If You Give A Girl A Viscount

EPILOGUE

Christmas 1828

“Now?” Charlie whispered in his wife’s ear.

It was half past twelve a week before Christmas.

“Tell me when we’re going to get another chance,” Daisy whispered back. “The weather’s been so fine, tonight I’m sure all the guests will arrive.” She beamed round the long plank table situated in the cozy kitchen at Castle Vandemere, where they took their noon meal. “Davy, you, Padric, and Duncan will chop down the mistletoe.”

“Yes, Mummy,” said Davy.

Daisy absolutely refused to let her children call her Mother. She’d made the decision to be the informal mistress of a charming Scottish castle.

Davy scooted back his chair and tipped his chin to his brothers. “If either of you dares throw a snowball at my back, I’ll rub your faces in it. Promise not to?”

Padric and Duncan exchanged a wicked glance. “We promise,” Padric said.

“Me, too,” echoed Duncan.

“No making promises unless you mean to keep them,” Charlie interjected.

Padric’s brow furrowed. “All right, then, Davy. I take it back.”

“Me, too,” Duncan said once more.

Daisy and Charlie exchanged dry glances.

Davy narrowed his eyes at his brothers. “I won’t let you shake the mistletoe down if you’re going to be that way.”

“Is that right?” said Padric. “Just try to catch me. I’m going to beat you out there.”

“Me, too,” said Duncan.

It was all he ever said. Every day, Daisy hoped he’d say more.

All three boys bolted from the table.

“Boys!” called Charlie, and the three of them stopped as one, hurried back to the table, and the two older ones said in unison, “Delicious dinner, Mummy. May I please be excused?”

“Excused?” added Duncan, after the fact.

Daisy and Charlie exchanged a secret, happy glance, then Daisy returned to Mummy mode. She knew that if she mentioned Duncan’s triumph to him that he would be mortified. So she simply nodded graciously, and they took off like a shot again.

“Now be nice to each other!” she called after them. “And don’t go out without your scarves and mittens!”

Two hasty Yes, Mummy’s followed.

Duncan was silent, as usual.

But … he was improving. Daisy was so glad for that.

She turned to the girls. “Meg and Laurel, you’re in charge of Kathleen and Elizabeth. Take them to the attics, please, and allow them to help you bring down the Christmas boxes. They’re big enough girls now.”

Kathleen gasped with pleasure. Elizabeth laughed and clapped her hands.

“Don’t you dare break anything,” said bossy Laurel to her two younger sisters.

Meg patted Laurel’s hand. “The way you did last year?”

Laurel blushed. “I—I forgot about that.”

Charlie arched one brow at Daisy.

She gave a little chuckle.

Their children provided them with endless entertainment. But they were also a handful, as children tended to be.

Daisy and Charlie had a pact, that no matter how many children they had—and seven in seven years seemed quite a lot—they would never, ever stop whispering sweet nothings in each other’s ear and keeping their marital bed warm.

It was a challenge, but having a love nest helped.

“Shall we?” Charlie held out his arm to his wife.

Daisy took it. “Yes, my dear.”

“Where are you going, Mummy?” asked Elizabeth. She had very sharp ears as blindness had made her sensitive to every sound.

Daisy refused to feel guilty about leaving her youngest daughter in the care of her big sisters. “Your father and I have some catching up to do. Won’t you enjoy being the big girl while we’re gone?”

Elizabeth nodded, grinned, and sucked her thumb. Kathleen yanked Elizabeth’s thumb out of her mouth.

And Elizabeth popped it right in again.

As they ascended the stairs, Charlie snorted. “The ones that act like you suck their thumbs to win us over.”

“And the ones that act like you,” Daisy said, “are quite bossy and don’t try to win us over at all.”

Charlie chuckled and linked his arm through his wife’s. “But I love each one of them deeper than I ever imagined I could. I’d lay down my life for every one of those little mites.”

Daisy sighed. “Me, too.” She smiled as she recognized Duncan’s favorite phrase, and her breath caught. “I—I can’t wait for tonight. Can you? I’m a bit nervous. I always get this way.”

Charlie nodded and patted her hand. “I know. But every time it works out. Love makes that happen.”

Daisy’s heart warmed. “The same way you and I came together.”

“Exactly. Who ever thought we would?” He opened the door to their bedchamber, Daisy’s old turret room. A distinct gleam lit his eye. “Enter, my wanton mistress, and I shall lead you to our love nest.”

Daisy grinned at him. “I look forward to it, my lord. And may I say yet again that I think you were a genius in your renovations of Castle Vandemere?”

“Yes, say it as often as you like. I never grow tired of hearing of my brilliance.” Charlie’s kiss was as ardent as ever.

And the joy they shared over the life they were creating together added another level of satisfaction to their lovemaking, leaving no room for familiarity to dampen their enthusiasm for each other.

Daisy’s heart immediately quickened when Charlie’s capable hand caressed her waist and moved to her breast. Her husband was her respite. The one who gave her strength when she was depleted.

He was her one, true love.

And as for Charlie, he loved Daisy more and more each day. She’d made him fully a man.

Without her, he was nothing.

Slowly, they made their way across the room, kissing all the while. Charlie reached behind his wife and twisted the knob to the closet door.

Locked, of course. No one other than they had ever seen inside.

Sighing with pleasure—Charlie was kissing the pulse point on her neck—Daisy reached out to a nearby shelf without looking, grabbed the key, and placed it in his hand. They nearly stumbled across the threshold, but it was their love nest, after all, and they knew every little thing about it.

Once inside, they broke apart and Charlie locked the door again, Daisy behind him and holding on to his belly all the while and rubbing wide circles over it with her palms. When she moved her hand lower, Charlie laid his head on the door and let out a pleasurable groan before he turned to her.

“Minx,” he said, his voice hoarse with need. “Attacking me while I’m securing the door.”

“It’s why you never let me secure the door. I think you quite look forward to my little attack.”

“I confess you’re right,” he said, and immediately began to disrobe her.

She was untying his cravat when their bedchamber door was flung open.

“Mummy! Daddy!” It was Davy’s voice. “I see the visitors! They’ve arrived in Glen Dewey!”

“Where are they?” asked Padric. “I could swear Elizabeth said they went upstairs.”

“I think they must have gone outside,” said Davy. “Let’s check the bungalow first. Mummy’s probably showing Daddy her new Christmas gown. And then we’ll count all the carriages again.”

Three pairs of feet could be heard running down the stone stairs.

Neither Charlie nor Daisy said a word for a moment.

“I always tell them to knock,” Charlie said with an exasperated sigh. “I really must get that lock repaired.”

“When have we had time since the children have arrived? It’s why our love nest is more valuable than ever,” Daisy replied with a giggle, and continued her disrobing of Charlie.

“Wait,” he said, staying her hand with a kiss to her fingertips. “Should we?”

“Why not? The girls are probably outside, too. No doubt they’re all jumping up and down and yelling down to Glen Dewey, as if anyone can hear them. And the horses must rest before coming up the slope.”

The two lovers and best friends looked at each other.

“I need this, darling,” Daisy whispered, her palms on Charlie’s chest. “For the rest of the month, things will be lovely—but crazy. And you never know. If the snow is horrendous, everyone could be here for another month. Or two.”

She nearly shuddered. Charlie didn’t look thrilled at that prospect, either.

“I adore everyone, of course,” Daisy said in sincere tones.

“As do I.” Charlie pulled her close and grinned. “But I adore when it’s just us even more.”

Daisy brightened. “If we’re snowed in, at least we’ll have plenty of room if everyone gets restless. The guests can always move to the Keep.”

“Fine plan.” Charlie kissed her temple and nuzzled her ear. “The Beebses will no doubt come to the rescue.”

Daisy lifted her neck to luxuriate in his kisses even more. “Of course they will. And they’ll be here tonight.”

Daisy loved living next door to Cassandra and her husband, whom she’d grown to love as a brother, the same way she loved Cassandra as a true sister.

“Right,” said Charlie with spirit. “We have it all worked out. Now, it’s time for our own private celebration of … things to come.” He made a wry face. “In case Harry is anxious to get here, we’ll have to make it short.”

“But sweet,” Daisy added.

“Ah, love, it’s always sweet with you.” Charlie’s enthusiasm always undid her.

He pulled at her laces.

She worked on his breeches.

Eventually, they stood together naked, their bodies pressed together, heat rising between them.

“No time for besotted gazing,” Charlie murmured. And lifted his bride in his arms. He walked a few short feet away to the only object in the tiny room—situated beneath the stained-glass window of the Golden Prince and the Golden Girl, which used to adorn the drawing room until Charlie had it moved.

Gently, he lowered Daisy to a cozy feather tick on the floor. The bed was covered with beautiful silken pillows. She laughed as he lowered her, which made him laugh—and then she pulled him right on top of her and rolled beneath him to her belly.

“This way,” she said. “It never fails to delight me.”

Their earlier days, when they’d been forced to share a room at the Keep and Charlie had kept to his promise not to ruin her completely, had given them a confident enthusiasm for pleasuring each other in all sorts of ways.

When Daisy spread her legs beneath him, her beautiful rear end providing the sweetest cushion for his loins, Charlie felt lust and love for his wife harden the length of him. He kissed her shoulders, her spine, and worked his way down to her feminine core.

Then with great relish, he kissed her.

She lifted her hips as her moans of pleasure increased.

“Your mouth feels delicious, but the other way, darling,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “Now. Please.”

“I won’t object to that,” he said, dizzy with wanting her.

When he knelt behind her and allowed the tip of his manhood to tease her, she threw her arms out, the same way she’d done so many years ago on the Stone Steps.

He adored knowing every move she’d make. She was his.

His.

And he would make her his again. Right now.

“More, Charlie. Please.” She wriggled her rear to bring him closer.

How he wanted more, as well! Pivoting his hips, he plunged into her, all the while caressing the feminine pearl he knew so well.

Daisy closed her eyes, reveling in the wondrous pleasure Charlie was giving her, and found she couldn’t speak anymore. The pleasure built, bathing her in waves of intense gratification, the kind only Charlie could bring her.

She was here. Now. Nowhere else in her mind. She’d learned to let go … to be at ease—to believe she deserved all good things—thanks to Charlie’s skills as a lover and his devoted attention to her as her husband and best friend.

As their bodies collided in a lush, primal dance, all Daisy’s current motherly worries and cares slipped away like magic. All the old fears had long since passed, as well, especially as Mona was in Italy, in a lovely private house that catered to people with disturbed minds.

Charlie had seen to that. Daisy had told him she couldn’t bear to think of the harridan in prison. But neither could she let Mona walk the world alone, and either do to others what she’d attempted to do to Daisy, or flounder without a roof over her head and food in her belly.

No. Things were wonderful here in the present. Even more wonderful than Charlie knew.

She grasped the silken pillows and let her dearest companion make her his own. The fingers of his right hand wooed her, driving her mad with longing.

“Come with me, my love,” he murmured.

Those words sent her into the realm of utter bliss. She let herself cry out, a lengthy cry of satisfaction matched only by Charlie’s own.

Seconds later, without releasing her from their carnal bond, Charlie leaned down and kissed her neck.

“Mmmm.” Daisy smiled, her eyes closed. “That was perfect.”

“It’s your day,” Charlie said. “Always.” And gave her the tiniest slap on the bottom.

She rolled over instantly, and pulled him down. “It’s your day, too.”

“I’ve never gotten used to that fact, either,” he said, gratitude and love shining in his eyes.

Daisy bit her lip. “I have something very important to tell you, Charlie Thorpe. It’s one reason I wanted us to be together … before everyone descends upon us.”

“Oh?” Concern lit his eyes. “Is everything all right?”

She gave him the sweetest smile in the world. “Yes, it is. Better than all right. We’re going … we’re going to have a baby.”

Charlie laughed and kissed her. “I know that, dear. But I don’t blame you for announcing it. It’s always a miracle, isn’t it? Although he’s not a brand-new baby. He’s a year.”

“And he’s from Cheapside, like Davy.” Daisy wiped away a tear. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

“Nor I.” Charlie chuckled just thinking about it. Every time a new son or daughter entered their family, he was thrilled, so thrilled he teared up upon first gazing at their precious faces.

They were his sons and daughters of the heart.

Of his soul.

As close to him as any child born of his loins could ever be.

Daisy bit her lip. “But Charlie, we’re going to have a baby”—she hesitated—“in say, about seven months from now.”

She looked up at him, and he drowned in the love, hope, and the bit of anxiety he saw there.

“Oh, my dear,” he whispered. “Can that be? After all this time?”

She blinked back tears. “I know. I can’t believe it, either.”

“You’ll be fine, darling. And so will our baby.”

She sighed. “I was positive it would never happen. But”—she smiled—“apparently, it was meant to be, after all.”

He bestowed a tender kiss upon her lips. “Our family was meant to be. Just the way it is.”

“Yes,” Daisy whispered, and laid a palm on his cheek.

He pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair. She clung to him, and they lay together a few silent minutes, relishing their bond and the precious children who were now a part of it and those who soon would be.

“I suppose we should get up now,” Charlie said, “but I can’t regret it. We’re about to meet our new son.”

Daisy sat up, excited. “I can’t wait. And I also can’t wait to see the other Impossible Bachelors and their wives and children.”

“Don’t forget Perdita and her Spanish marquis,” Charlie said.

Daisy still couldn’t believe the Spanish marquis had returned to Glen Dewey, the very next day after Perdita’s assault on Daisy.

Perdita had roared at him to leave, saying she was a no-good, wicked woman who deserved to die for nearly killing her stepsister. But the marquis wouldn’t leave. In fact, he’d said he wanted to take her on a hunt—their own private hunt, with Perdita in her borrowed kilt—to discuss the matter. By the time they’d returned with the eight-point buck Perdita had shot, they were engaged to be married.

They visited every two years. Last time, they’d brought them Duncan, when he’d just turned two. He’d been the son of a former maid at the marquis’s castle, a woman who’d run off and simply left him stranded there.

“Thank God Perdita and the marquis were part of that disastrous first Highland experience,” Daisy said. “If they hadn’t been, we never would have known our son.”

It gave her shivers to think how close they’d come to missing out on that chance!

“Dunk’s getting closer, isn’t he?” Charlie said. “Saying ‘Excused’ after the noon meal. He’s feeling more like one of the boys.”

“Oh, the little dear!” Daisy’s heart warmed at the thought of him. “Although I will never allow him to forget his native tongue. I’m learning it myself”—she leaned down and stroked the hair back from her beloved’s temple—“querido.”

Charlie accepted her caresses with the ease of a man who believes he deserves happiness and doesn’t question it … his masculine sense of entitlement still made her laugh.

He opened one eye. “And querido means?”

“Dear one. Dear one who longs to take a nap,” she amended, “as he always does after he’s had a particularly passionate round of loving.” She smiled, leaped up, and began to shimmy into her gown. “Just think. I can borrow all the clothes Cassandra wore when she was with child. But I’ll also sew myself a few very special gowns of my own.”

“Excellent,” Charlie said, raising himself up on one elbow. “You deserve those new gowns.”

She slanted a pert gaze at him. “I know. And you deserve a late night with your friends in the library and billiards room this evening. Please take it, darling. The ladies and I will have a marvelous time of our own catching up. And I must confess, I’m getting rather tired at night. I’ll not be up late. Of course, the other women will understand when I explain the reason.”

“Who’s going to watch all the children?”

“Perdita’s nanny.”

“Very good.” Charlie stood up, too, and put his hands around Daisy’s waist. “I’m the happiest man on earth,” he said.

She kissed him and allowed him to cherish her by letting him tie her laces.

A loud clamoring came from outside. Yells of delight, the rattle of carriages, and stomping of horses’ hooves.

“They’re here,” Daisy exclaimed, licking a thumb and pushing the hair off her temples while Charlie went even faster with the lacing.

He then hopped into his breeches, tucked in his shirt, and threw on his coat. “Let’s go.”

“Otherwise, they might guess what we’ve been up to.”

One last kiss, and then moments later, they were on the drawbridge with Joe and Hester. They both waved madly as the retinue of carriages drove up.

Daisy’s heart hammered beneath her gown. Their new son was in one of those vehicles.

“Oh, it’s a wonderful moment,” Hester murmured.

“Aye,” said Joe. “Another shinty player for the family team.”

Charlie squeezed Daisy’s hand. “Gather round, children!” he called to their brood.

They all raced to their parents’ sides.

The hired drivers sat stoically in their seats as the travelers stepped out of all the carriages but the first one.

Daisy was fit to be tied.

She loved all these people, but—

Where was that baby?

After what seemed a lifetime, Stephen and Jilly emerged from the first carriage with Jilly carefully carrying a bundle of tartan in her arms. She locked gazes with Daisy, and both of them teared up at the same time.

“Your new son,” Stephen called to Charlie, his voice a bit rough around the edges. “He’s here to have the Highland experience.”

Everyone chuckled nervously.

It was as if time stood still while Stephen and Jilly carried the bundle over to Charlie and Daisy, a trail of visitors following behind quietly, everyone carrying the strain of long-distance travel around their eyes, even the children. Yet every person present wore expectant, happy expressions.

“Your son,” said Jilly with a certain reverence. With great care, she handed the tartan-wrapped bundle to Daisy, who got her first glimpse of her son’s tiny, perfect face. Charlie put his arm around Daisy’s shoulder and took in his son’s remarkable visage, too.

Then he and Daisy looked at each other.

Dear God, he was a miracle!

And in that moment, the magic began its work. Love drew the family together around the new baby son, baby brother, baby cousin—

And baby nephew to all his honorary uncles.

“Welcome, Barnabas,” Daisy whispered to him.

He looked up at her with solemn eyes.

“B-Barney,” piped up Duncan, and tugged at the tartan plaid blanket.

Charlie’s face split into a grin. Daisy gave a hiccupping laugh. “Oh, my dear ones,” she said to everyone around her. It was all she could think of to say.

But it was enough.

She looked up and saw Cassandra and Ebenezer appear, striding happily around the byre, their oldest child, a girl, tagging alongside them, and their little boy on Cassandra’s hip.

Daisy gave Barney to Charlie. He stared at him a moment, then held him carefully aloft. “Look who’s here,” he called to Cassandra and her family.

Cassandra’s face was bright with joy, even more than usual, and Ebenezer beamed. Their little one, Dirk, had his entire hand in his mouth and appeared to have just woken from a nap.

Nicholas and Harry stepped forward, both accompanied by their respective wives, Poppy and Molly, who smiled broadly at Daisy, even as they wiped their eyes with lovely, bright lace handkerchiefs.

Nicholas laid a folded kilt in Daisy’s arms. “A long time ago, we told Charlie that if he won a bet we’d made, we’d reward him.”

“He didn’t win,” Harry said. “He did his damnedest to lose it, all because he fell in love with you.”

“But we wanted to give him a present anyway,” said Stephen. “We were simply waiting for the right moment.”

“It’s been an honor to bring you baby Barnabas,” Nicholas remarked. “So we commissioned a tartan specialist to design you your very own tartan. The Thorpe tartan.”

“Of the House of Lumley,” Stephen added. “Charlie, we hope you wear this on the grand days. And on hunting days.”

Harry cleared his throat. “And any day you care to remind yourself and the world that you were all brought together for a reason—by love—to create your own very special clan.”

“Know that this tartan design symbolizes our esteem and love for you,” Molly said softly.

Poppy took Molly’s arm. “Indeed, it does.”

Charlie couldn’t speak for a moment.

“You’re part of our clan,” he eventually said, his voice full of gratitude as he looked around him. “Every person here today.”

He looked down at baby Barnabas and kissed his forehead.

“Thank you,” Daisy uttered with feeling as she clung to Charlie’s arm. “We love you all.”

And then she kissed her viscount, the one that had been given to her. Once again she thanked her lucky stars that the man who’d been the emissary for her godmother had become so much more than a guardian of sorts.

They were true partners.

Soul mates.

She handed off the new kilt to Harry, and with loving care, Charlie handed Barney back to his mother. Together, they laughed softly over their new son’s bundled form, then walked over the drawbridge and into Castle Vandemere, the people who were dearest in the world to them following close behind.