Epilogue
1 December 1865
Grace’s hand was securely in Everett’s as they walked into the graveyard. There was a hard frost underfoot, the sky was clear, and the grass crunched under her boots. It was a familiar path. She’d followed it as a child with her mother to the church. After that, she had followed it pushing Henry’s perambulator, then holding his sticky hand, to her mother’s grave several times a week for four years. Her father’s grave was next to her mother’s now. She and Henry had come to visit and Grace was almost used to seeing the second stone outline and headstone. Usually she ignored it, blocking it out as best she could.
Today, Henry was with his tutor, a kind man who had taken him to the London zoo while they arranged the closure of Alnott House. And while they were here, they visited the cemetery. When they reached the Alnott graves, Everett released her hand and pulled her against him, his arm across her shoulders.
In the safety of his embrace, she made herself look at her father’s grave.
Simon Alnott. Beloved husband, father, and local benefactor.
The man who had controlled her life and tried to force her to his will.
Grace waited for the familiar anger to surface, but the frost seemed to have killed it. She didn’t feel it. All that was there was something like compassion. “We owe him some gratitude, really.”
Everett squeezed her arm and Grace felt him turn his face toward her. They were close, mouths only inches apart. “I certainly am in your father’s debt for bringing you to me.”
“Without his will, I would never have met you.”
He quirked his eyebrows and almost touched his smiling lips to hers.
Grace bridged the gap and pressed her lips to his. Then, turning her head, she stared at the stone. Her anger at her father had eased away in the last few months as her happiness had grown. The place she’d found was satisfying, helping the women around Larksview and farther afield to gain shop skills during the day. Then in the evenings, Henry showed them what he’d learned that day. And the nights were spectacular. It had given her peace and an acceptance. There was no point in holding on to resentment.
Eventually, she squeezed his hand. He understood, and they walked away from the Alnott graves.
As they passed by the church, Everett hesitated by the church door. “You know, we never rescinded our bargain.”
He was smiling when she looked up. Grace huffed and her breath came out in a white cloud. “We both broke all our promises.”
He nodded toward the church. “Then, we should make some new bargains.”
They entered the empty church and walked up the aisle together. At the communion rail, they turned toward each other.
Reaching out, Grace took both of his gloved hands in hers. “What should we promise? What bargain do you want? Daily marital relations?” She said the last innocently, as if he hadn’t been inside her only that morning.
Everett’s smile was warm, despite the cold. “I promise to put you first in all things.”
“I promise not to blame you unjustly.”
His grin widened. “I promise to love you every one of my days.”
She pushed up onto her toes. “I promise to love you every day, for always.” Then her mouth met his.
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