A Duke’s Overlooked Spinster (The Courting Season #1)

Epilogue

“Are you ready?” Edward asked Sarah as she walked up the path. Sarah swallowed hard. Her heart was glowing, joy bursting from her. She had thought she would be scared or tense, but instead, a delicious, blissful happiness radiated from her and made her stride up the path towards the door.

“I am,” Sarah said softly. She beamed at Edward and Edward smiled back. He took her hand and led her through the door and into the dark, candlelit interior of the chapel.

Sarah blinked. Outside, the sun was shining, and the day was bright, a blissful summer day that made her warm even in the soft silk gown with its filmy puff sleeves that she wore. It hung to her ankles, the neckline oval, the silk of the gown pure white and cut so that it fitted her perfectly.

Sarah gazed up at Edward, who was wearing a dark gray tailcoat and high-necked shirt and who looked just a little nervous. She smiled at him through the gauze of the veil and then she caught sight of who was waiting at the front of the church, and she could look nowhere else.

Robert stood there. He was wearing a black velvet tailcoat and white trousers, his high-necked white shirt somehow emphasizing the square-jawed strength of his face. He had been standing with his back turned to the door, slightly turned so that he could see if anyone came in. When he saw her, he turned around a little more. His eyes widened—she could see he was staring even down the length of the aisle. She glowed with joy as she walked slowly down the aisle towards him.

Robert turned to face her as she came to stand beside him and Sarah beamed up at him through the thin fabric of the veil, and he smiled back—a joyful, slightly shy smile that made her heart flip over.

She turned to the altar. The vicar was standing waiting, but when he cleared his throat to begin the ceremony, he was smiling.

Sarah drew in a breath. It seemed unbelievable, but it was happening. She was here. She strained to turn around. She wanted to see everyone who had come to the small chapel on Caroline’s ancestral estate to witness them being wed. Caroline and Edward were there. Victoria and James, Charles and Philipa and the duchess were there from Robert’s family. Sarah had not expected the last guest—Robert had not either, but he had warned her that his mother had received an abrupt change of heart just days before the ceremony and that she would be there. Sarah’s spine tensed at the thought, so she thought of something else.

“...and do you, Sarah Adelia Marian Brooke take thee Robert Morris Alfred Claremont, to be your lawful wedded husband?”

“I do.” Sarah’s voice was loud and definite in the quiet.

“And do you, Robert Morris Alfred Claremont, take the Sarah Adelia Marian Brooke?”

“I do.”

Sarah’s heart flipped at the sound of the word.

The vicar continued the ceremony, and Sarah’s mind wandered from the incredible fact that she had said her vows, to the approaching part of the ceremony that made her heart thud faster just thinking of it.

The vicar must have said it while she was thinking, because she felt Robert move slightly at her side and then he was turning to her, grinning at her through the sheer veil in a way that made her heart thud rapidly in her chest.

Slowly, tenderly, he lifted the veil and leaned forward. His lips, hard and firm and also tender and gentle, pressed against her mouth in a way that made her blood sing in her ears and her body ache to hold him. He rested his hands on her shoulders, gazing into her eyes for a long moment. Then he turned away and they turned to face the congregation.

Sarah gazed out over them. A dozen happy faces beamed back at her. Her heart sang. She had not had many friends, aside from Caroline, but as she faced the congregation in the little chapel, she recognized so many others whom she considered friends. Victoria and James were in the pew three rows back, Victoria smiling at her through misty tears. In front of them, Philipa and Charles stood. Philipa was beaming at her and Charles was smiling at his brother in congratulations. The duchess was further back, and Sarah ignored her for the moment, her gaze moving to Caroline and Edward, who sat in the front pew. Beside them were the guests she had sought to find and thought of most during the ceremony. Mrs. Wellman stood beside Henry, and sitting at Henry’s feet, a silk ribbon tied around his neck, was Buttons. Sarah beamed.

“Papa! Sarah!” Henry said, lifting a hand shyly. Mrs. Wellman winced, but when Sarah looked at Robert, he was grinning.

“Congratulations,” Victoria called, distracting Mrs. Wellman—and presumably the duchess—from any censure of the boy. Sarah grinned at her in gratitude and Victoria inclined her head.

Some of the other guests were calling out blessings and congratulations as they moved to the door and Sarah’s heart soared. Some of the staff from her own home had journeyed up with her to be at the chapel, and Abigail was standing by the door of the church to congratulate her. Sarah’s eyes misted up as she thanked her old friend and lady’s maid.

“Thank you, Abigail,” she said softly.

“Oh, my dear,” Abigail said, her eyes filled with tears. “My dear miss.”

Sarah smiled and thanked her again and then she was moving out of the church and into the bright day.

She and Robert walked across the lawn towards the manor. Caroline had insisted that they partake of a meal with the guests and herself before even thinking of taking the long journey south to their new home. Sarah was grateful to her for the attentive care she had showed her and for the good idea—it would be a few days of travel, and she was a little frightened as well as excited. She had no idea at all what to expect.

They walked across the lawn to the house. Robert linked his arm with hers and Sarah gazed up into his eyes. They sparkled like gems, his lips lifted in a big, happy smile.

“Greetings, Your Grace,” he said with a cheeky smile.

“Must we be so formal?” she jested.

“No,” he said quickly, kissing her cheek. “I do not wish to be formal—not really. Please call me Robert.”

“Yes, Robert,” she said swiftly.

“Good.” He chuckled.

They waited for a moment under a tall oak tree, and Sarah let out a whoop of laughter as Henry and Buttons pelted around the corner, laughing and panting, respectively, in joyous chorus.

“Papa! Sarah!” Henry shouted, holding out his arms so that his father could pick him up. “Are we going home?”

“In a few hours, son,” Robert told him warmly, lifting him up and hugging him. “First, we are going to eat a good meal. You do like cake?” He frowned.

“Cake!” Henry exploded, a delighted grin lighting his face. “I like cake!”

“Good.” Robert chuckled. Sarah bent down to ruffle Buttons’ ears. The big silk bow had twisted a little and seemed to be irritating him, so she moved it to the back and lifted him up, kissing his fur and then setting him carefully on his muddy little paws before he did some damage to the white gown. A few smudges of dirt on the hem were no bother, but she preferred not to be covered in patches of mud.

“Good morning, little fellow,” Robert said with a chuckle, ruffling Buttons’ ears. The little dog yipped and ran in a circle and then he and Henry took off again through the garden, running towards the house.

They reached the dining-room, where the table had been set for a light luncheon. Sarah and Robert joined hands, and he led her to their place at the center of the long table. Slowly, the guests started to arrive.

“Congratulations!” Victoria exclaimed, embracing Sarah. Sarah breathed in the rosewater scent of her and her heart filled with warmth. She had never had a sister, but now, it seemed, she had three. Victoria was certainly like a sister, Caroline had always been like a sister, and Philipa, too, seemed eager to be friends. She hurried over to Sarah, embracing her with a shriek of delight.

“Congratulations!”

Sarah smiled and hugged her close. Charles and James were next, bowing low. Then Caroline hugged Sarah. Sarah held her tight, her eyes filling with tears as she held her.

“Thank you, Caroline,” she said softly. “Thank you for everything.”

“I did nothing, dear,” Caroline said warmly.

“That is not true,” Sarah said, fighting back her tears. Caroline chuckled.

“Yes, it is, dear. I did not make any of that happen.” She held her gaze. “Love did that all on its own.”

Sarah nodded. “Yes. Yes, that is true.”

The room was filling up. The duchess had arrived, and she went to sit with James and Victoria. Sarah cast a grateful glance in Victoria’s direction. Mrs. Wellman escorted Henry in, and Buttons ran after him. Robert gestured to Mrs. Wellman to let Buttons come in. Sarah noticed the duchess glaring, but Robert ignored her. Buttons, it seemed, was allowed to be wherever Henry was. And that meant he would be wherever they were, too.

Caroline and Edward took their places at the head and foot of the table, and they all sat while the meal was served.

The food was delicious, and the conversation around the table was light and amusing. The duchess was talking to Victoria and Sarah heard the name “Marina”, but she ignored it. Victoria had already told her the story—Lady Marina was already being courted by a wealthy viscount, and her parents approved heartily. Sarah could not help but feel glad for the woman, but she swiftly forgot about her. She chuckled as Charles related some of the stories from their childhood that he and his brother had shared. Robert had not, it seemed, been exaggerating—they really were blessed to have survived their exploits to grow up. She laughed at their wild adventures.

When the meal was cleared away, some of the guests chose to take a turn about the grounds, while the others—the ones who would not be traveling straight away—went up to the guest-chambers to rest.

Sarah took Robert’s hand, and they walked out into the garden. Henry and Buttons followed them, running around the front lawn while they strolled down the shade-cool paths. Sarah’s heart was soaring as they walked down a leafy path towards a fountain.

“It was a beautiful day,” Robert murmured as they walked into the cool shade of a flower garden. A fountain with a stone bowl produced a pleasant tinkling sound as a thin plume of water cascaded from it. A bird sang somewhere nearby, clearly drawn by the promise of water.

“It was,” Sarah agreed, pausing to gaze up at him. She smiled. He smiled back.

“I am happy,” Robert said softly. He reached up and rested a hand on her hair. She had asked Abigail to remove the veil for her before they came outdoors, and she wore a garland and her hair was drawn into a soft bun. He smiled into her eyes. She rested her hand on his shoulder and smiled back.

“So am I,” she murmured. “So happy.” She swallowed hard, knowing she might start to cry again.

“I don’t have a handkerchief,” Robert said with a grin.

Sarah burst out laughing. “I still have one of yours,” she said with a chuckle.

They both laughed and Robert leaned forward, his hands laced around her waist.

“You are a funny, remarkable woman,” he said softly, in that resonant voice that made her heart flip over. “I love you so very, very much.”

“And you are a wonderful, dear man,” Sarah said, gazing up at him, her heart too full to be able to find words. “I love you so very, very much.”

He smiled and bent forward and pressed his lips against hers. Sarah wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, shutting her eyes as she leaned against him. She held him close, joy bubbling in her heart.

They stood together, their arms around each other and their hearts full of love and excitement at the journey ahead.

The End

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