“Wait! We can’t get married just yet. There’s something we must do first.”
“And what is that?”
“The goose. We need to claim the legs for ourselves.”
Laughing, he lifted her into his arms. “How could I forget? I’ll distract them while you steal the goose.”
“What if I’m caught?”
“You won’t be. We’ll eat the evidence.”
They were both laughing like giddy schoolchildren when Adam walked back inside.
Angus set her down a moment on the bed. “Vicar, I have something for you. The special license. I’m sure our wise women and their husbands will be happy to serve as witnesses. What do you say? Will you marry us now?”
Adam’s jaw dropped, but after a moment he shook his head and grinned. “I don’t dare refuse, the Good Lord might strike me dead. Yes, of course. It is my pleasure. Well, it will be an unusual ceremony, but official nonetheless.”
Angus lifted Felicity into his arms once more and carried her into the bookshop to take their places in front of the hearth. Adam had no prayer book, but he seemed to be so restored in spirit, he did not need to read passages he had already committed to memory.
Olivia, Poppy, Penelope, and their husbands gathered behind them. Pip stood beside Penelope and did not seem to mind as she placed her arm around him and held the boy close to her side.
All her life, Felicity thought she did not have a family, but she was wrong. Wellesford had provided her the best family any orphan could possibly have. She turned to her friends. “I love you all.”
She gazed up at Angus. He’d always carried himself like a duke. Strong, powerful, confident. Now she understood why.
Angus whispered in her ear as the ceremony began. “Happy Christmas, my love.”
Felicity thought of The Book of Love that had been resting on her bureau just moments ago but was now upright on the fireplace mantel. She did not know whether this book was magical or divine or if all that had happened tonight was mere coincidence. Whatever powers this old, red leather tome held, if any, seemed always to bring about happy endings…or rather, happy beginnings. “Indeed, the best Christmas ever.”
THE END