“I love you, and I will marry you if you still want me to.”
“You know I do.”
Matson looked up at the boy on the ship and said, “Henry, tell the captain to prepare to sail without me.”
“Aye, sir.”
Suddenly there was a loud bang, and bright lights filled the sky.
“Look.” Matson smiled. “Beautiful fireworks from Vauxhall Gardens.”
“I see fireworks every time you kiss me,” Sophia said, looking up at Matson with all the love she was feeling for him.
“So do I, my love.”
Matson pulled Sophia into his arms again and kissed her as the sky rained lights.
Sophia thrilled to his touch.
Epilogue
Where love is concerned, too much is not enough.
—Pierre de Beaumarchais
Sophia waited anxiously for Matson to come home. She had donned a light turquoise-blue dress and fastened her mother’s brooch to it. A fire had been burning all day, and the drawing room was warm and inviting.
It was her first dinner party in their new home. It had taken them six months to find a house and furnish it, but now they were happily settled. They were having his brothers and their wives, her aunt Mae, and newly married Sir Randolph and Aunt June for dinner. They couldn’t have been coming at a more perfect time.
Finally, Sophia heard Matson come in the front door. She moistened her lips and walked to the doorway of the drawing room to meet him. He smiled when he saw her. Matson wrapped her in his arms and kissed her lovingly.
“You’re late,” she whispered seductively.
“Hmm, had I known such sweet kisses would be waiting for me, I would have hurried faster to get home.”
“You did know,” she teased him. “Now tell me, did you have a good day, my love?”
“No, I missed you. How was your day?”
She smiled. “I missed you too, but I found the perfect place for the offices of Shevington Shipping, and I sent a letter to Mr. Peabody, telling him to start making arrangements to move everything to London. Thank you for letting me continue to oversee my father’s company.”
“It makes me happy that you are so happy.” He kissed her again.
“Come and sit down,” she said. “I have something to discuss with you before our guests arrive.”
“If we haven’t much time, I think I would rather kiss you and then talk later,” he said, not letting go of her.
“There will be plenty of time for that after our guests leave, now sit.”
“Yes, Mrs. Brentwood,” he said and made himself comfortable on the settee.
Sophia poured him a drink, and when she handed it to him, he promptly placed it on the table in front of him. He pulled her onto the settee with him and kissed her again.
“Now, tell me what it is you want to discuss.”
“I know you told me you would not touch Sir Randolph’s estate when it is passed on to me, but what about your sons? Will you let them have it?”
Matson gave her a curious look. He shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know. I haven’t even thought about that. We have plenty of time to discuss that. Last time I saw Sir Randolph, he looked younger and happier than ever.”
“But there is another reason we might want to talk about it now.”
“Why?”
“You are going to have sons or daughters in about six months.”
Matson’s eyes widened. “I—you—we will have sons, as in more than one?”
Sophia smiled. “The midwife is certain I am carrying more than one baby. She says she has never been wrong in predicting two, but she doesn’t predict whether boys, girls, or one of each.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Maybe that you are happy?”
“Happy?” He looked into her eyes. “I’m elated, Sophia. I can’t believe I will be having sons or daughters before either of my brothers.”
“And do you agree that we will tell them tonight at dinner?”
“Yes.” He laughed and hugged her close. “I can’t wait to see the expressions on their faces when we tell them there will be another set of twins in the family. I love you, Sophia.”
“And I love you, Matson. I always will.”
Dear Readers,
I hope you have enjoyed Matson and Sophia’s story. I thought it was a fitting ending and tribute to the Rogues’ Dynasty six-book series. It was difficult to write the last few chapters, because I knew I would be saying good-bye to the continuing characters I had come to love. And to all of you who wrote to me about Gibby, or better known most recently as Sir Randolph Gibson, I hope you are satisfied with how I ended his story.
When I came up with the idea of twins for the last two books, I had no idea how very rare it was for both twins to live to adulthood during the Regency. There wasn’t much historical information to go on concerning twins, but the few references I found seemed to agree that before the twentieth century, twin adults were hard to find. The main reasons given were the harsh living conditions at the time. Quality of hygiene was poor, and food was often filled with bacteria, causing many deaths. Most areas of the world had less than competent medical care available. Another reason suggested was that usually one infant was born smaller and weaker than the other, and therefore more susceptible to succumb to illnesses.
But I didn’t allow these dire statistics to deter me. I had fun creating two sets of adult twins in The Rogue Steals a Bride and they were very healthy and lively.
Thank you for following The Rogues’ Dynasty Series with me. The first five books of the series—A Duke to Die For, A Marquis to Marry, and An Earl To Enchant—also A Gentleman Never Tells and A Gentleman Says “I Do” are available at your favorite local or online bookstore. If you missed any of them, I hope you’ll check them out on my website at ameliagrey.com. You’ll find all of them listed there.
I love to hear from readers with questions or comments. Please follow me at Facebook.com/Ameliagreybooks, email me at [email protected], or visit my website at ameliagrey.com.
Happy reading,
Amelia
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How can a lady avoid a scandal…
Just as Miss Isabella Winslowe is finally achieving comfortable respectability, the fascinating and decidedly unrespectable Earl of Colebrooke inconveniently appears…
When a gentleman is so determined to flirt…
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Darius
by Grace Burrowes
A story that breaks all the rules…
Darius is a gripping and remarkable tale of desperation, devotion, and redemption from award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes. Her gorgeous writing and lush Regency world will stay with you long after you turn the final page…
With his beloved sister tainted by scandal, his widowed brother shattered by grief, and his funds cut off, Darius Lindsey sees no option but to sell himself—body and soul. Until the day he encounters lovely, beguiling Lady Vivian Longstreet, whose tenderness and understanding wrap his soul in a grace he knows he’ll never deserve…
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Lady Vivian Defies a Duke
by Samantha Grace
The Naked Truth
Lady Vivian Worth knows perfectly well how to behave like a lady. But observing proper manners when there’s no one around to impress is just silly. Why shouldn’t she strip down to her chemise for a swim? When her betrothed arrives to finally meet her, Vivi will act every inch the lady—demure, polite, compliant. Everything her brother has promised the man. But until then, she’s going to enjoy her freedom…
A Revealing Discovery
Luke Forest, the newly named Duke of Foxhaven, wants nothing to do with his inheritance—or the bride who comes with it. He wants adventure and excitement, like the enchanting water nymph he’s just stumbled across. When he discovers the skinny-dipping minx is his intended, he reconsiders his plan to find Lady Vivian another husband. Because the idea of this vivacious woman in the arms of another man might be enough to drive him insane—or to the altar.
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About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey grew up in a small town in the Florida Panhandle, and has been happily married to her high school sweetheart for more than thirty-five years.
Amelia has won the Booksellers Best Award, Aspen Gold Award, and Award of Excellence writing as Amelia Grey. Writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, she has won the RT Book Reviews Award for Love and Laughter, the Maggie Award, and the Affaire de Coeur Award for best historical.
Her books have been featured in Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs and have sold to many countries in Europe, and in Russia, China, and most recently in Indonesia, Turkey, and Japan.
Amelia likes flowers, candlelight, sweet smiles, gentle laughter, and sunshine.
Amelia Grey - [Rogues' Dynasty 06] Page 27
