A Porcelain Viscountess by Hazel Linwood
Epilogue
Two Months Later
“Now the time has come to thank our congregation for coming to see the union of this man and this woman,” the vicar said.
Phoebe could barely stand still. She bounced on her toes, glancing just once to her left to see Louisa and Lady Dodge standing beside her, carrying bunches of flowers and looking as deliriously happy as she felt. She looked back to her right, to see Francis with his hand firmly in hers.
The smile on his cheeks was unlike anything she had seen him wearing before, with a thrilled contentment attached.
“What god hath joined, let no man put asunder,” the vicar said. “If you would please, all join me in presenting to you, Francis Gibbs, the Duke of Hayward, and his wife, Phoebe Gibbs, the Duchess of Hayward.”
A round of applause went up from the congregation as Phoebe looked to Francis.
He is my husband now!
The word filled her with excitement. For the first time, she would be able to think that word, husband, and feel love, instead of dread. It was the way it was supposed to be.
“You may kiss the bride!” the vicar declared with warmth.
“I’ve been waiting for that bit,” Francis whispered so only Phoebe could hear him. She giggled as he reached down toward her, planting a chaste kiss to her lips. Despite the chasteness, Phoebe felt the thrill attached, for he passed his hand over hers, giving her a soft touch with his thumb to the underside of her wrist. It was a stolen intimate touch in the public affair.
As they pulled back from one another, the applause grew even greater and Francis pulled her arm through his, ready to escort her down the aisle.
“I want to make another vow to you,” he whispered to her, leaning down to her ear. “I promise to make every day of our married life together a happy one, and far better than your last marriage!”
“Married to you, I do not doubt it will be,” she whispered back. He smiled, the sight of it making her stomach somersault with excitement, before he planted another sweet kiss to her cheeks and stood straight, leading her down the aisle.
Phoebe smiled at everyone in the small church, realizing there was a space at the front of the aisle where someone should have been from her family, not that she cared very much. Her father had been charged with assault and attempted kidnap. Just a few weeks ago, she had gone to court and had to give not only her own witness testimony but watch as those she loved had to do so as well. That empty space reminded her of the father she could have had, and the man he had chosen not to be.
I will never have to fear him again.
She was going away for a while, far away not just from her father or her late husband’s house, but from England itself.
As she and Francis stepped outside of the church, there were flower petals thrown their way, by people who had gathered to see the ceremony. Phoebe looked around, seeing Mrs Goodman and other members of staff amongst them. Mrs Goodman was crying tears of happiness, trying to wipe away the tears across her cheeks.
“Well, I never thought I would see the day!” Lady Dodge’s voice came from behind them. Phoebe turned to see Lord and Lady Dodge had followed them out of the church with Louisa at their side, who also had happy tears on her cheeks.
“What day?” Francis asked.
“The day you would get married,” she said, gesturing to him.
“It was bound to happen someday,” Lord Dodge said. “It was plain shortly after the Duchess moved in with him.”
Phoebe flinched in surprise.
Duchess…
It would take a while to get used to hearing herself addressed so.
“Well, I have you to thank for it, sister,” Francis said as he held tightly to Phoebe’s hand and pointed back to Lady Dodge. “Had you not encouraged me to house Phoebe, goodness knows where I’d be now.”
“Somewhere in Egypt, probably, but very lonely,” Phoebe said quietly.
“Very lonely indeed,” he said, lifting their joint hands between them and placing her hand to his, kissing the back. The thrill of that touched echoed through her.
“Talking of Egypt, we best get going if we’re going to get to the boat in time. Are you all set, Louisa?” Francis asked kindly.
“I am. I do not think I have ever been so excited for anything in my life!” she said between her tears of happiness. Phoebe smiled as she watched the friend whom she would always be grateful too.
Now, they had saved each other from men they did not want controlling their lives. That bond was something that would connect them forever more, much to Phoebe’s delight. The day she had told Louisa that she wanted her to come with them to Egypt and Italy, Louisa had cried with happiness for a full hour and jumped around the bed chamber, barely able to stand still.
“First, the wedding breakfast,” Francis said and pulled Phoebe down the path. More people cheered and threw flower petals toward them. He lowered himself down a little and whispered in her ear. “And maybe a few stolen moments alone with you first.”
She giggled as he placed a stolen kiss to the side of her neck.
As they walked away from the church and crossed the gate into the outer world, Phoebe felt how different the world had become. The last time she crossed this gate, she had gone to a world of misery and control, this time, she was about to explore the wider world, with a man at her side she loved more than any other.
“Thank God you spilled that drink down me at that assembly,” she said with laughter as he led her toward the phaeton carriage that awaited them.
“You were sodden!” he said, chuckling too.
“But this might not have happened if it hadn’t been for that.”
“Perhaps it was meant to be then, Phoebe,” he said, clambering up into the carriage and taking his seat beside her.
“Meant to be, perhaps it was,” she said smiling, clutching to him, wondering what else the world had in store for them as the carriage pulled away.
The End?
