AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Epilogue
Kenneth stepped down from his curricle in front of the gaol.
He had come to see Leonard.
He walked in and went through the motions required of a visitor, all the while accompanied by a warden. Finally, he sat and waited, while Leonard was fetched from his cell.
“You look well,” he remarked, as Leonard walked up to him in chains, a guard on either side of his brother.
“And you look pale, Kenneth. Is your new valet not taking good care of you?” Leonard teased right back, bringing both of them to the brink of laughter.
This wasn’t his first meeting with Leonard since the protests. It had taken a lot of visitations to his brother’s cell, but finally they had fixed their relationship and even made sure it evolved to one between brothers. Leonard, however was still on trial for the part he played in the revolt.
There was nothing Kenneth could do about that.
“So are you ready?” Leonard asked, disrupting his reverie in the process.
“Ready for what?” he remarked in confusion.
“For your wedding tomorrow, Kenneth.” Leonard laughed.
“Oh! Of course I am ready. Why wouldn’t I be?” He responded with a chuckle.
“Well, I can have a carriage waiting for you outside the church if you change your mind. I know people,” Leonard whispered.
“Oh, you know people? I would never have guessed,” he laughed.
“I am happy for you, Kenneth. I really am. I wish I could come,” Leonard responded, suddenly turning serious.
“Thank you, brother. I wish you could come, too,” he responded.
There was a brief pause before they continued their conversation. They kept on talking till it was time for Kenneth to leave.
“Give Lady Rose a kiss for me. Tell her I said, if only she had waited, she could have had the best of the Duke’s sons. Now she’s just going to have to settle,” Leonard said, as he was raised to his feet.
“She’s already getting the best of the Duke’s sons, but not to worry. I’ll pass on your conceited but highly inaccurate message. Surely we can both spare a laugh at your expense,” he fired back.
“I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Kenneth,” Leonard said.
They shared a look before Leonard was whisked away.
Kenneth, in turn, stood and walked out of the gaol, climbed aboard his carriage and headed back home.
On getting home, he found the Duke’s carriage idling in front of his house. He had moved out of the Duke’s manor as a result of his impending marriage. He couldn’t very well have started a family in his father’s house, after all.
He walked into the house even as the butler met him at the door and told him that the Duke was waiting in the study.
“Good afternoon, Father,” he said as he walked into the study.
“I would imagine that on the eve of your wedding, you’d stay at home conserving your energy, especially after you fought so hard to make this happen,” The Duke responded, causing him to chuckle.
“And here I was thinking the opposite,” he responded, alluding to a wild bachelor’s eve.
“I hope that is not what you were out planning? We’ve had enough scandal in this family to last a lifetime,” the Duke said, causing him to laugh fully this time.
“No, Father. I went to see Leonard.”
There was a brief silence.
