She captured his face between her palms and murmured, “Yes, my love. I will be your wife, and yes to forever.”
Then she pressed her lips against his to seal the promise of a long and happy future together.
Epilogue
Meredith squeezed her husband’s hand as Rebecca, Emily, Iris, Caroline, and Nora took their places on the small dais Colin had built for their first vocal performance. Her students had worked very hard in preparation for their autumn musicale, and she was anxious for their audience to hear their sweet voices.
She tossed a quick smile over her shoulder at her sister sitting in the row behind her. Felicity winked as she cradled her beautiful new daughter in her arms. The proud papa Julian sat beside her, bouncing their eldest son on his knee. Meredith reached to tickle her nephew and was rewarded with a heart-stopping giggle. Much to her pleasure, her sister and brother-in-law had decided to stay on at Danby Castle until spring, and she couldn’t help wondering if that had been part of the Duke of Danby’s plan all along.
As for the duke, he had arrived earlier than everyone else, earning himself a front row seat beside Meredith.
“I hope they sound better than my daughters did at that age,” he whispered. She wrinkled her nose at him, and he grinned.
After she and Colin announced their intentions to marry and gained her mother’s permission, the duke had humbly requested a private audience with her. Meredith had never seen him grovel. In fact, she was shocked to learn he was even familiar with the word. Since his apology had seemed mostly sincere—there had been the part where he’d crowed about selecting the perfect husband for her—she had offered her forgiveness without reservation.
Besides, the duke had been right about Colin. She was secretly grateful for his interference, although she would never admit it. Danby was too boastful as it was. It had been a successful matchmaking Season in London, and the duke took full responsibility for the latest group of Danby relations finding their ways to the altar.
“Here comes the accompanist,” Meredith’s mother announced from the seat directly behind her. The girls’ nanny entered the drawing room with a sheet of music clutched to her chest and headed toward the piano. Meredith had been thrilled to discover the woman was an accomplished pianist, which allowed Meredith to be a spectator like the rest of the family.
“I observed the girls practicing yesterday,” Mama said. “They sound like little angels.”
Colin slid his knuckle along the side of Meredith’s thigh and shared a private smile with her. Just that morning, he’d told her how much Mama’s acceptance of his nieces meant to him.
“They are singing Malcolm’s song,” Colin said to James, who had claimed the chair to his right.
The girls’ father had composed the piece for their mother when he was courting her. It was a beautiful, heartfelt song, yet simple enough for the girls to perform. With her sister-in-law’s permission, Meredith had taught them the lyrics and invited Audrey to share the story of their courtship. Regretfully, she had declined, but Meredith understood her reluctance. Audrey might not be the most sentimental person, but she often grew misty-eyed speaking about her husband.
Meredith raised her eyebrows in her brother-in-law’s direction. “James, I am surprised you are not playing escort for Lady Harriet Lambkins this evening.”
“She stayed home to dye her wool,” James shot back with a good-natured grin. “She asked me to convey her regrets.”
“You must tell your dearest friend that we missed her.” Since learning the lengths Colin’s brother had gone to in order to scare her away, Meredith couldn’t allow him to escape without a bit of teasing.
The duke elbowed her in the side. “Is the shrew still traveling to Bath with your mother?”
“Your Grace,” Meredith hissed and angled a glance at the shrew in question sitting on the other side of James.
Audrey stared straight ahead like she hadn’t heard the duke, which must have required a tremendous amount of acting skill. Danby tended to speak as if he was addressing the House of Lords and wanted everyone seated in the back row to hear him.
“My mother and her guest are leaving next Friday,” Meredith said in a hushed voice.
The duke did not follow her example. “That mother of yours is a saint.”
Mama shushed him and playfully threatened to make him switch chairs with her if he didn’t behave.
Audrey had leapt at the chance to leave Yorkshire for several weeks to partake of the healing waters in Bath. Mama believed a separation could be a healing experience for everyone, especially Meredith and Colin, who were looking forward to a few weeks of peace.
Meredith’s only concern was for the little girls. They would miss their mother while she was gone. Colin and Meredith would see that they were well cared for and kept busy with lessons during her absence, but they would be anxious to see their mother when she returned for Christmas.
Even though Meredith’s dowry would allow for the hiring of a new governess, she and Colin had decided it would be best for her to continue in the position. The girls had been through too many changes this year already, and they deserved some predictability.
As soon as the nanny sat down at the piano, Meredith’s students stood up straight with their hands clasped at their waists.
“It is beginning,” she whispered to Colin, her heart bursting with pride.
He threaded his fingers with hers and beamed at his darling nieces. It was the first musicale in known history to be held at Blackwood Castle, and the first friendly gathering of the Danby and MacBride families for decades. And if Meredith had any say, it wouldn’t be the last.
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Meredith’s sister’s story in Twice Upon a Time
Since her father’s untimely death, Felicity Halliday has relied on the medical knowledge learned at his side to treat London’s most disreputable in order to support her family. Life has been hard, but everything changes the night she is snatched from an alley behind a theatre, tossed into a nobleman’s carriage, and receives an offer she cannot afford to refuse.
It has been less than a fortnight since Julian Beckford returned to London after a sojourn in India, and he’s already up to his top-boots in one of his cousin’s mad schemes. When his foolish cousin decides to engage an actress to play his betrothed over the holidays at Danby Castle, Julian becomes an unwilling party to the lady’s abduction. Along their journey to Yorkshire, Julian makes a stunning discovery about his cousin's pretend fiancee....and finds it’s possible to fall in love Twice Upon a Time.
Duke of Danby
Can’t get enough of the matchmaking Duke of Danby? For more Danby family HEAs, check out these collections.
Regency Christmas Summons
A Summons from Danby Castle
A Summons from the Duke of Danby
When the Duke Comes to Town
Evading the Duke
Thwarting the Duke
Outwitting the Duke
Dismissing the Duke
About the Author
RITA-nominated historical romance author, Samantha Grace, discovered the appeal of a great love story at the age of four, thanks to Disney’s “Robin Hood”. She didn’t care that Robin Hood and Maid Marian were cartoon animals. It was her first happily-ever-after experience, and she didn’t want the warm fuzzies to end. Now that Samantha is grown, she enjoys creating her own happy-endings for characters that spring from her imagination. Publisher’s Weekly describes her stories as “fresh and romantic” with subtle humor and charm. Samantha describes romance writing as the best job ever. Part-time medical social worker, moonlighting author, and Pilates nut, she enjoys a happy and hectic life with her real life hero and two kids in the Midwest.
@SamGraceAuthor
Samantha Grace
www.samanthagraceauthor.com
[email protected]
Also by Samantha Grace
Secrets to a Gentleman’s Heart (Uncle Charlie’s Ange
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Resisting Romeo (A Drayton Theatre Production 1)
Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel (Beau Monde 1)
Lady Amelia’s Mess and a Half (Beau Monde 2)
Miss Lavigne’s Little White Lie (Beau Monde 3)
Lady Vivian Defies a Duke (Beau Monde 4)
One Rogue Too Many (Rival Rogues 1)
In Bed with a Rogue (Rival Rogues 2)
Kissed by a Scottish Rogue (Rival Rogues 2.5)
The Best of Both Rogues (Rival Rogues 3)
One Less Lonely Earl (A Duke of Danby Novella: Halliday Sisters Book 2) Page 9