“Are you certain you want to marry me?” she asked. “After meeting my mother?”
“You are not your mother. You areyourself,” Ethan said tenderly. “A brave, loving, and alarmingly resourceful woman, and the only one I’ve ever loved.”
“I do love you so.” Her voice hitched. “But your family?—”
“We will welcome you with open arms.”
This came from Lady Blackwood, who entered the room with her husband. They were both smiling at her…as were Ethan’s brothers. If Xenia’s heart got any fuller, she feared it might burst.
So this is what it feels like to belong. To be part of a family.
Rawlins cleared his throat. “I daresay an interrogation will not be necessary, my lord. It is obvious that Joanna Wardell was behind the nefarious schemes carried out this eve and was thwarted, thanks to the brave actions of Miss Loveday. However, I was hoping that Miss Loveday could furnish me with facts to solidify the case against Mrs. Wardell?—”
“I nearly forgot!” Xenia exclaimed. “I found the stolen valuables. They are in a secret room behind the fireplace. It was dark so I couldn’t see the items clearly, but I think there are at least three large chests full of jewelry.”
“You defended the manor and found the treasure. How efficient of you, my love.” Ethan laughed and pulled her close. “No more excuses. Will you be mine?”
Xenia’s heart spoke for her. “Now that I am free from my past, all that I am is yours—my heart, body, and soul.”
His eyes gleamed with proud recognition of the gift she was giving him. In front of everyone, he kissed her, and she kissed him back. The world faded to the beauty of being in her beloved’s arms…of coming home at last.
ChapterThirty-Eight
With the turmoil over, Ethan wanted to marry Xenia as soon as possible. Yet his mama had insisted that everything be done right for Xenia’s sake, and he’d relented…up to a point. He was willing to wait three weeks, sufficient time for the banns to be read and preparations to be made. Mama and Gigi, who’d taken charge of planning the affair, protested vociferously at the haste, but Xenia sided with him and offered to help expedite the arrangements however she could.
The wedding would take place in the village church, with a reception afterward at Bottoms House. Thus, fixing up the manor became a priority since it had sustained damage during the battle with Lady Jo. Fortunately, the Hirschfield brothers were up to the task…as were other residents of Chuddums. To Ethan’s surprise and gratitude, the villagers came in droves to lend a hand.
Mr. Bailey and his sons helped rebuild the gazebo. Mr. Duffield brought over fabric samples and agonized with Mama, Gigi, and Xenia over the color scheme for the wedding. Mrs. O’Hara was supplying flowers from her garden (as long as Mrs. Elmwood’s felonious feline hadn’t dug them up), and Mrs. Thornton and Mrs. Pettigrew offered to cook for the afternoon reception, with Mr. Khan bringing a selection of sweets. The catering came as a blessing because Ethan once again found himself without a cook.
The jewels Xenia had found matched those taken during a spate of house burglaries. The Corrigans had been the main suspects, but without the goods, the constables had lacked proof of wrongdoing. Now that the jewelry had been recovered—in chests that bore the Corrigans’ insignia—Rawlins and his men went to make arrests and discovered Mrs. Johnson living in the gang’s flash house.
Apparently, the cook was married to a gang member and had been sent to infiltrate Ethan’s household and search for the stolen loot. Failing to find the jewels, she’d killed the chickens, staged the hoax with the piano, and set fire to the gazebo in hopes of scaring Ethan off the premises. Rawlins had taken her into custody and arrested Harlow and other gang members for burglary and extortion, as several villagers had come forward to bear witness. A few ruffians had escaped, but the constable wasn’t concerned because the gang’s power had dwindled since the village’s revolt against them.
Peace settled over Bottoms House, and Ethan had never been happier. He was spending time with his family, including Owen. With Xenia’s help, he was making progress on his sonata and discovering a passion for composition. Sitting at the piano, he felt a renewed sense of purpose and destiny, especially when he had his pretty fiancée by his side. During those intimate sessions, they worked on his pieces, their hands moving in perfect synchrony over the keyboard...and often over each other.
They had cozy talks, too.
Xenia finally felt free to tell him about her past. Tears had streamed down her cheeks as she’d shared how her mama had taken away the two men who’d protected and cared for her and her fear that Lady Jo would do the same to Ethan. She’d described a few happy memories, too: of her papa and how he’d given her a love of stories.
It was Ethan who suggested that Xenia find a new way to channel her storytelling talents now that she’d laid Sirena to rest. This had started gears turning in Xenia’s head, and she’d eagerly started outlining a novel which included a love story, treasure hunt, and a ghost. He couldn’t wait to see what she came up with.
As for Xenia’s mother, Lady Jo had been convicted of numerous offenses and put behind bars for the rest of her days. Rawlins had given Xenia credit for the capture of Lady Jo. Although the issue of Xenia’s past involvement in the gang had arisen, the magistrates rightfully saw Xenia as a blameless victim of her mama’s brutality, and no charges were pressed against her.
Xenia was free from her past. She no longer had to pretend to be anyone but herself—the brave and inventive little minx he’d fallen in love with. Freedom suited his bride-to-be. It was as if the burden of her history had been a disguise of its own, and she shed that entirely now. She radiated happiness, her peerless eyes bright with the promise of their future. She was so beautiful that he couldn’t stick to his gentlemanly intention to wait until their wedding night.
During their rendezvous, they explored each other with ravenous delight. She’d been sore after their first time, but he’d discovered a creative use for her balm. The memory sizzled through him of pushing his ointment-covered fingers deep into his beloved’s snug cunny, her eyes heavy-lidded as she watched. He’d spread the stuff thoroughly, stirring his digits until she’d begged him for more. He exhaled, recalling the tingling tightness of her pussy around his cock. When he showed her one of his favorite variations, turning her over and rubbing the ointment over her pearl as he plowed her from behind, she’d sung her Siren’s song into a pillow, her rippling climax milking him dry.
Xenia entered the study, her expression quizzical. “What are you smiling about, darling?”
Her blush-colored frock set off her fiery hair perfectly. She was as delectable as a peach, and he couldn’t wait to eat her. Tonight, hopefully.
“You.” Reminding himself that their wedding night was only a few days away, he satisfied himself with a kiss on her cute, freckled nose. “Is that a new dress?”
“The garments keep arriving.” She looked a little frazzled. “Your mama says I must have a proper trousseau, but at the risk of sounding ungrateful, she has ordered enough clothing for a dozen brides. Your parents have already been generous beyond words, and I don’t know what to do.”
Toying with a loose tendril at her temple, he suggested, “Let them spoil you.”
His family adored Xenia, and he wasn’t surprised that they recognized in her what she still sometimes had difficulty seeing in herself. Her humility was part of her charm. And he had a lifetime to cure her of it—to prove to her just how special she was.
