A Brooding Christmas Promise (Christmas Matches of Worth #2)

Epilogue

“How beautiful these are!” Charlotte exclaimed, holding up the pearl necklace that Amelia had gifted her. “Goodness, you ought not to have spent such a good deal on me!” She hugged Amelia tightly, her eyes glistening with happy tears. “This has been such a wonderful Christmas day.”

“Made all the better by my presence, I hope?”

Charlotte turned, laughing as Lord Crestwood walked into the room, his eyes finding hers instantly. “Indeed! I am delighted to see you.” She made her way to him directly, only for her sister and brother in law to get to their feet. They greeted Lord Crestwood but then, much to Charlotte’s surprise, quit the room without a word.

She blinked in surprise, then looked to Lord Crestwood who was now flushing just a little, pulling at his collar with one finger. He cleared his throat, then gestured to her. “Charlotte, when I said that there was more that I wanted to say, I meant it.”

The suddenness of his direct conversation made her heart leap, a flood of nervous excitement beginning to wind its way through her veins. She could not pretend that she had not been thinking about what their future might hold, now that they had professed their love for each other but neither had she expected him to come to her so quickly!

“I want nothing more than to be with you,” he continued, coming closer to her, one hand catching hers, his eyes like fire as they swept across towards her, fervency in his voice. “Charlotte, I did not think that I would ever be in love again, did not believe that I would ever be able to let myself do such a thing. And then,” he continued, a hint of laughter in his voice, “I met you and all of my determinations, all of my silent demands upon myself faded.”

She did not know what to say and so, remained silent though inwardly, her heart was leaping about, praying that this was the moment she had been thinking of, ever since he had told her of his love.

“I cannot think of anything but you. I do not want to be anywhere but where you are,” he continued, his smile beginning to grow as he took another step closer, barely more than a few inches between them now. “In short, Charlotte, I love you desperately and want you to be beside me for as many days as I have on this earth.”

It was as though the world came to a standstill. The fire did not crackle or roar behind her, the winter wind did not rattle the windowpanes. It was as if everything had held its breath along with her, waiting for the final words to be spoken.

“Charlotte,” Lord Crestwood breathed, his head already beginning to lower, perhaps in hope, perhaps in urgency. “Charlotte, will you do me the great honour of becoming my wife?”

Those words sent such a joy through her that she practically leapt into his arms. Her lips found his, her arms twined tightly around his neck, his arms going about her so that he could pull her as close against him as he could. Tears fell to her cheeks as they shared the kiss but they were only of delight, of joy and happiness. Laughing and crying, she framed his face with her hands and nodded, their kiss broken for just a moment.

“I will, Crestwood. Of course I will!”

“Then we shall be husband and wife?” When she nodded, Lord Crestwood leaned forward and kissed her tears away before bending his head to find her lips again. This time, their kiss was longer, sweeter and more tender and Charlotte felt as though she could not even stand on her own two feet, such was her overwhelming happiness. Lord Crestwood held her tight, the promise in his kiss and his words bringing her heart’s happiness to completion. No longer would she spend her Christmases alone, no longer would she suffer loneliness, sadness and confusion.

Instead, her world would be one of happiness, of love and joy as she and Lord Crestwood set out on life’s path, together.

THE END