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“Yes, I do. I think it is the perfect solution.”
Megan sighed. “Are you sure, Sebastian?”
“Very sure.”
When he returned to the room Lavinia was anxiously waiting. She looked as if she was prep
ared for the worst but he didn’t give her time to speak it.
“How would you feel about taking a ship to America? You and me and Oliver? Mark is opening an office there for our importing business and he needs someone to take it on. No one there will know us, Lavinia. Or care! We can make a new start, you and me and Oliver, and leave the past behind us.”
She stared back at him and he came to take her hands in his, squeezing them when she seemed too taken aback to respond.
“I know it is a big step. I’ll understand if you stay no,” he went on, beginning to fear that it was indeed too much to ask. Lavinia had lived all her life in a small insular world with rigid rules, and the only time she had broken those rules was with him. How could he now expect her to turn her back on her life and travel across the world with him, despite her claims to love him and want him?
She shook her head and his heart sank.
“I understand,” he repeated, but she wouldn’t let him finish. She flung herself against his chest, making Oliver squeak in protest.
“Yes,” she said. “I agree. Yes, we will go. We will travel to America and make a new life there, and we will be together. Yes, please, Sebastian, oh yes.”
He just held her, feeling her warm soft body against his, letting himself enjoy this moment he had never thought he would have. The future suddenly seemed bright and wonderful, and he couldn’t wait to take that first step.
Epilogue
Six months later, at sea
Sebastian’s sea sickness lasted for a full week, but Lavinia was glad to see him standing on deck this morning, looking almost himself. She clung to the railing at his side, feeling more alive than she had in years, and smiled up at him.
They were starting out on their new life, an adventure she had never expected, and they were together.
They had been married in a quiet private ceremony five months ago, and since then she had been busy divesting herself of what remained of her life as Lady Richmond. From now on she was simply Mrs Longhurst.
When Sebastian had told her that day she had to make a choice—she could have him or the life Patrick had set out for her—she hadn’t needed any time at all to make up her mind.
Oh how right that decision had been!
As expected, her mother and brother had been furious, and had wiped their hands of her. Sebastian knew that hurt her, just as the scandal had hurt her, but to the world she showed a brave face. Thankfully the scandal had begun to fade, and as was the way with such things, was soon overtaken by other tittle-tattle and rumourmongering. Not that they cared—they were too happy to care what others thought.
As for the money Patrick had wanted to go to his son, there had been many discussions with his lawyer and his banker. Because Oliver was no longer the legal Richmond heir, it was up to Lavinia to decide what should be done and she knew what she wanted. It was arranged for Patrick’s fortune to be placed in a trust fund, to be used to help common soldiers, men who had fought for their country and suffered because of it. She also wanted to support the soldiers’ families, some of who were in dire need. In her heart, Lavinia hoped that Patrick would have approved.
The town house in Mockingbird Square she kept, just in case they needed somewhere to stay if they ever returned to London. In the meantime it was to be shared equally among Patrick’s step daughters, and Lavinia’s mother and brother Martin. She wondered whether they would be able to play nicely, and then decided she didn’t care. Besides, Monkstead would keep an eye on them.
“You are deep in thought,” Sebastian said, smoothing back her tangled hair from her face. The wind was blustery today, pushing their ship along toward its destination.
Lavinia reached to take his hand. Mary was looking after Oliver in the cabin—the little boy had taken to shipboard life with no trouble at all, and Mary had surprised them all by agreeing to accompany them on the journey. It seemed that she had always wanted to travel and she wasn’t quite as strict and stern as she had seemed in Mockingbird Square.
“Are you missing your friends?” he went on.
Was she? Margaret had written to her, full of exciting news, and Lavinia had written back with a great deal of pleasure. Margaret deserved to be happy, even if her happy ending was not quite what anyone would have expected. Sometimes she did miss Mockingbird Square, but she didn’t want to go back.
“We’re together and that’s all that matters,” she said. Stretching up she kissed his lips, tasting the salt and the warm male underneath.
He drew her closer, fitting her body to his. “I hope you are prepared for more sea journeys, Lavinia. I will have to travel back to England to deal with Mark, and I refuse to be parted from you ever again.”
She smiled. “With all my heart, never again.”
He bent to kiss her once more, and they turned their faces to the future.
