Epilogue

Adriana gently jiggled her wailing son in her arms, trying desperately to shush him long enough for the rector to conclude the christening ceremony, for which they had returned from London to see accomplished in the same church in which Colton had been dedicated. The baby had slept through his earlier feeding, refusing to be awakened, and was now thoroughly incensed that he couldn't have what he demanded. Try as he did to latch on to something familiar as he nuzzled his mother's bodice, he just couldn't seem to find what he wanted.

The pained expression on Reverend Craig's face clearly evidenced the fact that the infant's lungs were in good working order. Even Gyles Sutton's eyes seemed to water when his grandson's shrieks pierced the level beyond that which he could easily tolerate. Philana and Christina stood together with proud smiles, as if luxuriating in the moment. As for Colton, he gave every indication that he was highly amused by his son's display of temper. Smiling broadly with fatherly pride, he stood beside his wife as the good rector arduously went through the motions of christening Gordon Sedgwick Wyndham.

When Adriana was finally able to retire to a private room to nurse her son, she was pleased to be joined by Samantha who was on the same maternal quest, that being to find a quiet spot to nurse her own son. The two babies looked very much alike and seemed to eye each other rather speculatively after being laid side by side. It was fairly safe to predict that these two, like their mothers, would grow up to be inseparable friends.

Later, the two women found their husbands standing with Riordan and his bride, the most radiantly happy Felicity Kendrick, who seemed to relish her husband's gentle consideration. It was a stark, but thoroughly welcomed contrast to the abuse she had received from Roger. With the assistance of a manservant, Jane Fairchild had brought her father, Samuel Gladstone, in a chair on wheels. Jarvis Fairchild was noticeably absent, but that didn't seem to bother the industrious woman, for she conveyed a vivacious wit as she chatted with her new son-in-law, daughter, and other aristocrats who had become close friends with the Gladstone family throughout the years.

In bed that evening, Adriana lay nestled against her husband's side as Leo and Aris slept not too far away, indulging in the warmth radiating from the fireplace. Gordon had just received nourishment from his mother's breast and was sound asleep in his tiny crib. As for Genevieve Ariella Kingsley, she was ensconced in her own room a short piece down the hall, with Blythe in the bedchamber next door and, as always, ever eager to see to the needs and care of the beautiful little girl, who would grow up with full knowledge of the wonderful couple who had been her real parents.

"It's hard to believe that Riordan and Felicity are already expecting a child," Adriana mused with a smile. "She must have been caught on the very first night, too. Two months already, and as radiant a bride as I've ever seen."

Colton stroked a hand over his wife's thigh, admiring its sleekness. "Felicity seems quite happy and content now that she's married to Riordan, and I can certainly imagine why sheshould be after what she went through as Roger's wife. Jane's ecstatic over the idea that she'll soon be a grandmother. She's very fond of Riordan, and of course, he's very fond of his mother-in-law, as I am of mine."

Adriana giggled. "You'd better be. You have no other choice."

Her husband grinned down at her. "Now, I wouldn't say that. I left home once when I didn't like the arrangement that had been laid out for me."

"Oh, I know!" Adriana feigned a heavy sigh. "You've always been stubborn about having your own way."

"Madam, be honest. Would you have been confident of my love had I agreed to my father's edict at the very beginning and gone to the altar out of duty?"

"Well, Samantha and Percy are very much in love, and they did that very thing," she reasoned.

"I'm not Percy, and you're not Samantha, and I'd say that we're every bit as happy as they are, if not more so. At least, you needn't worry about my ever straying. I've indulged in that kind of life enough to know I prefer the one I now have with you. If you're not aware of it, madam, I'm very much in love with you."

She snuggled her head contentedly upon his shoulder and brushed her fingers admiringly over the neat feathering of hair covering his chest. "And I you, milord."

It was some moments before Adriana rose up on that formidable expanse and peered down into her husband's smiling eyes. "I believe Gordon is going to look exactly like your father."

"Me, madam! He's going to look like me," Colton corrected with a gritted grin.

Smiling, she seemed to mull over his answer for a long moment as she glanced about the room. Finally, she lifted her shoulders in an impish shrug. "Well, if it bothers you so much not to get all the credit, then I suppose I can allow that he does look very much like you. But …"

Colton held up a hand to halt any further argument. "I know, madam! I've heard it all my life. I look just like my father before me."

Smiling, she pressed her slender nose against his cheek. "I'm glad you do. If you're not aware of it, sir, you're an admirable specimen of a man, and I'm so very, very glad you're mine."

Another long moment passed before she lowered her chin upon the arm she had braced on his chest. "Did Riordan say anything to you about witnessing Roger's hanging?"

"He did."

"And? What did he say?"

"He said he felt it necessary to assure himself—and Felicity—that she would be safe from that monster forevermore. In spite of all the people he killed, Roger proved to be a full-fledged coward when he faced death himself. He wept and pleaded for mercy all the way to the gallows, but of course he never extended any compassion to any of his victims, so he received none in return."

"Mr. Fairchild is certainly pleased by the fact that Felicity is now married to Riordan," Adriana said. "According to Jane, he predicted a gentleman of the peerage would ask her to become his wife. Since Edmund passed on, and Jarvis bought the Elston mill, his attitude toward Samuel Gladstone has changed for the better. He seems to admire the elder much more now and, from what I've heard, he has repaid all the funds he directed into his coffers after laying off Creighton and others, who've now all been hired back. Felicity said her father is even courting her mother now, as if she weren't his wife at all. Of course, the fact that they've been living apart for some months may have had much to do with his repentance. Perhaps he finally realized what a jewel of a wife he had and that he was going to lose her if he didn't make amends."

Chuckling, Colton rolled to his side to face his young wife and slid a hand down her naked back, settling it fondly over atempting buttock. "As Shakespeare wrote, madam, all's well that ends well."

Adriana's eyes gleamed with merriment as they warmly melded with his. "Lecher."