Epilogue

ONE YEAR LATER

E vangeline stood at the edge of the cliff, on top of the walls surrounding her home, and stared out over the sea. So much had happened in the year since the fire, and she felt sometimes as though she was still processing it.

There were footsteps behind her. She glanced back to see Lily joining them, her pretty face wrinkled against the chill in the air.

"It's cold."

"Only a little," Evangeline said.

"You come out here a lot."

"Well, I'll miss it when we're in London."

Lily tucked her hands behind her back as she came to stand beside Evangeline. "The sea, or the view?"

Evangeline glanced sidelong at her friend—and the girl whom she had come to view as a sister. The year they had spent together had been one of recovery. Even now, sometimes, Lily would wake to dreams of George, the way he had been when he had left her and come for them both in the fire.

Sometimes, Evangeline knew, Lily had nightmares about the fire as well. Being trapped. Not knowing if anyone would come for her.

But a year had been enough to both rebuild the castle to its former glory and for Lily to banish almost all of those unwelcome thoughts.

"Both," she said, as casually as she could manage. "But particularly the sea, even if it is a little too cold to swim now."

Far too cold to swim. Even if Evangeline was sometimes tempted.

"But London has its own kind of beauty," she went on. "You won't get the wonderful views, but you can look out across the rooftops of London. I'll take you to all the sights—and there is some wonderful architecture."

"Do you miss it?"

Evangeline smiled. "Not anymore."

Not with Hugh by her side. This was the life she had chosen, and she didn't miss the life she had left behind for it.

"But," she added, "I'm looking forward to going back."

"I'm looking forward to meeting your sister," Lily said, turning her face into the breeze.

"Yes! The new Lady Leighton. That will be wonderful, too."

The wedding had come just a few weeks after the fire, but Hugh had insisted on traveling with her so she wouldn't have to face her family alone.

The kindness in that gesture, though she knew he couldn't stand them—and rightly so—had taken her breath away. Especially considering Lily had still been recovering then.

Now the castle was repaired, by and large, she could invite them both to visit, and she couldn't wait.

"I believe they will be in London. I've written to them to warn them of our arrival." Evangeline looked down at the younger girl. "Are you sure about this?"

Lily gave another small smile. "Certain. I'm ready for Society to see me, and I'm ready to see Society. You and Hugh have shown me that marriage doesn't always have to be miserable, and thanks to you, he has also conceded that London is the best place to find a husband."

"As worthy as the north is," Evangeline said with a laugh, "there are far fewer eligible bachelors."

"I just think that before he was dreading the thought of having to accompany me. When Mama died, you know, he realized that he had to bring me up himself."

"It must have been very hard."

"I think more so for him," she said blithely. "I missed Mama, of course, but Hugh was everything I could have asked for in an older brother. I was very lucky, you know. And luckier still that he married a lady I could call my sister."

"We're all very lucky," Evangeline said and turned at the sound of another pair of footsteps.

Hugh, his step quick and sure as he approached, a resigned smile on his face.

"I ought to have known you'd be here," he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "The carriage is waiting."

"Isn't the sea breeze beautiful this time of morning?"

"I knew she'd be up here," Lily said, laughing when Evangeline mock glowered at her. "I just came to see if she was ready."

"Of course I'm ready," Evangeline said. "Of all of us, I'm the London socialite."

"Does one Season make you a socialite?" Hugh teased.

That had been another change over the course of the year. Now the last of the threat had gone, Hugh had eased some of his sternness and replaced it with a teasing lightness that Evangeline adored.

She leaned back into his strength, letting his arms around her protect her from the cold.

"It makes me more of a socialite than you," she said. "How many full London Seasons have you done?"

"Full Seasons? None."

"Precisely."

"But I do have a decade more experience."

"In life, not in London," she said, holding up a finger. "And when it comes to running the estate, please note that I allow you to take the lead."

"Allow me? How very generous, dear wife." His lips grazed her cheek.

"You are both disgustingly in love," Lily said. "Are you certain you want to accompany me?"

"Absolutely," Evangeline said at the same time that Hugh said, "As if we would let you go alone."

Lily laughed and turned away. Evangeline watched her. At first, it had taken them some time to persuade her to leave the house. So much had happened, and her initial reaction was to hide away.

But Evangeline knew that the best thing for them all was for Lily to venture back into the world and discover all the ways in which it could be beautiful as well as ugly. Yes, she had scars in her heart—everyone did, eventually—but she could also learn to love again. Love someone who would deserve it.

"Come," Hugh said. "The carriage is waiting, and if we tarry too long, we'll risk missing the inns and traveling houses I wrote ahead to reserve." He gave Evangeline a concerned glance. "And I don't want to travel too fast."

Evangeline linked her arm through Lily's as they climbed their way down into the courtyard, where several carriages were waiting. Three with their luggage and a few servants, and one for them.

"Why would we need to travel slowly?" Lily asked. "I'm not about to change my mind, you know. You persuaded me Society was the best thing for me—and I won't change my mind now. A Season it's to be."

"Oh, it wouldn't be for your sake," Evangeline said. "More mine."

"Why yours?"

"Well, Aunt Lily, it's so I don't feel too sick on the journey."

The words took a few moments to sink in—and when they did, Lily turned to them both with an expression of such abject shock and delight that Evangeline laughed.

"Aunt Lily?" she gasped. "Can you be serious?"

Hugh came up behind her, his arms wrapping around her waist.

"As serious as could be," he said, kissing the top of her head. "The physician said she would be fine to travel, so to London we shall go. So long as she agrees not to exert herself."

"He has been fussing like an old man," Evangeline confided to Lily, who giggled, but her eyes were wide and shining.

"I can't believe it. A baby!"

"Well, it's hardly surprising a year or more into our marriage," Evangeline said, glancing up at Hugh.

She had only suspected it a few weeks ago when her monthly courses had failed to come. And now the nausea that plagued her even in her best moments was a sure sign, according to Susan and Mrs. MacDonald.

But even if she had not received this outside assurance, she would have known something was different about her body—and in the best way. She felt the way things were changing inside her, and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

A child with Hugh. The future with him she had always wanted. How could she be happier?

"I'm so happy for you both!" Lily squealed and threw her arms around Evangeline's neck. "And you're accompanying me to London?"

"For a couple of months. Then we shall return to Eldermoor, as I would like the baby to be born here," Evangeline said. "Margaret will be coming too, to help out where she can."

"I won't let you do anything that might strain you," Hugh said, looking her up and down affectionately. "Even though I know you'll try."

"Nonsense." Evangeline put a hand against her stomach.

It hadn't started to swell yet, or at least, not noticeably, but sometimes she thought she felt the way her body was changing. And perhaps there was a little tightness there, a little more fullness under her skin.

Every night, Hugh kissed her stomach and told her how beautiful she was to him—how beautiful she would always be, especially now she was carrying his child. That no matter how round her stomach became, he would always want her, always think she was the most beautiful, precious thing that he had ever had the privilege of knowing.

She never failed to appreciate how fortunate she was to have a husband so loving, and that was precisely what she wanted for Lily.

Hugh handed her into the carriage.

"And now," she said. "To London. And the rest of our lives."

The End?