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With those words, she climaxed, and her cavern convulsed around his rigid shaft, sucking it in. She felt it throb and pulse inside her, and it only heightened what she was feeling. She was no longer just inside the room—she was inside her body.

The Duke climaxed, filling her with his seed, and she wanted to laugh and sing at the same time.

The Duke sank onto her, and they clung to each other. As they lay on the bed, spent and sated, they became one being. They lay there for an unknown amount of time, two hearts beating together.

Beatrice kept her eyes closed, dreaming of the future.

Epilogue

Two Months Later

Beatrice sat at the head of the table beside Edwin. It was nice to have all of the family together, finally. Her parents were bickering, and her father had managed to spill soup down his front already, even though they had not officially begun supper yet.

Modesty and Elizabeth sat together, but Elizabeth had turned her full attention to Hannah, who was sitting on her other side, the two of them gossiping about eligible bachelors. Stephen and Nathanial sat far too quietly, and Beatrice could not help but imagine what they had planned.

Beatrice was most happy to have Charlotte and Henry in her home. And the star of the show, Sebastian, was currently sleeping in Charlotte’s arms. He was a little angel who had made barely a peep since they had arrived at the estate.

Their two families had come together for a dinner party at Walford Estate.

Edwin stood up to make a toast before they began eating.

“This has been a long time coming,” he admitted. “I wish to thank you all for being here, and I hope you enjoy tonight’s meal. I feel lucky to be surrounded by so much love and family. If my father were still alive, he would have given a much better toast, so I will keep this short. To love and family.”

“To love and family!” everyone chorused.

Edwin sat back down, and everyone started on the soup. Phineas resumed trying to get it into his mouth.

“I hear things are going well with business,” he said when he had a moment to wipe his chin.

“They are,” Edwin agreed. “With this amazing woman by my side, all things are possible. I have never met a woman who has a better head for business, and it has allowed me to do business in a different way. I have even set up some funds to be used for various charitable causes. When I look around, I can see our abundance, and we should share that with other people.”

“What a nice way to look at it,” Letitia praised.

“Your father would be very proud,” Modesty added.

“I am very proud of him,” Beatrice declared.

“And I could not have done it without you, my dear,” Edwin said.

Stephen let out a weird groan from the other end of the table, and Nathanial followed it by pretending to throw up.

“Are adults always so disgusting when it comes to marriage?” Stephen complained.

“Are you going to kiss next? Ew!” Nathanial added.

“Children!” Phineas boomed.

“They are only having fun,” Letitia said, placing her hand on his arm.

“Then maybe we should kiss to teach them a lesson,” Phineas suggested.

“Father, I don’t think that would be appropriate,” Hannah interjected. “And Mother does not wish to kiss you with soup all over your chin.”

“I hear Miss Jennings has gone to live with a cousin in Newcastle,” Charlotte said, deftly changing the topic. “From what I heard, she will not return to London.”

“Good,” Beatrice uttered. “She caused enough trouble, and while I do not wish her ill, I do not wish her back in my life in any way.”

She felt Edwin’s hand take hers under the table, and she knew it was time. The dinner party was a lot less exciting than the previous one, but she would soon change that. She squeezed his hand in return, and he tapped a spoon against his glass.