Epilogue

One Year Later

Alexander paced back and forth in his study. He glanced at the grandfather clock. It was half past. That could not be right. A scream rang throughout the castle, and he leaped towards the door.

A strong hand caught him. "You must stay where you are, man."

"Damn it, Maxton! Can you not hear that?" Alexander yanked his arm back. "Rose needs me."

"No, she needs you to stay where you are." Nigel shoved him into his seat. "This is women's work."

Alexander dropped his head in his hands. "God, it is torture. How much more of this must I endure?"

Nigel smiled good-naturedly and poured him a healthy measure of whiskey. "Only the Lord above knows. But you will do no good by interrupting. You must let things run their course. Or so I am told."

In a distant room of the castle, Rose was having a similar conversation with her mother.

"I do not think I can do this," she cried, squeezing her mother's hand. "I cannot go on."

"You can. You can, and you must." Lady Cotswalts shook her head. "Come on, it will all be over soon."

"God, I am sorry that I ever put you through this," Rose panted.

Lady Cotswalts grimaced. "Do not think of that now. You just need to focus on what comes next."

Rose groaned. "It hurts."

"I know. And think, I had to do this three times."

Rose let out an anguished yell.

Her yell seemed to pierce through Alexander's soul, as his head whipped towards the door to the study. He glanced at Nigel, who shook his head, and downed his whiskey.

"You need another drink." Nigel poured a healthy measure, paused, and then added more whiskey to the glass.

"But what if she is hurt? What if…" Alexander trailed off.

"Rose is young. She is healthy. Do not worry." Nigel shook his head. "You need a distraction."

"I do not think anything could distract me from this." Alexander glanced up at the ceiling.

I hope she is safe.

"Tell me about that rose bush by the maze." Nigel gestured towards the gardens. "Was that the one you ordered a year ago?"

Alexander nodded, recalling the memory. "We planted it together. The day after… Well, the day after that unpleasantness with the Earl."

The expression on Nigel's face darkened, but he said nothing. "It has grown big and strong."

"I wanted it to be a symbol of our love," Alexander murmured softly.

He and Rose had each cut a lock of hair and twined them together, then buried them beneath the bush.

"Our love will strengthen it," Rose had said, slipping her hand in his.

"I hope that our love strengthens you now," Alexander whispered, staring at the closed study door as the memory of that day faded away.

In her room, Rose gasped and clutched at her mother. She was panting with exhaustion, sweat dripping down her forehead. For a moment, all she could hear was the sound of her own breathing.

Then a cry ripped through the air, and she felt a rush of relief.

My child.

Something small was placed in her arms. She looked at her mother.

"You did it, my girl. You did it." Lady Cotswalts pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "You have a baby."

Rose looked at the bundle in her arms. "Oh."

A small, pink face with closed eyes was swaddled in the cloth.

How can anything be so impossibly small?

"I cannot believe it," Rose whispered. "I have a child. Who could have imagined that this is where I would end up?"

An odd look crossed Lady Cotswalts's face, but Rose did not appear to notice. She was too entranced by the infant in her arms.

Alexander wasn't sure if the quiet was worse than the cries before it. He glanced from the door to Nigel and back again. His hands shook. The door was suddenly flung open, and Olivia barged into the room, staring at him. He leaped to his feet.

"How is she?" he asked.

"She is well." Her eyes were full of tears. "She is well, and she is asking for you."

Alexander hesitated. He glanced between his sister and Nigel.

Nigel shook his head and gave him a gentle shove. "Go to her, you fool." He smiled.

Alexander did not need to be told twice. Smiling at his sister and his friend, he made his way through the castle, his heart hammering as he thought of his wife.

"I'm coming, Rose," he muttered as he took the stairs two at a time, running as fast as his long legs would carry him.

Rose still could not believe that she and Alexander had created the little bundle in her arms. As soon as she saw the delicate nose and the tiny fingers, she fell in love all over again.

I had not known I could feel a love like this.

"It is so strange to think that if it were not for some twist of fate, I might never have married Alexander," she murmured absently while she stared lovingly at her baby. "I might never have known such joy."

"I would call it good fortune." Lady Cotswalts smiled. "Though, you know I believe we make our own luck."

Rose smiled back. "Perhaps I should thank Miss Carstairs. It is her poor timing that has brought me here, after all."

An odd look crossed Lady Cotswalts's face, but Rose could not quite place it. "So, you are glad of what happened that night?"

"Of course, I am."

"Well, it is time you learn the truth." Lady Cotswalts took a deep breath.

In the hall, Alexander paused. He stood outside the door, his heart hammering in his chest. Rose was behind it. He knew he should go to her, but something held him back.

Once I cross the threshold, my life will be changed forever.

He wished his father was here. He would know what to do. The memory of him still stung, but Alexander found it a comfort rather than a cause of guilt.

He turned the door handle and walked into the room. The scene before him was not at all what he had expected. Rose was clutching a small bundle in her arms, staring at her mother, her mouth hanging open. Neither woman seemed to have noticed him.

Rose could not believe what her mother was saying. "What do you mean?"

"I was the one who sent Miss Carstairs to find you." Lady Cotswalts was speaking softly, as was Rose, neither wishing to wake the babe. "I saw you and the Duke enter the maze one after another."

"You sent Miss Carstairs?" Rose shook her head in disbelief but found she was not angry. "Even with all the rumors about the Duke?"

Lady Cotswalts smiled. "I didn't believe a word of those rumors. Not for a moment. I knew his father through my father. They were business partners."

"Business partners?" Alexander's voice was soft and low.

Rose and her mother jumped as they turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, his expression an endearing mix of confusion and curiosity.

Lady Cotswalts nodded. "Yes, they did business together. In fact, I first met you when you were a very young child, shortly before Rose was born. Though I doubt you will remember it."

"So, you knew both my parents?" Alexander did not move from the doorway, his head spinning.

"Indeed." Lady Cotswalts smiled. "I knew them well. And when I saw your mother at the ball… well, it seemed the obvious solution."

"You both planned this?" Rose shook her head in disbelief. "I thought you got on rather well."

"Well, it all worked out in the end." Lady Cotswalts strode towards the door and hugged Alexander. "Congratulations, dear boy."

"Thank you." Alexander shook his head. "For everything."

"Do not think this conversation is over, Mother!" Rose called after her, but Lady Cotswalts appeared not to have heard.

My mother will never stop her meddling now. Good luck to Jane and Emily.

Shaking her head, Rose met Alexander's eyes. "You know, she will never let us forget this."

"I imagine not." Alexander moved closer to her but then hesitated. "I cannot believe she knew my father."

"It truly is a small world." Rose glanced down at the bundle in her arms. "Would you like to see your son?"

"My son?" Alexander's eyes widened.

Rose nodded, tears filling her eyes. "He is beautiful. Come, hold him."

Alexander approached them, looking almost timid. "What if I break him?"

"You will not." Rose smiled as he gently took the babe from her arms.

In his powerful arms, the child looked miniscule. Alexander held his son with such tenderness that Rose thought her heart would break. He gently rocked his son in his arms.

"Good day, little one," Alexander murmured. "Welcome to the world, my darling boy. I hope you take after your mother. Courageous and kind and beautiful."

"I hope he takes after his father." Rose smiled. "Brave and handsome and loyal."

There was a pause as their son began to snuffle softly. Alexander sat beside Rose, letting her lean against him. He gently kissed her forehead, before gazing back down at their son. "This little one needs a name."

"I had given it some thought…" Rose bit her lip. "What about Arthur? After your father."

His breath caught in his throat. Silence fell over them. Eventually, he said, "Arthur Rokesby."

Rose gently took his hand and squeezed it.

Together they gazed at their son. Little Arthur let out a small yawn and nestled more deeply into his swaddling cloth.

"I love you," Alexander breathed.

"I love you, too." Rose leaned against him. "And I am so glad my mother helped us find our way to each other."

Alexander laughed.

"Though I will never tell her that." She laughed softly with him.

And slowly, their laughter became louder and louder, filling the halls of the castle. At long last, love had returned home. And a new chapter was beginning.

The End?