Epilogue

Five Days Later

Lucien looked around the dining room at the Phoenix Club and couldn’t quite believe what he saw: his wife speaking with his father, who was smiling. That Lucien was both married and on friendly terms with the duke—his father—was astonishing. Indeed, he wasn’t sure when he would be able to believe it.

After obtaining a special license, Lucien had asked Kat if she minded waiting to wed until his father was feeling up to attending. She hadn’t minded at all, particularly because she was able to confirm that she was, in fact, not carrying a child, and preferred to delay the wedding for at least a few days for…reasons. Lucien had been relieved by the news as he didn’t think he could deal with another massive, unexpected shift in his life at the moment.

Still, he hoped they would have children someday. And that alone was a great change.

“Where did you go?” Evie asked from beside him. She and Gregory had returned the previous Saturday, and no one had been more surprised by the announcement of his and Kat’s betrothal than she was.

Or Con.

Or Max.

Or…hell, they’d all been flabbergasted by the news. Except for Jess, who’d apparently aided Kat in her kissing scheme in Dougal’s office, just as Lucien had speculated.

“I was just marveling at this occasion,” Lucien replied.

“We all are. I still can’t decide what is most shocking—your marriage or the sudden and complete change in your relationship with the duke.” She shook her head.

Lucien had told her the truth behind his father’s treatment of him. He wouldn’t share it with everyone here, but he’d wanted her to know. She really was one of his dearest friends.

“Can’t they be equally devastating in their unpredictability?” he asked.

“I suppose so.” Evie regarded him intently. “I can’t get used to you like this.”

He pulled his attention from Kat, who was talking rather animatedly to his father, her hands gesticulating. “Like what?”

“Utterly smitten.”

He laughed. “That’s precisely what I’ve been thinking about you.” His gaze darted toward Gregory, who stood somewhat nearby with Dougal and Jess. “You and Gregory seem quite happy.”

“We are.” She touched his arm. “How wonderful for us both. Especially since things with the club seem to be on the upswing.”

She was right. Attendance at the Welcome Spring assembly had exceeded any of last year’s assemblies, due in part to the fact that Lucien and the membership committee had issued a flurry of invitations a few days before. “It’s so bloody fantastic not to have to garner anyone’s approval for membership invitations anymore.”

“Oh, yes, that is quite nice.” Evie smiled, but quickly sobered. “I will never be able to thank you for allowing me to stay, for fighting for me even when you were pushed into a corner.” She knew everything that had happened with the Foreign Office. Lucien wanted her to know the truth, particularly since the Foreign Office might occasionally conduct business at the club. He’d thought it important that the entire membership committee be aware of their involvement—both past and future—so he’d held a meeting with everyone to share the details.

“I will never abandon you,” Lucien said. “Or any of my friends and family.”

“And that is what makes you the second-most wonderful man I’ve ever met.” Her brow puckered briefly. “Perhaps third now that my father has returned.”

“I will happily take third. Now, let us congratulate Max on his elevation to earldom.” That had happened a few days ago, much to Max’s eternal disgruntlement. He hadn’t liked being a viscount at all, and he looked forward to being an earl even less.

As they walked toward Max and Ada, Kat joined them, sidling close to Lucien so that he could put his hand on her lower back. “What were you talking to my father about?” he murmured.

“Peacocks. He said there are several mated pairs at Woodbreak. You never mentioned that.”

“Probably because I haven’t been to my father’s ancestral pile in years.” Which was too bad because it was beautiful. “I’ll take you there after the Season. Then you can demonstrate your peacock dance for me, and I’ll judge whether it’s accurate.”

Kat swatted him in the arm as she chuckled.

They reached Max and Ada, and Lucien looked to his friend. “I know you don’t want me to, but I’m going to propose a toast to you becoming earl.”

Max grunted in response. Ada grinned widely. “How thoughtful of you.”

“Not before I make a toast to you and Kat,” Con said, apparently overhearing since he stood nearby.

“I’ll instruct the footmen to serve the champagne,” Sabrina offered.

Fiona and Tobias came toward them—slowly. Poor Fiona was having a difficult time getting around, but she’d insisted on coming today.

“Oh dear, that will be me in a matter of months,” Ada said. She looked up at her husband. “Perhaps you’ll have to carry me.”

“I will do whatever you ask.” Max’s eyes glowed with love as he returned her gaze.

“My goodness, but we’re a love-struck bunch,” Lucien mused.

“Pardon us,” Tobias said, appearing strained if truth be told. “Fiona and I must take our leave. It seems the babe has decided that your wedding day is an excellent time to make an appearance.”

“Oh!” Ada exclaimed. “Do you need to go upstairs? We have several bedchambers at the club. You could use mine. The bed is very comfortable.”

“It is indeed,” Max agreed.

Lucien stifled a smile. He turned his attention to Fiona, whose features were tightly drawn and her face pink. “We do have many bedchambers.”

Fiona exhaled as if she’d been holding her breath. “I’m actually well aware of that, and yes, the beds are most pleasant.”

Lucien wondered if everyone had used the Phoenix Club for an assignation. “Then, let us get you upstairs.”

“No. I would like to go home and give birth in my bed. But I think we’d best hurry.” Her eyes widened. “I think…my waters…” She swung her head to Tobias. “Yes, take me upstairs, please. Our room, if you can.”

“I’ll send for maids from the ladies’ side,” Ada said quickly, already moving. “Evie, have the footmen carry warm water up.”

“The doctor,” Tobias said, his face going pale. “Someone fetch the doctor.”

“I’ll dispatch Arthur,” Lucien said.

“I’ll take care of it.” Max took off after his wife.

“What is happening?” Kat’s mother had come toward them while Lucien wasn’t paying attention. Because the wedding had been delayed so his father could attend, they’d had time to send word to Kat’s family so they could rush to London. It was a good thing, because Mrs. Shaughnessy would have been very hard to appease if they’d held the wedding without her.

“Lady Overton is going to have her baby,” Kat said. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Tobias began to guide Fiona toward the doorway. When she paused after a few steps and hunched over slightly, he swept her into his arms and hurried out of the dining room.

“Does this mean the breakfast is over?” Iona, Kat’s younger sister by two years, asked. She sounded disappointed.

“Not at all,” Kat said.

Prudence and Bennet approached them. She addressed Lucien. “I hope you don’t mind if I go up and help. I think Fiona might like that.” Since Prudence had been her companion when she’d come to town a year ago, that seemed fitting.

“Of course not. Take Cass with you.” His sister would want to go since Fiona was one of her closest friends.

“I will.” Prudence touched her husband’s sleeve before going to meet Cass, who was, in fact, on her way to join them. Everyone seemed to be congregating in the center of the room. But then Prudence and Cass departed just as Sabrina came back in. She was trailed by footmen carrying trays of champagne.

“Is it true that Fiona has gone upstairs to have her baby?” Sabrina asked.

Lucien nodded. “Yes. We have many reasons to toast today, it seems.”

We do indeed,” Lucien’s father chimed in as the footmen distributed the glasses of champagne. “I meant to tell you that the Hickinbottoms won’t be bothering you anymore. They realized it wasn’t in their best interest to denigrate my daughter-in-law.”

“That is a relief!” Mrs. Shaughnessy exclaimed as she took a glass of champagne from a tray. “Thank you, Your Grace.”

Lucien handed a glass to Kat and took one for himself. They exchanged a look of joy and promise, and he was suddenly eager for the breakfast to be over.

“Let us drink to my brother, Lucien,” Con said loudly. “And his brilliant bride, Kat. I think I can speak for all of us when I say this is a union no one expected, but that we all wholeheartedly approve.”

“We don’t need that,” Lucien said with a dry laugh.

“No, you don’t,” Lucien’s father said. “But you have it nonetheless. Perhaps what Con should have said is that we all endorse your marriage, for there are no two people who are better suited to each other.”

This was met with several people mumbling at once, causing Lucien to laugh again.

“Why are you laughing?” Kat asked, somewhat quietly. Well, quietly for her.

“Because every married couple in this room would likely argue that they are the couple who are best suited to one another.” It was then that Lucien realized everyone was a married couple, save Kat’s three sisters, Lucien’s aunt, who although married certainly couldn’t be described as half of a couple, and his father. Lucien glanced toward him and wondered if he might wed again. Stranger things had happened, and he certainly deserved happiness—if he could allow himself to have it.

“They are all wrong,” Kat said, sipping her champagne.

Lucien had just taken a drink too and nearly choked on it. After swallowing the wine down, he tipped his head toward her. “I completely agree.”

Con frowned as he tapped his glass with the ring he’d started wearing when Robert was born. It had been a gift from their father to commemorate the birth of his heir. “That was not the toast I’d hoped for. May we try again? Without the commentary?” He looked around the room, but narrowed his eyes at Lucien, who’d started everything with his rejoinder about approval.

“Please,” Lucien said, putting his hand around Kat’s waist.

Taking a deep breath, Con started anew. “To my brother and Kat, we all love you and are so glad you found one another.” He fixed his gaze on Kat. “Kat, we welcome you to the family and hope you can endure our foibles, for they are great and often frustrating. You have already improved it immensely.” Smiling, Con looked to Lucien. “Lu, I think we are all especially delighted to see you fall in love and find an everlasting happiness, for you certainly deserve it. I would say it ought to cure you of your matchmaking tendencies, but it would seem we are all matched.” Con addressed them both, his gaze moving between them. “May your love be a comfort, a beacon, and the greatest adventure you will ever have.” He lifted his glass and everyone joined him with cheers of “Huzzah!”

“That’s easy,” Lucien whispered to Kat. “It already is.”

“Later, you can show me just how adventuresome you can be,” she responded huskily. “If you please.”

He looked into her eyes with heat and promise. “Nothing would please me more.”

Need to go back and catch up with all eight books in the Phoenix Club series? Start with book one, Improper! Want to check out my other series? Read on to discover what to dive into next!