Merriment danced in her emerald eyes and Julian instantly dropped to a knee. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Cait leaned forward and grinned. “Maybe.”
“Maybe!”
She then laughed and twirled away. “I have waited five long years for you, Julian. I want a proper courtship and if you wish to grovel for forgiveness, I will accept that as well.”
Cait was going to make him pay a dear price for not being honest with her from the beginning.
“Then will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she answered. “On one condition.”
“What?” Though he was afraid to know what else she would ask of him.
“That your daughter approves. I will not go to your home a stranger to her.”
“I will introduce you as soon as we return to my aunt’s home. She has been up in the nursery.”
“I look forward to meeting her, and your courtship, but most especially your groveling.”
As was he.
Epilogue
Two years later
“Come into the water, Cait,”Valeria called. She’d hiked up her dress, removed her stockings and boots and had been kicking at the waves.
“Not today,” she answered as she placed a hand at the small of her back. The ache had begun when she woke, just as it had done exactly one year ago today, when their son was born.
Who could ever have imagined that she could conceive so quickly.
“Julian,” she cried as Timothy, their one-year-old son ran toward his sister, his chubby legs propelling him across the sand. He’d not been walking long, but in no time, he had learned to run.
Julian raced forward and swept Timothy up in his arms just before he reached the water.
The baby squealed with laughter and Valeria came forward to splash water on both Julian and her brother.
Cait’s face ached from smiling and her heart swelled. To think that this family may have never been hers had Julian’s aunt not hosted a house party. She could still be teaching at the Wiggons’ School for Elegant Young Ladies and Julian would likely be working for the Home Office.
Instead, she was happier than she thought possible, and Cait loved Julian with all her heart and a little more each day.
Valeria had taken to her quickly and a bond was formed before the vows had ever been spoken.
And soon, they would add another child to their family. Julian had insisted that if they were blessed with another son, he would be just as important as Timothy and never would he ever be considered just a spare and ignored.
Valeria rushed out of the tide as Julian walked toward Cait, Timothy in his arms, and did not stop until he was close enough to lean in and kiss her.
“Have I told you how utterly beautiful you are?”
“Yes, this morning.”
He told her every single day.
“And you grow more handsome every day,” she returned.
“I love you, Cait. I always have and I always will.”
“As I love you,” she returned.
He kissed her again.
“Can we go in to luncheon now or are the two of you going to stand on the beach and kiss?”
Julian grinned against her lips before he pulled away. “Come along Valeria, let’s see what Cook has prepared today.”
Cait watched him walk back toward the house, son in one arm and a daughter holding his hand, and her heart swelled once again with happiness and love.
