Extended Epilogue
Two Years Later
“Again?” Violet laughed as she jerked forward in the garden chair, looking to her sister who sat opposite her, with a gentle hand resting across her stomach. “You are with child again? I thought you said the pain was like no other!”
“I did, and that still stands true, but…” Penelope trailed off and giggled, looking down to her stomach where she rested her hand. “I cannot tell you how happy this makes me.”
“Then why on earth are we drinking tea? We should be drinking champagne!” Violet got to her feet and stepped away from the garden chairs.
They were at Sebastian’s country estate, a house that Violet adored and considered her home much more than their townhouse. Determined to enjoy the garden as much as possible now that it was summer, the garden chairs and tables had been set up, with cakes and all sorts of treats across the surface.
In the doorway to the house, Mary was about to step outside, carrying a tea tray.
“Oh, Mary, I’m so sorry, but could we have a bottle of champagne as well?” Violet called to her.
“Champagne? Of course!” Mary eagerly hurried back inside, clearly intending to get the champagne. Violet smiled as she watched the maid hurry away.
Soon after Violet had married Sebastian, she had tracked Mary down, determined to find her again. She was not only her maid but her good friend. Mary seemed as happy in this house as Violet was, and had developed a particular interest in the carriage driver, who seemed to return her affections.
“Champagne?” Penelope said with delight as Violet moved back toward her. “We should wait for our husbands to celebrate.”
“Oh, they will be back any minute.” Violet flung herself toward her sister and embraced her tightly.
“Oomph! Can’t breathe, Violet!” Penelope cried, making a wheezing sound for comic effect as Violet released her again.
“I am just so excited for you,” Violet said as she hurried to sit down again. Leaning on the table, she looked toward her sister, seeing how great her smile was. “No wonder you arrived this morning looking so ridiculously happy. You have been holding onto this great secret.”
“I have not been able to keep it in.” Penelope shook her head with the words. “I wish to sing about it, with pure joy. I didn’t know one child could bring as much happiness as it has done, but two? Oh, my. To think how it will change our lives.”
Violet reached across the table and took her sister’s hand, squeezing it softly. For a minute, there was nothing to say. They simply smiled at each other, giddy with delight.
Do not ask me what you want to ask.
Violet prayed for a minute her sister would stay quiet and not ask a question that had been so often on her lips. Since she and Sebastian had wed two years ago, Penelope had often asked if they were to have a child too.
It is a secret I shall not yet speak of.
Violet glanced down at her own stomach. At last, she had the signs of being with child, yet it was early, and she didn’t want to reveal all to her sister and brother-in-law too soon. Even Sebastian didn’t know yet.
“Well, if you are with child, then you have not filled your plate up enough.” Violet released her sister’s hand and reached for the cake stands, filling up Penelope’s plate so high that it became a tower of cakes, leaning dangerously to the side.
“Violet! How am I supposed to eat all that?”
“You are eating for two now, remember? Not just one.” Violet giggled and urged the plate toward her sister, rather humored when Penelope didn’t object again. Instead, she delved into the cake. She grew so distracted, cutting up the honey cake and hurrying to eat it, that she didn’t notice the sound of horses on the driveway, but Violet did.
Turning her head away from her sister, Violet looked to the drive where she saw Sebastian arrive first. As usual, his horse was the faster of the two, riding with wild abandon, before he drew to a quick stop by the door.
“One of these days you will beat me in a race, Benedict,” Sebastian called back to his brother. Violet smiled to see Sebastian. His tailcoat was unbuttoned and his hair was ruffled thanks to his mad galloping. His appearance alone was enough to make her tingle, reminding her of all that she and Sebastian had done the night before in her bedchamber.
Behind him, another horse appeared, though this one carried two.
“You forget I am carrying precious cargo now,” Benedict said and gestured down to the boy in his lap.
The baby was barely a toddler, wrapped firmly in one of Benedict’s arms as he looked around the horse, his eyes wide.
He looks so much like Penelope.
Violet was relieved for it. The young boy that had come into all their lives was a source of joy. A happy presence, he seemed to make their lives better.
“Penelope?” Violet said to her sister, pulling her attention away from the cake. “Your son and husband are here.”
Penelope practically dropped the fork on her plate as she hurried to her feet and ran across the drive to greet her family. Violet laughed as she turned her gaze on Sebastian, only to see the way he was watching the family together.
I know what he’s thinking. He is ready for a child too. Shall I tell him…?
***
Sebastian felt a warmth spread through him as he looked at his nephew being lifted from the saddle and into Penelope’s arms. The boy giggled and stretched out his chubby arms, before falling into Penelope’s embrace. She kissed him warmly on the forehead, before turning her attention to Benedict.
“He was safe? On the ride?” she said, with clear wariness.
“Of course he was.” Benedict leaned down from the saddle and kissed Penelope on the forehead. “I would never let anything happen to him.”
“He wouldn’t,” Sebastian seconded. “That boy was very safe indeed. Benedict wouldn’t even gallop whilst holding onto him.” He climbed down from the saddle and watched the pair together, still feeling that warmth spread through him.
Someday, hopefully, it shall be our turn.
Sebastian was very happy for his brother. Benedict had a family he adored, and on the ride, Benedict had confessed another secret. Penelope was with child again.
As Mary appeared from the house carrying a bottle of champagne on the tea tray along with some glasses, Sebastian turned his focus on Violet, realizing it was not such a secret after all.
“I see we are to celebrate the good news.” He crossed toward her quickly, then helped Mary with the tray and took the champagne bottle, opening it himself. It popped loudly and the cork shot across the garden, making everyone jump, including his nephew who wailed as Mary hurried back inside.
“Oh, Harry, have no fear, it is just champagne,” Penelope assured her son and kissed him on the forehead again.
As Violet jumped up to present glasses to Sebastian to pour, he turned his gaze firmly on her, admiring her.
What a life we have.
He sighed with contentment. Never had he thought it was possible to be this happy with someone, but Violet had defied all expectations ever since he had met her. As he poured out the champagne, he thought back to the way they had spent their morning. They had spent some of the night making love, only to wake that morning and do so again. It had started off as a discussion about art, before falling into a playful bicker on who the best painter was. That argument had been settled with passion.
Seeing Benedict and Penelope were somewhat distracted by trying to pull a small jacket on Harry, Sebastian took the opportunity to kiss his wife. He moved his lips to Violet’s and kissed her softly, feeling her lips mold to his own. A small breath escaped her, one of shock and thrill.
I love that sound.
When he parted from her, he could see how great her smile had become.
“What was that for?” she whispered.
“Just telling you I love you,” he murmured, watching as she mouthed the words ‘I love you too.’
“We are celebrating then?” Benedict said as he appeared at their side.
“Indeed we are, so drink up.” Sebastian passed around the champagne glasses, humored when he saw Penelope carrying Harry in one arm, and holding a champagne glass in her other hand. “A toast, to you both, and your family.” Sebastian held his glass high. “And of course, to the new addition that will soon arrive.”
Benedict and Penelope exchanged a smile and then chinked their glasses together. Sebastian pressed his to Violet’s as he noticed she was looking at him in an odd sort of way, with her eyes narrowed.
Is something wrong?
“Oh, dear.” Penelope lowered her glass as Harry’s head began to drift down and his eyes closed. “It seems slumber is quickly approaching.”
“Here, shall we go put him down for a bit?” Benedict placed his glass down and then took Penelope’s hand, leading her away. “We’ll be back very soon.”
Sebastian waved them off and turned his attention to his wife, now certain she was looking at him in an odd way indeed.
“There is clearly something going on in your mind, Violet,” he said to her and topped up their glasses. “Shall I take a guess or would you like to tell me?”
“I am debating whether to tell you something or not.” She chewed her lip, rather nervously.
“Well, you cannot taunt me like that and then not tell me.”
“I could,” she pointed out in a challenge, lifting her chin higher.
“Yes, but if you do, I will simply annoy you relentlessly by asking what secret it is that you are keeping. You may rest assured that I will not stop asking you. Even when we are attempting to sleep tonight.”
“Sleep?” She repeated the word with humor.
“Well, when we are attempting to make love then,” he added with a whisper, making Violet giggle warmly.
“Very well, I shall tell you my secret.” Violet seemed to wait for him to place down the champagne bottle before she spoke again. Then she held the glass higher. “To us.”
“Us?” He lifted his glass too.
“And to our family.” With the words, she laid a hand on her stomach. The soft touch of her fingers there made Sebastian’s eyes shoot down. He couldn’t take a sip of his champagne, not yet, as his thoughts aligned.
We are to have a child? I am to be a father?
“You’re with child?” he asked, so deliriously happy in that moment that the champagne glass nearly slipped from his hand.
“I think I am. Though it is still early, so let us keep it a secret for the time being – oh, Sebastian!”
Sebastian couldn’t control himself. He placed down his glass and took Violet in his arms, nearly sandwiching her own glass between them as he kissed her.
“Something tells me you are rather happy with this news.” She murmured between his kisses as he laughed. When he was done, he rested their foreheads together.
“Believe me, Violet. I am very happy indeed.” He lowered a hand to her stomach and softly caressed her there with the backs of his fingers, as an image shot across his mind.
It was of a small boy, with hair as dark as his own and eyes just like Violet’s, bright green.