.

“I cannot wait to meet him,” Griffin said, placing his hand atop his wife’s stomach too. They were sitting on the settee together in the midst of a large gathering.

In addition to Griffin and Meredith and Gemma and Lucian, Mama was there and so was Cecily. And Oliver, of course. Lady Clare Handleton had even sneaked away from her mother for a visit.

Gemma and Lucian had employed Lady Clare, actually, to help them mitigate the scandal from the papers. She told them the exact rumors to spread to the exact people. Having gone through a scandal herself, Lady Clare knew precisely how to manipulate not only the papers but the right gossips in town to turn any story in a person’s favor. Which, of course, begged the question as to why Lady Clare hadn’t employed her skills to restore her own reputation. Gemma had asked her once, and Lady Clare’s slow wink and sly smile were her only answer.

“Him?” Lady Clare’s eyebrow arched. “I, for one, am certain the baby is a girl.”

“Not possible,” Griffin replied with a wide grin. “Isn’t that right, Mama?”

“A boy would be nice,” Mama allowed.

“I shall be equally happy with a girl or a boy,” Meredith informed them all, rolling her eyes.

Rubbing her fingers over Oliver’s soft fur, Gemma exchanged a private look with Lucian. Just this morning, she’d informed him that she was certain she was also with child. They were waiting for the right moment to share their news. But every time Gemma looked at her husband, his eyes glowed with all the warmth and love he had for her.

And that was what the last two months with Lucian had shown her. Gemma had no doubt she was loved as much as she loved. Lucian had proved to be the same loving, kind-hearted man he’d been when he’d been trying to woo her. And in return she’d shared with him all the love in her heart, and he’d opened his to share right back. Their unborn child—whether a male or female—would know how loved she was. Gemma reached down and squeezed her husband’s hand.

“If the baby is a girl,” Meredith continued, “someone will have to break it to my brother. He told me he has quite a few bets on the matter at the club.”

“I can confirm that’s true,” Lucian added with a laugh, settling back into the settee and crossing his booted foot over his knee.

Gemma watched Lucian interact with the rest of her family with happiness bursting in her heart. Ever since the night she’d escaped from Pembroke, Lucian had been more relaxed and affable. He laughed more easily and smiled more readily. He took himself less seriously. They had all noticed it. Griff had remarked on it more than once.

“I may have a bit of money on the matter myself,” Lucian said with a wink to his new family. “Though I refuse to admit which gender I chose.”

“What? Exactly how many bets has Ash placed on his niece or nephew?” Meredith asked Lucian, feigning outrage.

“I cannot say,” Lucian said with another laugh. “I owe Trentham a favor. He taught me to be charming, after all.”

Gemma, who had long ago heard the story of how Lord Trentham had given Lucian lessons in charm, threw back her head and laughed. “And a good teacher he was.”

Lucian winked at his wife, and she gave him a subtle nod. He cleared his throat. “I think now may be the perfect time to tell everyone that Griffin and Meredith’s child will have a cousin next year.”

“What?!” The room erupted into congratulatory remarks and hugs all around. Mama’s eyes got teary, and it was several long minutes before they all settled back into their seats.

Gemma placed a hand on her own belly. “And to think this all started with a dare.”

“A dare I’m awfully glad you accepted,” Lucian replied, leaning down and kissing his wife on the nose.

Gemma let out a long, happy sigh. “I do love to think of Lady Mary unhappily contemplating how it all went wrong for her that night.” She shook her head. “I do hope she’s learned her lesson about trying to tell other people what to do.”

“After you berated her at the Whitmans’ ball, I should think she has,” Meredith said with a laugh.

Gemma bit her lip. It was true. Not long after Lord Pembroke’s arrest, Gemma had spied Lady Mary at a ball and had wasted no time marching up to the woman. She’d informed Mary in no uncertain terms that if Gemma ever caught her name or the names of her family members on Mary’s lips again, she would live to regret it.

Mary had turned pale, grabbed her long-suffering husband, and promptly left.

“Now that Gemma is happily matched, I suppose you don’t have anyone else to matchmake, Meredith. What shall you do with your time before the baby arrives?” Griffin asked, grinning.

“On the contrary, my darling. I believe you’re forgetting that Ash made you a promise.” Meredith had a decidedly sly smile on her face.

Griffin frowned. “A promise? What was that?”

Meredith smoothed a hand over her belly again. “Did my brother not say he would take a wife this year if you admitted to the woman you love that you love her before the Cartwrights’ Midsummer Night’s Ball last year?”

A huge smile spread across Griffin’s face. “By God, he did! And you, my lovely wife, have the memory of an elephant.”

“And did you not tell me you loved me before said ball?” Meredith continued, clearly beyond pleased with herself.

“I did.” Griffin nodded.

“Then the search is on for Ash’s marchioness,” Meredith replied gleefully. “And before I get too large to walk, I intend to host a country house party in two weeks’ time in order to see to it that he finds the right match.”

“I should have known you would have a plan,” Griffin said to his wife, kissing her soundly on the cheek.

“I shall invite the cream of the crop of debutantes and eligible young ladies,” Meredith announced. “Starting now. Cecily, please say you’ll come. I’ll be sure to invite Lord Albion for you.” She waggled her eyebrows.

“Oh, yes, please do invite him,” Cecily said, clapping her hands together in glee.

“And before you say no, Clare, you must come. To help me. I’m going to need you, and I refuse to take no for an answer.”

“Are you jesting? To see the notorious bachelor Ashford Drake succumb to the marriage mart?” Clare said, arching a brow. “ I’ll be there .”

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed Gemma and Lucian’s story. The next book in the Love’s a Game series is The Marquess Match . Find out what happens between Ash and Clare at the country house party. CLICK HERE FOR “The Marquess Match” .