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They had sat down on a stone bench by the sundial in the center of the garden. Earlier, Eloise had discarded the hideous wedding dress she had been forced to wear and replaced it with a simple gown of peacock blue, which shimmered in the silvery light cast from the full moon above.
“You don’t know how grateful I am for what you did for me.” Eloise turned to Jackson and took his hand in hers.
“I had to, I couldn’t abandon you to such a fate. But how thankful I am we found your sister in time.”
Eloise nodded. It was a miracle, one she still could hardly believe.
“And you searched every orphanage? Every ledger?” she asked, and Jackson nodded.
“We didn’t know if Alice was even called Alice. It turned out she was named Charlotte but retained the name of Snowden. The recollections of a kindly clergyman ensured we knew the rest. We went to the farm at Draycott, and there was your sister. It was the happiest of moments, and I couldn’t have done it without Delphine.”
Eloise smiled. Delphine had been faithful to the last, but if it had not been for Jackson, Alice would have never been found.
“It was you who found her, though, you who brought her back, you who did what you did today. You faced Lord Crawford, and you saved me.” She felt tears welling up in her eyes.
She had come so close to disaster, but Jackson had prevented it, and now the future lay open to them.
“Well, I did what I had to do. I couldn’t leave you at his mercy. I love you, Eloise. It’s not a ruse, it’s not a game, it’s not a falsehood. I love you, and that’s all there is to it,” he said fervently.
Eloise’s heart was beating fast, their hands were clasped together. He brought his lips to hers, kissing her, as it seemed everything she had suffered was redeemed. As their lips parted, she gazed into his eyes, conveying her love for the man who had given her hope.
“I love you, too. I knew it from the moment I first laid eyes on you. I couldn’t imagine loving anyone or anything as I love you. I don’t think this was ever a ruse, whatever we might’ve said. It was real, it meant something, it meant everything,” she whispered, and he smiled at her as he rested his forehead against hers.
“And what now, Eloise? Could you… would you… will you marry me?” he tentatively asked. Eloise gasped and nodded.
“Yes, I’ll marry you. With all my heart, soul, mind and body, I will,” she exclaimed, and he kissed her once again, holding her tightly in his embrace.
“You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that. I thought perhaps you wouldn’t want to marry, not after all this. I don’t care about my inheritance, it means nothing to me. It’s you I want, Eloise. It’s you I want to marry and spend the rest of my life with. I thought about asking the clergyman this very afternoon, even.”
Eloise laughed, delighting in the happiness they now shared.
“I do want to marry. But I want to marry for love, for friendship, for everything good and right. I want to marry you because I know that’s what we share. Our love isn’t a ruse. It isn’t forced or arranged. It’s a matter of two souls entwined, two hearts as one. It’s what marriage should be about. Love, pure and simple.”
Jackson took out a little box from his pocket. It contained a ring, one which he told her had belonged to his grandmother. He had kept it for her, even as he had feared he had lost her forever. He placed it on her finger and the diamond, which was set in the gold band, sparkled in the moonlight.
“It fits you perfectly,” he whispered, and he kissed her once again.
As they walked back through the gardens, Eloise could not have felt happier, and as they entered the drawing room, where Alice, Silvana, Delphine and Eloise’s father were sitting, the look on both their faces was enough for Alice to let out a cry of delight.
“Are you getting married? Oh, do say you’re getting married,” she exclaimed, and Eloise nodded, holding up her hand to show the ring.
Her father looked up, but he could make no objection to this happy moment. He merely nodded his head in agreement. Alice flung her arms around Eloise, and both Delphine and Silvana offered hearty congratulations.
“Oh, My Lady, I’m in floods of tears. Imagine what I’ll be like on the day.” Delphine flapped her hands in front of her face and laughed through her tears.
“But I’ll need you to help me dress,” Eloise quipped, smiling at Delphine, who laughed.
“But My Lady, nothing from that awful shop you visited.”
“Oh, no. I shan’t be going anywhere near Madame Jonquil’s shop. Not for this dress or any other dress.” Eloise shook her head for emphasis.
Further toasts were drunk, and Jackson decided to take his leave, promising to call on Eloise the following day.
“I don’t think we’ll have any further trouble from Lord Crawford though, do you?” he asked as he bid Eloise goodnight.
“I don’t think so, no,” she answered.
He put his arms around her and kissed her.
