Bright side, remember?
Epilogue
Three years later at Whickerton Grove
Standing arm in arm with her husband upon a gentle hill that sloped down toward Whickerton Grove, Edith breathed in the warm summer air. A soft breeze stirred the leaves and made the tall grass sway gently from side to side as bees buzzed busily nearby and crickets chirped here and there. The sun warmed her skin, and for a brief moment, Edith closed her eyes and leaned into her husband’s embrace.
“It is truly a peaceful day, is it not?” Jasper asked with a chuckle, brushing a kiss onto her temple.
Sighing, Edith nodded. “A rare thing indeed.” Then she opened her eyes and looked down upon their son, Charles, not yet two years of age. He sat in the tall grass farther down the hill, grabbing fistfuls of grass and yanking it from the ground before inspecting his treasure most thoroughly. Once satisfied, he held out his open hands to show his discovery to Aiden, Adele and Cameron’s little lad, who clapped his hands together excitedly. Then he reached out and plucked something from Charles’ hand, holding it carefully between two fingers.
Edith narrowed her eyes. “What do you think they found? A bug of some kind?”
Squinting his eyes, Jasper shrugged. “As long as they don’t eat them.”
Edith slapped his shoulder playfully. “Don’t put that thought in my head.”
Down in the meadow, Adele and Cameron were strolling through the tall grass, occasionally casting the same curious glances at their son and Charles as Jasper and Edith. Meeting Adele’s eyes, Edith waved, overjoyed to have them here in Whickerton Grove.
“Did they say how long they wished to stay?” Jasper asked with a sideways glance, his voice gentle.
Edith turned to smile up at him, excitement coursing through her veins. “Until the end of summer! We shall have picnics and catch fireflies and—”
Suddenly leaning down, Jasper captured her lips in a kiss. “I love that adventurous spark in your eyes,” he murmured against her lips. “It suits you.” His arms tightened upon her back, pulling her closer. “You’ve missed her dearly, have you not?”
A deep sigh left Edith’s lips as she looked up into his warm eyes. Then she nodded. “It is hard to be this far apart, but I’m overjoyed to have her here now.” She smiled. “And I will make the most of the time we’ve been given.”
“Any regrets?” Jasper asked all of a sudden, an oddly serious note in his voice. “After all, decisions were made rather quickly that Christmas season.”
Holding his gaze, Edith shook her head. “Not one.” She pressed a tender kiss onto his lips. “I love you, and if I’d had a year to think everything through, I would not have chosen differently.” She held his gaze, then turned to look at their son. “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
Edith sighed, her eyes finding his once more. “Promise me we will encourage our children to marry for love and nothing else. I want them to know the same happiness we found.”
Gently grasping her chin, Jasper leaned down to brush his lips against hers. “I promise,” he whispered before kissing her. “Let’s make it a family tradition.”
Edith smiled. “I love the way you think, my lord.”
“And I’ve always adored the way you…” His voice trailed off, the look upon his face suggesting that he was lost for words.
Edith frowned. “What? Nothing comes to mind?”
Chuckling, he pinched her chin. “Too much comes to mind.” He kissed her gently, then looked past her down the slope at their son. “He will be happy one day, won’t he? And in love?”
Edith nodded, turning in his arms to look at her precious child. “I will do what I can to make certain of that.”
Jasper smiled. “Then it is guaranteed.”
Edith chuckled. Then she rested her head against her husband’s shoulder, enjoying the way his arms wrapped around her as they looked out over their home. Yes, a new family tradition. To marry for love: what a splendid idea!
THE END
Thank you for readingOnce Upon an Aggravatingly Heroic Kiss!
Have you read the Whickerton saga yet? Of course, Edie will not take such a vow lightly, determined to ensure that the next generations will know the same love she found with Jasper…in her very own, meddlesome ways!
Read book 1,Once Upon a Devilishly Enchanting Kiss, a captivating enemies-to-lovers Regency romance!