A Kiss To Remember | Herophine

Epilogue - The New Duke

 

SIX YEARS LATER...

At four years of age, Arthur Fiennes Tiffin, the future duke of Deansbrook, could be quite the little devil. Especially when his will was being thwarted by his five-year-old sister. The two of them stood glaring at each other in the yard of the manor, his freckled nose nearly touching her snub one.

“You have to do whatever l say," he proclaimed, raking his dark mane out of his eyes, " 'cause I’m dad’s heir and I’m going to be the duke someday."

Amelia planted her hands on her hips, tossing her golden curls. “Daddy’s already the duke and mum doesn’t do everything he says. Besides, you might be Daddy’s heir, but I'm the Incomparable Beauty of the family. Aunt Katy says so!"

As she stuck her little pink tongue out at him, he stomped his foot and let loose with a blistering stream of profanity. Fortunately, no one could understand him because he'd picked up John’s Cockney accent along with the naughty words.

“Arthur! Amelia!"

At the sound of their mum’s voice, they both whirled around to find their parents sitting on the back stoop, having witnessed the entire exchange.

Their father blinked at them, looking as innocent as the plump yellow cat drowsing on the flagstones at his feet. "Maggie just made a fresh batch of crumpets."

The children exchanged an alarmed look, then went sprinting in the opposite direction of the house.

“That was cruel!” Josephine said, swatting Hero on the arm. "Now you’ll have to eat them.”

His wicked grin faded. "Fuck... I hadn’t thought of that.”

Josephine sighed with delight as she watched their children romp across the sunlit meadow, two roly-poly mastiff puppies nipping at their heels. “They're just what you always wanted, aren‘t they? A boy and a girl.”

"That's what Hardin Scott wanted. I wanted half a dozen babies myself." He leered at her. “To begin with."

She gave his hair a teasing tug. “If that’s so, my lord, then you’d best be more diligent in your duties."

He drew her into his lap, tenderly nuzzling her throat. “If I were any more diligent, we’d have a dozen babies by now."

Josephine twined her arms around his neck. “That would be quite a feat since we’ve only been married for six years." She shook her head. “It’s hard to believe Anthony will be starting his first year at Cambridge in the fall. And now that Katy has reached the exalted age of sixteen, she’s counting the days until that London season you promised her."

Hero shuddered. "I dread the thought of unleashing her on those poor helpless cubs. It wouldn’t be such a terrifying proposition if the mischievous little hoyden hadn’t turned out to be an Incomparable Beauty after all."

“You’ll simply have to find her a husband to keep her out of trouble.”

"Don't worry,” he assured her solemnly. "You'll be the first to know if I  find any unsuspecting prospects lying unconscious in the old oak wood."

Laughing, Josephine made a half-hearted effort to squirm out of his grip. "You are such a devil!"

“That's what they tell me." Hero caressed her cheek, the teasing look in his eyes softening to one of helpless wonder. “But that still doesn’t explain why God chose to bless me with my very own angel and my own little comer of heaven right here in Hertfordshire."

As he touched his lips to hers in a fierce, yet tender, kiss, the yellow cat butted her head against their entwined ankles, purring madly.

Josephine rested her head against Hero’s shoulder. “Your mother once told me that all of Katy's kittens were descended from a single mama cat. Did you know that?"

“Yes,” Hero said softly, his throat tightening as he reached down to bury his fingers in the cat’s plush fur. “I think perhaps I did.”

THE END