Page 56 of A Sea Captain and A Stowaway (Gentleman Scholars #7)
One Year Later
Lady Evangeline’s Country Estate
D ocila Peters adjusted the soft muslin of her morning dress and gazed out across the manicured gardens of Lady Evangeline’s estate, still marvelling at the transformation that a year could bring.
The last time she had seen grounds so perfectly maintained, she had been fleeing from them in the dead of night, desperate to escape Uncle Hugo’s machinations. Well, no, long before that considering Uncle Hugo had let everything go to seed.
It still amazed Docila how quickly Uncle Hugo’s house of cards had collapsed once she’d married Sidney. With a respectable husband to support her claims and Sidney’s connections vouching for her character, the courts had listened when she presented evidence of Hugo’s manipulation.
The testimony of servants who’d witnessed his cruelty, combined with documentation of his mismanagement of her father’s estate, had been enough to not only restore her inheritance but to see Hugo face charges for theft and fraud.
Lord Cragswell, faced with public scandal when the forced marriage plot became known, had quietly departed for the continent — reportedly still seeking a wealthy bride to solve his financial woes.
Now, as the warm September sun painted the landscape in shades of gold and amber, she stood as an invited guest — no, more than that — as family.
“Lost in thought, my dear?”
Sidney’s voice carried the familiar warmth that never failed to make her heart flutter, even after months of marriage. His arms encircled her waist from behind, and she leaned back against the solid comfort of his chest.
“Just thinking how strange it is to be here, surrounded by such luxury, without fear,” she replied, covering his hands with her own. “A year ago, I was a stowaway hiding in your cargo hold. Now...”
“Now you’re the wife of a disgracefully wealthy sea captain and the newest member of the most eccentric scholarly society in England,” Sidney finished with a chuckle, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Though I suspect the others would argue about who’s the most eccentric.”
From the terrace below, the sound of laughter drifted up to their window, punctuated by the delighted squeals of children at play.
Docila could see the sprawling group gathered for breakfast — seven couples and their offspring, the famous Oxford scholars who had spent years chasing scientific endeavours and a few clues across half the known world, now finally reunited to celebrate the completion of their extraordinary quest.
“Are you certain I should join this celebration?” Docila asked, voicing the concern that had been nagging at her since their arrival the day prior. “I wasn’t part of the original group, didn’t share those formative years at Oxford...”
Sidney turned her in his arms, his sea-green eyes serious as they met hers.
“Docila, you contributed more to our success than any of us could have hoped. Your father’s notes, your knowledge of the coastline, your courage during that final confrontation — without you, we might never have found the lost treasure. They know that.”
She smiled, reassured by his certainty. It was true that her unexpected connection to the treasure hunt had proven invaluable, her father’s careful annotations providing the final piece of the puzzle that had eluded Sidney’s group for years.
The irony wasn’t lost on her that running away from one fortune had led her directly to another — and to something far more precious than gold.
“Besides,” Sidney added with a mischievous grin, “you’ve already won over the most important member of our group.”
“Lady Evangeline?” Docila guessed, thinking of their hostess, the now formidable woman who had funded much of their research and whose country estate now hosted their grand reunion.
“Roderick’s daughter,” Sidney corrected, laughing at her surprised expression. “Little Margaret has been following you around like a devoted puppy since we arrived. I believe she’s decided you’re the most interesting person she’s ever met — someone who’s actually been to sea and fought pirates.”
“We fought treasure hunters, not pirates,” Docila protested, though she couldn’t help but smile at the memory of four-year-old Margaret’s wide-eyed questions about their adventures.
“A distinction lost on a child who’s spent her life surrounded by dusty books and star charts,” Sidney pointed out. “Come, let’s join the others. I’m curious to hear how Lincoln’s plantation is faring, and I believe Jasper and Faith have news to share.”
They made their way down to the terrace, where the assembled group presented a picture of comfortable domesticity that would have been unimaginable during their bachelor days at Oxford.
Pierce Darby, the astronomer, was attempting to explain the phases of the moon to his daughter while his wife, Greta, gently rescued a struggling butterfly from Margaret’s eager grasp.
Lincoln sat with his arm around his pregnant wife, Vesta, both of them glowing with happiness and the contentment that had come from building their new life together in the Carolinas.
Lord Beaverbrook — Ellis, as he insisted everyone call him now — was bouncing a chubby baby on his knee while his wife, Adriana, tried to coax their older children into eating their porridge instead of feeding it to the estate’s patient spaniel.
The scene of the intimidating lord reduced to making ridiculous faces at a gurgling infant never failed to amuse Docila.
“Ah, the newlyweds grace us with their presence,” called out Jasper Linford, raising his coffee cup in mock salute. His wife, Faith, swatted his arm playfully while simultaneously preventing their toddler from climbing onto the table.
“We’re hardly newlyweds anymore,” Docila protested, settling into the chair Sidney pulled out for her. “We’ve been married eight months.”
“In this group, anything under two years qualifies as newlywed status,” Lincoln informed her solemnly, earning a chorus of agreement from the others. “We’re all still adjusting to the novelty of having wives who actually tolerate our obsessions.”
“Some of us even encourage them,” Faith added with a meaningful look at her husband. “Though I do draw the line at bringing larger inventions to the dinner table.”
“That was one time,” Jasper protested. “And it was an important discovery!”
“It was an oily piece of machinery,” Faith countered, “and it was sitting next to the salt cellar.”
The easy banter flowing around the table enveloped Docila like a warm embrace.
These people — brilliant, eccentric, devoted to their scholarly pursuits yet grounded by love — had quickly become her family in ways she had never expected.
The treasure hunt that had brought them together had given them all financial security, but more importantly, it had forged bonds that would last lifetimes.
“So,” Lady Evangeline announced, settling into her chair with the authority of someone accustomed to commanding attention, “now that we’re all finally together, I believe it’s time for a proper accounting.
What are our celebrated treasure hunters planning to do with their newfound wealth and leisure? ”
“Well,” Pierce began, his eyes lighting up with enthusiasm, “I’m funding an expedition to the Southern Hemisphere. The star charts there are woefully incomplete, and with the proper instruments...”
“And I’m establishing a proper research library,” Lincoln added. “The Carolinas are sorely lacking in scholarly resources, and if we’re going to make our home there permanently, I want to contribute something lasting.”
“Ellis and I are expanding the estate’s agricultural experiments,” Adriana contributed, pausing to rescue a piece of toast from her youngest’s exploring fingers. “We’re trying to develop crop varieties that can better withstand the changing climate patterns.”
One by one, they shared their plans — ambitious projects that would have been impossible before their treasure hunt succeeded.
Docila listened with growing warmth, realizing that none of them were content to simply rest on their laurels.
They were scholars at heart, driven by curiosity and the desire to contribute something meaningful to the world.
“And what about you two?” Lady Evangeline asked, her sharp eyes fixing on Sidney and Docila. “I trust you’re not planning to retire to a life of idle luxury?”
Sidney and Docila exchanged glances, the silent communication of a couple who had discussed this very question many times in the privacy of their shared quarters aboard the Seraphim.
“We’re keeping the ship,” Sidney said finally. “But we’re changing our purpose. Instead of cargo and commerce, we’re planning to offer passage to scholars and researchers who need to reach remote locations. A sort of floating research vessel.”
“And,” Docila added, her voice growing stronger as she spoke, “we’re planning to document and map the areas we visit. There are still so many coastlines that are poorly charted, so many places where accurate maps could save lives.”
“Like a maritime extension of our research group,” Faith observed approvingly. “You’ll be the eyes and ears of the scholarly community in places the rest of us can’t reach.”
“Exactly,” Sidney confirmed. “We’ve already received inquiries from the Royal Society and several universities. There’s a particular interest in the Caribbean islands — apparently, there are some unusual geological formations that warrant investigation.”
“And the best part,” Docila added with a grin, “is that we’ll be doing it together. I’ll never again have to hide in cargo holds or fight off controlling guardians.”
“Though I do hope you’ll continue to carry that little dagger of yours,” Faith said with a laugh. “Jasper told us about your encounter with the intruder in Sidney’s cabin. A brass paperweight, wasn’t it?”
“It was very effective,” Docila replied primly, causing another round of laughter.
“To think,” Roderick mused, “if Sidney hadn’t stopped in that port and taken on his unexpected passenger...” He raised his cup toward Docila. “We might never have found the final piece of the puzzle.”
“Everything happens for a reason,” Faith said softly, her hand resting on her rounded belly. “Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones we never planned to make.”
Docila felt Sidney’s hand find hers under the table, his fingers intertwining with hers in a gesture that had become as natural as breathing.
She thought of that terrifying night when she had climbed aboard the Seraphim, desperate and alone, with nothing but a small bag of belongings and a heart full of determination.
She could never have imagined that her act of desperation would lead to this — to love, to family, to a future bright with possibility.
“What I find most remarkable,” Lady Evangeline observed, her voice carrying the weight of someone who had witnessed many changes over the years, “is how you’ve all managed to maintain your curiosity, your drive to discover and create, even now that financial necessity no longer compels you.”
“Perhaps because we’ve learned the difference between seeking treasure and seeking purpose,” her husband Sean suggested thoughtfully. “The gold was never really the point — it was the freedom to pursue the things that matter most.”
“And the companions we found along the way,” Ellis added, bouncing his baby with practiced ease.
“I spent years torn between my responsibilities to the estate and the title and my science. Now I realize that the best legacy I can leave is the knowledge that all of these endeavours — the research, the discoveries, the connections between brilliant minds — continue to flourish.”
“To new adventures,” Sidney raised his coffee cup, his eyes meeting Docila’s with a warmth that made her heart skip. “And to the unexpected partnerships that make them worth pursuing.”
“To family,” Docila added, her voice thick with emotion as she looked around the table at the faces that had become so dear to her. “Both the one we’re born into and the one we choose.”
As the others raised their cups in agreement, Docila felt a profound sense of gratitude wash over her.
A year ago, she had been running from a future she couldn’t bear to contemplate.
Now, she was running toward adventures she couldn’t wait to begin, with a partner who valued her mind as much as her heart, surrounded by friends who had accepted her not as an intruder but as an essential part of their extraordinary family.
The September sun climbed higher, painting the estate gardens in golden light as the reunion continued — stories shared, plans made, children chased and cuddled, and the bonds of friendship deepened by the passage of time and the wisdom that came with achieving their dreams.
Somewhere in the distance, church bells chimed the hour, a reminder that time moved forward, carrying them all toward whatever discoveries awaited.
But for now, in this moment of perfect contentment, Docila Peters was exactly where she belonged — surrounded by love, facing the future with courage, and ready for whatever adventures lay beyond the horizon.
The treasure hunt was over, but the greatest treasure of all — the connections that bound them together — would last forever.
The End