Once and Always @FOREVER.

Epilogue.

HERE, NOW, MY DEAR," THE Duchess of Claremont said, patting her great-granddaughter's shoulder. "It breaks my heart to see you looking so wretched."

  Victoria bit her lip, staring out of the window at the manicured lawns stretching out before her, and said nothing.

  "I can scarcely believe your husband hasn't come here yet to apologize for the outrageous deceit he and Atherton practiced on you," the duchess declared irritably. "Perhaps he didn't arrive home the night before last, after all." Restlessly, she walked about the room, leaning on her cane, her lively eyes darting toward the windows as if she, too, expected to see Jason Fielding arriving at any moment. "When he does put in an appearance, it will afford me great satisfaction if you force him to get down on his knees!"

  A wry, mirthless smile touched Victoria's soft lips. "Then you are bound to be disappointed, Grandmama, for I can assure you beyond any doubt that Jason will not do that. He's more likely to walk in here and try to kiss me and, and—"

  "—and seduce you into coming home?" the duchess finished bluntly.

  "Exactly."

  "And could he accomplish that?" she asked, tipping her white head to the side, her eyes momentarily amused despite her frown.

  Victoria sighed and turned around, leaning her head against the windowframe and folding her arms across her midriff. "Probably."

  "Well, he's certainly taking his time about it. Do you truly believe he knew about Mr. Bainbridge's letters? I mean, if he did know about them, it was utterly unprincipled of him not to tell you."

  "Jason has no principles," Victoria said with weary anger. "He doesn't believe in them."

  The duchess resumed her thoughtful pacing but she stopped short when she came to Wolf, who was lying in front of the fireplace. She shuddered and changed direction. "What sin I've committed to deserve having this ferocious beast as a houseguest, I don't know."

  A sad giggle emitted from Victoria. "Shall I chain him outside?"

  "Good God, no! He tore the seat of Michaelson's breeches when he tried to feed him this morning."

  "He doesn't trust men."

  "A wise animal. Ugly though."

  "I think he's beautiful in a wild, predatory way—" Like Jason, she thought, and hastily cast the debilitating recollection aside.

  "Before I sent Dorothy off to France, she had already adopted two cats and a sparrow with a broken wing. I didn't like them either, but at least they didn't watch me like this animal does. I tell you, he has every happy expectation of eating me. Even now, he's wondering how I'll taste."

  "He's watching you because he thinks he's guarding you," Victoria explained, smiling.

  "He thinks he's guarding his next meal! No, no," she said, raising her hand when Victoria started toward Wolf, intending to put him outside. "Don't, I beg you, endanger any more of my servants. Besides," she relented enough to admit, "I haven't felt this safe in my house since your great-grandfather was alive."

  "You don't have to worry about prowlers sneaking in," Victoria agreed, returning to her vigil at the window.

  "Sneaking in? My dear, you couldn't bribe a prowler to enter this room."

  Victoria remained at the window for another minute, then turned and wandered aimlessly toward a discarded book lying upon a glossy, satinwood table.

  "Do sit down, Victoria, and let me pace for a while. There's no sense in us banging into one another as we traverse the carpet. What could be keeping that handsome devil of yours from our lair?"