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“And I love you, too.”
Their lips met in a kiss, and Eloise breathed a deep sigh of happiness. All she had dreamed of had now come to pass. She had never imagined herself feeling this way – not whilst Alice was missing. But with her sister as a witness, Eloise had pronounced the vows she had denied herself, and come to the happiness she had always longed for. The others congratulated them heartily, and even Jackson’s uncle told them he was proud of them.
“You stuck to your principles, my boy. You did the right thing, even if I didn’t see it at the time,” he said, shaking Jackson’s hand.
This was high praise, indeed, and as they left the church, it seemed as though the old quarrels were left behind and a new era had dawned on them all.
“And you’re staying in Draycott, I understand, Simon?” Lady Silvana said for she refused to refer to the Viscount as ‘My Lord’.
“That’s right. I’ve taken a cottage on the farm. It’s a small abode, but I’ll be happy there. I’ve brought a manservant down from London with me. I’m looking forward to spending a great deal more time with these two rascals,” the Viscount replied, ruffling Samuel’s hair, as the party stood at the church lychgate.
Lady Silvana smiled, glancing at Eloise and Alice with a mischievous look on her face.
“Yes, isn’t it wonderful to have grandchildren. I’m staying, too,” she stated, and Eloise’s father looked up in surprise.
“Well… really?”
She nodded. “I want to be near my daughter and family. I’ve taken a house in the village. It seems Draycott will be home to us all.”
To Eloise’s surprise, her father did not object to this news. In fact, he seemed rather pleased at the idea and congratulated Lady Silvana on having found her happiness, too.
“I’m sure you can join in some of our games. What do you think, children?” he asked, and both Annabelle and Samuel agreed.
The party now returned to the farm, where a lavish meal had been laid out on the kitchen table. Cold meats, a large cheese, a raised pie, loaves of bread and a fruit cake, along with pickles and preserves made for a fine feast. Toasts were offered for the newly married couple before the cake was cut, and songs were sung in front of the fire. It was a wonderful celebration, far removed from the pomp of ceremony of a society wedding, but all the happier for it.
“And how happy we are to know we’ll be neighbors,” Alice sighed, smiling at Eloise, who laughed.
“I hope you’ll be frequent visitors to the manor, all of you,” she said, raising a glass to them.
“I’ll be going back to London. The country air doesn’t suit me,” Jackson’s uncle grumbled, shaking his head.
“Come now, Uncle. Won’t you occasionally set foot here again?” Jackson asked.
His uncle smiled and nodded.
“Well, occasionally, I’m sure. Someone needs to keep an eye on you both,” he replied, and the others laughed.
It was late into the afternoon when Eloise and Jackson left the festivities behind. A horse trap took them the short distance to Wiscombe Manor, where Mrs. Byers and the other servants were waiting to greet them.
“Will you have supper in the dining room, Your Grace?” she asked, but Jackson shook his head.
“No, we’ll go straight to our chambers. It’s been a long day,” he answered, glancing at Eloise with a smile.
The day had been perfect – more than perfect. It had seemed like a dream. The two of them were married, and it was more wonderful than Eloise could have ever imagined. Their bedroom had been prepared, the four-poster bed made up, and a fire was burning in the hearth. Candles were lit in sconces around the walls, and the curtains had been pulled across the window. The sheets on the bed had been turned back, and a nightgown lay folded.
“It’s perfect!” Eloise exclaimed, for she had not yet seen where they would spend their first night at the manor.
“I thought you’d like it. Our first night together as man and wife. No more snatched moments in the shrubbery or illicit touches in the darkness of a theater. We’re married, Eloise, and isn’t it everything you ever dreamed of?”
Eloise smiled and nodded.
“More so. I’ve never known anything more wonderful.” She sat down on the bed with a sigh.
He came to sit next to her and put his arm around her.
“I really do love you, Eloise. I love you with all my heart. I couldn’t imagine loving anything or anyone with the same love I have for you. You mean everything to me,” he whispered, drawing her into his embrace.
“And I feel just the same. It’s as though a part of me was incomplete. A piece was missing, but I’ve found that piece now. I’ve found the happiness I so longed for.”
