EPILOGUE
Nine months later
“Her Grace, the Duchess of Blackvale,” Valaria breathed close to Callum’s ear as they spun around the dancefloor at their wedding exactly one day after her mourning period had ended.
Not that they had been acting as anything but man and wife for all the months before that.They had been going back and forth between each other’s homes almost every night.And yes, there had been a stir at the beginning, thanks to the whispers caused by Lady Pittsgreen, but Valaria’s friends had eased that.Flora and Bernadette, along with the Duchess of Amberleigh, had spread a very different story.The truth: that Callum had comforted her in her worst moments.That they had fallen deeply in love.That it was the height of romance and a triumph of the heart over grief and pain.
And Society had, as promised, eaten it up.An invitation to the day’s festivities had been one of the most sought after of the Season.
“That is music to my ears,” Callum said, drawing her from her thoughts.“Say it again.”
“Your wife,” she repeated.“In body now, as well as soul.”
“A body I happen to adore,” he said.
She laughed, lighter now than she had ever been.Thanks to him.This wonderful man who had been everything she ever needed.Who would always be that.He had lifted the weight of the world from her shoulders and eased not only her fears, but Fanny’s, as well.Her maid had come to adore him as he proved his honesty and protectiveness over the months.Even now Fanny beamed from across the room, all fear erased from her countenance.
Fanny had earned that, and Valaria was so happy to see her at ease again.
Which meant now she only worried about her friends.She scanned the ballroom looking for them.Flora stood on one side of the room, but she was not alone.Her last few months had been interesting, to say the least, and her new happiness was reflected on her face.
She found Bernadette stood on the other side of the floor, standing beside Theo.In the months since Valaria’s engagement, Theo had come around more and more often.And his renewed friendship with Bernadette had grown.Bernadette refused to speak of it, of course, dismissed any question about how she felt when it came to the handsome duke.
But now the two were engaged in deep conversation, one that did not look entirely happy.
Valaria shook her head.“I only hope my two friends will soon be as happy as I am.”
Callum tucked a finger beneath her chin and tilted it up so that suddenly all there was was him.And as always, the fears fell away as he smiled at her.That was the gift of his heart and his love.He just made everything in her life better.
“Theywillbe happy,” he assured her.“Though happy as we are could be a stretch.No one in the world could quite reach these heights.”
“No,” she agreed as she clung to him tighter and let him spin her around the floor.“No one in the world.”
