She breathed, waiting for his response. He stared at her, his gaze all adoration as it swept over her face. He wiped away her tears as he always did, and she sighed.
“I love you, Eleanor,” he whispered before looping one arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him on the grass. His mouth broke into a smile as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. He kissed her without hesitation, without fear, and she did the same, burying her fingers in his hair. His kisses moved to her cheeks, her forehead, and to her lips again as they sat there on the grass. She wished he would never stop kissing her, and she doubted that he ever would if he had the choice. She had never felt more loved or wanted. Her heart soared, more certain than she had ever been that this was where she belonged—in Henry’s arms, by his side, forever.
When the thought struck her that Amelia and Grace might have been watching from the window, Eleanor pulled away, glancing up at the house. Her cheeks grew hot when the drapes snapped closed.
She met Henry’s eyes, laughing when she saw the mess she had made of his hair. “I’m sorry,” she said, her laughter growing in intensity as she combed her fingers through his curls.
“No, do not be sorry.” Henry gave a mischievous smile of his own, leaning in to kiss her lips one more time. “That is something you must never apologize for.”
Epilogue
One year later
Brighton, with all its pebbled beaches and clear summer skies, had never been more beautiful than it was that day. Eleanor sat beside Arthur in the carriage, with Henry on the seat across from them, holding their newborn baby, Leah, as she slept, rocked to sleep by the gentle movement of the carriage over the smooth Brighton roads. They were on their way to Margaret and Lord Hove’s wedding, and Eleanor was eager to have everyone meet their little girl.
“Where is the church, Papa?” Arthur asked, craning his neck to see out the window.
“We are nearly there,” Henry said.
Arthur slumped back against the cushions, a scowl marking his forehead, his large eyes casting downward in disappointment. “But we have been traveling for a very long time.”
“It has only been twenty minutes,” Henry said in a teasing voice.
Eleanor hoped Arthur would learn to emulate Henry’s patience, but he was always particularly impatient when he was forced to wait to see his cousins in Brighton.
“You cannot play with Ella and Oliver until the wedding is over,” Eleanor reminded him.
Arthur sighed quietly, staring intently out the window. “I do not wike weddings.”
“Margaret may share some of her wedding cake with you,” Eleanor said. Arthur glanced away from the window, his head tipping slightly to the side.
Henry’s gaze jumped to Eleanor, his eyes dancing with laughter. “Yes,” Henry added. “It will be a delicious fruit cake with almond icing.”
Arthur’s eyes widened slightly, though he tried to appear nonchalant. Henry rocked Leah as she began to stir, grinning across the carriage at Eleanor. He knew as well as she did that Arthur loved cake of any sort. They had often bargained with Arthur at the dinner table that he could not have his cake if he did not first eat the rest of his meal. Only recently had they discovered that he had been passing his roasted vegetables under the table to his cat.
“Perhaps if you are well behaved, Lord Hove will give you one of the candies he keeps in his waistcoat pocket,” Eleanor said.
Arthur grimaced, sticking out his tongue. “I don’t wike those candies.”
Henry chuckled quietly. “Why ever not? They may have been in his pocket since his yellow waistcoat was sewn, years and years ago.”
Eleanor stifled her laughter for Arthur’s sake, throwing Henry a berating glance for teasing him so mercilessly. She sighed with contentment. She was so happy for Margaret and Lord Hove, their unique qualities and personalities perfectly suited to one another. And above all, they both shared an abiding love of well-polished canes.
She and Henry were well-suited for other reasons, many that she was still discovering with each day that passed. Above all, they both shared an abiding love for Arthur, for their little Leah, and for each other, and that was all she could ever want.
Want more regency romance in Brighton?
Start the series from the beginning with Adam & Amelia’s story!
A false engagement. A mysterious coast. Two reluctant hearts.
Don’t miss the other books in the series!
Each book in the Brides of Brighton series stands alone, but are best enjoyed when read in the following order:
A Convenient Engagement
Marrying Miss Milton
Romancing Lord Ramsbury
Miss Weston’s Wager
An Unexpected Bride
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About the Author
Ashtyn Newbold grew up with a love of stories. When she discovered chick flicks and Jane Austen books in high school, she learned she was a sucker for romantic ones. When not indulging in sweet romantic comedies and regency period novels (and cookies), she writes romantic stories of her own across several genres. Ashtyn also enjoys baking, singing, sewing, and anything that involves creativity and imagination.
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Also by Ashtyn Newbold
Mischief and Manors
Lies and Letters
Road to Rosewood
Unexpected Love: A Marriage of Convenience Anthology
Brides of Brighton series
A Convenient Engagement
Marrying Miss Milton
Romancing Lord Ramsbury
Miss Weston’s Wager
Once Upon a Regency series
The Midnight Heiress
An Unexpected Bride Page 17