Page 86 of An Earl's Christmas Seduction
“Clara? Isobel?” their mother said, and both sisters smiled.
“Well, it’s hardly surprising, is it, Mother?” she said, and their mother laughed, glancing again at Lady Thornton, who was still staring at Edmund in astonishment.
“Well… I suppose not, no,” she replied.
“Edmund… I didn’t think… oh, how happy I am. I thought you’d never any interest in marrying,” Lady Thornton said, and Amelia breathed a sigh of relief.
For a moment, she had feared the match would not be permitted, even as Lord Thornton now hurried down the stairs to shake his adopted son by the hand.
“I’m so pleased for you both; for you all. Three young couples finding happiness together. We should celebrate,” he said, glancing at the viscount, who nodded.
“Well, we took the liberty of raidin’ the wine cellar, Nicholas. I did nae think ye’d mind too much,” he said, and Nicholas shook his head.
“I don’t mind at all. Lord Thornton’s right. We should celebrate this happy occasion…thesehappy occasions,” he said, placing his hand on Amelia’s, their arms still linked together.
They made their way into the drawing room, where once again, the furniture had been pushed back to make space for dancing. Mrs. Bennett hurried to take her place at the pianoforte, and the viscount now produced a mouth organ, running it over his lips to produce a surprisingly pleasant sound.
“Come now, tis’ time to dance,” the viscount said, and the couples, including the older couples, too, took to the floor.
The twins had chivalrously offered to dance with Lady Turner and Amelia’s mother, and with the viscount and Mrs. Bennett playing their instruments, only Sir Samuel was left without a partner.
“Fetch the servants, we should all join in the festivities together, and have them stoke up the yule log. Tis’ only right it should burn merrily this night,” the viscount said.
The servants were summoned, and a merry atmosphere prevailed amongst the gathering, with the dancing lasting long into the night. When the guests at last began to drift away to bed, Amelia and Nicholas snuck away, retreating to the library, where Nicholas closed the door, slipped his arms around Amelia, and kissed her.
“What a wonderful evening,” she said, as their lips parted.
“And what a revelation! Clara and Edmund, Isobel and Harry. Well, for the others, at least. For a moment, I feared Lady Thornton might forbid it. But I’m glad she could see how happy the two of them are together,” he said, as Clara rested her head on his chest.
“And I hope they saw how happy we are, too,” she replied.
“I don’t see how they couldn’t. You make me the happiest man in the world, Amelia. Only a short while ago, I feared I wouldn’t ever be happy again,” he said.
Amelia looked up at him and smiled. She felt the same. Before coming to Devon, she had feared she would never again know happiness, even as she had now found it in Nicholas’ arms. They had both found the happiness they deserved, and Amelia could only be grateful to her mother for allowing their courtship to continue. She felt certain she and Amelia’s father would agree to a betrothal, and there was no doubting the happy future awaiting them.
“I feared the same. But it doesn’t matter now, does it? You’re coming to London, we see one another every day, and then return to Ashworth House when… we’re ready to marry,” she said, and he smiled.
“I love you, Amelia,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss her, and as their lips parted, she smiled up at him.
“And I love you, too, Nicholas,” she replied.
Epilogue
It was three months later, and the winter snow had gone, replaced by early spring sunshine, the moor stretching out in shades of magnificent purple around them, as the wedding party made its way towards the church.
“It’s much nicer in the sunshine, isn’t it?” Amelia said, as she walked arm in arm with Nicholas at the head of the party.
“Much nicer,” he replied, glancing at her and smiling.
They had met at the fork leading down to the village, where Nicholas had spent the night at the inn. Amelia, her mother, and the others had readied themselves at Ashworth House before making the journey on foot to meet them. Amelia was dressed in a pretty white gown, her hair tied up in a new style she had seen at a ball in London and was accompanied by Clara and Isobel.
All the guests from the Christmas party had returned to celebrate the happy occasion, and the men had walked the distance to the village to escort Nicholas to the fork.
“The last time I walked along here… well, I suppose I shouldn’t think about it,” she said, and Nicholas smiled.
“A lot’s changed since then,” he said, and indeed, a lothadchanged since then.
Nicholas’ reputation, far from being damaged by the truth of his lineage, had seen something of a renaissance. He was no longer the subject of speculation and rumor, and while there had been some whisperings as to the intrigues surrounding him, it seemed the wider ton was ready to accept him into their fold, acknowledging the scandal was that of his parents, and not his own.
