Esther looked on with baited breath as Lord Westbrook opened it up. The words and diagrams on it were tiny indeed and did not make any sense to her at all.
“Lord Riggerton will need this,” Lord Westbrook said softly, as though afraid that the paper would disintegrate in his hands if he spoke any louder. “I shall need to take it to him at once.” Turning to look back at Lord Leighton, he shook his head in wonder. “You are an exceptional man, Lord Leighton. Thank you for your care and your dedication to The King’s League. Without your help, we might now be floundering against our enemies.”
Lord Leighton managed to open one eye as Esther closed up her locket again, fastening it quickly about her neck. “I thank you, Lord Westbrook,” he answered, his eyelid drooping again. “I leave the cipher to you now. My part in this has come to its end – and I cannot say I am not grateful for it.”
“As am I,” Esther answered fervently, rising from her chair and touching her father’s hand again for a moment. “We will leave you to sleep now, Papa. Rest. All is well, and you may sleep peacefully.”
“I am glad to be home with you again, my dear girl,” Lord Leighton murmured, seeming to rally himself a little as he forced his eyes open again. “Go now with your aunt. I shall be quite all right.”
Esther nodded and began to walk from the room, with Lord Westbrook taking his leave and making to follow behind her.
“If you would stay for a moment, Lord Westbrook.”
She turned, surprised to see her father sitting upright again, clearly forcing himself to stay alert.
“There is one more thing I must ask you,” Lord Leighton said, as Lord Westbrook nodded and returned to the bed again. “Privately, however.”
Esther’s stomach began to churn, fearing that her father was about to rail at Lord Westbrook for involving her in this matter but having no other choice but to depart with her aunt. She looked back at Lord Westbrook, seeing his face turned towards her and a small, encouraging smile touching his lips. With a deep breath, she forced herself to smile in return, before quitting the room and closing the door behind her.
Epilogue
“What did my father want with you?”
Charles smiled as he walked out of the bedchamber to see Esther hurriedly walking towards him, her face a picture of anxiety.
“You need not look so afraid,” he told her, catching her hands in his and pulling her tight against him, as they stood together in the passageway. “Come now, my dear lady. Surely you did not think that there would be any difficulty as regards your father?” He looked down into her face and saw her emerald eyes swirling with worry.
“What did he ask of you?” she said, her hands now freed of his and pressed against his chest. “Is he angry with me for becoming so involved?”
Shaking his head, Charles smiled tenderly down at the lady in his arms. “No, indeed not. Rather, he wanted to thank me for helping you and to ensure that The King’s League was also made aware of his gratitude.” He watched her keenly, seeing her expression clear.
“I see.” Esther blinked rapidly, as though trying to push away her fears now that she knew the truth. “Then he is not angry.”
“Not in the least,” he answered truthfully, knowing that Lord Leighton had been upset to hear of his daughter’s involvement but also glad that she had been so determined and courageous in the face of great danger. “Although I did inform him that the beau monde knows very well that we are now courting.” Tipping his head, he grinned at her, seeing how her cheeks colored. “I informed him that, in light of his absence, Lady Ware had agreed to our courtship but that now he was returned, I felt it only right to seek his permission.” His heart began to sing with joy, knowing that this was one of the most important moments of his life. “But not permission to court you, Esther, but to ask you to marry me.”
Esther’s eyes rounded as her breath caught, only for a smile to begin to spread across her face. “And,” she asked, breathlessly, “did he grant you such a permiss
ion?”
Charles let a moment pass before he nodded. “He did.” Touching her cheek, he looked deeply into her eyes. “I must tell you, Esther, that my heart is filled with a love for you that has become such a part of me that it will never let me free. I love you desperately. I cannot bear to be parted from you.”
“You speak of my heart also,” she replied, a single tear of happiness streaking down her cheek. “I love you, Westbrook. I do not think that I could endure a life without you by my side.”
He wanted to pull her into his arms; he wanted to hold her close but resisted for a moment, knowing he had yet to ask her something of the gravest importance. “Then you will marry me, Esther? You will be my wife?”
She laughed, her hands around his neck and her face glowing with joy. “You need not have any doubt as to my answer, my love,” she said, moving a little closer. “Yes, I will marry you. I want to be your wife, to share my days with you, and to spend our years together.”
“You know that I will still be a part of The King’s League, do you not?” he murmured, suddenly fearing that she might turn from him if he remained. “I cannot give up my duty.”
Esther smiled contentedly and ran one hand through his hair, not even a single flicker of doubt in her eyes. “I should not even consider asking you to do such a thing,” she replied, chasing away his doubt. “I have seen your bravery, your courage, and your dedication for myself, and I would never pull you from your duty to the King and to the Prince Regent. I shall always be here to support you in your duties, in any way that I can.”
“An honorary member of The King’s League,” he promised her, his hands about her waist again. “For you have just as much courage and intellect as any of us, my dear Esther.” Lowering his head, he brushed her lips with his own, aware of the love that bound them together. “And I shall show you the same devotion and dedication, my love. I swear it to you now.”
He kissed her again, unable to keep himself from doing so any longer. Her lips were soft, her tears gently brushing against his skin as he held her close. His heart was overflowing with joy, his happiness seeming to radiate from him. Esther had become so very dear to him in a way that he had never expected, and now he could look forward to a time—very soon—when they would be bound together in matrimony, never to be parted again.
* * *