Earl of Gold (Lords of Scandal 7)

Penny stood motionless, her arms wrapping about her waist as the tears she’d been attempting to hold back broke free.

Emotion clogged her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again.

“Well,” Natty huffed. “What’s your answer? We worked on these letters all afternoon.”

Logan reached out to the girl, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Penny,” he rumbled. “Will you accept our offer?”

“Yes,” she managed to just push out the single word.

Books fell to the floor as they all raced forward, a jumble of hugging arms.

This was it.

She’d finally found her man. The one who had put her back together. The one that had made her life better.

The man with a heart of gold.

Epilogue

The morning of their wedding dawned grey as more snow fell from the sky. No one cared a whit for the weather, however, as they raced about preparing for the ceremony.

And for Christmastide.

In the end, Logan had procured a special license and set the wedding for Christmastide day.

Penny had supported the decision. It seemed the perfect occasion to begin their new life together.

The girls each wore a matching gown of red velvet. Clarissa’s gown was in the same fabric, but had a much more sophisticated style. As Penny looked at her friend, she realized that the girl she’d grown to love like a sister had been replaced by a beautiful woman.

“Who else is attending?” Clarissa asked, looking toward the far wall.

Penny smoothed her skirts. “Just a few others. The Duke and Duchess of Darlington, the Duke of Devonhall, and the Earl of Baxter.”

Clarissa started, her hands clasping in front of her stomach. “Oh. I see.”

Penny pressed her lips together. This was a conversation they’d finish later. For now, she ushered everyone down the stairs and to the waiting carriages.

Logan was surely at the church already. Her pulse raced as she considered what they were about to do.

She would be a countess and he…would be the proud co-owner of several orphanages.

She grinned at that.

Not something he’d likely planned.

When the carriage pulled to a stop and the Duke of Darlington assisted her out of the carriage, he tucked her hand in his arm and whispered, “Are you ready?”

“I am,” she answered as the girls lined up in front of her.

Minnie took Natty’s hand and began leading the girls into the church. Penny and Darlington followed.

The smell of incense filled her nose as she glanced about to see holly and mistletoe decorations all about.

Logan stood at the front, his smile as big as hers felt.

It took every ounce of energy not to race down the aisle toward him. But when her hand finally slipped into his, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was home.

The vows were quiet, the words no less powerful for their soft tones. And when their lips met to seal their marriage, Penny felt joy burst from her chest.