Page 14 of The Runaway Heiress (The Gilded West)

Epilogue

I t wasn’t as difficult to find her brother as Sophie had expected.

After that awful shootout, the authorities, led by Deputy Marshal Sinclair and the Sheriff, spent several hours going through Jean’s papers to look for more evidence of the people he might have harmed.

They left with boxes of files, promising to return them as soon as their case against Jean had been settled.

Finally, after everyone left—everyone but Gray—she conducted her own search of Jean’s study.

It turned out he had been corresponding with Alexandre, after all.

Her brother wasn’t in Chicago, but in Boston attending college.

Judging from the letters, Alexandre believed that she was happily spending her days as a Society debutante. He hadn’t been told about the marriage.

In response to her telegram the next day, he had taken a leave from his studies and come home that very week.

Jean never made it through surgery, which meant most of the blame fell to Beaudin who had been right there with her uncle as he intimidated and bullied people to sign over their land.

Together, she and Alexandre spent the next weeks putting their lives back together, while trying to return everything that had been stolen back to its rightful owners.

As heirs of the property, it was theirs to do with as they wanted.

Through it all, Gray was beside her. He kissed her awake every morning and held her as she slept every night. He shared meals with them and offered his advice when asked. In short, he was everything she had ever dreamed of.

Sophie drew her shawl around her shoulders to keep out the cool, evening air as she leaned against the porch railing.

Monsieur Sinclair was in town and had joined them for dinner, bringing with him the good news that Anton had pleaded guilty, confessing to his crimes in hopes of a lighter sentence.

After celebrating the news enthusiastically, she had left them to their brandy so that she could get some fresh air.

She wasn’t surprised to feel Gray’s arms come around her. She closed her eyes and leaned back into him, loving the feeling of home he gave her. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

“You ran off too fast.” He mildly chastised her.

“Too fast? Was I supposed to wait?”

He rifled in his pocket and then put his hand in front of her. A diamond ring on the end of his smallest finger glittered in the moonlight.

She gasped.

“Marry me?”

She grabbed his hand and then turned in his arms. “Gray?”

He grinned. “I planned to ask you in front of Alexandre and Sinclair, but this is better.”

“You want to marry me?”

“Yes. I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I would have asked you sooner, but I wanted…well, I waited until everything was settled because you had enough to concern yourself with.”

She felt a smile stretch across her face as she imagined having him in her life forever.

“Yes, Gray, I’ll marry you.”

He lifted her in his arms and swung her around.

Then he kissed her and let her feet drop back down to earth.

Pulling back, he loosened the solitaire diamond from his finger and pushed it onto hers.

It wasn’t as extravagant as the one she had received from Anton, but it was more beautiful than any piece of jewelry she had ever owned.

It was the only one that had ever been given to her in love.

“I love you, Sophie.” His voice was deep and true, and though she had felt it a million times over, it was the first time he’d ever said those words to her.

She pulled him against her and remembered the words she had once spoken to him.

I’m sorry for what you’ve gone through, mon coeur. But I’m thankful for whatever has led you to me.

They were true for her as well.

No matter what had happened in her past, it had all led her to Gray, her heart.

Keep reading for a sneak peek at The Copper Heir the next book in The Gilded West series…