Catching Mr Ripper

Epilogue

Four months later
Today was Elizabeth and Edmund's wedding day. William and Thomas were tasked with ensuring that they were kept apart the night before which actually proved to be an easy task. Elizabeth was taken to the church and she dressed in a back room with the help of her sister, Mary and Edmund's mother Beatrice. Mary finished buttoning her dress, everything was perfect down to every hair on her head, she was perfect.
"You look beautiful" Clara smiled at her big sister.
"My son is a lucky man" Beatrice smiled.
"Thank you, all of you" she smiled at them through the mirror.
"Are you nervous, Miss? I've never seen you so quiet" Mary smiled as she straightened her veil for her.
"I'm not nervous, I'm just waiting to be woken up from this dream"
"He loves you, Miss. More than words can say, this day has been long coming" Mary smiled, lightly squeezing her shoulder.
"Let's give the beautiful bride a moment alone" Beatrice motioned towards the door shuffling them all out of the room. Elizabeth let out a calming breath smoothing down her dress before she moved to the table, her hand slowly tracing over her flowers and other important items that Clara and Beatrice had laid out.
"Hello Darling" Two familiar arms wrapped themselves around her waist.
"You shouldn't be here it's bad luck" she reminded him, but leaned back into his touch anyway.
"I need you" he whispered seductively into her ear.
"You shouldn't even see me. Let alone be touching me" she groaned, feeling his pelvis pushing into her lower back.
"Oh darling. All I need is five minutes alone with you before you're screaming my name" he whispered deeply.
"Don't tempt me" she groaned again, reaching for the back of his head, pulling it closer to her neck. Edmund smirked and turned her head slightly, giving him enough room to crash their lips together.
"If your mother catches us I hope you have a good excuse as to why you're defiling me" he turned her in his arms and lifted her up onto the table.
"I will simply tell her that I was desperate to hear my bride call out my name" he smirked as his hands moved under her dress. She lay back on the table as he removed her bloomers pulling off, over her feet before he started unbuttoning his trousers.
"You better make sure that no one can tell"
"Everyone is going to tell that you're mine. My Elizabeth" he slipped inside of her, both of them chasing what they so desperately needed until they both collapsed onto the top of the table.
"I love you, my darling" Edmund managed through pants.
"I love you, Eddie" she smiled up at him. A knock at the door broke through their moment.
"You better leave Edmund so that I can make sure that my big sister looks presentable"
"Busted" Elizabeth laughed as Edmund righted himself. He gave her one last kiss before he moved to the door.
"She's all yours" he smiled before he side stepped her, leaving the two women alone. Clara took one look at her sister who was still lying on the table top, she folded her arms over her chest.
"Really?" Elizabeth shrugged in response.
After Clara made sure that she was presentable once again they moved to the end of the aisle where George was waiting for them.
"I hope that I may have the honour of walking you down the aisle" he gave her a kind smile as she took his arm.
"That would make me very happy" she smiled back at him. Clara peeked through the doors at the mass of people waiting for them.
"Are any of our brothers here?" Elizabeth asked earning a frown and a shake of her head in response "That's okay. The only thing that matters is who is at the end of that aisle" she smiled, holding her head up confidently. As the music began Clara started her walk with George and Elizabeth following a few steps behind. Elizabeth's eyes searched for any sign of her father or mother but as soon as her eyes locked with Edmund's everything else just faded away. Nothing mattered at that moment except for them. And suddenly the absences didn't matter, only their love.

The two of them celebrated with everyone that came to the wedding at a party in William's home. They danced together until their feet began to hurt and even then they stayed side by side. When the party came to an end they climbed into the back of the carriage and stayed hand in hand until it came to a stop on a street that she didn't recognise.
"You need to put this on" he smiled, holding up the blindfold for her to see.
"What do you have planned Mr Reid?"
"Only the best Mrs Reid" he smiled as she turned her back to him with a weary look, he pulled the fabric over her eyes and knotted it at the back of her head. He helped her down from the carriage before he pulled her hand into the crook of his arm and the pair began walking.
"Can I have a clue?" he smiled down at her.
"It is our shared dream, come true"
"Well that doesn't help" she grumbled, only making him smile harder.
"All you need to know my darling, is that I'll make every dream of yours come true until you have nothing left to wish for" they walked the rest of the way in silence. When they finally reached when Edmund was taking her, he stopped her and turned her until she was facing the way that he wanted her to.
"Keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them" he ordered gently before he pulled off the blindfold, smoothing her hair for her before he placed a small kiss to her lips, then he was gone again.
"Edmund?"
"I'm still here my darling" his warm breath against her ear from behind made her jump slightly "Open your eyes" he watched her eyes flutter open before she let out a gasp.
"Eddie, it's our house"
"Yes my darling. Our house. I fixed it up. My father bought it for us all those years ago. I made it exactly how you imagined it, right down to the flowers" he rounded her so that he could meet her eyes but he found her teary ones glued to their house.
"It's perfect" she managed to get out.
"Do you want to look inside?" he smiled as he held his hand out for her to take. She nodded and took his hand, letting herself be led up the front steps onto the porch before he swept her up into his arms earning a look from her.
"I thought that I should carry you over the threshold" he smiled up at her.
"You already did, years ago" she smiled down at him.
"Let me do it again, as your husband" he smiled down at her as he carried her into the house. Their house. Edmund placed her back on her feet inside and watched her eyes light up more and more with each room that she took in. When she got upstairs she opened one of the closed doors finding a nursery.
"I planned for the future" he smiled at her from where he was leaning against the doorway. Her eyes fell to the crib.
"I might not be able to have children"
"William told me what happened" her body visibly tensed "I'm so sorry Lizzie"
"No, I'm sorry. Every time I looked at that baby I was going to wonder who's baby it was. If I knew that it was yours I would've kept it, believe me but, if it was his...I couldn't live like that" she frowned deeply. He closed the space between them and pulled her back against his front.
"I know, my darling. Believe me, I understand. And nothing like that is going to happened again as long as I live" he promised, feeling her untense in his arms.
"I know, and I love you so much for that" a smile spread back across her lips "But they all know that I'm yours now"
"Only mine" his hand moved from her waist, covering most of her hand with his as he twisted her wedding rings around on her finger "You know, miracles can happen. Why not have fun trying to make one happen?" He smiled widely against her neck before he placed a kiss there.
"I agree Mr Reid" she turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck.
"I'm glad Mrs Reid" he smiled down at her before he brought their lips together.
"Take me to our bed, husband"
"Yes, wife"