Epilogue

 

Kent, England

Spring, 1814

 

“They’ll be here any moment, Gran,” Maddie called from the kitchen in the little house her grandfather had built so long ago. “Will you keep them entertained while I finish up in here?”

“Don’t you worry,” Gran called back. “Your young men are in good hands.”

Maddie exchanged glances with the maid-of-all-work who was chopping vegetables beside her, and they both giggled. Gran would no doubt be talking their ears off before the food had even half finished cooking. And both Mathison men would enjoy themselves immensely.

Kit had offered his brother a home until he could find work or save enough money to open his own office and Thomas had accepted, giving some of the local boys lessons in Latin and Greek to earn his keep. Once Maddie had settled into her grandmother’s household, Gran had begun inviting the brothers to dine with them every week and would choose a story from the newspaper to discuss with them.

Maddie wiped her hands on a towel as she walked into the parlor. “What are you going to talk about tonight?”

“Some company is installing gas lighting in Westminster,” Gran replied, reaching for the newspaper and seeking out the story she’d marked. “Ah yes, the Gas Light and Coke Company. Gas lighting—can you imagine?”

For a moment, Maddie did imagine it. She’d never been anywhere outside Kent, but she’d seen sketches of the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, and she pictured herself standing with Thomas under the new gaslights. If they actually were to visit Westminster there would be other people going about their business, of course, but in Maddie’s mind the two of them stood alone on the bridge in each other’s arms.

“I think it would be beautiful,” she smiled, leaning against the door frame.

A knock on the door interrupted her musings, but her smile returned when she answered it and found Thomas and Kit on the doorstep. “You’re just in time,” Maddie grinned. “Gran’s got a good one for you today.”

Kit greeted her and gave her shoulder a little squeeze, then moved off toward the parlor to say hello to Gran, giving Maddie and Thomas a few precious moments alone together.

He pulled a small tangled ball of leaves from his pocket and held it over her head. “I believe you’re standing underneath some mistletoe, Miss Hayward.”

She laughed, pushing his hand away and wrapping her arms around him. “If you keep bringing that stuff every week, there won’t be any left for Christmas,” she laughed.

“Maybe I’ll learn to cultivate it,” he returned with a wink.

“You don’t need it.” She went up on her tiptoes and murmured in his ear, “If you want to kiss me all you have to do is ask.”

“May I kiss you, Maddie, my love?” he whispered softly.

“Yes,” she breathed.

They had only enough time for a brief brushing of lips before Gran’s voice called out, “Did you two get lost on the way to the parlor?”

Thomas chuckled, running a finger down Maddie’s cheek and planting a kiss on her temple before holding out his hand. “Her timing is impeccable.”

“It always is. I suppose we should go in.” Maddie took his hand and starting toward the parlor.

“Wait.” Thomas pulled her back to him and wrapped her in his arms once more. “There is something I want to ask you first.”

She sighed contentedly, breathing in the faint scent of the leather-bound books and ink he’d been using earlier in the day. “Ask me whatever you want. The answer is likely going to be yes.”

“Will you marry me?” he returned softly.

Maddie’s heart kicked into a gallop. Whatever she’d been expecting, it wasn’t that. Not yet. “Are you sure?”

She knew his answer, of course—if there hadn’t been a question of money, they’d probably already be wed. But there was a question of money, and she knew tutoring didn’t bring in a large sum even when it was combined with her wages from Gran.

“Kit has offered us the old cottage on his property for as long as we want it,” Thomas explained. “With that, our savings, and your dowry, we should be comfortable. Not wealthy, but comfortable.”

“The old cottage?” She reached back into her memory but couldn’t recall anything.

“Downstream from where we used to fish. The structure is sound, and there’s room for a small kitchen garden outside. Kit said he’d have the inside cleaned for us, and you can put your new sewing skills to work making curtains and things.”

Maddie tried but failed to suppress a giggle. Gran had been trying to teach her how to run a household, and had included lessons in cooking and sewing in her curriculum. The cooking had been going well—their dinner that evening was her biggest test so far—but she’d not taken to sewing quite as well.

“I’m sure I could manage...eventually,” she murmured with a half-smile. “But what about Gran? You know I want to marry you, Thomas, but I can’t leave her all alone.”

“I’ve thought of that,” he grinned, rubbing slow tracks up and down her back. “You could continue to be your grandmother’s companion by day, and come home to me and our cottage in the evenings. Or, if you’d prefer to remain living here, perhaps your Gran will allow me to live here as well. I can give lessons from here as easily as I can from Kit’s home.”

Maddie tried to picture waking up beside Thomas every morning in the chamber she’d been given here in her grandmother’s house and ended up giggling again.

“We don’t have to decide now,” he continued.

“Thank you,” she said softly, smoothing back an auburn curl that had escaped his attempts to tame it.

“For what?”

“For giving me—us—options.”

He smiled. “It really is more enjoyable when we decide on things together.”

She gave a low laugh. The day they’d worked out their current arrangements had included a spirited discussion...and was followed by another late night in front of the fireplace. That had certainly been enjoyable.

But the decision making had been pleasurable, too, if in a different way. They’d been able to really talk to one another, to share hopes and make plans for a small part of the future. “Yes,” she replied softly.

“Wait—‘yes’ it was enjoyable, or...”

She went up on her toes and whispered in his ear, “Yes, I will marry you.”

He sucked in a breath, then lifted her off her feet and swung her around in a full circle. “Sweeter words I’ll never hear,” he grinned, setting her down. His lips found hers, his mouth opening over hers as he deepened the kiss.

Someone cleared their throat nearby, about a second before Maddie lost all her inhibitions right there in Gran’s entryway. With great reluctance, she disentangled herself from Thomas and turned to see who it was.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Kit said in a half-whisper, gesturing toward the parlor. “It was either me or her.”

Thomas laughed. “Thank God for small favors, then.”

“Are we to have a new addition to the family, then?” Kit grinned.

“There are still some things to be decided,” Maddie said, clasping her hands together in utter happiness. “But yes.”

“Wonderful!” Kit practically bellowed. Then, in a quieter voice he continued, “You’ve been my sister in all but name since we were children. Now it will be official.”

Thomas reached for Maddie. “Could you go make our excuses for just another moment, brother? There is one more thing I would like to say to my betrothed.” He waited until Kit had disappeared down the hallway before encircling Maddie in his arms.

“What is it that can’t wait?” she asked, hearing the trepidation in her own voice.

“I love you.”

His voice was low and full of emotion, and her heart fluttered in response. She slipped her arms around his neck and bowed her head against his chest, hoping to hide the tears that sprung unexpectedly to her eyes.

When she could trust herself again, she turned her head and whispered, “I love you, too.”

For that moment, it was just the two of them in each other’s arms and all was right with the world.

Then Maddie sighed. “We should probably go in.”

“How do you think your Gran will take the news?” Thomas asked, releasing his hold on her body in exchange for holding her hand.

“She’ll be happy because we’re happy,” Maddie replied with a smile.

“Will she be disappointed that I’m not Kit?”

Maddie clasped his hand to her heart. “There’s no way she could have watched me with you these past months and think that I would want to be with anyone else.”

Thomas palmed her cheek and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Then your plan worked,” he smiled. “We’ve finally convinced someone that you don’t want to marry Kit.”

“Ah, but the most important people knew it all along.” She looked deep into his blue eyes, then kissed him one more time. “Now let’s go tell everyone else.”

 

 

Ready for more sweet, traditional Regency stories? Read on for an excerpt of Save the Last Dance for Me...