Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,76

talking about families? I said that all a child needs to be happy is to be loved. I am hoping that you were given that.”

“I was. I do not think I was appreciative of it for a lot of the time,” Samuel said.

Esther cupped his cheek in her hand. So much had been revealed; she knew how raw he must feel. He leaned into the caress. “I think you are worthy of a lot of love,” she said.

Samuel’s eyes warmed. “Does this mean that your reputation is not as important as you once thought? I do understand if you feel you couldn’t marry me – I wouldn’t like it and I would do my damnedest to annoy you until you changed your mind, but I would try to appreciate your decision.” The last words were said in a whisper, as if he were afraid of giving her the option to say no to him.

“It seems that I was longing for the wrong thing after all,” Esther said. “When I look back on my childhood, it was a happy one. Yes, it went wrong just before Mother died, and then afterwards until I arrived here, but until then my memories are full of love and laughter, and we were certainly not respectable. Just pretending to be.”

“I have been pretending my whole life. Longdon would probably disassociate himself from me if he knew. I’ve only told Dunn, when he was ridiculing me for not marrying you. I think the shock meant the words didn’t sink in. I might get a cool response the next time we meet.”

“I don’t think you give them credit for being the true friends they are. You might be occasionally aggravating and very often annoying, but I know without doubt that they hold you in affection.”

Samuel laughed. “Please say I am to have you badgering me for the remainder of my days.”

“I think I had better, for you need to be improved, and I need help running our orphanage.”

“I love that word. Our. It has such an enchanting ring to it, doesn’t it?” Samuel said, leaning in to kiss Esther.

Pausing before their lips met, Esther grinned. “Enchanting? I think you are turning into a sap, my dear man.”

“Remind me never to use that annoying phrase ever again.”

“Oh I will, don’t worry,” Esther said, wrapping her arms around Samuel and being thoroughly kissed in the most unrespectable way.

Epilogue

There were no more plots against Isabella. The men who had tried to target her had done so in an attempt to reach a “weak spot” of the royal family. They were to receive the severest of punishments, and Isabella was safe and happy with her new family.

The orphanage at Corless House always had a mix of at least twenty girls and boys living there at any one time. Esther had insisted that boys needed love just as much as girls did, and Samuel had been unable to argue against the fact, mainly because of the lump in his throat at his wife’s words.

They were blessed with six children of their own, who grew up accepting the large crowd as their own family, never distinguishing between who was their blood relation and who was not.

Cook and Dawson became honorary grandparents, and although those of a more particular nature would comment on the laxity allowed in Corless House, a constant stream of children and adults into the kitchen made life even more full of love.

Visitors were a regular sight, the Longdons and Dunns both visiting often with their own children, staying in the dower house, as the chambers in the house were always full. Isabella was always a favourite and eventually became a teacher, moving back to the house that had given her a family. Lydia and Matthew, having had three children of their own in addition to Isabella, travelled the world for some years before setting up home in Sidmouth to be closer to Isabella. Matthew swore it was to keep Samuel entertained, but they both knew it was a lie; Samuel was more inclined to collapse into bed exhausted every night than seek out entertainments.

But he was never too tired to wrap his wife in an embrace, and there they would lie, talking over their day and exchanging kisses, before making love and falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Never once did Samuel repine resigning his commission, or moving away from London. Esther had worried in the first months that he would become bored, or regret his decision, but he would always