To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars 2) - Page 129
Epilogue
How grateful we are for your help, dearest Fanny. Your plan for Arden’s seduction worked to perfection. Indeed, we are agreed that our marriage will be the most passionate love match ever made. And we want you to dance at our wedding, just as you did at Arabella’s.
– Roslyn to Fanny
I am vastly relieved, dearest Roslyn. I feared I would run out of tricks for you to try. Now there is only Lily left…although I am not certain her happiness lies in marriage as yours and Arabella’s plainly does.
– Fanny to Roslyn
Danvers Hall, July 1817
“I am utterly amazed,” Arabella said to the company at large, “that so much happened during our absence. We were away for barely a month.”
Arabella and Marcus had arrived home an hour ago from their wedding journey and promptly settled in the drawing room with refreshments while Drew and Roslyn detailed their latest marriage plans and recounted the story of hunting Winifred’s thief and finding Sir Rupert’s second family.
Heath had joined them during the recitation, since Roslyn and Drew had arranged a small dinner this evening to welcome the newlyweds home and to celebrate their own renewed betrothal.
Sitting across from Roslyn, Drew was content to watch her as she laughed and chatted with her sister. She looked supremely happy, which warmed his heart profoundly.
Arabella looked just as blissful, he noted. And Marcus was watching his wife with that same heart-smitten look that Drew knew was written on his own face.
“But Winifred has no regrets about taking in Constance and the children?” Arabella asked her sister.
“None thus far,” Roslyn answered. “The little girls are a delight. And Winifred and Benjamin are beginning to come to terms. He is understandably reluctant to relinquish responsibility for his mother and sisters, even though he’s merely a boy himself and should never have had to shoulder such a burden. Moreover, while he is glad to no longer be in service, Benjamin thinks he should earn his own way and prickles at having to suffer Winifred’s ‘charity,’ as he calls it.”
With an impish glance at her new husband, Arabella smiled. “I can certainly sympathize, since I was adamant about refusing Marcus’s largesse.”
Marcus’s answering smile was amused. “But you won our wager fairly, my love, so when I was compelled to grant your financial independence, you couldn’t consider it charity.”
“Fortunately,” Roslyn said, continuing her story, “Benjamin no longer requires charity, thanks to Drew.” She flashed him a fond look. “He compelled that corrupt solicitor, Farnaby, to return the funds he stole from Constance.”
“So their futures are assured,” Arabella said approvingly.
“Yes, and it is already arranged that the girls will attend our academy when they are old enough. It is only fitting, considering that Winifred’s fortune funded the endeavor. Meanwhile I have started tutoring Sarah and Daisy in sums and reading and supervising Benjamin’s studies until Winifred can employ a proper governess and tutor for them.”
“That is kind of you, Roslyn,” her sister commented. “But you have always put great store in the fundamentals of education.”
Roslyn wrinkled her nose. “They are woefully behind, I’m afraid. Working such grueling hours in the milliner’s shop, Constance had little time to teach her children much other than their manners, which are frankly exquisite. It doesn’t help, however, that Benjamin has a highly stubborn streak. He thinks being a footman was far easier than applying himself to his school lessons, and that at his age he is past the point of needing an education. He and Winifred spar regularly about it, but she seems to relish their disputes.”
Drew had to agree on that point, and believed their lively quarrels set a beneficial example for Roslyn. Witnessing good-natured arguments without bitterness and antagonism would only help her deal with any future tiffs they had in their marriage.
He also knew that Winifred was far happier now that she had her late husband’s children to care for.
“Will Constance be joining us for dinner this evening?” Arabella asked.
“No,” Drew replied. “She’s making excellent progress, but she is still too weak to sit up for more than a half hour at a time. My physician expects her to make a full recovery, though.”
“So it will be just us and Winifred this evening?”
“Yes,” Roslyn replied. “Tess is in London and cannot get away.”
“And is Lily still there with Fann-”
“Actually, Arabella, I must speak to you about that,” Roslyn interrupted quickly.
Drew noted that Heath was now frowning at the mention of the youngest Loring sister’s name, but before they could discuss Lily further, Arabella nodded. “Roslyn, why don’t we go abovestairs so that I may wash off my travel dust? And I am certain Marcus would like some time alone with his friends.”
“An excellent idea,” Roslyn said with a smile.
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