“What did he say?” Dorrie asked.
“That, he’d had no choice.”
“Well then,” Somer said. “But you knew that already, Gus.”
“Yes, I think I did.” He leaned into Somer. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Love, Dorrie thought. It was both an uncomfortable and wonderful thing. She looked at Ash again; this time his eyes were on her. There was still no expression on his face. Nothing to say what he was feeling, and yet she knew what lay beneath that blank façade was a bubbling caldron of emotion. How could it not be?
“I need to talk to Baron,” Gus said. “He saved me, and we now know it was Ash who sent him to do that, as they’re here together.”
“Aunt Dorrie!”
Looking behind her, she found Meredith, Dev’s youngest. Dark curls had a ribbon threaded through them, and her dress was white, with grubby stains on the skirt that suggested she’d been on her knees.
“Hello, Merry.” She lifted the child onto her lap. At six, Merry, like Katherine, was a force of nature. According to their parents, they had left the strongest-willed for last… or they’d given up disciplining them.
“Aunt Dorrie, I want to meet that man.” She pointed to Ash.
“Well now, he’s Uncle Gus’s brother, so perhaps you should ask him.”
“Uncle Gus!”
Dorrie winced at the piercing shriek.
“Yes, Merry?”
“I want to meet your brother.”
“I’m sure I can organize that.” He smiled at her.
“If I could have your attention, please.” James clinked his glass and rose.
“Hello, Uncle James!” Merry shrieked.
“Hello, Merry.” He waggled his fingers at her, making the guests laugh.
“As you know, we are here to celebrate the union of yet another Raven to a Sinclair. Gus is my cousin and traveled a great distance to find Somer. He, like the others who carry my blood, are now part of this wonderful family we find ourselves surrounded by. Somer is my sister in every way that matters, and I wish her and Gus every happiness for their life together.”
James raised his glass, and everyone joined in, doing the same.
Dev spoke next, talking about Somer, and then Cam rose.
“My baby sisters have been a constant source of delight to me. I wasn’t always the pillar of respectability I am today.”
This produced hoots of laughter.
“But Dorrie and Somer always believed in me. Always loved me unconditionally, as did the rest of my family. I’ve always known that the twins were the very best of all of us. They are wonderful, talented young women who will no doubt tax me until the day I draw my last breath.”
She felt Somer’s head settle on her shoulder. Merry patted her cheek.
“Every happiness to you, little sister.” He looked at Somerset. “You better be good to her, or there will be nowhere to hide,” he said to Gus with a mock scowl.
Gus rose next, while Dorrie and Somer wiped their eyes.
“When I came to England, my goal was to live the life I wanted. That did not include family or the multiple Sinclairs and Ravens I now have at my back. I had no wish for more in my life, just that it was comfortable. It wasn’t until I found Somer that I realized what I was missing. When you suffer a loss, you go into hiding. You put away what you were and make the best of what you’ve become. In short, you exist.”
