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EPILOGUE
Six Weeks Later
“How long has this wedding breakfast taken?” Jeremy whispered in Sophia’s ear as their guests started to leave. She giggled and placed a hand to his chest, looking up at him with that smile he found kept making him weak at the knees.
“It has hardly taken all day.”
“Hasn’t it? It feels like it to me.” He was impatient to make the wedding an official one and judging by the way she subtly ran her hand down his waistcoat, she was just as impatient.
“Just a little longer.” Then she turned away and picked her hand off him, ready to say goodbye to their guests. Jeremy kept his growl of disappointment to himself and put upon a formal smile, looking around the room.
Together with their guests, they’d had a hearty celebration, and the dining room was in something of a mess thanks to the amount of champagne that had been drunk. Many people had come, friends and family alike, though Jeremy was pleased to see there was one noticeable absence.
We will not be bothered by Lord Elkins again.
After the constable had come to collect Lord Elkins on the day of the shooting, Jeremy and the others had all been called to report to the magistrate what had happened. It seemed the law was rigid when it came to such events, even if the culprit was an earl, much to Jeremy’s relief. When the trial had come the week before, Lord Elkins was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm, and attempted murder. His punishment was transportation.
With Lord Elkins having left the country a few days ago on a ship, Jeremy sighed with relief to know that man could not come back to hurt Sophia again. The thought made him move closer to her, holding his hands back from touching her when they were in company.
The sight of Sophia in her wedding gown made him deliriously happy. Pure pearlescent white, it suited her perfectly, sliding smoothly across her curves and leaving little to his imagination. The deep neckline was bordered with pearls and jewels, making his eyes dance along the light that glinted there and the hint of her breasts.
A subtle elbow in his ribs made him look up to see she was looking at him.
“You should be looking at our guests, husband.”
“I cannot help it,” he confessed. The two shared another smile as they turned to say goodbye to their last guests to leave.
Lady Rumpton staggered on her feet a little, where she was caught by Stephen behind her, who laughed heartily.
“Do you think they’ve both had a little much?” Jeremy asked, watching as Sophia laughed beside him.
“What was your first clue? Something tells me she will struggle to make it home like this.”
“Something tells me from the way she and Stephen have been looking at each other, she might make it to his house instead of her own.” Jeremy chuckled but quietened when their friends arrived at their side.
“What a lovely celebration!” Lady Rumpton gushed and kissed her friend on her cheek. “I’ll leave you to your private celebration now,” she added with a wink.
“Oh, subtlety, it is still an attribute that is not your own, my friend,” Sophia gushed dramatically.
“And I am glad for it!” Lady Rumpton laughed and hurried out of the door.
Jeremy shook Stephen’s hand once and they smiled at each other, before he hurried after Lady Rumpton, taking her hand and noticeably leading her to his carriage rather than her own. The lady went with him rather eagerly.
Jeremy was only too happy to close the door behind them. The moment he did so, he leaned on the wood and turned a mischievous smile on his wife.
“Well, should we help out staff clean up?” she said playfully, clearly knowing how she was toying with him as she gestured to the dining room they had just left.
“You wish to clean up?” he asked, walking toward her. He stopped in front of her and held his lips over hers, tempting her with what else they could be doing.
“On second thought… where is my new chamber?” Her lips were so close he could practically brush his against her own.
“We’ll use mine.” He took her hand and led her up the steps, so fast that she giggled behind him, hastening to keep up.
When they reached the chamber, neither of them wasted time. The door was quickly shut, and clothes were shed.
They had not indulged in their passions since Sophia had been wounded. Jeremy had thought it best for two reasons. The first was he wanted her to recover. The second was that he rather liked the idea of the next time they made love being the moment they were husband and wife.
As he pulled her chemise off her, revealing her naked body, Jeremy found himself sighing with happiness.
