“Is that a yes?” he asked.
“It’s a definite yes!” she said enthusiastically, and then she kissed him with all the love in her heart so that there was no longer any doubt.
Epilogue
Hunter glanced up as his bride squeezed his hand. It was a way Persephone showed her support as they waited for Louisa to come downstairs with the assistance of her fulltime caregiver. They had been married for a week, but as they had lain together and talked one night, his wife mentioned that she would like to meet his sister, so here they were. After years of delaying coming back here, for Louisa’s condition caused him too much pain, now that Lord Gregory was no longer a threat, he was forcing himself to allow grief for her condition to replace the years of guilt he felt for not being able to protect her.
“Hunter?”
He instantly got to his feet as he heard his sister’s soft voice. She was no longer in a wheelchair, and the distant look in her eyes had vanished, leaving behind a clarity of mind that he never thought to see again.
“Yes. It’s me, Louisa.”
She exhaled in relief as she crossed the room and put her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you, little brother,” she whispered. “Why did you stay away so long?”
He swallowed heavily. “Because I was a coward. I couldn’t face…” He shook his head, unable to even finish the sentence.
She pulled back and put a hand on each of his shoulders. “Martha read me every one of your letters.” She gestured to the lady standing off to one side, and then looked at him with sorrow rimming her gaze. “I can’t believe you went all the way to India. I never wanted you to sacrifice your happiness for my sake.”
“At least it’s all over now,” he said quietly. “And I’ve brought my new wife to meet you.”
Louisa looked to Persephone and smiled. “My brother is a good man. You’ve chosen well, and by the look of you, I think he’s done the same. I wish you much happiness.” She returned her attention to him. “I hope this means you’ll be spending more time here.”
“Actually…” He turned to reach out a hand to his wife, which she accepted warmly. “We were planning to move in. Permanently. I swear that I won’t leave you again, Louisa.”
Louisa’s expression relaxed. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
As Hunter shifted his gaze between his sister and his wife, he realized that after so many years of searching, he was finally at peace. The two people who meant the most in the world to him were in this very room, and he couldn’t ask for more than that.
Author’s Note
To my knowledge, King George III never kept a mistress nor cheated on the queen after they were married, but before then he was quite enamored of Lady Sarah Lennox and wanted to marry her. Of course, he wasn’t allowed to choose his own wife and was paired with Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, whom he met on their wedding day. The king’s declining mental illness worried Charlotte and she spent a lot of time focusing on Frogmore House. It was during this period of reflection and loneliness that I thought would be a good time for my fictional Lord Gregory to swoop in.
Lady Sarah Lennox had a rather tumultuous start as a wife. She married Charles Bunbury, but had an affair with Lord William Gordon. She gave birth to their illegitimate daughter, Louisa, in 1768, who I use in this story. A short time later, Sarah’s lover abandoned her and she was forced to stay at her brother’s house, while her husband petitioned for a divorce on grounds of adultery. It was granted in 1776. Five years later, Lady Sarah had remarried a man by the name of George Napier and together they had eight children.
It was during the break in her timeline and the birth of Princess Augusta in 1768 and Princess Elizabeth in 1770 that I snuck in a torrid affair between Lady Sarah and King George, which resulted in our hero. Again, to my knowledge, Louisa never suffered from any ill treatment, but since it fit the storyline, I took a few liberties.
I’d like to thank you for purchasing this book. I know you could have chosen any number of stories to read, but you picked this one and for that I am humbled and grateful! I hope that the romance captured your heart and added a smile to your day. If so, it would be awesome if you could share this book with your friends and family and post a review! Your feedback and support will help improve my writing and help me to continue growing as an author. You can find all my links on my website - authortabethawaite.wix.com/romance
Cheers! xo
About the Author
Tabetha Waite began her writing journey at a young age. At nine years old, she was crafting stories of all kinds on an old Underwood typewriter. She started reading romance in high school and immediately fell in love with the genre. She gained her first publishing contract with Etopia Press and released her debut novel in July of 2016 - “Why the Earl is After the Girl,” the first book in her Ways of Love historical romance series. Since then, she has become a hybrid author, published with both Soul Mate and Radish Fiction, as well as transitioning into Indie publishing. She has won several awards for her books.
She is a small town, Missouri girl who continues to make her home in the Midwest with her husband and two wonderful daughters. When she’s not writing novels filled
