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“What?” he asked again, confused, but Mr. Roberts had stepped forward to congratulate them, and the girls were shrieking with delight that he’d kissed her, and even more of them were racing around the garden with joy.
Their delight was nothing compared to Amelia’s.
To Her Majesty the Queen, Justine,
Darling, darling Jussie, you are so kind to have written me about Roo and Mig’s new puppies. I was so looking forward to seeing them, but I’ve some news! I won’t be coming home as soon as I had planned after all. Something wonderful has happened, something so extraordinary that I can hardly contain myself. Lord M has confessed his true feelings to me! I have decided to stay on at Iddesleigh House so that he might pursue a proper courtship, one that will meet the approval of Mama and the PM. But it hardly matters what they think, for I have found that one person in all this world who can bring me happiness. We are compatible in every way, except he says at times I am too reckless on horseback. But he doesn’t care that I speak my mind, he is not offended by the things I say, and he thinks I am beautiful.Je,I know that I am, but it hardly matters until the person you want to think you are beautiful finds you so.
Lady I has been trying desperately to keep me under lock and key. She said it was important that her girls see proper courtship behavior. So I’ve taken to strolling late at night, and no one is the wiser. Except Lordonna, who looks at me with great disappointment, just as Mama would do if she were here. I can’t possibly stay away from him, and the societal rules for courtship here are oppressive.
I will confess to only you that I now understand the happiness you find with William in all respects. You won’t say a word to Mama—she would ban me from St. Edys until she has been taken to the grave. And don’t think to scold me, either. I am six and twenty and haven’t any time to lose. I’m not waiting anymore.
I must dash away—we are all to the abbey today to begin planning what work must be done. I’ve already talked with Lord I’s sister, Lady C, to plan an event to raise funding for the school. We mean to go to London for it, and hopefully, soon thereafter, all the arrangements will have been made so that I can bring Lord M to St. Edys.
Oh dear, the girls are hopping around me, eager to be on their way. Peg-leg Meg has a birthday tomorrow, and she has requested a donkey as a gift. Lord I is beside himself, as he can’t imagine where she got the idea. But he has a special surprise for her—their dog, Alice, is getting a sister!
Oh, Jussie, how can I ever thank you enough for banishing me to England? It’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I am so very happy.
I’ll write as soon as I can. With much fondness, A
EPILOGUE
1862
London
It was a winter afternoon with a heavy mist in the air, which meant all the hearths were blazing in Marley House in Belgravia. Lord and Lady Marley had come to London to seek the services of a doctor. They hadn’t meant it to happen, but it appeared that Amelia was with child. Again.
They were delighted. It hardly mattered that they already had two twin boys and a baby girl.
In fact, Joshua insisted they remain in London to celebrate the first birthday of his daughter, Annika. They were hosting a luncheon for their friends to fete her. But John and Maksim, who were now three and proper little terrors, thought the party was for them. In the interest of maintaining a happy household, Joshua and Amelia decided the party could be for everyone.
Donovan had arrived to help prepare for the celebration and had brought his helpers, ladies Mathilda, Maren, and Maisie. Peg-leg Meg and Birdie came along with their parents. The twins were fascinated by Birdie, who commanded them in the same manner her sisters used to rule her. The twins didn’t seem to mind.
Lady Annika had not yet made her appearance. Amelia had left her in the care of her father, and had disappeared with the boys, who had begun to shout with excitement the moment they heard Donovan’s voice.
Lord and Lady Clarendon had come, too. Miles had been successful in his suit of Miss Carhill, and Joshua and Amelia privately marveled that tiny Lady Clarendon had given birth to a ten-pound baby boy. Lady Clarendon really was quite lovely and had been of particular help to Amelia in her quest to raise funds for the Iddesleigh School for Girls.
Despite Lordonna’s stubborn insistence that she dress Annika, Joshua had shooed her away. After all, he’d bought her birthday frock. She would be dressed as a cherubic Greek goddess, complete with a gold leaf laurel. The baby was playing with a wooden duck Joshua had carved for her while he tried to fasten the costume. He rarely chopped wood anymore. Carving toys soothed him now. John and Max had little horses and a canon each.
Annika ignored her father as she played with the duck. When he’d fastened the costume he picked her up and held her out to look at her. The baby smiled at him. He smiled back. “I know your mother is a princess, Ani, but you’re the real princess here.” He winked.
“Duck,” she said.
He put her down and put the gold leaf crown on her head. She immediately reached up and took it off. He put it on her again. She took it off again, then held it out to him.
He sighed. “You realize, don’t you, that without the crown, our guests may not understand you are a Greek goddess and think I wrapped you in a sheet.”
“Duck.”
“You’re very much like your mother in that I can’t deny you a bloody thing, can I?” He put the tiny gold leaf crown on his head.
So it was that he was wearing a tiny gold leaf crown perched precariously on his head when he carried the Belle of the Hour into the main salon. She was greeted with such cheers and applause that she immediately started to cry and buried her face in Joshua’s collar. He couldn’t calm her, not like her mother could. He kissed her head and handed her off. Amelia smiled at him with such warmth and tenderness that he felt a little queasy.
He looked around at the room. At his friends, who were like family. At his children, all of them blond, all of them with a tiny bit of white in their hair where the strands would not take color, just like their mother. He looked at his wife, the love of his life. He looked at his warm hearth and his lazy dogs, sprawled in front of the flames, with no regard for the activity around them. Well, he supposed Bethan was aware that Birdie was draped over him like a rug, but it didn’t move him.
And even there, on top of the wrapped presents for Ani, was his cat Artemis. He’d meant to leave the cat at Hollyfield, but the boys wouldn’t hear of it. The cat’s tail swished violently as he cast his judgmental eye at the lot of them.
As the guests came forward to coo at the birthday girl, Joshua acknowledged that it was times like this that he couldn’t believe this was his life. He had what he’d always wanted, what he’d feared he’d never have. And it touched him so that he could feel tears welling.
