by Regina Darcy
Still overawed by the Marquess and his wondrous generosity and kind heart, Nora reached over and took his hand. Looking into his hazel eyes, she found her heart so filled with a deep, unrelenting affection that, for a moment, she could not speak.
“To say thank you seems so inadequate,” she said hoarsely, “but yet I confess my gratitude to you again. You have become more to me than I could ever imagine.”
“And do I have a place in your heart, me dear?” he asked gently. “For I will equal you in confession and tell you that you have won a place in my own.”
Her expression softened. “It has all happened so quickly, and yet I confess to you that I do have you in my heart, my lord.” She shook her head, not quite able to understand the depth of emotions racing through her. “You have become everything to me. You understand my life, you understand what I have had to endure, and yet you have not turned from me. Instead, you give me your sympathy and your compassion, and eventually you gave me the choice between marriage and my own attempt at freedom.”
He smiled at her, his eyes warm. “And yet I am profoundly grateful that you have chosen the former.”
“How could I not?” she asked softly. “With all that you have done for me, and with all that you have done for Caroline, I cannot help but give you my heart. All I have ever longed for, all I have ever hoped for, I have found in you.”
Lord Fareshire let out a long breath, his face inches from hers. “Then we shall set out in this life together as those who care for one another, as those who hold each other’s heart with tenderness and consideration. My dear Nora, I would do the same for you as I have done now, and even more still, for I confess that there is a love for you growing within my heart. A love I cannot - and that I will not – deny.”
His words brought such a spark of life to Nora that she felt herself almost glow with happiness. Her arms linked around his neck, her eyes bright. “I feel that same love,” she promised, her face inches from his own. “And I give my heart to you, Edward, knowing that you will guard it with all tenderness and love.”
At the sound of his Christian name rolling off of her tongue, the Marquess felt his heart melt.
“As I will guard you,” he murmured, before leaning closer to her and meeting her lips with his own.
Epilogue
Four months later
It was a quiet afternoon, and Nora and Edward were seated in the library, each engrossed in their own reading. Edward had a novel of some sort, whereas Nora was going through her correspondence. Martha now wrote regularly and, much to Nora’s delight, had accepted an invitation to come for a prolonged visit over Christmas. It would be the first time that Nora had met Martha’s husband and children, and she could hardly wait for that moment. Alice, it seemed, had also managed to find out Nora’s news and had written once already, and although Nora searched the pile of letters eagerly, she could not find any response as yet. She did hope that Alice and Lord Lester could come to them for Christmas. How wonderful it would be to have them all together once again. All finally free from their father’s cruelty and, in their own ways, finally happy.
She sighed, breaking open a note that was clearly from her father. She did not wish to read it, but she knew she must. The lines were scrawled as though written hastily and without much thought.
“It seems that Father has been quite caught up in all that is going on in London.”
Nora smiled as her husband looked up from where he had been reading, seeing the interest in his expression.
“He writes that he has no intention of visiting us any time in the future.”
“Not that this is any particular loss,” Edward commented dryly. “I cannot think that you miss his company.”
Despite herself, Nora shuddered. Her life these four months had been the most wonderful of her life, and were she honest, she did not wish to see her father either. “No indeed,” she agreed, before casting her gaze back over the short note her father had written to her. “Oh, and he also adds that Lord Abernathy has begun to grow despondent in the search for his wife.”
Edward snorted, shaking his head in distaste. “I quite believe it. From what my steward tells me – for I did, as you know, task him to keep a watch on Lord Abernathy’s movements – the man has decided that liquor and loose women are what he is much more used to seeking out.”
Nora sighed. “He was never a good man.”
“No, he is not,” Edward agreed vehemently. “And, for what it is worth, I have made it quite clear to him that he is not welcome on my property.”
A little surprised, Nora tilted her head. “Oh?”
Edward smiled, got up from his seat, and held out his hand to her. “Come to the window.”
Curious, she did as he asked, walking towards him and taking his hand before they walked together towards the window. As she looked out, she saw Caroline laughing and talking to the steward, who had been in charge of ensuring that the gatehouse was brought up to standard for Caroline.
“Do you see your sister now?” he asked gently. “Do you see how much she has changed? The fear has gone, the worry disappeared, and now she is back to herself.”
Nora swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, squeezing his arm. “No,” she said softly. “She is not back to herself, Edward. She has never had this freedom before. She has never been allowed to live a life free from fear, free from the torment of wondering, almost daily, what Father might have planned for her. Now, she is who she ought to have been all those years ago.” Her smile grew as she saw Caroline laugh again, her cheeks a light pink in the late autumn sunshine.
“That is why I made it clear to Lord Abernathy that he is not to come to my estate,” Edward said quietly, wrapping one arm around Nora’s waist. “I do not wish him anywhere near this place, not when I know what even a murmur of his presence nearby might do to Caroline.”
She nodded. “Do you think he will ever come, regardless?”
Edward chuckled darkly. “No, he will not dare. Underneath it all, that man is nothing more than a coward.”
“He is not the kind of man a father should have ever chosen for his daughter,” Nora agreed softly. “But then again, my father was not the kind of man who should have ever had children of his own in the first place, not if he was to ignore them and disparage them completely. Not if he was just to use them as pawns to further his own position and wealth in life.” She looked up at her husband, knowing that now was the time to tell him. “No, he was not a good father, Edward. But you will be.”
His gaze slowly left the gatehouse and travelled down towards her. Nora felt her heart quicken as his eyes widened, her hands now clasping her forearms.
“Am I… am I to be a….”
She smiled, aware of just how astonished he was. “You are to be a father, my dear husband,” she said softly. “In a few months, we shall have a baby all of our own.” The words left her mouth and sent her into such a flurry of delight that it was all she could do to remain exactly where she was, wanting to throw herself into his arms but seeing that he needed a few moments to collect himself.
“My goodness,” Edward breathed, his eyes still fixed on her own. “I am to be a father.”
“And you will be a wonderful one,” she said at once, running one finger down his cheek. “A father who will love and care for his child, who will ensure nothing but their happiness. A father who will protect them with all that he has, who will stand by their side and yet give them the freedom they need.”
He shook his head. “You have such faith in me.”
“You have already proved it,” she replied, slipping both arms around his neck. “There is no doubt in my mind. Just as you have loved me, you will love our child, be it boy or girl.”
Swallowing hard, he looked into her eyes and nodded. “Of course I will,” he promised, tugging her gently into his embrace. “This is one of the happiest moments of my life, my dear Nora. I love you. I love you so very dearly.”
“I love you too, husba
nd of mine,” Nora replied, feeling a single tear slip from her eye and dampen her cheek. “I love you with all of my heart.”
THE END
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