by Abigail Agar
It had all begun with him finding a manuscript. It was a lost stack of papers that had come to change his life.
The first time he read the novel, the original draft, he had fallen in love with the book. But it took only a short time for him to fall in love with the author.
Ever since the evening when the book was released to the public, Doyle and Pippa had become something of celebrities. Nearly everywhere they went, they were recognized. Within the literary community, they were respected.
Her mother and father had been overjoyed by their engagement. They had not even scolded the two of them for sneaking around in a most improper manner. Even though they had disregarded the rules of society in order to be with one another and work on the book, her mother and father did not seem to take issue with it.
Doyle and James were getting ready and it was time for them to leave for the church.
“Are you nearly ready?” James asked.
“Yes, yes, I am. Oh, I am terribly eager to get there. What do you think she will say? Will she be ready? Do you think she is happy about marrying me or is she going to regret this whole thing?” Doyle asked in a sudden flurry of concern.
“Ha! She loves you. Pippa loves you more than most women could ever love the men they are going to marry. Trust me, Doyle, you have nothing at all to worry about,” James replied.
“You mean that? You think she will not regret having ended up stuck with a silly man like me? You know what I am like. When I get anxious and overwhelmed, I can barely handle my own self,” he said.
“But she loves you enough that she will not mind that. Come on, now. You can rest assured that Pippa is on her way to the church soon enough, feeling all manner of joy and excitement. I cannot imagine that she would ever be upset or unhappy about this wedding,” James said with a laugh.
They departed from Doyle’s home and made their way to the church. He was desperate to see her. He wanted Pippa in his arms and wished that they could simply skip the entire ceremony and just go to being married and sitting in the garden, reading together. That was all he wanted. Nothing else would make him so happy.
But the idea of standing in front of all these people? The idea of allowing them into the moment in which he made his lifelong vows to the woman he loved? That was a strange thing, indeed. Doyle did not think that he would enjoy it, but he knew that it was an important step to take as he and Pippa were finally given the chance to be married.
“Ah, we are here,” James announced, looking out the window of the coach. Doyle stuck his head out and the coach pulled to a stop.
He could hardly believe it. When they arrived, there were so many people there. There were more people than he had ever imagined would be in attendance at his wedding.
He was glad when he saw that most of them were friends. People who meant so much to him and to his soon to be wife had come in order to celebrate with them. It was a wonderful feeling to know that they were so highly valued within society and among the community.
Her mother and father were there, but Pippa had not yet arrived. She would come soon enough, once he was in position.
For now, he wanted to greet them.
“Good morning, Mrs. and Mrs. Blackwell. I am so happy to see you here,” he said.
“And we are delighted to be here! Oh, Pippa looked so lovely when I left her. I trust you are going to be astonished by her beauty,” Pippa’s mother said.
“She is always lovely,” Doyle said in reply.
“Yes, well, you certainly make her shine all the more,” her father added.
“She is the greatest joy in all my life,” Doyle said.
“You know, there was a time in which we would never have expected this. Think about it,” her mother said to her father.
“I know, you are right about that. Pippa always wanted to be an author but we did not approve. We would not have ever thought she would be an author and married to a bookseller. As it happens, we would have it no other way,” her father remarked.
“Indeed, we would not!” her mother agreed.
“Well, I am very grateful that you have shifted your mindsets. I do not think I could survive without having Pippa in my life. She has changed me. Completely.”
“And you have changed her all for the better as far as I can tell,” her father said.
“Well, I do think that this is just how it is. A man and a woman in love cannot be separated by anything when there is a bond like this. No matter how confusing the relationship may be at times, this is the fulness of love,” he said.
“You two are far too poetic in your speech for me to comprehend,” her father laughed. Indeed, Doyle had noticed that he was not overly fond of romantic chatter.
At last, it was time for the wedding to begin. Doyle took his place at the front of the church, next to the minister. He waited as the music began to play and the doors to the church opened, revealing the woman he loved most in all the world.
She looked incredible from head to toe. Her hair was loose and wild, blowing as if a breeze was perpetually rushing in her direction. The gown she wore was simple and elegant, a pale blue which matched the color of the cover of their book.
He greatly appreciated the small detail. It was a sweet thought for her to come up with it.
It made her eyes stand out as well, reminding him that she really had been made for this.
As she reached him at the front of the church, Doyle took her hands.
“You look amazing,” he said.
“Thank you. So do you,” she replied with a sweet smile.
“Have you had a nice morning? Did it take you very long to get ready?” he asked in a quiet voice.
“It was a wonderful morning because I knew that I would soon be here, marrying you. And yet, it was a terrible morning, because I had to wait for that to happen,” she said.
The minister went on with his sermon, speaking to the importance of unity within marriage. He made multiple comments about coming together and working with one another.
Doyle already knew that he and his wife would do just that. They had already worked together on something small, now it was time for them to work together on something large.
Their marriage was going to be a far more important project than anything else they had ever tackled. But despite all the confusion they had been through in the past, at least now they knew what to expect. With marriage, they were aware of the many things that would be different.
With a book, they could follow an outline and be shocked when the story deviated from it. But in marriage, there was no scripting. Variability was to be expected. And that, Doyle was excited for.
He was eager to begin his new life with the woman he loved more than anything. He was convinced that, together, they would be able to create even greater things than they had in the past.
He continued to hold her hand with great affection. She looked in his eyes and they locked on one another. Yes, this was the beginning of their story. They had already had quite a prologue, but this first chapter of their marriage was going to bring them to a new place. And whatever the following chapters had in store, Doyle and Pippa were ready to write their tale.
He could think of no better team to draft such a beautiful romance than the two of them. After all, they had been writing stories alone for many years, but quickly learned that they were much better when they worked together to create something beautiful.
Once they had both said their vows, the minister pronounced them husband and wife.
They enjoyed an afternoon with friends and family, as well as some of the men from the literary community. So many people were supporting them, but they were finally ready to end the day and have some time together.
“Do you think we might be able to slip away?” Doyle asked.
“I certainly hope so. I want out of these shoes. They are beautiful, but they pinch my feet in a terribly uncomfortable manner,” she said.
“In that case, we must leave at once. I shall not allow m
y wife to be uncomfortable.”
Slowly, they made their way through the crowd and said goodbye to Clarissa and James, as well as Pippa’s mother and father. They nodded to some of the men and women of society who were there but did not stop long. They had already greeted everyone enough and it was now time to actually enjoy themselves by leaving that overcrowded place.
Now, they could just be at peace.
With that, they departed from the church and made their way to Doyle’s home. They sat in the small garden for a while, with Pippa resting her head against Doyle’s chest.
For a while, they simply looked out at the beauty of the evening, which was falling. But, soon enough, Doyle pulled out a book to read.
“How was the day?” Pippa asked.
Doyle paused, not knowing what to say. His pause was enough to cause her a burst of laughter.
“That bad?”
“No! I did not say that,” he replied defensively.
“Come now, you may be honest with me,” she said.
“It was a wonderful day. I did not expect there to be so many people, that is all. I wish that it had been smaller. Just you and me and a few of our closest friends and family. But I did enjoy it. It is wonderful that we were able to have such a nice wedding and that we are happily married, without any further delay. All I ever wanted was to be your husband and now, I am that,” Doyle said.
“Yes, you are. You are my husband, and I am your wife. Nothing is ever going to stand in our way again. You and me and all the children we will eventually have? We are happy and we always shall be, even through the difficult seasons,” she said.
“Most definitely. Even through the difficult seasons,” Doyle repeated.
They sat for a moment longer until Doyle actually started reading the book. But once he was ready, he decided to take one final breath and kiss Pippa on her forehead as a promise that they would have many more evenings like this, sitting outside and enjoying the beauty of the evening with a book in their hands and hope and love in their hearts.
“Are you ready for the story?” Doyle asked.
“I am always ready for a story, my love. Now, please read to me because I am very tired, but I know that it is our first day of being married and I just want to indulge in hearing your voice. I finally get to spend all my time with you, so we must make every moment count,” she said.
Doyle smiled and gave a quick nod before he began.
“Often times,” he read, “days will come which men and women cannot forget. These days, the days in which their lives are changed forever, are the sort which must be made into memories.”
Indeed, it had been one of those days. This was a day which would forever be ingrained in their minds and in their hearts. Times had changed, and so had they, but there was only beauty ahead.
THE END
Can't get enough of Pippa and Doyle? Then make sure to check out the Extended Epilogue to find out…
How will Pippa’s and Doyle’s career path evolve and how will it affect their love?
How will George seek his revenge and how will Doyle and Pippa react?
What will Pippa’s inspiration for her next book be?
Click the link or enter it into your browser
http://abigailagar.com/pippa
(After reading the Extended Epilogue, turn the page to read the first chapters from “A Duke's Garden of Love”, my Amazon Best-Selling novel!)
A Duke's Garden of Love
Introduction
With her mythical abilities to grow and restore any garden in England, Rosamund Fleet is living a happy life in the midst of nature. Unfortunately, she is engaged to be married to Horace Filbert, a man with no respect to her abilities or the work she does for her father. Just when life starts feeling meaningless, she gets a surprising invitation by a mysterious Duke and instantly packs all her belongings. Moving to the brooding Duke’s mansion, the last thing she expected was to fall for him and get herself into trouble... Soon, she finds herself determined not only to save his precious garden, but the Lord himself. Will this bright Lady find her soulmate in this magical garden of love?
Lord Albion Brightling, the Duke of Somerfield, is a lonely soul. After the death of his entire family during the war, he dedicated his garden to those who mattered most to him. He would rather die alone than love and lose again, so he chose isolation and he decided to spend his days at his estate far away from everyone... But when Albion’s roses grow sick, his butler calls in the only person in England who can save the garden, Rosamund. What he would never expect, though, is that this charming lady will soon threaten to destroy the walls he has built to protect his broken heart with her soft tenderness. Will this compassionate Lady help him fight the demons of his past and start all over again by believing in true love?
As Rosamund brings his flowers back to life, love and hope are also finding their way back into the Duke’s life. The more the two of them emotionally connect within this magical garden, the more the Duke’s reputation as an isolated madman is challenged. When Rosamund’s betrothed discovers this unexplainable connection, he will do anything he can to stop the two from growing closer… With everyone set against them, will their love come up roses? Or will they be pricked by society’s hurtful thorns?
Chapter 1
Lord Albion Brightling, the Duke of Somerfield, was not known for his sparkling personality or indulgent parties. At times, he wished that he could be the sort of man who entertained others, who made them happy to be near him. But it simply was not in his nature.
He had always been a serious man, but since the war he had grown ever quieter and overwrought by his need for solitude.
His dark eyes scanned the garden, taking in the image of all that he had built in memoriam. The sunflowers were a tribute to his older brother, who had always brightened their days. He passed away early on in the war.
The baby’s breath was for his younger brother, the baby of the family who had made it nearly to the end. And the roses were in honour of his mother, who had passed away from her grief.
And now, Albion was alone. He had been left with the family estate, the title, the fortune. All of it was meaningless, but he wished to use it wisely. And a part of that use, he decided, would be building this garden to remember them.
The previous four days had been awful, not being able to come out and see the garden, to smell the beautiful flowers, and to relive the memories of his family. Albion had been bedridden with a brief but terrible cough.
The fresh air was a delight, as was the process of inhaling without descending into a fit of coughing. But when Albion reached the roses, the part of his walk when he typically stood and lingered over thoughts of his mother, he was immediately shocked by what he saw.
A handful of the blooms were covered in ugly, black spots.
They appeared diseased, hideous and ruined. Albion had never seen anything like this before and could not understand what was happening.
Was this normal? Was it something that he had done to the flowers or had they grown this on their own? Was it an insect that had poisoned the roses?
He couldn’t imagine what it was.
Albion needed to speak with his gardener. Perhaps the man knew something about this. But why had he not told Albion? Why was he not, this very moment, handling the problem?
Rushing back to the house, Albion quickly found one of the maids.
“Miss Potter, where is Mr. Hillsborough?” he asked.