Cinders and Ashes (32 page)

“
I wonder sometimes if you weren’t right, and I should have
left you in Glendowie. It was me Ballantyne was after. You got
caught in the middle. I am so very sorry I dragged you into this.”
Sebastian fought his way through the tumult of emotions that
churned within him.

“
I want you to know that what happened last night; what they
did to you doesn’t change the way I feel about you.” His eyes met
and held hers. “I love you, and always will.”

Amelia
cried out at the precious words she had longed for. “I love you
too.”

“
Do you? Do you really? Even after last night?” Sebastian’s
voice trembled, as he perched tentatively on the edge of the bed.
He didn’t want to frighten her, but couldn’t stand the distance
between them a second longer. He needed to be near her. If only to
gain reassurance that she really was going to be
alright.

“
Last night was one of those things. We all thought Ballantyne
had been arrested. It appears he left before they could get him.
You cannot control events caused by someone like that. Nothing that
happened last night was your fault. If anyone was to blame, it was
me. When I left the pavilion, I should have returned indoors
instead of wandering around outside.”

“
Do you remember much about last night?” Sebastian murmured,
wondering if she had blanked everything out.

“
I can remember everything,” she whispered shakily. “I do love
you, you know. I just didn’t want to be tied into marriage to you
knowing you didn’t feel the same way. I didn’t want us to end up
like my parents.”

“
We never will, Amelia. I love you.” Sebastian carefully
picked her hand up, kissing the back of it tenderly. “Nothing you
can do will ever change that. I will give my last breath to protect
you. Although, I haven’t done a very good job of looking after you
so far.”

“
Nobody can predict someone like Ballantyne. Do you think he
was insane?” Amelia thought back to Sebastian’s discussion with him
in the graveyard.

“
I think he was perfectly aware of what he was doing. He was
merely trying to act out of his mind in the hope that if we did get
him to the gallows, he would be let off due to his mental
condition,” Sebastian replied honestly, and without sympathy for
the other man. He held her hand a bit more firmly as his eyes met
hers. “I think it only right you should know that he too survived
the plunge into the raging torrent.”

Amelia
cringed and felt her stomach flip. Instinctively, her hand
tightened on Sebastian’s.

“
He was unconscious when Edward found him downstream, but was
alive. He is now in Derby Gaol waiting trial. With the evidence
against him, there is no question he will hang. Rat torched the
house, and was killed as it burnt. You are perfectly safe now, from
both of them.”

Amelia
fought a sob but couldn’t prevent the tears that escaped her eyes.
“So it really is over now?” she hiccupped, unable to believe that
they were free at last to get on with their lives.

“
Yes, darling. It definitely is over. We can now start to
piece our lives back together again.” Sebastian shifted, wondering
how to broach such a painful topic.

“
I also want you to know that if there are any repercussions
from last night, I will support you in every way. We will deal with
it together. I love you, and will accept whatever decision you
consider best,” he said the last in a rush, needing her to
understand.

“
Repercussions?” Amelia frowned, wondering what he was talking
about. “I think my feet will recover. The doctor has left a tisane,
and the stitches in my shoulder will be removed in time. Apart from
that, I am sure I will make a full and complete recovery.” She
raised a hand and tipped Sebastian’s face around to face her until
their eyes met.

“
Both Rat and Ballantyne said they had ‘used’ you.”
Sebastian’s voice shook with suppressed fury at the thought of her
ordeal.

“
They lied,” Amelia whispered, pushing the covers down and
sitting upwards to kiss his chin. “I think they would have, if they
hadn’t realised you were there. There are no repercussions from
last night,” Amelia replied with a soft smile, lying back on the
bed and tugging Sebastian down with her.

“
But there are from our other nights,” she whispered, and
waited for the news to sink in.

At first
Sebastian heard her words, but their import didn’t register. Amelia
sighed and rolled her eyes before carefully tugging his head toward
her.

“
We have to get married now,” she whispered. “You have to make
an honest woman out of me, so we can deal with this repercussion
together.”

Sebastian froze, and stared in wonder as he realised what she
meant. He tugged the covers lower to stare in wonder at the soft
mound of her belly before snapping his eyes back to
hers.

“
Are you sure?” His voice was husky with smoky
surprise.

“
The doctor confirmed it before he left. I asked him not to
tell you because I wanted to myself,” Amelia smiled, when she was
immediately swept into a bear hug and her face was smothered in
kisses.

“
I love you. Will you marry me, Amelia?” Sebastian whispered
several minutes later when he released her lips.

“
With pleasure.” She replied with a smile, tugging his head
down to hers for several long moments.

Two weeks later

Sebastian and Amelia left the church to the sounds of raucous
cheers from the assembled staff and friends, and the joyous ringing
of the church bells. As they walked slowly towards the main house
through the assembled well wishers, Amelia stopped to accept
bunches of posies and flowers from the various workers on the
estate.

Sebastian watched his wife with a heart full of love and
happiness.

“
So, can life get back to normal now?” Edward queried
teasingly from beside him.

“
I don’t know. It’s your turn to be snared by the parson’s
trap next,” Sebastian teased, watching with amusement as Edward
looked back at him in horror.

“
Oh no, not me. I’ve had enough of damsels in distress, insane
relatives and murderous despots to last me a lifetime,” Edward
muttered. “I’ll leave the matrimonial thing to Peter.”

“
Do you think he will ever find Jemima?” Sebastian’s voice was
vague. His gaze was locked on his new wife with masculine interest
as they neared the house.

“
It won’t be for lack of trying,” Dominic replied, scratching
his chin thoughtfully. “It’s the damndest thing. You go along
blissfully single, and suddenly ‘the one’ appears before you and
casually tosses your entire life on its head. Nothing is ever the
same again.”

“
Or in my case, lands your doorstep,” Sebastian
added.

“
Well in your case, you landed on the right doorstep at the
right time. Who saved whose life again?” Edward shook his head at
Sebastian, knowing he had already lost his attention.

“
You wait and see. When your turn comes, you won’t know what’s
hit you,” Sebastian warned, sliding his arm around his wife’s waist
and kissing her neck as he guided her through the door.

“
Don’t hold your breath,” Edward warned, shivering in horror,
before following the happy couple to join in with the
celebrations.

The
End