“I think she would very much agree with you on that point.”
Silence settled over them as Adel watched Griffin’s eyes drift closed. As much as she desired to continue their conversation, she didn’t wish to wear him out when his health was still so fragile. “Griffin,” she said as she gently nudged his side, “I think that it would be best for you to get some rest. Let me assist you in lying down then I will leave so you are not tempted to talk.”
“I’m tempted to do more than just talk,” he said as his eyes came open and he scanned her body boldly, reminding her of the time not so long ago when he had done the exact same thing on the balcony. Then she had found it offensive and crass, now it caused a warm tingling in the pit of her stomach. She placed her hand over the spot where the tingling began as if she could somehow temper it down, but it was to no avail.
“I’m afraid you are going to have to control your desires,” she scolded gently, though she smiled as she did so. “Now please, lie down and get some rest.”
It was a testament to his weakness that he did as she said, for if he had been healthy he would have surely ignored her and done as he wished. She had to admit that she was slightly disappointed that he couldn’t do more than lay his weary head down to rest.
She tucked the blankets tightly around his chest before reaching up and stroking his jaw, enjoying the warm feel of his skin contrasted with the coarse, stubbly hair. Griffin’s eyes opened, probing into hers as he spoke groggily. “Adel, have you found your prince?”
“I’ve found more than just my prince. I’ve found my hero,” she stated simply but firmly. “Have you found your princess?
“No,” he whispered huskily. Adel flinched slightly as disappointment filled her breast, but he continued, “To call you a princess seems too trite. You’re more than the woman I love; you are my savior. You have filled an emptiness inside of me that I thought would forever remain barren. As I laid here writhing in pain, feeling my strength and the very life blood being sucked out of me, I thought I was going to die. The thought of leaving you was the only thing that kept me fighting to live.”
Happiness swelled up inside of her. “Oh Griffin, I love you.”
He turned his head so he could kiss her palm. “And I love you. When I saw you standing by the pond with Lord Moncreif’s pistol aimed at your heart, I made a vow right then and there that, if we both survived, I would never do anything to hurt you ever again. I recalled that promise a thousand times in my subconscious state, telling myself that if I gave up it would hurt you beyond repair. You are literally the reason I survived. That and the fact that you brought those leeches,” he said with a smile. “Dare I ask where you got them?”
Adel returned his smile, her heart so full of love and joy that she could barely contain it. “I waded in the pond until they clung to my foot. If you weren’t fully convinced of my love for you before, knowing what I did for you should solidify that fact.”
“I should be surprised, but nothing you do surprises me anymore.”
“Oh I hope there are at least a few surprises left in me. How very dull life would be without them. Don’t you agree?”
“Life with you is never going to be dull, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Epilogue
Adel sat in her chair, her head spinning with all of the commotion surrounding her. Her lady’s maid was hastily pinning her long curls into an elaborate style at the back of her neck, pulling her head every which way in an ungentle fashion, while another maid was flitting around the room laying out her clothing and shoes. And if that wasn’t enough, Rose was pacing about the room acting more nervous than the bride herself.
With the final hairpin in place, Adel turned around and looked at Rose. “Please stop pacing. You’re nerves are making me jittery.”
Rose stopped in her tracks, wringing her hands together. She instantly looked contrite. “I’m sorry, there’s just something about weddings that sets me on edge.”
Adel walked towards the girl, taking her hands into her own. “It’s probably the memory of your own unhappy union that provokes such feelings in you, but you needn’t worry. Griffin and I are very much in love.”
“I know that,” Rose whispered softly.
Just then Katherine burst into the room carrying her bonnet, followed by Aunt Tabitha and Lady Danford. Adel gasped at the unexpected sight of Gillian. She ducked her head, feeling instantly foolish at the thought that she knew it was her who had written such deplorable things about her husband in The Morning Post.
Aunt Tabitha scurried over towards her, “Why are you not dressed yet? Hurry up child, or you will be late for your own wedding.”
The two maids ushered her behind the Chinese partition, quickly removing her wrapper and instantly starting to dress her in all of her layers. As soon as she was fully dressed, Katherine placed her bonnet atop of her head and stepped back, “You look beautiful, Adel.”
“Yes, you truly do,” Lady Danford cooed as she came near, admiring the canary yellow taffeta gown with floral embroidery crawling up the hem of the skirt and the sleeves.
Adel smiled wanly at Gillian, unsure of how to proceed. She finally settled on stammering an awkward apology. “I am sorry for the things I wrote about your husband.”
Gillian surprised her by laughing. “I find it all the more amusing now that I know it was you who wrote them. How very sneaky of you.”
Adel looked at her in surprise. “You truly aren’t mad at me?”
“I may have been more upset had I learned about it before things were fully resolved between Benedict and myself. The mention of his name in the scandal sheets caused quite the embarrassment to his mother, creating an inordinate amount of tension between the two. But all of that has been settled now and I consider the whole thing to be water under the bridge.”
“You are a saint,” Adel muttered in disbelief.
Gillian laughed once more. “You do not know me well enough if you honestly believe that.” Then, leaning forward she planted a kiss on Adel’s cheek. “I better go find my husband and make sure he is behaving himself, though that is hard for him to do when he is around his friends.”
Adel knew exactly what she was talking about. Griffin’s three best friends had arrived two days prior, and there had hardly been a moment of silence at Terrace Manor since. Adel had just been grateful that Griffin felt well enough to participate in their antics. In the last three weeks he had made great strides in his recovery. His color had returned along with most of his strength. The only thing left behind to hint at his brush with death was the scar on his arm where the ball had gone, resulting in some stiffness and limited movement.
“We best be on our way as well,” Aunt Tabitha cooed as she made her way towards the door behind Gillian.
“Wait,” Rose called out. Aunt Tabitha stopped and turned. “I have something I wanted to give Adel first.”
Rose walked towards Adel carrying in her hands a small package wrapped in brown paper. She held it out to Adel and said, “I came across this while I was packing up my stuff back in London and I wanted you to have it.”
Adel untied the string from around the package, letting it fall to the ground, as she gently unfolded the paper revealing a square of white fabric. She turned questioning eyes on Rose as she unfolded the square and held up the white christening gown she had embroidered for her first child that was never born.
“I wanted you and Griffin to have it,” Rose said shyly.
Adel held tightly to the gown as she threw her arms around Rose’s neck, nearly knocking off her bonnet in the process. “Oh, Rose I would be honored.”
Pulling back, both girls wiped the tears gingerly from their eyes. “It’s the very least I could do for all you are doing for me.”
Adel humbly accepted her token of gratitude. Rose had traveled to London a fortnight ago with Adel’s father and man of affairs to try and set her own affairs at rights. While there she had discovered that her husband had debts of su
ch large proportions that even if all his property was sold, he’d never be able to repay them. She had returned to Terrace Manor with nothing more than her trunk of belongings.
Adel had never been more grateful for her family’s wealth and generosity than she had been at that time. In addition to her large dowry that Griffin would receive after their marriage was solemnized, her father had given her a small country cottage on a modest parcel of land that had belonged to her mother when she was alive and had come into her marriage as part of her own dowry. She had immediately offered the use of the cottage to Rose for as long as she might need it.
Aunt Tabitha came and took the christening gown from Adel’s hands and laid it ever so gently on the bench at the foot of the bed, but not before wiping a tear from her own eye. “Weddings always get me emotional,” she confessed before leading the women from the room.
As they made their way to the foot of the stairs, Adel smiled as she saw her father waiting patiently for her to arrive. He was dressed in impeccable attire, his face freshly shaven and his hair combed smooth. Katherine, Rose, and Aunt Tabitha scurried out the door, leaving her and her father standing alone in the foyer.
“You look so much like your mother did on our wedding day,” her father said proudly, though a hint of sadness laced his words. “Lord Straton is so lucky to have you.”
“And I am lucky to have him,” she quickly added.
“Yes, indeed you are. True love is a rare find and I want you to treat it like the priceless commodity that it is. Enjoy every moment you have together, for you never know how long that may be.”
Adel made a silent vow to do just that, for she understood, perhaps more than most, how true that really was. Linking their arms together, her father led her from the house. The sun was shining brightly overhead as they made their way to the pond. In the distance Adel could see the small gathering of people dressed in their finest clothing, and she smiled. Her heart filled with excited anticipation and she began walking faster. Her father chuckled and increased his pace to keep up.
A wooden arbor covered in roses sat in nearly the exact spot in the cemetery where Griffin had pushed Adel into the pond, saving her life. As soon as her eyes settled on Griffin, she couldn’t look away. Standing beneath the arbor, he was dressed in tan buckskin breeches and a dark overcoat. His cravat was tied elaborately in the mathematical, a diamond stick pin poking through the folds of fabric. A large smile covered his face, and though his pallor was still slightly pale, he appeared rakishly handsome with the gentle breeze blowing one lock of black hair across his brow.
Adel’s heart felt full as her father walked her towards the arbor and handed her over to Griffin where the priest waited patiently to speak the words that would bind them together forever as husband and wife. She could hardly focus on the words being spoken as she stared unflinchingly into Griffin’s black eyes.
It wasn’t until she heard the priest say, “Wilt thou have this woman to be they wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?” that she snapped out of her reverie so that she could pay special attention to Griffin’s response.
“I will,” he answered firmly and without hesitation.
The priest turned towards her. “Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?”
“I will.”
“Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?”
Adel’s father stepped forward, “I do.” Taking her hand in his own, he held it out to the priest who promptly took her hand and placed it in Griffin’s right one.
“Repeat after me—I, Griffin Joshua Ivison, take thee Adel Elizabeth Desmond to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.”
Griffin repeated the words with solemn sincerity.
Turning to Adel, the priest said, “Now repeat after me—I, Adel Elizabeth Desmond, take thee, Griffin Joshua Ivison, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my troth.”
Adel made sure she enunciated each word clearly and with conviction as she made her solemn vows to God and to Griffin.
After her vows had been spoken, the priest handed Griffin a ring. Adel stared down at her hand as Griffin slid a familiar simple gold band containing an emerald stone onto her finger. Tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of her mother’s ring sliding into place on her hand, fitting perfectly.
“With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen.”
A large cheer went up behind them at the conclusion of Griffin’s words, the marriage now complete. With her hand still in his, he turned her towards the crowd of people and led her to them. Adel was certain she had never been so happy in all of her life.
Her father was first to offer his congratulations, followed shortly by Katherine, Rose, and Aunt Tabitha. Next came Benedict and Gillian. “I am relieved to see that you gave this fool another chance,” Benedict said after shaking Griffin’s hand. “From the moment I heard him speak of you, then saw the way you tore up his peace, I knew you were meant to be together.”
“Ha!” Griffin exclaimed. “I knew you would try and take credit for our union, when in truth your matchmaking skills were what almost destroyed everything.”
“It was your own idiocy, my friend, for issuing the bet in the first place.”
Gillian rolled her eyes at their antics. “You are both dim-witted fools. Nevertheless, I wish to express my heartfelt congratulations to you Lord and Lady Straton.”
“Thank you,” Adel replied, very much liking being addressed as Lady Straton.
Next came Mr. Graham and Lord Dawkins, both wearing high grins of their own. Marcus surprised Adel by sweeping her into a warm embrace as he offered his congratulations. When he failed to let go, Griffin cleared his throat loudly, and she had to wonder if he did it solely to vex his friend. The possibility was very likely.
Finally, after numerous congratulations were given, the last of the wedding party began making their way back to the house where the servants had prepared an elaborate wedding breakfast. Adel and Griffin held back, hoping to enjoy some alone time and perhaps a stolen kiss or two before joining the party once more.
As soon as they were alone, Griffin took her hand into his own and pulled her close. “Do you recognize your ring?”
“Of course I do, it was my mother’s.”
“Your father wanted you to have it.”
At the mention of her father, Adel suddenly recalled that Lord Westingham had not been present. Her heart ached at the thought, for she knew that Griffin had begrudgingly sent an announcement to him. “I’m sorry your father didn’t come.”
Griffin shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, but she could tell that his father’s absence pained him. “I did not need my father present to enjoy this day. In fact, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed myself nearly as much had he been here.”
“That isn’t true.”
She watched as his shoulders fell before he reluctantly admitted, “It would have meant a lot to me had he come, if only so he could have met you.”
Adel wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, pulling him to her as she laid her head on his chest. “I will meet him someday. In the meantime, let’s focus on
all the blessings we do have.”
They sat in silence, staring out over the pond. It had been no coincidence that they had chosen to get married in the family cemetery next to the pond. It had seemed fitting to start their new life together in a place where both of their lives had been saved. And, though to some it may have seemed mildly morbid to be wed in a cemetery, Adel had very much wanted her mother close by as she vowed to give herself fully and completely to Griffin for the rest of their lives.
Pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, Griffin whispered, “My mother would have been very fond of you.”
“And mine would have liked you as well. I am absolutely sure of it.”
Griffin scooped her into his arms, placing his lips possessively over hers, bestowing a kiss so passionate and so full of love upon her that, had she been standing, her knees would have given out beneath her. But luckily he was there for her, as strong and firm as ever, an unspoken promise that he would always be there to hold her up.
The End
About The Author
Ginny Hartman has always loved writing, and when her love for the regency era blossomed, she decided to combine the two, resulting in her first published novel, Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington, which became an Amazon Historical Romance bestseller. After completing her first Regency Romance Trilogy, she decided to venture into other eras of historical romance, enjoying the journey back in time.
Ginny’s favorite thing about writing is the escape it gives her and the people who read her stories. For a behind the scenes look at the creation of Deceiving the Duke of Kerrington, Misleading Lord Martineau, Betraying the Highwayman, To Guard Her Heart, To Capture Her Heart, Her Unconventional Suitor, and Her Unlikely Hero, as well as a sneak peek at her upcoming projects, visit her website www.creatingromance.blogspot.com. You can also keep up to date by liking her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/authorginnyhartman.
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