Page 97 of His Duchess to Remember

Her laughter warmed him as he tightened his hold on her and pulled her back against him. And with a smile on his lips, he kissed her. He kissed her slowly, savoring every moment, awestruck by the realization that his life had just changed for the better, that he now had a family of his own, whom he would cherish for the rest of his days.

And though he had lost so much in the past, believing that anything he cared for would be taken away, he knew that it had been a stupid belief. Love and family were everything, and though he could not prove it, he had a feeling that his brother and his mother had sent this gift to him; it had just taken him a long time to realize that he was allowed to be happy now.

“I love you,” he murmured as he kissed her harder, his breath ragged.

“As I love you,” she whispered back, holding him as if she too never intended to let him go.

EPILOGUE

Four Months Later…

“Inever thought you would get me to come back here,” Octavia laughed, her cold hand warmed by Malcolm’s.

Malcolm smiled down at her as they walked together through the grounds of Highcastle, taking the path that bordered the woods. Simon was ahead of them, pretending he was a fearsome warrior hunting for brigands who might be hiding in the trees. The boy carried a long stick that he had found, and was intent on using as a spear.

“Especially not in winter,” she added, pretending to shiver.

“Are ye missing England already?” he asked.

They had only been in Scotland for a few days. Malcolm had some estate business to attend to, as well as a birthday party for Quinn and his brothers. They did not know when their actual birthdays were, but Octavia had put forward the idea of having a party for all three of them while they were there.

After all, she had a lot to thank Quinn for. Without him, she might never have got her husband back.

Octavia shook her head. “Strangely, no. Although, I had forgotten how cold it could be here. Next time, perhaps we should visit in the summer.”

“It’s nae much warmer,” Malcolm joked, laughing. A sound she had come to adore so very much. “In truth, I assumed I’d be coming here alone. I figured ye’d want to spend as much time with Evelyn and the baby as possible.”

Pulling a face, Octavia replied, “I would have done, but she said I had to come with you. I think I was being a little too aggressive in my affection and care, but she was too polite to say so.”

Evelyn and Hugo had finally become parents to the most precious little girl, whom they had named Primrose. Octavia had been there for the birth a few weeks ago and had essentially not left Ravenvale afterward, making herself useful: helping Evelyn to recover, helping with the baby.

But when she had mentioned that Malcolm had plans to come to Scotland again, Evelyn had been rather too insistent that Octavia should accompany her husband.

“I expect they want time to adjust to being a family,” Malcolm said with a smirk. “It’s probably hard to do when yer sister keeps popping in and stealing the baby for cuddles.”

“It is impossible not to want to hold them all the time!” Octavia protested. “They smell divine. I do not know what it is, but when you sniff their little heads… it is the most wonderful smell in the world. But you are probably right; I just love too much, that is my problem.”

Malcolm slipped his arm around her and pulled her to him. “I don’t mind that one bit.”

She beamed up at him. “I love you, my darling.”

“As I love ye,” he said, dipping his head to kiss her.

She kissed him back, melting into the warmth of him, tucking her hands into the heat of his coat so she could steal as much of that warming air and body as possible. He smiled against her mouth as he wrapped his coat tighter around her… just as something cold landed on her cheek.

Surprised, she pulled back and looked up.

“It is snowing,” she gasped, as a fat flake landed on the tip of her nose.

Malcolm kissed the cold spot away. “Aye, I thought it might. We might be stuck here longer than ye think if it falls heavily.”

“Stuck in a castle with roaring fires, good food, and the people I love most in the world while beautiful snow falls all around. Oh no, however shall I cope?” she teased, a little squeal of happiness leaving her throat as more flakes began to tumble down. “It has not properly snowed at Huntfield in all the years I have lived there. Here, Simon might actually get to build a real snowman!”

Malcolm smiled. “I love nothing more than to see ye so giddy, love.”

“Mama, what’s this?” Simon shouted, as he held out his hands to catch the flakes.

“It is snow, my darling,” she replied, feeling as if she were truly the luckiest woman in the all the world.