“Count on it,” he said. “Because I promise to spend the rest of my life making up for those lost five years.” He grinned, so enormously happy, it felt like he would burst. “To think, we could have had half a dozen little Rhystans running around by now.”

“Half a dozen?”

“I should warn you that I’m not planning to let you out of my bed anytime soon.”

His future duchess laughed, eyes bright with love, and wrapped her arms around him. “I can absolutely live with that.”

Epilogue

Her Grace, Sarani Huntley, the ninth Duchess of Embry, lay naked and sated in her husband’s arms listening to the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. He’d bought her the country estate in Hastings as a wedding present two years before, and though they split a lot of their time between London and the ducal ancestral seat in Kettering, they made the effort to spend time alone in their little slice of paradise, enjoying each other’s company and being themselves.

The first years of marriage had been bliss, and apart from the occasional brush with bigotry, they’d kept themselves insulated from harmful gossip. People did talk and social invitations were fewer, but none of that mattered much to them.

Lord Talbot had squawked like a chicken for weeks but had quieted when Gideon paid him a short visit. Apparently, all he’d had to do was mention that Talbot’s old chum Markham had ended up in Australia, and the craven earl had changed his tune. Rhystan hadn’t quite forgiven him for leaving bruises on her wrists, though, and after a few months, the earl had suffered a sudden reversal of fortune that had left him destitute. Word had it that he’d gone back East in search of employment.

As far as Joor, her snake of a cousin had gone missing some six months after he’d stolen her father’s throne—Sarani suspected that Talbot might have had a hand in that—and another heir had been named prince. From what she could discern, the new prince was both kind and capable, but she’d still insisted on a trip to Joor to see for herself; she’d had enough of half-truths and lies. The people seemed content with him, and the truth was, apart from making sure her people were in good hands, Sarani felt her efforts were better served in London, where she could make a difference.