Jenny threw her hands up to her mouth and with her heart racing cried out, “Oh, no, I could never to that!”
Epilogue
Thomas was struck silent by her refusal and fled the room.
“Jenny! What are you doing?” Helena cried out, falling on her knees in front of Jenny. “Are you totally out of your mind? You just refused marriage to Thomas Haddington, the Duke of Pemberton? He just offered for you to be his duchess. What are you thinking?!”
Jenny was frozen with her mouth open and unable to speak. Her eyes were glazed, and she just seemed to be staring out into space. Helena had to take her by the shoulders and violently shake her.
Jenny suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked at Helena. “What just happened?” she asked in the voice of a child.
Helena was quiet and said firmly, “Thomas just asked you to marry him, and you refused.”
“I did?” she asked putting her hands to the side of her head.
“Why?” Helena asked.
“I have no idea. Everything went blank. I could not hear anything. I could not understand what anyone was saying.” She paused and looked intently at her friend. “Thomas asked me to marry him? Is that true? He did that?”
“Yes, yes, yes, Jenny. And he just rushed out when you refused him. Shall I call him back? He cannot have left yet.”
And, of course, she changed her mind. Or rather, Helena helped her to reconsider.
After scrambling outdoors in her dressing gown, Helena caught hold of Thomas’s sleeve just as he was about to mount his horse.
“Thomas, dear friend, come back inside—please. Do not run away.”
He turned and stared at her. “But she refused me, Helena. My dearest Jenny said no.”
“Come,” she pleaded, pulling at his sleeve again. “I think this can be sorted out. What you need is a nice cup of tea.”
* * *
Thomas came hesitantly back into Helena’s room and stood facing Jenny.
“Did you remember what I asked you?” Thomas asked.
“No. Tell me again.” Jenny said standing straight and unmoving.
“Jenny Barnett, will you marry me and be my wife?”
She did not answer for the longest time and then said, “Yes, I think I would like that. If you really mean it.”
“I do mean it, Jenny Barnett, I really do.”
Jenny rushed forward and threw her arms around his neck and leaned forward and they kissed—gently, lovingly, and then passionately.
“Woah,” Helena cried out. “There is far too much heat in this room.”
Jenny took a step backward and said to Thomas, “I have been waiting to do what I thought would never be possible. Thank you, dearest Thomas.”
* * *
Thomas and Jenny stood side by side in front of Grandmamma. The tea tray had been taken away, and she was still seated in the same chair by the fire working on her needlepoint.
“Oh, hello Miss Jenny,” Augusta said, then she asked Thomas, “And did you complete your important errand? An errand so important you ran away without finishing your tea?”
“I did. And I promised I would tell you what it was when I was done.”
