Page 88 of Drowned in the Pleasure of a Devilish Baron
John handed Felix something wrapped in paper. “It’s a wedding gift,” he said awkwardly. “For both of you really, but mostly for you.”
With a quick glance at Sarah, Felix unwrapped the paper to reveal a plain, leather-bound book. He opened the cover to reveal the first page, and Sarah understood.
“It’s the letter you wrote him,” John said, “While we were keeping the two of you apart. I thought he should have it.” He looked at Felix, who was reading the first page, stricken. “You are a lucky man.”
Felix looked up and smiled. “The luckiest.”
“Thank you, John.” Sarah stepped forward and embraced her brother, who she had managed to love despite his imperfections. She had an idea that this ability would serve her well in marriage. She had thought often of his hesitation, halfway down the aisle at that most pivotal moment, and wondered what he would have done if he had not been interrupted.
She had decided to believe that he would have called it all off. She would never know for certain, but that was all right.
He walked back to Lady Victoria, who was waiting for him by the piano. Apparently, the lady had grown very fond of John, and so their courtship had continued, even though his connection to Lord Ashton was no longer in existence. Strangely enough, the lady and her family had no longer wanted to claim kinship with him after word of his crimes spread.
Lady Marlow stepped forward and gave Sarah a chilly kiss on the cheek. “Congratulations,” she said begrudgingly.
Then she seemed to think better of it. “I know I have often been hard on you. For your childhood, it was always John and I who saw eye to eye, who understood each other, and you and your father were the same. I never did understand you, even when you were very young. You always felt so…” she scrunched up her nose in thought. “Foreign to me, like you were someone else’s child. But there was never a doubt that you were your father’s girl.”
She sighed heavily. “I suppose I could have tried harder to understand you. I still do not understand your choices, even now, but I will try,” she added.
It was not much in the way of an apology, if you could call it that at all, but it did offer her some clarity. As far as her mother went, Sarah was also fine with the way their relationship had evolved now that she was no longer in her power. They were polite, but distant, and that was how it would stay. She had finally accepted the fact that the two of them would never be close, and there was peace in that acceptance.
“Thank you,” Sarah said. As her mother turned to walk away, Sarah put a hand on her shoulder. “And, Mother? I wanted you to know that I understand why you did what you did, and I forgive you.”
Before Lady Marlow could recover enough to respond, Sarah had pulled Felix away.
Felix laughed and hugged her close. “That was terribly brave,” he said.
She leaned up and pressed her lips to his. “Why, thank you, Husband.”
“Husband,” he mused. “I believe I like the sound of that.” He ran a hand down her back, making her shiver. “I also believe that we have stayed just long enough to greet and thank all of our guests. What do you say we make the journey home?”
Her cheeks heated. “I would like that very much.”
They slipped away from the party, giggling like children as they crept down the hallway and out the front door, where their carriage was waiting. They stepped inside for the quick ride to what was now their home.
“Thank God it’s not far,” Felix said with a grin, as he took her hand and exited the carriage, tugging her into a run into the house. As soon as they crossed the threshold, he lifted her into his arms. “Welcome home, my love,” he said softly.
She melted into his arms, and for the first time, perhaps since her father had died, she felt as if she were where she truly belonged. Somewhere safe, where she was loved for precisely who she was, and not who she could be or what she could offer.
He swung an arm beneath her knees, cradling her, and she threw back her head with a laugh as he trotted with her up to his room—their room. Setting her down gently, he took a step back, allowing her to take it in. She smiled as she noted the simple but sturdy furnishings and clean white counterpane. The fire had already been prepared for them, and on a small table at its side was a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a spray of wildflowers.
His cheeks reddened as she approached the table at his side. “Mrs. Clay sent me outside to pick you the prettiest flowers I could find. She said it was important to have something pretty in the room to welcome you. She also said to tell you that she’s ensured there’s something special for breakfast in the morning.”
Mrs. Clay had fully healed from her fall. In order to keep her from overtaxing herself and falling again, he had decided to keep on both she and her daughter as household help. They’d need it, now that the house was to be fuller.
Nut, the child stable helper, had made the move to Felix’s employ as well. Felix had paid for him to be apprenticed to Monsieur Dubois, to learn the art of winemaking and remain a part of the household for years to come. He had called it the smallest price to pay for getting him to the church on time.
“It’s wonderful,” Sarah said, looking around. And it was. Simple, clean, and filled to bursting with love.
“Youare wonderful,” he said, tracing her cheek with his knuckles.
He kissed her deeply, his tongue gently probing past her lips, and she surrendered herself completely to the heat that arose within her at his touch. She felt a tingling heat flush down her neck, her collarbone, and the rest of her body. A new sensation, but a welcome one. She felt his hand move to her neck and trace gently down, and she shivered.
His other hand drifted from her shoulder to her lower back, and then lower still, cupping her curves with tenderness. She yielded further into his touch, softening in his arms. At her neckline, his fingers skimmed the thin material of her gown lightly, and then dipped below, so invitingly warm.
He took his mouth from hers, kissing her neck, her collarbone, and then the area where her skin met the material from her gown at her chest.
“Oh,” she arched her head back, the word a sound of surprise, of wonder.
