Now secured as my wife, she has agreed to move in permanently to Shibden and my family all approve, though hers do not, but never mind them – she will be away from them now.

When I saw her again after all those months apart, I knew what her answer should be. She was surprised to see me too, out on the point where our lands touch, and as we embraced, I felt at home. I can only imagine she felt the same as she cried, we both did in fact, and in hurried words we agreed to be together. It was silly to be separate when we were both single and alone. It seemed our months apart had done the trick to convince her and there was no hesitation in her answer. We walked back to Shibden together to tell the others that Miss Walker wished to move in with us.

My aunt, the only one aware of how tumultuous our relationship had been, replied that if we were both happy, then she was happy too.

My sister beamed with delight; it seems the two have become better acquainted in my absence, and Father welcomed her wholeheartedly and commented that he has put up with three single women in the house for years, so why not four?

Ann officially takes the room next to mine, which is connected by a servant’s passageway at the back so no one need ever suspect we share our new bed each night, arm in arm in my little bedroom on the warm side of the Hall. It is nothing compared to the salubrious quarters she is used to, but she tells me she feels at home here and would not change it for the world.

She visits Crow Nest each week and still meets visitors there. I simply call in. It is easier to make it seem as though she still lives there. Her letters still go there and nothing else seems to change, other than the feeling in my heart that I am complete once more, with someone in my arms each morning and night who loves me and says she will be by my side forever.

How could I ever have imagined that contentment would be found just a few miles from my home, or that it would take so long to achieve it? Yet here we are; what is easily won could never feel as rewarding as this.

Miss Walker