Romancing the Heiress(48)
Author: Darcy Burke
“My dear, if you aren’t careful, you will shortly become an expert in a particular…growth.”
“Naughty Phin! We are about to get in a coach with our dear friends.”
“Are you coming?” Sadie called, punctuating Leah’s statement.
“Not yet,” Phin murmured before brushing his lips against Leah’s. “But I plan to. Later.”
Leah kissed him back before spinning away toward the coach. “Definitely naughty.”
And she wouldn’t have him any other way.
Epilogue
Four weeks later
* * *
Leah didn’t remember a time when the botanical gardens had been so full apart from the matchmaking festival or a summer entertainment. And it was all to celebrate her and Phin’s wedding, which had taken place that morning in the Marrywell church. As it happened, the vicar was off visiting his sister, so Sadie’s brother Adam, the curate, had officiated.
It was the last week of May, and the flowers were in full bloom. There were even a handful of flowers in the beds at Radford Grange. She and Phin had spent a great deal of time over the past few weeks planting seeds and tending the gardens to recovery. It would take time, but thankfully, they had plenty of that.
They had forever.
The most astonishing part of their wedding was that Leah’s father had walked her down the aisle at the church. Indeed, her entire family had been in attendance, with the exception of her sister Rebecca, who was in mourning as her husband had died. Harriet had also been missing because Leah and Phin had given her two hundred pounds to leave Marrywell and never return. She’d left without complaint.
“Auntie Leah!” Jacob, who’d carried her ring to the altar during the ceremony that morning, ran toward her as he flew a kite. “I did it!”
Leah grinned at her nephew, so glad she’d come home and now had him and his siblings in her life. “Don’t slow down. It may fall.”
She’d also met her sister Meg’s two children, a boy and a girl. Meg was also expecting her third in the autumn. She and her husband lived twenty miles away and, now that Harriet was gone, promised to actually visit from time to time. Perhaps they might all even be together for Christmas.
Leah could scarcely imagine it. But which revelation had been most surprising? Her reconciliation with her family, that she was an heiress, or that her unrequited love was, in fact, very much requited. She didn’t have an answer, but the last one was by far the best. She would have traded the others, and anything else, for the happiness she now shared with Phin.
She looked over at where he sat with Gran, who’d insisted that Leah drop the “Lady” in her address. Her father was also with them, seated around a table, which was one of several scattered about. There was an enormous quantity of food made by various townspeople, including a huge spice cake as well as ale, lemonade, champagne, and, if Leah wasn’t mistaken, some sort of smuggled liquor.
Mr. Armstrong, the mayor, took to the dais and called for everyone’s attention. “If the happy couple could please join me here.”
Leah made eye contact with Phin as he dashed from his chair and offered her his arm. He escorted her up to the dais, a wide grin splitting his handsome face. Mrs. Armstrong greeted them with two glasses of champagne, which she pressed into their hands.
Phin bowed. “At your service, Mayor.”
Mr. Armstrong addressed everyone. “I’d like to propose a toast to our very own May Day Matchmaking Festival success and next year’s May King and Queen—Phineas and Leah! May your match be strong and true, and may you enjoy unmatched happiness.” He waggled his brows as he lifted his glass. “Everyone, join me in congratulating the bride and groom. Huzzah!”
Meeting Phin’s gaze, Leah lost herself for a moment, the sounds of everyone cheering fading to a murmur as her world narrowed to just him. This was all she’d ever wanted. No, it was far more.
Phin tapped his glass to hers. “To you, my love.”
“To us,” she said before sipping her wine. Then Phin leaned over and kissed her, briefly but sweetly. This garnered even more cheers.
He turned to the crowd, his arm around Leah, and lifted his glass. “A toast to all of you for coming to celebrate with us. Marrywell is our heart and our home. We are thrilled to share this special day with each of you. Thank you.”
“And we’re honored to celebrate with you,” the mayor called out. He’d been an immediate and staunch supporter of charging admission to summer events. He’d also suggested things for which Phin ought to charge during the matchmaking festival, such as entrance fees to the bowling tournament and the brewer’s field. Unsurprisingly to Leah, Marywellers were eager to support the gardens and their upkeep. It was a special place that had given them all so much.
As they sipped their champagne, Leah’s father stood to make his own toast. Then Sadie made one. Then Leah’s brother. It went on for some time until Phin called a halt after Jacob asked for a glass of wine so that he could make a toast.
The celebration lasted well into the late afternoon, at which point Sadie urged Leah and Phin to leave. “No one expects you to stay,” she said, practically pushing them on the path toward Radford Grange.
“If you insist,” Phin said, giving Leah a pointed leer.
Leah rolled her eyes, then embraced her friend. “Thank you for everything. I’m sorry you have to leave the day after tomorrow, but I understand that Law needs to get back to London.”
Phin hugged Sadie next. “We’ll see you soon.”
Leah and Phin were, in fact, due to visit London in a fortnight so Phin could experience the many parks and gardens. Tom would oversee things at Radford Grange and the botanical gardens in Phin’s absence.
“Now, go.” Sadie shooed them away.
Grabbing Leah’s hand, Phin practically ran toward the path. Leah laughed. “Slow down. Unless you’re in a terrible hurry to get home.”
“I am, in fact. If we’re quick, we’ll have the house to ourselves for a short while.” He swept her with a thoroughly debauched perusal. “Except, I thought we might stop at the castle folly.”