Tears filled Lady Hanover’s eyes as her mouth stretched into a wobbly smile. “M-Madeline? Is that you?”
Madison’s throat tightened and her vision blurred with tears. “Yes, Mother. It’s me.”
Lady Hanover hitched a breath and covered her hand over her mouth. Her tears fell faster down her cheeks.
“No!” Lord Hanover pulled his wife’s arm to move her away from Madison. “I’m sorry, but I just cannot believe this. I need proof.”
Madison swiped her fingers underneath her wet eyes and looked at Cameron. He gave her a nod of assurance. Now, she just needed to make her parents believe she was who she said.
Taking a deep breath, she met her mother’s stare again. “My mother used to call me Maddie-girl.”
Lady Hanover nodded as she sobbed into her hands.
“And my father used to call me...” The memory was at the tip of her mind. If only she could get it to open.
It appeared as if her mother and father were also holding their breaths. If she couldn’t remember this, would her parents believe her at all?
Sighing, Madison leaned against a side table holding a glass vase with an arrangement of purple tulips and yellow daisies. As soon as her fingers slid across the table, her mind opened up and a memory broke through. As the memory played out, she explained what she was seeing.
“I had just returned home from shopping with mother. She bought me a green bonnet to match my newest dress. The moment I walked into the house, I broke into a run. I giggled as I went from one room to the next as fast as I could. My father’s voice rang through the air, getting closer by the minute. Finally, I found a place to hide behind the harpsichord near Mother’s favorite potted plant.”
She paused as the memory continued. “I kept silent as Father tried to find me. All down the long hall, he opened and closed doors. The sound drew nearer by the minute. Father’s soothing voice floated through the air and comforted me. With him around, I knew nothing bad would ever happen.”
Madison wiped more tears off her cheek. “Finally, Father came into the room, pretending as though he couldn’t see me, but I knew he could. I loved it when he played this game with me.” She smiled. “He came to the harpsichord and swept me in his arms and said, I found you...my little pink Maddie.” Her voice broke. “Because he knew pink was my favorite color.”
When she ended, she focused back on her parents. Both had eyes full of tears, and welcoming smiles. Madison’s heart leapt. Her arms ached to hug them the way she used to, but now as an adult, she wondered what would be permissible.
Finally, her father stepped closer, opening his arms wide. “My little pink Maddie is home, at last.”
Madison didn’t remember commanding her feet to move, but they did. She dashed into his waiting arms. Sobbing, her mother wrapped her arms around her, as well. Madison cried with happiness. Her heart burst with the closure she needed from her past and opened with the hope of a brighter future.
How many minutes passed, she didn’t know, but soon the crying subsided and the kissing began. Her mother couldn’t stop placing kisses on her cheeks, and her father placed them on her hair.
Her mother pulled back slightly, smiled, and caressed Madison’s cheek. “You are so beautiful, my Maddie-girl.”
“Oh, Ma,” her voice cracked. “I missed you so much. Part of me died when I thought you both had died. And then another part of me died when I realized I lived with two people who could never love me the way my parents had.”
Her father’s expression hardened and he turned to Cameron. “Inspector? Is there not something the police can do to arrest these people? Although they were not the first to take my girl, they still lied to her and kept her hostage with them.”
Hostage? Immediately, she recalled when they locked her in the small, dark room that was her bedroom. She cried, and Giles had yelled at her to be quiet. The older she grew, the more times she tried to escape. Back then she thought her parents were dead, but she wanted out of that room because the walls closed in around her and she couldn’t breathe. So yes, she was their hostage.
“Cameron,” she said reaching her hand out for him to take, which he did. “I want them arrested, as well.”
He nodded and squeezed her hand tenderly. “I’ll get some men on it straightway. I’d do it myself, but I fear they might not like my treatment of them as I drag them into jail.”
She sighed. This perfect man was her hero in every way. If she hadn’t met him, she doubted she would have ever remembered her past because it was his house that first brought out her memories.
She sucked in a quick breath and looked back at her parents. Would they understand her gift or act like the rest of England’s population and think she was insane? She shook her head. What a silly notion! These were her parents and they loved her unconditionally. She knew she could trust them to stand by her and believe.
“I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU husband and wife.”
The clergyman beamed as he sealed Cameron and Madison’s love in holy matrimony.
Cameron laughed happily and gathered Madison in his arms while the crowd in the chapel watched. He’d never seen her look so lovely as she did this afternoon. Dressed all in white, she was literally an angel, and yet the heart-shaped bodice fit her bosom snugly, proving that there might be a little devil in her somewhere. She fixed her silky dark-brown hair just the way he liked it—long and flowing ringlets over her shoulders and back.
“You may kiss the bride if you like,” the clergyman whispered with laughter in his voice.
“Yes, I know.” Cameron cupped Madison’s cheek and stared deep into her ocean-blue eyes...eyes he looked forward to gazing in to for the rest of his life.
He’d changed so much since meeting her. No longer was he a lonely, reclusive man who didn’t have time for love. Now he was a happy-go-lucky chap who wanted to show his new wife just how much he loved her.
Madison closed the space between them as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed against his body. He captured her mouth with his for a long-awaited kiss as husband and wife. He didn’t care who watched him show such open affection. After all, he loved her completely, and he wasn’t ashamed of his feelings.
Applause rose up from inside the church as well as cheers. He didn’t know if this was how people should act at a wedding, but he enjoyed the attention, nonetheless.
Madison was the first one to break the kiss. Laughing she pressed the side of her head against his chest. Cameron shook hands with the clergyman before leading his beautiful wife down the center aisle. Two boys stood at the double-doors and opened them for Cameron and Madison.
The crowd poured out of the church, cheering and throwing rice on them. Taking her hand, Cameron rushed them away from everyone and to a carriage decorated with white streamers and ribbons.
All three of his cousins stood by with their wives—all with wide smiles and happy waves; Trevor Worthington, the duke of Kenbridge, and Tristan who was only a few years younger, and then finally Trey, the youngest. It made Cameron happy to know that his extended family would have stood beside him through thick and thin. He needed to remember that next time he was in a pickle.
Once they reached the vehicle, Madison’s parents both gave her tight hugs. Tears glistened in their eyes as their smiles stretched wide across their faces.
Cameron helped Madison into the vehicle first before climbing up beside her. They waved to their family and friends. Rosie stood by Gaynor, appearing happy. Cameron would certainly keep an eye on them.
When he looked for Alice, he couldn’t see her. But then something odd caught his attention. Standing at the back of the crowd, Alice chatted with three men. The wide grin on his sister’s face let him know that she no longer felt like a spinster.
“What are you smiling at?” Madison asked.
He turned back to his wife and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m smiling at my life—something I never thought I’d do.”
“I’ve also been smiling at the
life I didn’t think I’d ever have.”
He kissed her briefly on the lips. “Will every day of our lives be this happy?”
Sighing, she relaxed in his arms as the driver of the carriage began their journey to their honeymoon destination—Scotland.
“I’m certain we’ll have good days and bad days, but we need to remember one thing. As long as we love each other—and communicate—there’s nothing we can’t live through.”
He nodded. “That’s definitely the theme to our new life.”
“And as long as we do it together, we will always be happy.”
As the crowd slowly disappeared out the window, Cameron leaned Madison back against the seat to continue their wedding kiss...that would probably last until they reached Scotland.
THE END
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READERS – IN MY STORY, Madison’s Gift, you met Tristan Worthington, and a brief mention was made of his brothers, Trevor and Trey. Their stories can be found in The Sons of Worthington Series:
The Sweetest Kiss - https://www.amazon.com/Sweetest-Kiss-Scandalous-Brother-Worthington-ebook/dp/B0066HBZBE
The Sweetest Touch - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007QH286Y
The Sweetest Love - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSADZEC
The Sweetest Secret - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LBQIAQS
Sweet Memories - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077FNKST1
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Author’s Bio
Marie Higgins is an award-winning, best-selling author of clean romance novels that melt your heart and have you falling in love over and over again. Since 2010, she’s published over 50 heartwarming, on-the-edge-of-your-seat romances. She’s broadened her readership by writing mystery/suspense, humor, time-travel, paranormal, along with her love for historical romances. Her readers have dubbed her “Queen of Tease” because of all her twists and unexpected endings.
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Madison's Gift Page 27