Page 101 of Shining Knight
Epilogue
Eugenia felt asthough she was floating on air. She had thought this day was going to be a disaster, but Graham had showered her with gifts, thus saving the infelicity of her bird encounter. Then he had decorated the church with snowflakes so she would have her wish and then they had stepped outside to be greeted by real snow. Even that was not the end of it. When they arrived at The Grange for the wedding breakfast, and entered the ballroom, the sight before her surpassed all expectation. Graham had ice sculptures of Tower animals placed around the room, and had somehow convinced Gunter’s to come all the way to Devonshire to make ices.
“I cannot believe this!” she exclaimed. “It cannot be possible that one person could be so happy.”
“That is all I had hoped for.”
“Graham, I do not deserve you,” she whispered, trying not to cry.
“Now, now, tears are not to be borne,” he protested gently. “Not today.”
“This is happiness, I assure you.”
“I intend to make that condition my highest priority for the rest of our lives.”
“You have certainly made a splendid beginning,” she said as he led her to the display of ices and she chose the vanilla cream. “This one has always made me think of fresh snow.” Her lips slid the taste of heaven from the dainty silver spoon and it melted on her tongue.
“I cannot take credit for the snow,” he quipped.
Rowley entered the ballroom with Granny on his arm and led her to a chair. Eugenia turned to the waiter and asked for another serving. Before Graham could tease her, she spoke. “It is my wedding day. I shall have as many ices as I like, but Granny enjoys them as much, if not more, than I do.”
She took the dish and spoon and sat next to the dowager.
That lady’s eyes lit up when she saw what it was. “If I were a few years younger, I would have fought my granddaughter for you,” she said, looking up at Graham, who had followed Eugenia over there. He bowed before her grandmother and kissed the back of her hand.
“I always did enjoy a proper rogue,” she announced appreciatively.
“I hear they make excellent husbands,” he said, eyeing Eugenia with a heated look.
Her grandmother cackled. “I hope you took my advice and spent some time at the farm,” she whispered loudly to Eugenia. There was a sound of sputtering behind her as Graham almost choked on his spoonful of ice.
“Yes, Granny,” she managed to say with a mostly straight face, though she was certain her eyes were laughing.
When she finished her ice, Graham took the dish from her hands and set it on a passing waiter’s tray. “I beg your pardon, Your Grace,” he said to the dowager, “but I do believe I would like to dance with my wife.”
“I hope you have improved your steps, Genie,” she said with a shooing motion.
Once they were out on the dance floor and Graham had pulled her into his arms, she allowed herself to laugh.
“Did you?” Graham asked.
“Did I what?” she asked innocently, though she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what he meant.
“Spend time at the farm,” he said into her ear. She had no doubt that her face was bright red.
“I cannot believe she said that.”
“Can you not?” He looked at her with disbelief. “It is precisely what I would have expected from her.”
Eugenia chuckled. “She is precisely what I aspire to be in my old age.”
“You have already made an excellent start,” he said affectionately. “I only hope that you will simply be the viscountess and I the viscount in our old age. I want to experience it with you.”
She looked up into his eyes, seeing the truth in those green depths and hoping she would never do anything to change that look.
“I love you, Eugenia,” he said, more serious than she had ever seen him.
“I know,” she replied, and she did. “I love you too, and not just in the brotherly way,” she added for good measure.
