Epilogue
Kent, England
June 1816
IN MANY PARTS of England, there would be celebrations on this day to mark the anniversary of Waterloo. Gavin doubted many would be as joyful as the one soon to take place at the parish church of Saint Alban’s Edgecombe.
That terrible day, when he had staggered into this place of worship with a heart full of guilt and failure, now seemed like a disturbing dream from which Hannah had wakened him. Indeed, his whole previous life felt that way. Only in the past year had he truly come alive—taking on challenges he once would have shunned, opening his heart to family and friends.
“It will all be worth the wait, you’ll see,” Sebastian whispered as he and Gavin took their places at the foot of the chancel steps. “It was for Rebecca and me, and it will be for you and Hannah.”
Was Sebastian referring to his own somewhat lengthy betrothal? Gavin wondered as he waited for the arrival of his bride. Or did he mean the months he and Rebecca had waited and hoped to start a family? The moment the Benedicts arrived for the wedding, Hannah had guessed her friend was with child. She and Gavin were delighted for them.
Gavin turned for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the small congregation with a sense of satisfaction. He had managed to gather almost all of Hannah’s school friends for their wedding. The beautiful Lady Steadwell had a glow about her as she sat with her husband and his three daughters. Vivacious Miss Shaw sat with them. Only Evangeline Fairfax had not been able to make the journey down from the Lake District, though she had sent a gift and a warm letter of congratulations.
On the other side of the church sat two of Gavin’s cousins, a number of his fellow cavalry officers and as many of the Edgecombe servants as could be spared from preparations for the wedding breakfast. Peter was there, of course, with his nursemaid. Gavin tried to catch his son’s eye, but the child was too busy staring at Lord Steadwell’s youngest daughter. He seemed delighted to have other children visiting.
Hannah had insisted Alice and Arthur must attend the ceremony as well. Gavin’s little daughter sat quietly on her nurse’s lap, staring around her at the stained glass windows, which were brilliantly illuminated by the morning sunlight. Young Arthur refused to have any of that. Instead he staggered up and down the side aisle with Mrs. Wilkes clinging tightly to his leading strings to prevent him from taking a tumble.
Just then Hannah appeared at the back of the church. She looked quietly radiant in a modest dress, her bonnet trimmed with flowers from the Edgecombe gardens. In her hands she held a matching nosegay. Even from a distance, Gavin could not mistake the love that glowed from her whole countenance. Love for him, for the children and for Edgecombe itself.
He had spent the past several months proving to her and to himself that he could be the kind of husband she needed and deserved. Today at last, he could pledge his love and loyalty to her for all the years to come. When they made their wedding vows to each other, he and Hannah would have the confidence of knowing the lengths to which they would both go to honor such promises.
“I promised our host I would keep my toast short,” Sebastian announced with a wry chuckle as the guests paused in their appreciative consumption of the wedding breakfast.
Hannah ducked her head and blushed, for she knew the viscount was about to pay tribute to her. She had never been comfortable accepting praise.
But no amount of unease on that account could temper her joy. Today was the happiest in her life, not only because she had wed such a fine man and become the mother of three children she adored. Her pleasure was compounded by the presence of so many of her dear friends. Like Rebecca, the years had not changed them in essentials. Grace was still as kind and understanding as ever, Leah still as irrepressible.
As well as Hannah and her friends got along after all their years apart, their husbands had also taken to one another like old comrades. Even Lord Steadwell and Sebastian had overcome the awkwardness of mistaken impressions formed before they became better acquainted.
The children were having a wonderful time together, too. Lord Steadwell’s eldest daughter, Charlotte, doted on the babies while the middle daughter, Phoebe, had bonded with Peter over their shared love of horses. The boys was delighted to have some high-spirited playmates nearer his own age. Looking ahead, Hannah foresaw many pleasant visits between their families.
“When Rebecca first told me about her school friends,” Sebastian continued, “I must confess I thought they sounded too good to be true—particularly the incomparable Hannah Fletcher. But having become acquainted with the lady, I can now assure you my dear wife did not exaggerate. Gavin is a fortunate man to have secured such a fine wife, as are the gentlemen who have wed her friends.”
“Hear, hear!” cried Gavin and Lord Steadwell with touching enthusiasm.
Sebastian laughed along with the rest of the company. Then he raised his glass. “Ladies and gentlemen, pray join me in drinking the health and felicity of the new Countess of Hawkehurst!”
It gave Hannah an odd feeling to hear herself called that. To her, Gavin’s first wife would always be the countess. Being Mrs. Gavin Romney was as precious a title as she could ever wish for.
Once the company had drunk her health and Sebastian resumed his seat, Gavin rose. “I have one announcement to make, after which I promise you there will be no more speeches.”
“Hear, hear!” Leah quipped to everyone’s amusement, including Gavin.
“Perhaps you will think differently after you hear me out, Miss Shaw, for it concerns you and your friends.”
The others all cast Hannah questioning looks, but she could only reply with a mystified shrug. She had not the least idea what Gavin intended to announce.
“Lord Benedict, Lord Steadwell and I have been talking,” Gavin continued, “and we have decided the best way to honor our dear wives is to endow a new school to replace that horrid Pendergast place—a school that will be run on truly Christian principles.”
He was interrupted by cries of delight from Hannah and the others. What a comfort it would be to think that another generation of girls need not suffer what they had and worse. Already Hannah’s mind was churning with ideas for how to make the new school an example of what such institutions could and should be.
“We will need the very best people to run it.” Gavin’s words echoed Hannah’s thoughts. “We hope Miss Shaw and Miss Fairfax might be persuaded to take on the task.”
Hannah, Rebecca and Grace hailed the suggestion with delight and called for Leah to accept.
“If anyone could make our school a happy place, it is you, Leah,” cried Hannah. “Please say you will!”
But Leah shook her head, her hazel eyes twinkling. “I wish I could oblige you, but this sounds like an ideal project for Evangeline. You know what a born leader she is. I am too much a rebel—we would come to blows in no time.”
Though her friend’s answer disappointed Hannah, she could not deny the truth of it. Evangeline was much better suited to the challenge of establishing and running a new school. Besides, Leah hated being tied down in one place for too long. She moved from position to position with eagerness that a homebody like Rebecca could never understand.
Gavin concluded his speech to a flurry of applause.
When he sat down, Hannah reached for his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. “The school was your idea, wasn’t it?”
Her husband replied with a nod and a rather shamefaced grin. “I hope you approve.”
“You know I do.” She gazed deeply into his eyes, basking in the warmth of love that glowed in them. “It is the most thoughtful, generous gift from the kindest husband a wife could ask for.”
Love like theirs was the best gift of all, Hannah reflected as she cast decorum aside to offer her husband a tender embrace. Steadfast and abiding, without conditions or standards, it would enrich their lives and their children’s with an abundance of happiness in the years ahead.
THE END