Epilogue
London, six months later…
‘We do not have to go, you know,’ Audrey murmured in her husband’s ear as the carriage rattled along the street towards that most sacred shine, Almack’s. ‘In fact, I would be perfectly happy to remain home and have an early night.’
Darius grinned and turned his head to kiss his wife. The fact that she was now his wife had not dulled his passion for her. Indeed, he had discovered that it had merely enhanced it. They had rather a lot of early nights, afternoon naps and late mornings.
‘Do not fret, my love. I have no qualms. Besides, we have a considerable supporting cast tonight. Had you forgotten?’
‘Of course not. Very well then. If you’re sure…’
‘I am perfectly sure.’
He heard her sigh and knew that she was not. He also knew that her concern was not for herself, but for him. Audrey was anxious that he would be snubbed by the ton tonight and that it would hurt him. She did not fully understand yet that, as long as he had her, nothing in this world could hurt him. Any qualms that he nurtured were not for himself, but for Audrey.
What a pair they made.
He had not had a moment’s doubt that marriage to Miss Audrey Hathaway had been an excellent idea but in the four months since they had been wed (and yes, they had beaten Roddy and Beth to the padre), he had discovered a happiness that he could not have conceived of. Audrey had taught him the peculiar joy to be found in trust, in sharing and, rather amazingly, that being part of a close, loving family could bring a measure of unlooked for comfort to a man who had been fighting for a place in one for most of his life. The Hathaways had, after their initial fluster at finding Audrey had elected to marry a bastard, been entirely welcoming. He had quickly discovered his initial assessment of them had been right; they were a most unusual family. And apparently, now that he was one of them, they were his family. They were all going to Almack’s tonight; Lady Hathaway, Harry and Isabella, Marcus and his Johanna. The only one missing was Millie, which was probably just as well.
Millie could be a force majeure and they would probably have enough to contend with tonight.
Audrey settled against her husband’s shoulder and tried not to worry about the night ahead. They had only returned to London a week ago and had not been about a great deal, spending time settling into the townhouse on Green Street and visiting with her family who had come up to London only a week or so before. Naturally, Isabella had flown in the face of tradition, bringing three-month-old Lucius Edmund George with her, the heir to the budding Carstairs’ dynasty. Not for the world would her child be left with a wet nurse at Little Paddocks. Little Lucius had been a lovely addition to the party and Audrey had quickly become a devoted and doting aunt. The big surprise was Kirkwood’s deft handling of the baby. It turned out he had quite a knack for quieting a fretful infant, a skill Audrey was sure would come in very useful before too much time had passed.
She had only seen little Lucius once, shortly after his birth. After their marriage, Kirkwood had removed her to Norfolk to show her his own home. He had told her it wasn’t nearly as grand as the Allingham estate but she had been rather stunned to find herself the mistress of an impressively large manor house in large, beautifully established gardens. The property boasted several hundred acres and seemed to be extremely prosperous. She had known that her new husband was a man of means, but she had not realized that his means were quite so impressive.
Their months in Norfolk had been entirely magical and she might have been content to remain there but at the end of May, Kirkwood had suggested they return to town.
‘You have not seen your family for some time and I know you miss them,’ he had told her when they had discussed the matter.
‘We can visit them at Little Paddocks.’
‘I was thinking of London, actually.’ They had happened to be in bed at the time, having just shared a very heated hour. ‘I think it is time the world grew accustomed to the idea that we are wed.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean that you are not going to hide away in the country for the rest of your life because of me,’ he said firmly. ‘Millie will be presented in a few years and I know that you will wish to be there when that happens. Better we get all the nonsense out of the way first.’
‘But Darius,’ she had murmured, troubled by the horrible idea that people might be cruel to the man she adored. ‘I do not want people to be unkind to you.’
Which had made him laugh softly. ‘I have been a bastard all my life, my darling girl. Wasn’t it Millie that said one could not be accountable for the actions of one’s parents? We are not going to hide away from the world just because it does not happen to care for my position in it. Truth be told, I don’t give a damn what they say about me but I will make quite sure all and sundry treat my wife with the respect she deserves.’ Those last words had been uttered in decidedly grim tones.
Audrey had chuckled. ‘Are you going to call Society out to defend my honor, my love?’
‘If need be.’
He would, too, if need be. Audrey had not said a great deal more, but the next day she had written to her mother.
So it was, when they had arrived in London several weeks later the entire family was there, Marcus and Johanna having travelled down from Yorkshire to join them as well. Rather surprisingly, Allingham and Beth had also arrived in town, calling in the day after their arrival. Audrey had been thrilled to see the couple and heartened by a new closeness in the brothers’ relationship. Kirkwood, it seemed, was to receive the comfort of family on more than one front.
When Darius had arrived home one afternoon bearing a voucher for Almack’s the following evening, she had been taken aback.
‘Almack’s? Really? But why?’
‘I met you there. It seemed fitting that we make our debut in such a hallowed place.’
‘We could have just gone to the theatre if you wanted the world to gawp at you. Harry has a box.’
‘No,’ her husband said decidedly. ‘I rather think it must be Almack’s.’
The carriage clattered to a stop, one in a procession that was waiting to dislodge their well-dressed occupants. Reaching out, Audrey took Kirkwood’s hand in her own. ‘I do believe you are the most romantic man I have ever met,’ she murmured.
For a moment his arms came round her, enfolding her against his body, enveloping her in his love.
‘Just remember… I will always be at your side.’
‘You had better be!’
When their carriage finally arrived at the curb and they stepped down, they found everybody waiting for them. Mama held out her hands to them both, smiling fondly.
‘If the number of carriages is any indication, it will be quite a crush tonight,’ she observed serenely, as they came up the steps.
They each took a hand, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.
‘I certainly hope so,’ Darius Kirkwood said cheerfully. ‘I wish to show off my new bride.’
‘Hardly a new bride,’ Marcus said, coming forward to embrace his sister.
‘That’s right,’ Johanna dimpled. ‘Why, you are practically an old married couple by now.’
‘What does that make us?’ Isabella inquired of Harry plaintively.
‘In our dotage, obviously.’
‘Shall we go in, then?’ Mama inquired, looking around at the small crowd of assembled faces.
‘Certainly, Mama.’ And suddenly serene, Audrey took her husband’s arm, raised her chin and sailed through the door of Almack’s, utterly confident about the future and her place in it.
That was the thing about finding the man who completed you.
Suddenly, there was nothing to fear.