‘That you will be fighting against the British when you reach your destination.’ She gave a small, involuntary shiver.
‘My love,’ he whispered. ‘I know the position in which this places you.’ He touched his hand to her cheek. ‘It would be safer for you in England.’
‘There is nothing left for me there.’ She turned her face to kiss the palm of his hand. ‘My place is with you, now. I followed the drum for my father, I will follow it the same for my husband. And if it is a different drum that beats, then so be it. That is all I can do for the man that I love.’
‘Chérie,’ he whispered, and kissed her.
And Josie thought that out of the darkness of war and enmity, out of revenge and jealousy and murder, out of sacrifice and loss, had come love, and that one thing alone shone as a light in the darkness, and with its joy, made all of the grief and the pain and the suffering bearable. Love alone was enough. She marvelled at the knowledge, and snuggled in closer to the warmth of Dammartin’s body.
Epilogue
France—August 1816
The sky was a cloudless blue that seemed to stretch to an eternity, lit by bright golden sunlight. Josie closed her eyes and felt the sun warm upon her face through the dappled shade of the trees. Up above, the birds were singing, and she could hear the droning buzz of the bees amidst the lavender, and smell the perfumed scent of the nearby roses.
She opened her eyes and looked down over the lawn to where a tall, handsome man was absorbed in playing with a small boy. Both the man and the boy had the same dark hair and eyes. The man’s face was filled with love for his son and the sight of it made the happiness well up throughout Josie. The little boy looked round and saw her watching.
‘Maman, maman!’ he cried, and ran to her, clambering up on to her lap.
Her husband came, too, and sat down by her side, draping his arm across her shoulders, and dropping a kiss to her cheek.
‘Pierre.’ She smiled.
As he leaned in to kiss her again, a little wail began from the basket that sat on the bench at the other side of her. He smiled and lifted the tiny baby to him, stroking a finger gently against his daughter’s soft downy cheek.
And Josie’s happiness was complete.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1441-5
THE CAPTAIN’S FORBIDDEN MISS
Copyright © 2008 by Margaret McPhee
First North American Publication 2011
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*Part of Silk & Scandal miniseries
The Captain's Forbidden Miss Page 25