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Epilogue
Looking up at Michael, Lydia tried not to let the trembling she felt show, but Michael reached out to comfort her, regardless.
“Everything is all right, now,” he assured her, bending down to kiss her lightly on the lips.
“I was so afraid that I had lost you,” she whispered, holding back tears.
“You must know by now, when I make a vow, I always mean to keep it,” he told her, kissing her lightly again. “That meant my marriage vow, too.”
She buried her face in his chest, regardless of their families still lingering around.
“It has been a long night,” he said to them all, talking over her head as he held her against him. “May I suggest we take the rest we need this morning?”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Martha said first, gesturing to Lydia’s sisters. “Come girls, let’s go back to bed for some time.”
Lionel said nothing, pulling Ranora along with him, but paused. “Has anyone seen Kitty?”
“Not for some time,” Francis responded. “Where could she have gone off to?”
“We’ll look for her,” Lionel assured Michael. “The two of you go on. You deserve some peace and rest.”
“Thank you,” Michael said, pushing Lydia back and taking her hand. “Let us go, my darling.”
Leaving their families behind, Michael led her back up the stairs, morning light making the hallways seem far less dangerous than they had just a few hours before. Hand in hand with Michael, Lydia felt the tension in her body start to relax, but tiredness started to set in.
“If anyone dare interrupts us now,” Michael laughed, “I may lose my temper.”
Lydia laughed, glad for the levity. They paused for a moment at the door to Michael’s bedroom as he turned the handle, but as soon as the door swung open, he pulled her quickly in and shut the door behind him, locking it with a resounding thud.
“Come here, my darling,” he directed, holding his hand out to her.
She placed her hand in his, gazing into his eyes. “Is this finally real?” she asked.
“As real as it can be,” he said, pulling her against him. “This time, I cannot wait. I must simply have you, make you my wife in earnest.”
“Please,” she asked, tipping her face up to his.
He crushed his lips against hers, pressing his tongue between her lips, desperate and searching. She responded eagerly, tasting his mouth. As she gripped her fingers into his shirt, desire pooled between her legs. All of the fear of losing him during the dark hours of the night made her desperate to feel him against her.
She guessed that he felt similarly, as he started quickly unlacing her dress. Matching his fervor, she began working to release the buttons on his shirt. He made short work of unlacing her dress, dropping it to the floor without ceremony. She stepped out of it easily, tugging at the hem of his shirt to pull it over his head.
“I have wanted this for so long,” he breathed. He took one of her hands and moved it to his breeches, where she felt the long length of him, hard with desire.
“I am aching for you,” she whispered back.
He groaned desperately, pulling the bows of her laces on her shift free so that he could pull it over her head. Once she stood bare before him, he ran his hands up and down her body, softly tweaking her nipples with his fingers before reaching between her legs.
“Let me feel you,” he said, sliding his fingers between her legs.
“Take me to the bed,” she suggested, reaching for his breeches. Unbuttoning them took her a moment longer than he wanted, so he helped her, dropping them to the floor.
“I have wanted to see you like this since that day you went swimming in the lake,” she said, smiling. Reaching out tentatively, she lightly touched his chest, growing bolder as she made her way to his manhood.
With his free hand, he had her wrap one of her hands around him.
“Like this,” he breathed, having her move her hand up and down the length.
He made a deep sound in the back of his throat and resumed his exploration between her legs. She parted her legs slightly to allow him better access. His thumb found her nub, circling it slowly, causing her to cry out with pleasure.
