Page 98 of Pursued Beyond Treachery
He smiled, a contented warm smile that reached all the way to his eyes. “Your wish is my command, my lady.”
“Your lady. I like the sound of that.”
The moment they stepped down from the carriage, Michael flung himself at their legs. They’d not had time to send word of their coming, but it seemed he’d seen their carriage from his window and roused the rest of the house to their coming, for Terrance was already on the drive, Amanda running down the steps behind him.
They all began talking at once, each asking how they were and why they’d come. When Susannah turned to show their other surprise, they gasped. “Andrew!”
“How?”
“Why?”
Susannah held up her hands as her father joined them and the Stanford carriage pulled up behind theirs. “I will explain once we all are in out of the cold, but first Lord Newhurst needs to meet with Papa.”
Her father’s gaze turned to John and a slow smile spread across his face. Stepping forward, he gave Susannah a kiss on the cheek and shook John’s hand. “Well, let us proceed.” He gestured toward the house, making sure to include the Stanfords and Mr. Kendall.
It took all of Susannah’s willpower to keep from blurting her news to her siblings the moment they were in the parlor, but she refrained, allowing her father to meet with John upstairs to receive the happy news and grant his blessing. When they finally returned, her brothers and sister suddenly ceased speaking.
The clock on the mantel ticked, time slowed, and for once Susannah was grateful for time, grateful for the joy it had brought and the lessons she’d learned. Looking at the expectant faces, she realized how wrong she’d been to try to carry life’s burdens on her own when the rest of her family had learned to share them. To lighten the load where it was heaviest, much as Lady Braithwaite had done for Melior, and then Melior and Miss Harris had done for her.
“Well,” Michael said impatiently. “Tell us. Did you come because you are getting married?”
Soft, nervous laughter erupted around the room.
“Yes, Michael,” Susannah said, “Lord Newhurst has asked me to be his bride.”
A loud whoop filled the small space as Michael leapt into the air, fist high. Susannah smiled. She felt much the same.
“Now you’ll never have to leave home,” Michael said.
John looked at her over the boy’s head, mirth dancing in his soft blue eyes. “Would you like to tell him or should I?”
Epilogue
The last few weeks had been the most glorious of Susannah’s life. Who knew time spent with the right person could hold such joy? Nervousness filled her, though, at the thought of returning to London. But she would not stand in the way of her husband's parliamentary duties.
Her husband. Lord Johnathan Newhurst. The Right Honorable The Viscount Newhurst. She could hardly believe it. Some mornings she had to pinch herself to make certain it was not a dream.
She speared an egg on her plate and glanced up at him across the breakfast table. “I would like to accept a few invitations that have been forwarded from London. Would you like to attend with me or would you rather remain at Newhurst House?”
John glanced up from his food. “Wherever you are is where I wish to be.”
“But you hate social gatherings.”
He nodded. “But I love you.”
She smiled. It had gotten easier for him to speak his mind these last few weeks and she adored it. Never had she imagined how poetic he could be.
“There is one in May that will take us out of the city for a few days. Is that acceptable?”
He grinned. “Absolutely. I’d much prefer gatherings in the country. Larger gardens to get lost in if the crowd is especially exhausting.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you getting lost in these gardens alone?”
“Not a chance. I have it on good authority that a certain lady likes flowers a great deal, especially pink roses.”
Susannah’s eyes strayed to a side table where a huge arrangement rested, one John had given her to celebrate their first month together. “I suppose I could be convinced to wander about a secluded garden path.”
He chuckled and returned to eating. After a few bites he asked, “Where is this country gathering?”
