by Alexa Aston
They crossed the threshold of Ashcroft, his castle. His home.
One that would always be filled with love.
Epilogue
Ashcroft—1382
Raynor gazed down at Beatrice. She’d pushed the bedclothes aside while asleep. He had a wonderful view of the body he’d worshipped for almost twenty years. His palm covered her breast, gently kneading it. She sighed, a contented smile touching her lips. He toyed with the nipple, first with his fingers and then his tongue. Soon, the passion flared between them. Raynor loved how she called out his name. Even after hundreds of times of making love to her, each encounter brought them closer. He would want this woman till he went to the grave—and beyond.
Their love play ended, slow and sweet, as they came together. Raynor thought it was like the music she played for him when they were alone.
“It’s hard to believe that today is the day Cecily will be married,” Raynor said.
Beatrice’s eyes glistened with tears. “It seems only yesterday she was our firstborn.”
“Are you sad, sweetheart?”
“No,” she assured him. “These are tears of joy. I’m happy for her. William is a good man and he will make a good husband.”
Raynor brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “But will they love as well as we have?”
Beatrice smiled. “We can only hope they do.” She stroked his cheek. “Come. She’ll be here soon. We need to dress.”
He insisted that he be allowed to brush her hair, still a luscious brown with a few stray strands of gray starting to show. It was one of his favorite things to do. He remembered the broken comb she’d had all those years ago. He’d replaced it with this jeweled one.
A knock sounded at the door and Raynor called, “Come.”
Cecily dashed in, her cheeks bright with color. His eldest child looked so much like her mother that Raynor felt as if he’d drawn back a curtain and looked into the past.
“Mother said you wanted to see me,” Cecily said.
“Aye,” he told her. “We have a gift for you.”
“I don’t need a gift. You’ve been the best parents I could ask for. That’s been your greatest gift to me.”
“Still, we want to give you something on your wedding day to William.”
Raynor watched the dreamy smile that turned the corners of Cecily’s mouth up. His eyes caught Beatrice’s, and they grinned at one another.
Beatrice went to the casket that rested on a low table. She brought out the string of pearls that she’d worn every day since he’d returned them to her right after they had married.
His wife held them up and told their daughter, “My father gave these to my mother on their wedding day. She passed them down to me. I’ve worn them for many years. Now it’s your turn to own them.”
Cecily’s eyes grew wide. “Mother, I can’t! You love your pearls.”
Raynor went to stand next to his daughter and rested his hands on her shoulders. “We want you to have them, Cecily.” He leaned in and whispered in her ear. When he raised back up, she nodded.
“All right.” Cecily went to her mother and offered her back. She raised her hair so that Beatrice could fasten the clasp. Cecily looked down at the necklace and smiled.
“They look lovely against your creamy skin,” Beatrice told her. “Now run along to your chamber. I’ll come help you dress in a few minutes.”
Cecily kissed both of her parents on the cheek and left the room, glowing.
“I think it was the right thing to do,” Beatrice said.
“Will you miss wearing them?” Raynor asked.
“A little, but Cecily is our only daughter. I wanted her to have them. We can find something else to give the boys when they wed.”
Raynor said, “I also have something for you, my love.”
Beatrice looked surprised. “You do?”
He went to his boot and turned it upside down into his palm. He’d hidden her gift inside it, knowing she would never think to look for anything there.
Raynor crossed the room and dangled the pendant from his fingers. “I love how your brown eyes are rimmed in amber. This jewel matches them.”
Her lips trembled, fresh tears sprang to her eyes. He placed the pendant around her neck and gave her a soft kiss. Beatrice looked down and touched the stone with reverence.
“I love it and I love you, Raynor Le Roux.”
“I love you, Beatrice Le Roux.” He offered her his arm. “Let’s go see our eldest child marry.”
They left the bedchamber where they’d spent so many nights in each other’s arms. Raynor knew there would be many more nights of love to come.
The End
About the Author
As a child, Alexa Aston gathered her neighborhood friends together and made up stories for them to act out, her first venture into creating memorable characters. Following her passion for history and love of learning, she became a teacher who began writing on the side to maintain her sanity in a sea of teenage hormones.
Alexa’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love.
She is the author of The Knights of Honor, a medieval romance series that takes place in 14th century England during the reign of Edward III and centers on the de Montfort family. Each romance focuses on the code of chivalry that bound knights of this era.
A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys reading, watching movies and sports, and can’t get enough of Fixer Upper or Game of Thrones. Alexa also writes romantic suspense, western historicals, and standalone medieval novels as Lauren Linwood.
Alexa loves to hear from her readers. You can connect with her through FB, Twitter, and her website, alexaaston.wordpress.com.
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