In Good Company (42 page)

BOOK: In Good Company

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“But . . . why didn’t you just wait for us to return to Newport, or wait for us to send a telegram?” Millie asked slowly.

“Because we’re your family, Millie, and families don’t wait.”

With tears blinding her, Millie was soon enveloped in one lovely hug after another. Her heart was filled to bursting, and she realized for the very first time in her life that she wasn’t truly an orphan. She might have a family made up of the oddest assortment of people—from society matrons, to footmen, to dear, precious children, and Lucetta and Everett, of course—but they were her family, and she loved them dearly.

“Mr. Victor!” Abigail barked. “Rose just told me who you are, sir, but why aren’t you in jail?”

“He wasn’t the villain we assumed him to be,” Everett said, hefting Thaddeus up in his arms. “However, even though we have much to tell everyone, there is a matter of great importance
that must be addressed immediately, and in order for me to be able to do that, I need to speak with the children. If all of you would gather out in the backyard, I’ll be with you directly.”

Lucetta grabbed hold of one of Millie’s hands while Abigail took hold of the other, and with anticipation beginning to swirl through her, Millie led the way across the lawn with the puppies now scampering at her feet.

“I must say the two of you are looking rather bedraggled,” Abigail said with a nod to Lucetta and then to Millie. “Dorothy and I packed bags for both of you, so you’ll be able to change soon.”

“Should I ask what you packed for us?” Lucetta asked with an arch of a brow.

“Lovely gowns of course, with a few pairs of pants tailored by our very own Davis for you, Lucetta, since I do know how you like to be comfortable, if not always fashionably acceptable.”

Lucetta grinned. “You really are a dear, sweet woman, aren’t you.”

“Of course I am,” Abigail returned as they rounded the house and moved across the backyard. “And I’ll be sure to remind you that you made that claim after we get back to the city and . . . Well . . . no need to delve into that.”

She turned away from a now-sputtering Lucetta to settle her attention on Millie. “Mr. Kenton told me about the kiss you shared with Everett. The poor man was completely baffled about how to handle the situation, although he did mention something about a bat being involved, and not the type of bat that flies through the air at night.”

Millie’s lips curved into a grin as she looked to Mr. Kenton, who smiled back and sent her a wink. Looking around the backyard, she was about to thank everyone for coming such a long way when Everett and the children reappeared, the chil
dren grinning from ear to ear and Everett looking rather . . . determined.

He strode across the lawn and came to stop directly in front of her, silence descending as he took hold of her hand. Giving that hand a little squeeze, he smiled.

“I was not comfortable saying anything until getting the approval of the children, but now that that has been fulfilled . . .” He dropped to his knees, but then, surprisingly enough, frowned. “Good heavens. This isn’t right. I don’t have a—”

“I have one right here, darling.” Dorothy hurried up, pressed a small box into Everett’s hand, muttered something about it being a family heirloom, and then sent Millie a rather misty smile before she hurried back to Fletcher’s side. “You may continue.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Everett looked up and smiled at Millie. “Where was I?”

“You were getting ready to ask Miss Millie to marry you,” Thaddeus called.

“Yes, quite right, thank you, Thaddeus.”

Swallowing a laugh, Millie bit her lip as Everett grinned, but then he sobered a second later. “Miss Millie Longfellow, I know we’ve had our differences, and I know I’ve been a complete idiot with you, but as the esteemed Mr. Darcy said, or said something like this—through the pen of Jane Austen, of course—you are my reason for living, and I’d be beyond honored if you’d agree to become my wife.”

“That’s not what Jane Austen wrote in her book,” Lucetta called. “Not even close.”

“And you forgot to tell her you love her,” Elizabeth added.

Everett turned and arched a brow at Lucetta. “I understand you have this gift for memorization, but honestly . . .” He directed his attention to Elizabeth next. “And as for your
comment, I thought the whole ‘you are my reason for living’ covered that.”

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not the same.”

Sending Elizabeth a wink, Everett looked back up at Millie and smiled. “Well, there you have it. So I suppose all that’s left for me to say is . . . I love you.”

With knees that were distinctly wobbly and a heart that felt ready to burst, Millie smiled back at him. “I love you too.”

“And you’ll marry me?”

“Of course.”

Slipping the ring Dorothy had provided over Millie’s finger, Everett rose to his feet. Pulling Millie close to him, he smiled at the crowd watching them so intently, and then . . . he kissed her.

As applause and cheers filled the air, Millie knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had blessed her greatly. Not only had He given her a gentleman to love, and one who loved her back, but He’d given her an entire family to call her own.

When Everett pulled slowly away and smiled his oh-so-charming smile back at her, she realized that she, Miss Millie Longfellow, had somehow ended up with her very own Mr. Darcy, and knew they were going to be granted their very own happily ever after.

Epilogue

O
CTOBER
1882

S
tanding in the very back of the theater, Reverend Gilmore looked around, having chosen this particular spot because it afforded him the best view of what was truly important.

Sitting in a private box above him sat Everett and Millie, their heads bent together as they chatted before the show. They were in New York for this specific performance, Lucetta having arranged for the children to make a special appearance in her latest play—something the children had been talking about for weeks.

Everett and Millie had moved the children back to Boston, after they’d had him marry them, of course. It had been a simple ceremony on Abigail’s private beach in Newport, with only the people Everett and Millie considered to be good company in attendance. Every member of Abigail’s and Everett’s staff had been there, along with Miss Nora Niesen, Everett’s parents, three puppies, and an entire flock of peacocks.

Millie had been concerned that Harriet would be disappointed
missing the wedding, but he’d reminded her that Harriet wanted to hold her own second wedding ceremony when she arrived back in the States, which had Millie deciding she’d do the same.

Ushers suddenly appeared in the theater, and Reverend Gilmore smiled as they hurried around, snuffing out the candles management had decided were safer than electric lights. The crowd quieted immediately, and then a cheerful tune began to play, right as three little fairies on wires swung out over the stage.

“Uncle Everett, Aunt Millie, look at us,” Thaddeus yelled as he waved his hands around before he let out a yelp when the wire pulled him back.

Glancing back to Millie and Everett, Reverend Gilmore found them on their feet, clapping wildly and completely ignoring the disdainful stares of the people who’d once called Everett friend.

When the children got reeled in, the silence turned deafening, and then Lucetta was gliding out onto the stage. She was beautiful in a lovely gown of gold, her gown accented by the diamond collar she was wearing, the style of the necklace matching the tiara in her hair and the diamond stomacher attached to the front of her gown. The diamonds had been a gift, or so it was said, from Caroline, who had obviously been feeling remorseful—or scared to death—after Abigail had had a little chat with her.

As Lucetta began pacing around the stage, Reverend Gilmore leaned back against the wall and lifted his gaze to the ceiling.

Once again you’ve surpassed my greatest hopes for my precious Millie, Lord. You’ve provided her with a vast and
loving family, and provided the children with a woman who’ll love and cherish them forever. You’ve given Everett
a second chance at becoming the gentleman he was always meant to be. I do believe we’ll see great
things from him in the future, especially since he’s
going to become involved with improving the state of the tenement slums.

Reverend Gilmore pulled out the cross he always kept near and closed his hand around it.

I know I must sound a little greedy, asking for more when you’ve given me so much, but . . . if you have
a few minutes, I’d love to discuss . . . Lucetta.

Jen Turano
, the author of six novels, is a graduate of the University of Akron with a degree in clothing and textiles. She is a member of ACFW and lives in a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Visit her website at
www.jenturano.com
.