Home was Edmund and Noni; she was now certain about that now.
She stood under the brass statue of King Charles I and wondered which way to go. Where could she get a hackney?
She ran back to the inn, hoping the innkeeper would help her.
The innkeeper stood by the gate, talking to a man in a bright red banyan. The figure was tall, and dark curls fell in a familiar way across his high forehead as he gestured in frustration.
"Edmund!" She threw herself at him, catching him off-guard.
Then his arms clasped her tightly, and his face broke into a smile. "I say. There she is. My wife."
"I tried, but I can't leave. I am so sorry," she babbled. "It would be so wrong for me to return to Bath when all my heart's desire is ... " she stumbled as she saw his warm eyes on her.
He stroked a strand of hair out of her face. "Is where, my love?"
"Is…is… what did you say?" The noise, the bustle of the inn and the street fell away.
"My love." He took her face in his hands. "My one and only love, I say. I realised I was being a bit of a fool, which ought to surprise no one, least of all myself. But things were moving too fast, and it was all a tad overwhelming. Then I snapped out of it and ran over to Tennbury to get Noni back. I don't know what maggot ate that part of my brain that said it was acceptable to leave the child in that man's hand for longer than a second. Turns out the old man was pretty relieved to get rid of him. I'm going to adopt Noni, you know."
Ellen gasped. "Edmund, that's wonderful!"
"Yes, and then I had another revelation, although it may be that I had this revelation before I had the other one." He lifted both fingers to gesticulate.
Ellen tipped her head to one side.
"I've been meaning to tell you ever since Dobberham Manor—well, before that. Only then one thing led to another, and we never really had time to discuss it."
"Edmund," Ellen said, "what are you talking about?"
"The thing about us being married." He drew his eyebrows together. "Not a pretend one, but the real thing. I would like that very much. Wouldn't you?" He looked at her anxiously. "Would you want to be my wife, for real? Could you really have someone like me for a husband—for real?"
"Edmund, what are you saying? Someone like you." She lifted her hands and cupped his face, tracing his eyebrows, his nose. "I couldn't imagine anyone elsebutyou. You are my heart's desire."
His face broke into a smile. "Truly?"
"Truly."
They kissed in the middle of the courtyard, with carriages passing by; the smell of horse manure overpowering them and mud splattering them as the stagecoaches rattled past.
But neither Edmund nor Ellen noticed.
EPILOGUE
The coach drove up the stately mansion house in Paradise Row, Bath. As Ellen descended, she clutched her husband's hands tightly.
Noni hopped down first and skipped ahead, announcing that he'd be playing in the garden.
The boy had turned into a little whirlwind of energy, and now that he'd finally found his voice, he did not stop talking.
"Like a waterfall." Edmund laughed, for the child had chatted the entire way from London to Bath. "Good that he runs off his excess steam in the garden."
A dainty, dark-haired girl wearing a housemaid's garb opened the door and curtsied.
"Is Martha gone?" Ellen asked, surprised.
"Indeed, milady. May I extend a sincere welcome to Miss Hilversham's Seminary for Young Ladies? I trust, milord, milady, that you had a good trip?" She folded her hands and looked at them expectantly, as if wanting to hold a parlour conversation.
"Er. Yes, indeed." Edmund blinked at her.
