Henry straightened up, looking formidable as the moonlight came out from behind a raincloud, lighting up his stern face. “The constables are already waiting at what remains of the house. They will take you away, where you will face a lengthy sentence, as ordained by a court of law. As you know, they rarely show leniency when a high-stationed member of the peerage has been attacked. I would not be surprised if you spend the rest of your days in a prison cell.”
“You see, Lord Powell,” Arabella added, “there is no one left to defend you. You have torched your bridges as well as Henry’s home. And, truly, you have no one to blame for that but yourself.”
Henry gave a pointed nod to the powerfully muscled captor. “Deliver him to the constables.”
With a gruff sound of agreement, the huge man hauled Lord Powell away across the cove, barely altering his gait as they made the steep ascent to the clifftop above. At another nod from Henry, the rest of the men followed behind, while the other men at the top would help to prevent any escape.
As the last of them vanished into the rainy gloom, Henry exhaled in a drawn-out puff of air that appeared to deflate him. Arabella realized, in that moment, that anger and revenge were not emotions that came naturally to her beloved. The discovery pleased her, for she much preferred the amusing, clumsy, kind fellow that she had grown to adore.
“Did you know it was him?” she asked quietly.
He gave a halfhearted nod. “I suspected, but I could not make an accusation without some kind of proof.” He smiled. “I owe that to you and your loveliness. If I had interrogated the boy the way I had planned, I fear we would never have discovered the real culprit.”
“And you will keep your promise regarding David? He is a victim of this, as much as anyone.” In a short span of time, Arabella had become fond of the spindly boy. A maternal sort of affection made her want to keep him safe. In truth, it had made her wonder what she might be like as a mother.
As long as I am kind, loving, attentive, and caring, I think I might raise a happy child. One who knows they are loved, always.
Henry closed the gap between them, enfolding her in his arms. “I will keep my promise, my love. There is nothing to be done for the house other than rebuilding the East Wing, but David has gone some way toward remedying his crime. For that, he will not be punished further.”
“Thank you, my love.” Arabella held tight to him, burying her face in his shoulder and inhaling the fresh, rain-cleansed scent of him.
After a few minutes, Henry pulled away slightly and gazed longingly into her eyes. “Might I have my answer now? I am content to remain in the rain, like this, until I hear the words from you. We may catch our death of cold, but that is entirely at your discretion.”
“How can I answer a question that has not been asked?” Arabella replied, smiling giddily. Inside her chest, her heart thudded faster, and the butterflies fluttered gleefully in her stomach.
Henry chuckled. “You are quite right, as always.” He pushed a few sodden tendrils away from her cheek. “Darling Arabella, would you do me the grandest honor of consenting to be my wife? Will you allow me to cherish you, for all the days of our lives?”
“I will,” she gasped, feeling no desire to keep him in suspense. “I will, my dear, sweet Henry.”
Raucous applause erupted from nearby, alerting Henry and Arabella to the fact that Cassie had not gone with the men. She jigged from foot to foot in a merry dance, and though any falling tears were mingling with the rain, Arabella was certain that Cassie was crying with joy.
“My Lord, Milady, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this! You will be deliriously happy, Milady, I just know it,” she crowed, before straightening up and turning her back. “Apologies, My Lord, Milady. That was unbecoming. You’ll not hear another peep out of me. Go on. Continue as you were. Don’t mind me.”
Arabella laughed heartily. To her, her friend’s interruption was utterly perfect. After all, Cassie was the one who had encouraged this union and without her, Arabella was not entirely sure if she would have made a good choice. Moreover, Cassie would go with Arabella wherever she went, so it was only right that she should be involved in the proposal.
“I am glad our enthusiasm is shared,” Henry said, grinning. “Though no one can be happier than I am, at this very moment.”
Arabella arched a challenging eyebrow. “I would not be so sure of that, my love.”
Boldly, she leaned in toward him and smiled as her lips touched his. It was a peculiar sensation, tofeelsomeone’s smile instead of merely seeing it, but it was a sensation she was determined to repeat as often as possible. That way, she would know that happiness was truly hers, and would continue on until the pair of them were old and gray. Still laughing, still jesting, still affectionate, still ridiculously in love, she hoped.
His arms encircled her waist as he kissed her back, while the rain lashed down upon them. But the droplets were warm, feeling more like a caress than a scolding.
“I love you,” she whispered, breaking their kiss for a moment.
He smiled. “As I love you, my dearest.”
Their lips met once more in blissful harmony, moving to music that only they could hear and performing a rhythm that only they knew. The Viennese Waltz would always be their dance, but this was the dance of their hearts, and it was the most exhilarating of them all.
And as their kiss deepened, and Arabella heard gleeful squeaks coming from Cassie’s direction, she could not help but smile to herself and think,I got my happy ending, after all.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Summer had long turned to autumn, the forests carpeted by vividly flushed leaves—rich reds, golden yellows, rusty browns, and shimmering bronzes—and the first breath of winter frosted the ground more thickly. Snow had not yet fallen, but the crisp, bracing air carried its scent. Most were grateful to be spared the icy flurries, but one person was disappointed that the snow was not hurrying its approach.
“I hoped the grounds would be blanketed in white,” Arabella lamented, rocking side to side in the carriage as it trundled toward the church. “At least it will not be long before the lake freezes over. Henry says he has never skated on ice, and I am eager to teach him.”
