A Lady’s Brush with Romance – Extended Epilogue
One Year Later
Ezra paced around the nursery, cradling his infant son tightly against his chest. Baby Thomas, born to the title Earl of Davenport, had a shock of strawberry-blonde curls that his father could not get enough of, and large, dark eyes that stared up at Ezra with such unquestioning trust, it made him feel like a knight, and a charlatan in the same moment.
He kissed the boy’s head and was rewarded with a happy gurgle as Thomas grabbed tight to Ezra’s cravat, ruining the starched perfection of the waterfall that had taken so long to achieve.
“That’s not at all the way a lord should behave, my Son,” he admonished as Thomas pulled at the starched linen. “Men have been slain for lesser insults, and you will not be able to rely on your natural charm forever.”
“Why ever not? You do,” said his wife as she entered the room. “Have you put Thomas down for a single moment while I have been out?”
He kissed her cheek as she came over to him.
“I am confused by your question, my love. What is this ‘put Thomas down’ that you speak of?”
Cecilia gave a resigned sigh but lost any high ground as she began to tickle and coo over her baby boy, who smiled and gurgled in response to her attention.
“We spoil him,” she said.
“We love him,” Ezra corrected, “and if anyone can be accused of spoiling him, then it is our siblings. I have caught Tilly in here five times in the last week. She claimed the nanny was catching a cold and sent the poor woman to bed while she took over her duties.”
“And Robert is drawing up plans for a play castle, complete with a working drawbridge,” said Cecilia.
“Yes, I know; it took me an hour to convince him that a fire-breathing dragon that shoots real fire from its mouth was not an appropriate gift for any child, let alone a baby. You are welcome.”
Cecilia chuckled. “I love that you believe you talked Robert out of anything; just wait until you hear his ideas for renovating the Lancashire estates; a fire-breathing dragon automaton is central to his vision for the gardens.”
“I blame Tilly. Why she thought introducing him to John Nash was a good idea is beyond me.”
“Yes, because at no time have you encouraged his interests in architecture and design, or paid Nash handsomely to treat Robert as his protégé.”
“I still blame Tilly.”
His wife just shook her head in response. “Come, I want to show you something in your chambers—and yes, you can bring Thomas!”
Ezra grinned, his eyes roving over the body of his beautiful duchess. “In my defense, my Nymph, when you usually want to show me something in the bedroom, it would be quite improper for Thomas to be present.”
She flushed prettily at his comment, and it warmed Ezra’s heart to know that he could still bring color to his wife’s cheeks with the merest hint of intimacy between them. He followed Cecilia down the corridor to his chambers, where a covered easel stood waiting before the fireplace.
“When have you been working on a painting?” he asked in surprise.
Cecilia had the good grace to look sheepish. “Remember all the times when I claimed to be visiting Cousin Sophie or have Bessie style my hair for hours on end? I am afraid I was visiting a little studio I set up so that I could work on this for you.”
“Minx,” he replied. He looked down at Thomas. “Your mother is a minx. Between her, your uncle Robert and your Aunt Tilly, I might just lose my senses.”
“That is actually the reaction I am hoping for,” said Cecilia, and pulled free the dust sheet that covered her canvas. “I call her, Nymph by Moonlight.”
Ezra stared at the painting, his mouth falling open as he gazed upon one of the most exquisitely rendered pieces of artwork he had ever seen. The titular figure dominated the composition, laid across a bed of moss as she faced the viewer in all her naked glory. No veil obscured her features, and it was his wife’s beautiful face that stared at him seductively from the canvas. She was bathed in the cool light of the moon, somehow looking both ethereal and human at the same time.
“Do you like it?” asked Cecilia as the silence drew out. She was biting her lip and had wrapped her arms tightly about herself. “I wasn’t sure, but—”
“My God, Cecilia. It is one of the greatest paintings I have ever seen.”
“You really think so?”
He could barely pull his eyes away. “My love, I never lie about art. While the subject is breathtakingly beautiful in her own right, the execution is some of the finest oil work I have ever seen. In any other circumstances, I would be urging you to exhibit at the Royal Academy.”
“Good grief, no!” she replied, looking horrified at the mere thought. “Not this painting, at any rate!”
“On that we agree, for she will hang in my bedchamber, where I can gaze on her whenever we are apart. It is a travesty that no one else will see this work, my love, and yet I find myself rather aroused by the idea that it will be seen by me alone.”
“So, you do like it, then. I am so relieved! It is not as though I could ask someone for their opinion, and I wanted it to be something special, just for you.”
He crossed the room to her, Thomas still tucked into his arms, and planted a gentle, loving kiss on her welcoming lips.
“It is perfect. Thank you.”
She melted against him, and Ezra gave a contented sigh at the knowledge that the whole world could be found inside of his arms. Thomas yawned.
“Here, let me hold him,” Cecilia asked, taking their son gently. “I’ve been working on something new for him too.”
“Another painting?” asked Ezra as they both made themselves comfortable on the sofa.
“No, just a song, but a better one for our better future,” she replied. “I love you, Ezra.”
“I love you more than the world,” he admitted and kissed her forehead.
Cecilia snuggled into his arms, still cradling a sleepy Thomas in her own.
“I know, my darling. That’s why I needed to change the song.”
“The water is wide, I cannot swim o’er
But my love gave me wings to fly.
O come watch us soar high o’er the ocean
Forever my true love and I.
A-down in the meadows the other day
A-gath’ring flowers both fine and gay
A-gath’ring flowers, both red and blue,
I little thought what love could do.”
Thomas yawned again, his eyes beginning to close to the soothing melody of his mother’s song. Ezra rested his head against Cecilia’s, watching as sleep claimed the perfect little boy they had created.
“I leaned my back up against some oak,
Thinking it was a trusty tree.
But when the bough broke my true love was there
And his arms were the ones to catch me.
Where love is planted, O there it grows,
It buds and blossoms like some rose;
It has a sweet and pleasant smell,
No flower on earth can it excel.
Here we are bound, my true love and I
Alone we were nought, but together we fly!
Safe in his arms from the end to the start,
For he has my love, and I have his heart.”
Thomas slept. Cecilia leaned back into Ezra’s embrace and closed her eyes as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“That was perfect, my love,” he whispered.
“No. This is perfect,” she replied before giving a contented sigh.
“You are right, as always,” he told her and settled himself into the sofa cushions, the two greatest treasures in his life tucked up safe and warm in his arms.
The End
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Loved the whole story. I went to leave feedback but it required a video. I’m older and like so many of us I have no idea how to do that. You need to remove that or you won’t get as much feedback.
Hello my dear Linda, I am so glad that you enjoyed the story! Would you mind telling me more about the problem you faced? You weren’t able to leave a review?
This is a wonderful story and so glad Cecelia found love
Hello my dear Gwen, I am so happy you enjoyed the story! I truly value your support!
That was a beautiful story. I loved every bit of it. Thank you.
Hello my dear Doreen, I am happy to hear that! Thank you for the support!
I really enjoyed your story. It had mystery, romance and family matters. I’m getting ready to read another. I’m a voracious reader. I enjoy the extended epilogue it wrapped it up for me.
Hello my dear Kathleen, thank you for your sweet comment! I am really happy you enjoyed the story!
Cecelia and Ezra were such lovable people who fell in love under most difficult circumstances, danger and intrigue. I was so happy with the ending:. the bad people got what they deserved and our lovers were filled with gratitude and love and a wonderful family.I could feel the joy and love that flowed between Ezra and Cecelia as they held little Thomas.
Hello my dear Ella, I am glad you loved the book! This story is a dear one to me!