Epilogue

London, 1834

Emily grabbed her shawl as she left the bedchamber she and her husband had shared for the past seventeen years. Halting at the next bedchamber door, she gave it a knock and entered.

“Are you ready to leave?” she asked.

Two young women, one of debutante age, the other a little bit younger, faced her with eager expressions.

“Yes, Mama,” said Margaret. As the eldest, she was expected to make her debut later that evening. But before that happened, she and her sister would join their parents for a more public event.

“Emily,” Callum called from the foyer, in what most people would likely consider a very uncouth manner. “We have to go.”

“We’re coming, Papa,” shouted Elizabeth, the youngest of the two sisters.

Emily chuckled and sent her daughters a let’s-go look before leaving their room. Confident they would hurry as much as they could, she descended the stairs to the foyer where Callum stood waiting. He greeted her with a wide smile, which was quickly followed by a passionate kiss, despite their butler’s presence.

Their daughters soon joined them and the family departed.

Although Seductive Scandal still didn’t bear the names of those who’d written it, the subsequent books did. They referenced The Gentlemen Authors beneath the titles, with a brief biography of each man as part of the small introduction that preceded every story. Of which there were now ten in total.

The number of people who came to have their books signed by the dukes never ceased to amaze Emily. Today would be no different, she realized, when their carriage pulled to a halt in front of Between the Pages. Dozens of customers, women and men included, lined the pavement in anticipation of Callum’s, Anthony’s, and Brody’s arrivals.

“I wager there are more people here to see Papa than what I’ll encounter tonight at the ball,” Margaret said, her voice filled with awe.

“Your papa and his friends are immensely popular,” Emily agreed. She squeezed Callum’s hand and leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek. “I couldn’t be prouder.”

“And to think it all started here,” he said with a nod toward the bookshop. “Seems like a lifetime ago, yet almost as though it were just yesterday.”

Emily agreed. It was often difficult for her to fathom how long it had been since she and Callum had married. She waited for him and their daughters to alight before letting him help her down. So much had happened during the intervening years, not just for them, but for their friends too.

Ada and Anthony’s marriage had been extremely productive. They now had four sons and three daughters between the ages of three and sixteen. Since Ada’s uncle was no longer able to run Between the Pages, Ada had hired a clerk and a bookbinder to do so in his stead. Covering the extra expense had not been a problem. Much like Callum, Anthony and Brody had both invested the earnings they’d made on the first few books they’d sold, allowing all three to rebuild their fortunes.

Despite being financially stable, however, Harriet remained in Hudson Co.’s employ since she loved her job there as a compositor far too much to give it up. Having purchased the business from Mr. Hudson when he retired a few years ago, Brody worked alongside his wife, making sure every book The Gentlemen Authors published, was up to par. And with a few extra people in their employ, the Duke and Duchess of Corwin made sure to make time for their three sons as well.

Emily and Callum crossed the street with their daughters and greeted the customers who waited outside before entering the shop, which was already packed with people. Ushering Margaret and Elizabeth forward, between herself and Callum, Emily followed them through the crowd and toward the counter where Anthony and Brody waited together with Ada and Harriet.

“This looks like the best turnout yet,” Callum said once they’d greeted their friends. “I’m rather impressed.”

“And to think we’re ten minutes early,” Emily said as she scanned the full space.

“We were actually hoping there might be time for a toast before getting started,” Ada said. “Anthony brought champagne.”

“I think that will have to wait,” Harriet said while glancing toward the front of the shop. “We’ll celebrate later.”

“Perhaps with the rest of the family,” Anthony suggested.

Brody raised an eyebrow. “Everyone included?”

“Perhaps not everyone,” Anthony said as he drew Ada into a sideways embrace. “Our youngest will have to stay home. But, we could ask Finn and Penny to join us.”

Brody’s troublemaker of a brother, Finnegan Evans, Marquess of Losturn, had fallen madly in love with Anthony’s sister, Penelope, after dancing with her at her debut. She’d welcomed his courtship, but had turned down his offers of marriage until he’d convinced her that he’d reformed and had what it took to support a family. Desperate to prove himself worthy, he’d followed his older brother’s example by selling off several possessions and investing his funds.

The returns had been used to open a winery, which had since become a lucrative business.

“It can’t be tonight I’m afraid,” said Callum. “Margaret is being presented at court at four o’clock, after which she’s due to attend her debutant ball.”

“Do you think Peter will make it home in time?” Margaret asked Emily with a hint of anxiousness in her voice.

“He said he would, so I’m certain he shall,” Emily assured her. After acquiring a law degree from Oxford University, Peter had become an exceptionally good solicitor. The only trouble was, he’d chosen to work in Manchester, so Emily and Callum rarely saw him.

Emily studied Margaret, noted the relief in her eyes, and wondered if she might have developed a tendre for the young man. Emily’s lips twitched with amusement. Wouldn’t that be something?

“What is it?” Callum asked.

She caught his gaze. “Nothing. I’ll tell you later.”

“If you’re ready,” Ada said, “I would suggest we get started. If there’s time once we finish, we’ll pop the champagne for a quick toast before Callum and Emily have to leave. We can have a bigger celebration tomorrow.”

The three men took their positions at the counter, their quills at the ready. Emily gestured for the first customer to step forward, then watched with delight as Callum signed his name to the title page of his latest release.

Her gaze met Ada’s and Harriet’s, and their answering smiles informed her that no matter how much time passed or how many books their husbands released, they would always be equally proud. These were the men they’d fallen in love with. Some might say the matches, which required overcoming class differences, mistaken identities, and misunderstandings, were most unlikely.

In Emily’s opinion, they were perfect in their uniqueness. She, for one, was immensely happy, and when she caught Callum’s gaze moments later and he smiled at her with love in his eyes, she had no doubt he felt the same way.

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