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Evelyn woke slowly, drifting upward through warmth and quiet, aware first of the steady rise and fall beneath her cheek.
Adrian slept on, one arm heavy across her waist, his breathing deep and even. She lay still for a moment, savoring him, the solid warmth of his body, the familiar scent of him. It was a reassuring presence.
A luxury she never rushed past. She had learned, through grief and fear, that such moments were to be held gently, like something rare. Then she felt the flutter in her stomach, followed by a firmer nudge, low in her belly.
Evelyn’s lips curved into a smile that became a quiet chuckle before she could stop it. She shifted carefully, placing a hand over the place where the movement had come from.
“Oh,” she murmured, half-whispering, half-laughing. “So impatient already, are you? You must take after your father.”
She slipped from the bed with care, her nightgown whispering against the floor as she rose. The morning light was pale and tentative, the sky just beginning to soften from indigo into pearl. She padded to the window, one hand still resting protectively on her belly. Behind her, Adrian stirred.
“What time is it?” he asked sleepily, his voice roughened by rest.
Evelyn turned, smiling. She crossed the room and pulled the curtains wide, letting the sunrise flood in. Gold spilled across the floor and up the walls, touching the bed, the chair, Adrian himself.
“Well past time we were up,” she said lightly. “You forget, Lady Josephine Marsh will be here within the hour. With her husband.”
Adrian groaned and sat up, rubbing a hand over his face. “Already?”
She laughed. “You have only yourself to blame. You married a woman with a sister, and Harcourt sisters do not stay long apart.”
He glanced at her, amusement creeping into his eyes. “I still cannot believe Colin found a woman who would make him settle. I did not think he ever wished for a wife.”
Evelyn tilted her head. “Harcourt women have that effect on men.”
Adrian rose and joined her at the window, slipping his arms around her from behind. His hands came to rest over her belly, possessive and gentle all at once.
“I am inclined to agree,” he said softly.
They stood together watching the sun climb higher, the world awakening beneath it. Evelyn leaned back into him, contentment settling deep in her bones.
“Colin is eager to see Montford Hall again,” Adrian added. “He wants to see how the restoration progresses.”
At the name, a familiar shadow flickered across Evelyn’s thoughts. “And Honora?” she asked quietly.
Adrian was silent for a moment. Then, “My bankers report she has finally cashed the draft. After refusing it at first. She has vacated the London house and informed my solicitor she intends to rent a place in Hampshire.”
Evelyn searched his face. “And you are content with that?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “I wish her well. Without her I would have no children. But I have asked my solicitor to keep an eye on matters. I do not wish anyone else to fall foul of her malice.”
Evelyn nodded slowly. “I am glad you did not insist upon vengeance.”
His brow furrowed slightly. “Do you think I should have?”
She considered. “She killed Helen,” she said carefully. “But Helen meant to kill you and the children. It was … justice of a sort. Crude, terrible, but perhaps justice nonetheless. What followed was cruelty, yes, but cruelty born of a fractured mind.”
Adrian exhaled. “That is how I see it.”
He moved to sit on the floor beneath the window and drew Evelyn with him, pressing his face gently against her belly. She cradled his head, fingers threading through his hair, feeling a deep, resonant sense of womanhood settle within her, a sense of being anchored and anchoring in turn.
“I love you,” she said softly, not because she needed to say it, but because it felt right.
He did not lift his head. “I know,” he replied, his voice warm with certainty.
“Will your mother come to Montford later?” Evelyn asked, smiling.
Adrian laughed, lifting his face at last. “We shall have to lock her away to stop her. She has been riding out there nearly every day.”
Evelyn’s smile widened. “I have never seen her so well.”
“Nor I,” he said. “Despite her years, she has the energy of a young woman. I hope Montford will be fully restored by the time our child is born.”
Evelyn’s heart swelled. “Do you wish us to live there?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “All of us. I want the girls to have happy memories there. New memories.”
She leaned in and kissed him, tender and unhurried. Her mind drifted, briefly, to the path that had led them here. Her father’s death. Helen’s. Loss and fear and danger, all braided together. And yet, out of those terrible beginnings had grown something pure and strong. Light, born of darkness. Love, blossoming where despair and hatred once held sway.
Evelyn settled to the floor, nestling into the warm, safe embrace of the man she loved. She rested her head against Adrian’s shoulder, the new day dawning over the horizon, bringing hope.
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Hello my dears, I hope you enjoyed the book and the Extended Epilogue! I will be waiting for your comments here. Thank you 🙂
Lovely story!
Thank you!
I enjoyed this book very much.I was glad to hear Honoria was punished and that they did repairs to the. Ruins and expecting a baby.
I loved reading this book. It was a delightful change. The characters were rich and real with real feelings and strong responses. It was a very interesting and enjoyable story.
I love historical romances fierce heroine and dashing and powerful handsome hero with title and equally strong and fierce love
That’s exactly the kind of story I love writing too—strong heroines, powerful heroes, and a love that can hold its own against anything. Thank you for sharing what you enjoy!
A beautiful story. i enjoyed the building of trust that unfolded between Evelyn and Adrian. Thank you for a great combination of love and mystery.