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“Will someone kindly pass the raspberry jam before Emma eats the entire dish herself?” Duncan’s voice carried lightly across the sunny morning room, drawing a ripple of laughter from every corner of the table.
Emma giggled behind her spoon. “Papa, I’m not eating all of it.”
Grace nodded solemnly. “Only most of it.”
Juliet shook her head in affectionate exasperation. “Girls, what did we say about exaggeration?” Yet her gentle, radiant smile revealed nothing but joy.
Duncan leaned back in his chair for a moment, simply taking it all in.
Sunday breakfasts had become a sacred tradition in their household; a ritual of peace and closeness forged in the aftermath of darkness. No politics were allowed, no estate matters, no shadows of the past, just warmth, laughter, and a table filled with the people he loved most.
His gaze softened as it drifted to Juliet beside him.
She sat with her usual quiet grace, only now, her left hand rested over the gentle swell of her growing belly. She was absent-mindedly stroking it as if soothing the little life inside. Their child, who was due in spring, had grown increasingly lively, and Juliet’s little gasps of surprise whenever the baby kicked had become Duncan’s favorite sound in the world.
This morning was no exception.
Juliet’s hand fluttered over her belly, and her eyes widened slightly. “Oh, the baby’s awake.”
Grace leaned across the table eagerly. “Is he kicking again?”
Juliet laughed. “Quite energetically.”
Duncan placed a warm palm over her hand, feeling the faint nudge beneath her gown. A profound awe settled through him every single time.
“Already making his presence known,” he murmured proudly.
Juliet’s gaze met his; tender and full of love. “Just like his father.”
“Papa is loud,” Emma explained matter-of-factly, passing Grace a plate of muffins as if presenting factual scientific evidence.
“Very loud,” Grace agreed, suppressing a giggle.
Duncan feigned indignation. “Loud? I’ll have you know I am a model of quiet dignity.”
Juliet arched a brow. “You shouted loudly enough the day you learned you were going to be a father.”
Emma perked up. “Tell the story again!”
“No, no,” Duncan protested, though he was smiling. “Your mother has told it enough times.”
“But it’s funny,” Grace insisted. “You almost knocked over the tea tray!”
Another burst of laughter followed that comment. The girls continued to chatter about their latest project, which was a botanical journal Juliet had been helping them compile. Pressed flowers, sketches, observations… an ever-growing treasure that filled the schoolroom shelves. Their earlier fears, such as the fear that Juliet might vanish from their lives, had faded into memory. Now they sat beside her with unshakable trust, secure in the knowledge that she was theirs and they were hers.
Duncan looked around the cheerful morning room, and his gaze inevitably found his mother.
The Dowager Duchess, once feared for her sharp wit and sharper tongue, now presided over the Sunday table like a benevolent sovereign. She sipped her tea with regal leisure, observing her family with the air of a general whose campaign had finally succeeded.
“I do not miss Brighton one bit,” she declared, cutting into a scone with decisive satisfaction. “There is more life in this house than in an entire Season at the seaside.”
Duncan chuckled softly. “You surprise me, Mother. I thought you would be desperate to return to your circle of admirers.”
She sniffed. “Fickle bores, the lot of them. Here,” her gaze softened as it drifted to Juliet and the twins, “I find I am needed. And… very happy.”
Duncan felt the truth of that settle warmly in his chest. He could understand her happiness, because he was happy, too. In fact, more than he had believed himself capable of being.
The room grew livelier when Thomas arrived from London, removing his gloves with a grin that belonged to a man whose fortunes had turned.
“Duncan, Juliet! I bring news. Good news, for once.”
Duncan raised a brow. “Does this mean you have finally managed to keep your accounts in order?”
Thomas laughed. “Better. The new partnership has taken off faster than expected. It seems that being brother-in-law to a respected duke,” he winked, “opens doors one previously believed nailed shut.”
Juliet swatted his arm lightly. “Thomas!”
“Oh, and I am courting someone,” he added casually, though his eyes gleamed with genuine pleasure. “A sensible young woman, quite independent, too. Reminds me of someone.”
Juliet flushed with delighted pride, while Duncan offered hearty congratulations.
“And,” Thomas continued, “I received a letter from Father. He and Mother intend to visit next month.”
Juliet froze mid-sip. “They… accepted?”
“With only minimal sulking,” Thomas said. “Their pride is recovering from the shock of realizing your marriage was a triumph rather than a scandal.”
Juliet exhaled shakily. Duncan threaded his fingers through hers under the table. Just then, Kenneth entered with a sealed letter in hand. He greeted everyone with a smile, but his expression seemed shadowed by uncertainty.
“Duncan,” he said quietly, as if bracing for something grand, “I’ve received an offer. A diplomatic posting in Vienna. It is prestigious and quite influential. And…” He hesitated. “It would require leaving England for a number of years.”
The breakfast table fell silent. Duncan’s gaze shifted to Jemima, who stood at the sideboard, pouring fresh tea with trembling hands. Her eyes remained downcast, but her distress was palpable.
Kenneth continued, although this was something best divulged privately, but Duncan could see that Kenneth was a man on a mission. He just didn’t know what sort of a mission that was, so he listened. “It is an opportunity I have long hoped for.” Kenneth admitted. “And yet…” His voice trailed off.
Duncan swallowed a smile of understanding. He had once stood in this same place: The crossroads between duty and love.
“Kenneth,” he said quietly, “a man may chase ambition all his life and find it hollow. But love… love fills the soul in ways a title or post never could.” His gaze flicked to Juliet, glowing from within. “Ask me how I know.”
Kenneth looked from his brother to Jemima, whose eyes shimmered despite her effort to appear composed. For a moment, he seemed to wrestle with every expectation placed upon him. Then he stood abruptly, crossed the room in three sure strides, and took Jemima’s hand.
“Miss Nott… Jemima,” he said more tenderly than Duncan had ever heard him speak, “no position and no diplomatic triumph could ever be worth losing you.”
Her breath caught. Kenneth sank to one knee. A collective gasp filled the room.
“I love you. I cannot imagine my life without you in it. Will you do me the indescribable honor of becoming my wife?”
The room erupted with excitement. Juliet gasped, covering her mouth, and the Dowager murmured, “Well done, dear.” Thomas offered congratulations, and Emma and Grace squealed with delight, before Jemima had even offered her response. It seemed that everyone already knew what it would be.
Jemima’s tears spilled. “Yes,” she whispered, “oh, yes.”
Kenneth rose and kissed her hands reverently as the room filled with warmth and celebration. Duncan placed an arm around Juliet, pulling her gently against him.
“Another Christmas wedding,” he murmured with a smile. “It seems Riverside is becoming quite the venue for happily-ever-afters.”
The joyful chaos of Kenneth’s proposal eventually softened into quieter conversation. As plates were cleared and tea refreshed, talk drifted inevitably to the shadows of the past and what had become of those who once threatened their peace.
Thomas set down his cup with a thoughtful exhale. “I received word from London yesterday, about the Viscount of Westmere.”
Duncan’s jaw tightened, though the familiar fury no longer flared. Time, justice, and Juliet’s love had softened even that wound.
“Has his trial been scheduled?”
“Not yet,” Thomas replied. “But Ravensholme writes that given the weight of evidence and the man’s extensive connections, the magistrates prefer banishing him rather than risking a scandalous execution. It seems he will be gone for life, far from anyone he might manipulate again.”
Kenneth nodded. “That is justice enough. He’ll have no influence in a penal colony.”
The Dowager Duchess sniffed approvingly. “May he spend every remaining day reflecting upon the misery he caused. Preferably while breaking rocks.”
Juliet looked down at her hands. “I do not rejoice in suffering… but I am grateful he can no longer hurt anyone.”
Thomas cleared his throat. “As for Lady Lavinia…”
A collective silence fell.
“She arrived in the American colonies last month,” Thomas continued. “And she was assigned to hard labor in a textile mill near Williamsburg.”
The Dowager lifted her brows. “Hard labor? For a lady accustomed to silks and soirées? That will be quite a transformation.”
“Reports say she remains… volatile,” Thomas said delicately. “But the colonial overseers have little patience for her dramatics. She is watched closely. And far from any position of influence.”
Juliet let out a slow breath. “I wish she had chosen a better path.”
“So do I,” Duncan murmured. But his hand tightened warmly over hers. Lavinia lived, yet she could never endanger the family he cherished again.
Kenneth leaned forward. “There is one more bit of news. About Seth Miller.” He paused, glancing about. “True to the promised leniency, the court reduced his sentence. He now works in a London apothecary under strict supervision. It seems Ravensholme found value in ensuring the man’s herbal knowledge be used for good.”
Juliet smiled. “A chance for redemption. I am glad.”
“So am I,” Duncan admitted. It surprised him, but after everything, mercy felt more fitting than bitterness. Seth had played a dark role, yes, but he had also saved Juliet’s life in the end.
By late morning, the household began to drift into its familiar Sunday rhythm, with each member following their own pleasant course. Emma and Grace scampered off to their art lesson, clutching their half-finished botanical sketches and chattering about what new flower Juliet would show them next. Kenneth and Jemima walked out together toward the orchard, already discussing wedding dates and the necessary letters to be sent. Their hands brushed as they walked. The Dowager Duchess retired to her sitting room with a stack of correspondence, pausing only to remind Duncan that she expected him for dinner precisely at seven. Thomas disappeared into the study, humming cheerfully as he set about reviewing the estate’s accounts, something he did now with genuine enthusiasm, much to Duncan’s amusement.
And so, with a lull in the day and a warm breeze coaxing him outdoors, Duncan made his way toward the greenhouse. Juliet stood inside, with sunlight pooling around her like spun gold. She was examining a cluster of delicate winter blooms. The expanded greenhouse, once a modest structure, had become a sanctuary for them both. Vines curled gracefully around the beams, the twins’ botanical sketches hung like artwork between the windows, and two comfortable chairs sat nestled beside a small table where they often shared tea and conversation.
As Duncan stepped in, Juliet turned with a smile. “Hello, my love. I thought you might be with Thomas.”
“I escaped,” he said with a gentle grin, crossing the greenhouse to her. “Ledgers can only hold my interest for so long.”
She laughed softly, but it faded into a breath of surprise when he slipped his arms around her from behind, resting his palms over the gentle swell of her belly. Their child responded with a small, decisive kick.
Juliet covered his hands with her own. “He’s rather energetic today.”
“Or she,” Duncan murmured against her ear.
“Or she,” Juliet agreed with a tender smile. “Either way, this little one is really eager to make themselves known.”
He kissed her temple. “I cannot wait to meet them.”
They wandered slowly between the rows of plants, speaking of new garden expansions, of their hopes for their coming child, of peace and home. And how astonishingly far they had come from that stormy night Juliet arrived at Riverside with fear in her eyes and courage in her step.
Our life, he thought. Our love. Our family.
It humbled him. It uplifted him. It filled him with gratitude so deep he could barely speak around it. Turning Juliet gently in his arms, he kissed her forehead with reverence.
“You have given me love, Juliet,” he whispered, “but more than that, you’ve given me the courage to believe in happiness again.”
Her eyes shone, bright as morning dew. She lifted her hand to his cheek. “And you,” she replied softly, “have shown me that the greatest adventures begin when two hearts choose to grow toward the light together.”
They stood for a moment in quiet stillness, two souls, once guarded and uncertain, now wholly entwined; two hearts that had learned to trust, to hope, to blossom… together.
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 5 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Love and Secrets of the Ton", and get 5 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello my dears, I hope you enjoyed the book and the Extended Epilogue! I will be waiting for your comments here. Thank you 🙂
The extended epilogue did not disappoint. I was hoping to learn that Kenneth and Jemima would find their way to each other, a perfect match.
Most often I do not care to go to the extended epilogue, but I was driven to do so this time and I’m very glad that I did. Thank you 😊
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Thank you for memorable characters and a story that will surely be revisited!
Your delighted reader,
Lois Palmer
I’m really glad you enjoyed it!
Ex cellent story. Very well done. Exciting, hard to put it down. I’ve enjoyed all of your stories so far. I like your style and the flow, not wordy, every page interesting.
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed it.
A really good read!
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you enjoyed it—it means a lot to me. 💛
An excellent story, great character de velopment and exciting plot.
Thank you! I’m really glad you enjoyed the characters and the story.