Epilogue
St. George’s Church, Hanover Square, Ten Days Later
On this warm July morning, Perry stepped out of a carriage on the hand of her eldest brother, Bink Gibson.
“You’ve still time to escape,” Bink whispered.
“She’s getting married.” Bakeley greeted them, dusting off his sleeve.
Since she and Fox had arrived in town, Bakeley had taken every opportunity to lecture her without mercy until Sirena took to following him around and tugging him away. Bakeley’s coronation duties, helping to lug around the King’s heavy train, had drained him, Sirena said, and Father’s escapade had raised new fear in him. He was in no hurry to become the Earl of Shaldon.
Father climbed out of another carriage, and Bink went to gather his brood.
“Lady Perpetua.” Father extended his arm. “You look lovely, my dear.”
They’d barely had a chance to speak after the events at Gorse Cottage. Father had left as soon as he could sit a horse to return for the coronation, and Perry and Fox had followed a couple of days later.
Sirena said the laudanum had scrambled Father’s brains a bit, for he was warmer, kinder. Or perhaps finally learning what happened to Mama—and what Mama had done—had changed him.
Or maybe he’d known all along about her switching the paintings. Betrayal was so common in his world.
“Bink,” she called. “Go and make sure Fox is there.”
He grinned and she turned back to the man at her side.
“Father, I want to know…everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. I mean, these last few years, the man after Paulina, then Sirena’s villainous cousin, and Gracie’s cousin, Lady Kingsley…was Sir Richard involved with all of them?”
“Perry—”
“Was he?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. He ran secrets, spies, back and forth, but much of what happens is compartmentalized. And these traitors worked each for his or her own personal gain.”
“Are there more, Father?”
He opened his mouth and then closed it.
“There are always more, aren’t there? But the war is over. Can you not step back and let someone else go after them?” She squeezed his arm. “I want to see you happy. And I want you to know my children.”
“And I suppose the first one will be coming along soon.”
“Father.” Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “I am marrying by license. It’s been only two weeks since I arrived at Gorse Cottage.”
“The groom says to hurry up,” Bink called.
“Very well,” Father said, “I shall think about stepping back, as you call it.”
He led her up the steps too quickly and through the door. Fox stood at the altar wearing new coats, making her smile. He looked magnificent and ridiculous, and wonderful.
The walk down the aisle went far too slowly, and the rest was a blur, but afterward, the vicar took them back to the register. Fox signed first, and she paused over the page.
Joseph Adams Dudley
Good heavens. The Dudleys she didn’t know about, but the Adams family included one American President and an ambassador to the Court of St. James.
