Page 87 of Her Wicked Highwayman
“God, I love you,” he whispered. She threaded her fingers into his hair and smiled, her lips moving over his in a way that gave him his old strength back.
“Sleep, my fair prince. You’ve slain your dragons and have earned your rest. Isla and I will be here when you wake. We have years ahead of us to do all that we desire.”
“Yes, we will.” And then, with her touching him with tender fingers, he did as she commanded.
After so many years of struggling to find his way alone in the dark, Rafe Lennox followed the light of love shining from Diana, his beautiful star, and found his way home.
EPILOGUE
CHRISTMAS EVE, TWO MONTHS LATER
Rafe finished tucking the carefully wrapped gifts under the tree as Diana waited in the doorway of the Foxglove library. The once-empty library was again full of books, which Rafe had insisted on buying when he’d learned she’d sold nearly every book to pay debts. As always, her husband knew the exact way to make her fall even more in love with him. Tonight, garlands hung from every surface and more than one doorway held sprigs of mistletoe, creating delightful trouble among some of the servants, who seemed to take every advantage of the chance to kiss.
A beautiful yew tree had been felled and brought into the house by Rafe and the male servants four days ago. When she’d questioned the presence of atreeinside their house, Rafe chuckled and said it was a tradition from the royal court, which had started putting trees in the palace for Christmas as far back as 1800 when Queen Charlotte brought the first yew tree into Windsor.
Diana found that the large tree decorated with apples, dried berries on strings, and colorful paper garlands was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Rafe said it would only be a matter of time before the tradition caught on everywhere. Nowthat she’d seen the tree at its finest, she rather believed he was right. Someday, all of England would wish to have such trees in their homes.
She smiled as he carefully adjusted the stack of gifts beneath the tree. He had taken the matter of gift-giving most seriously. Every servant in the house had one under the tree from him and Diana. Isla had a small mountain of gifts just for her, of course.
Diana could scarcely believe how easily she and Rafe had settled into her home after their marriage. They had waited for him to heal and decided together to have a proper wedding breakfast, which had pleased Regina and Ashton beyond measure. Will and Caspian, who she now knew were the real Oxford and Cambridge highwayman, had even chosen to stay at Foxglove and had assisted with the repairs. They’d also taken Ashton up on his offer to invest their own money from their adventures, and both men were able to leave the life of highwaymen behind them.
Rafe had moved into Foxglove only a week after that awful night, well before they were properly wed. No one had protested, and what little town gossip had circulated had been brief and lacking any sting to it. As Ashton had explained, Rafe had suffered a terrible accident and needed rest and quiet to recuperate, and Lennox House was far too bustling and full to allow Rafe the rest he needed. It seemed that the neighbors were all quite pleased with the marriage and the knowledge that Foxglove, a once-majestic house, would regain its glory through the union of the Lennoxes and the Foxes.
Ashton had taken care of the situation with Caddington. They’d learned that Caddington’s frequent deliveries of money to London, which Rafe and Diana had both robbed, were to be payments securing the loyalties of various aristocratic families. What had infuriated Ashton and Rafe was when they’d learned the money Caddington had been sending came from localmerchants and small businesses in the countryside who’d been forced to pay for “protection.” When the king had learned of this, he’d seen to it that Caddington’s estate was stripped of its title, and the house and land were gifted to a man who’d recently done the Crown a favor and earned himself a title. Caddington’s death had been listed officially as having been caused by a fight with Mr. Phelps, his manservant. None of the servants who’d worked for Caddington came forward in his defense.
Rafe had been quiet whenever Ashton visited them and gave new information on the situation. When it was finally resolved, Rafe had pulled Diana into his arms on a settee in the library and held her for a long while. She’d burrowed into him and kissed his cheek and held him in return, giving him her silent promise that he was safe at last. It was then they could truly turn their thoughts to the future.
Although she trusted Rafe, her experience with men had left her concerned that he might wish to assert himself as head of the household, making all the decisions. To her relief, this did not happen, though he freely offered his advice when he felt she needed it. He’d done exactly what he’d promised and became her partner, not her master. With this new confidence in herself, she’d found that life truly could be magical when one found the right man.
Rachel came to visit every few days and delighted in Diana’s newfound happiness. Diana wondered if life wastooperfect. Whenever she voiced such concerns, Rafe would kiss her furrowed brow and remind her that she’d had a far from perfect past and perhaps she was due a more perfect future. So she’d stopped worrying and simply embraced all the good that had happened of late.
They continued to make repairs to the home, and they’d examined the account books and worked side by side with Mr. Peele and Mrs. Ripley to bring Foxglove back to its former glory.Some days, it was as though she’d stepped into a story and found fairy tales were, in fact, true.
Diana turned her thoughts back to her husband, who was still kneeling at the base of the tall, lushly decorated tree. With the last gift placed, Rafe stood proudly and brushed his hands on his trousers, then faced her with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. “There. I’ve seen to everyone... but you.”
“Me?” Diana laughed. “Whatever do you mean,husband?” She loved to call him that, to tease him and know that he was hers,allhers. He, in turn, seemed to delight in calling herwifejust as much. They said the words as though it was a private joke between them, two people who’d given up on love and spouses only to have found each other.
“I still have to give youyourgift.” He stalked toward her in a way that sent butterflies fluttering in her lower belly. She so adored it when her husband showed that leopard-like grace whenever he came toward her with lust in his eyes.
“You bought me a wardrobe to fill two bedchambers,” she reminded him. She had one more present of her own to give him, though it was quite impossible to wrap.
“Those werenecessities, not gifts,” he said. “And I used the money that Ashton invested for me because it’s been paying back most handsomely.”
Diana laughed. “And so did mine from Rosalind. Can you believe they put our money in the same India bonds without realizing it? Those two truly are made for each other.”
“Sickeningly perfect,” Rafe agreed, grinning.
It had stunned them both to learn that Rosalind and Ashton had taken their stolen fortunes and made the exact same investments, which had resulted in excellent returns. Those funds would continue to perform, and with Rafe’s yearly income, for the first time in years Diana felt the fate of her home would be secure.
Rafe gently grasped Diana’s waist and leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. “Back to the matter of your gift,wife.” Excitement zinged from her cheeks down to her toes. This man’s touch would always make her dizzy.
“What about yours?” she countered.
Beneath the tree, she had half a dozen presents with his name upon them. She’d purchased waistcoats to accent his hair and eyes, a new pocket watch, a signet ring with a fox’s head upon it, and several other items. But the one she couldn’t wrap was the one she wanted to give him most.
“Why don’t you visit the nursery and see that Isla is finally asleep?” Rafe asked. “Then meet me in our bedchamber.”
“What are you up to?” Rafe could be a delightful tease most of the time, and she loved his surprises.
