“Yes,” he said solemnly. “I’ve only known that kind of intimacy with you.”
She searched his gaze, finding no sign of falsehood. She saw only love, vulnerability, and the deepest of commitments.
He was hers—entirely hers—in a way she’d never expected.
She cupped his face and smiled her softest, tenderest smile.
“Harbury…Edward. What a gift you’ve just given me.”
He smiled in a teasing fashion. “If you’re incredulous, I must have done something right.”
“I love you.” She ran her finger down his face. “And I will marry you again. Edward, I give my heart into your keeping, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others”—her sigh was long and heart-felt—“as long as we both shall live.”
They kissed as the sun slanted through what had once been thealtar window, bathing them both in light. Then, Cassie heard a distant, indignant yip.
“Mercy,” he breathed.
She giggled.
“Time to go home?” he asked.
“Time to go home,” she answered.
Together, they turned back toward Harbury Hall.
Epilogue
“She’s betrayed us,”Millie whispered to her sister Lenora as they watched Cassie and Harbury waltz around the Almack’s dance floor at the start of the next Season.
“You said you liked Harbury, now,” Lenora pointed out.
“I like him well enough,” Millie shot back. “But she’smooningover him.Here.In Public.”
“That she is.” Lenora sighed happily. “And you thought nothing could be worse than Eliza and Adrian.”
“You’reallmad—you with Asquith, Nettie with Blackwell, Eliza with Adrian and”—she waved her hand in the direction of the dancing couple—“that abomination over there.”
Briefly, Lenora glanced in Asquith’s direction. Then, she turned back to her sister. “Cassie has too loving a nature to ever be called anabomination.”
“Ugh.” Millie groaned. “The way her feelings for her husband spill out of her eyes! It is almost worse than having our underthings out on a line to dry where everyone can see.”
“Sst,” Lenora hissed. “You can’t say”—she mouthedunderthings—“at Almack’s. Are you trying to getourvouchers revoked, too?”
“The patronesses wouldn’t dare.” Millie tossed her head. “Not only has Lady Asquith taken us under her wing, we’ve both a marquess and a duke for brothers-in-law.”
“Well, I’d rather stay on Lady Asquith’s good side,” Lenora said under her breath. “If everything goes well, I will needher approval.”
Millie’s gaze came to rest on Asquith. She’d no objection to their guardian, but he was deep in conversation with the man she thought of asthe little lordling, or, as Asquith’s mother might say,that Neville. “How are things going?”
“Nothing to report.” Lenora blinked innocently. Too innocently. “Yet.”
Millie narrowed her gaze. “Nothing since the hedge?”
Lenora blushed. “I told you I don’t want to talk about the hedge.”
“Very well.” Millie had her own reasons for not wanting to think about the afternoon she and Neville had followed Asquith and Lenora into the yew maze at Ravenswood.
“These things must be done slowly,” Lenora added. “Carefully.”
