Two Years Later

“The ribbons!” Eleanor called out the Cecilia. “We need the ribbons!”

Aurora was the one who responded, raising her hand to show that she’d already grabbed the pink and white rolls. Eleanor heaved a sigh of relief. Everything would have gone wrong if they’d forgotten to bring along the garlands, no matter how much they’d prepared for this day.

After all, it couldn’t be an opening if no ribbons were going to get cut now, could it? Just as that thought crossed her mind, she remembered something else.

Turning to Lois, who stood by her side, her eyes narrowed, she asked, “Tell me we remembered to bring scissors.”

Lois was giggling as she answered. “We remembered to bring everything, Lady Evans. Please, you mustn’t worry yourself any further. We’ve been planning this for months! Nothing is going to go wrong, absolutely nothing! Trust in us a little, will you?”

Eleanor smiled as she absentmindedly rubbed at her belly. “I will.”

Pleased, Lois, who had grown impossibly taller in the past two years, bent to press her cheeks to Eleanor’s before sauntering away. A bit comforted by the words of one of her favorite students, Eleanor allowed herself to step back and take in the scene before her.

They were in Bath, standing in front of a majestic building set to be her school’s second location. It’d taken one full year of putting things into place, making sure that when she finally decided to expand her reach, things would go smoothly.

Of course, there had been a few hiccups along the way, but she had to admit that things had gone fairly well thus far. Also, seeing how hard everyone was working, including her in-laws, to ensure that all would be ready in time for the opening ceremony, she had to force herself to believe Lois’ words.

Nothing could go wrong now. They’d considered everything, planned for every conceivable problem and created solutions and contingencies in place.

It was going to be a very wonderful ceremony. In no time, the halls of Sarah Warwick’s Liberating School for Girls, named after her mother, would be filled with new students, young ones seeking to gain knowledge and freedom.

Eleanor shook her head as tears threatened to overwhelm her. She could not believe that she’d actually done it. Two years ago, the thought of having another branch had seemed like a faraway dream, a decade-old plan, but she’d gotten married to the most amazing man, and everything had changed.

Her father, as always, had been right, after all. It was as though her marriage to William had unlocked doors of blessings.

More parents had been willing to enroll their daughters in the school, looking favorably upon Eleanor now. Not because she’d finally chosen to be under the authority of a man. Far from it. Everyone who knew of her marriage to William was well aware that her husband treated her as an equal and his most trusted adviser.

And that… that was what charmed many parents. If a woman like herself could continue to have such a happy marriage, then perhaps, she could teach their daughters to read, write, and live just as happily as well.

The faith they put in Eleanor was both humbling and honoring.

Of course, she’d also succeeded in winning her mother-in-law over to her side, and she’d been very right to think that the Duchess would prove a good soldier for their cause.

Everything had changed when the Duchess became the patron of the Sarah Warwick School. Quickly growing passionate about the fact that she was involved in such important work, the Duchess had thrown all her support and resources into helping it grow.

It was how, only two years later, they were now opening this new location in Bath. If things kept going like this, by the end of the decade, they might well be situated in several other villages across England.

Little by little, Eleanor’s dream was coming true and that was not even the start of it.

“Mah-mah!”

Eleanor’s entire body filled with warmth and overflowing love as she turned to see a gorgeous little redhead approaching in the arms of her father.

William and Teresa’s grandmother, the eccentric late matriarch of the Evans family, had chosen to be reborn in Eleanor’s daughter. She had the same red hair, blue eyes as her great grandmother, and a temperament that told everyone she would be as much trouble.

Teresa had asked if Eleanor was bothered that her daughter didn’t look like her, and she had shaken her head. If anything, she was glad the Evans were comforted by the thought that in a way, their beloved matriarch had returned to them.

Whilst Eleanor wasn’t a believer in reincarnation, she learned enough from their stories to see that the matriarch’s spirit flowed through her daughter’s veins.

“Mah-mah!” the little, adorable prankster called out again, arms outstretched. “Cari! Cari!”

Eleanor was giggling, heart full of love as she drew her daughter into her arms.

Isabella Sarah Evans was only over a year old. She had recently learned that she could create words with her lips and tongue. The intelligent child was fascinated by that fact, so she rarely stopped talking these days.

“Is she hungry?” Eleanor asked, directing her question at the man who still gave her butterflies after two years.

William was smiling as he shook his head. “She just missed her mother. And I missed my wife.”

Eleanor’s entire body hummed as William leaned in to kiss her lips. It was a soft, chaste kiss. One that left her body wanting more.

Eleanor shook her head inwardly. It was incredible how much he still affected her, how deeply he would always affect her. She knew now that there was no getting over it. Between her and William, passion would always be a burning flame.

“I missed you too,” she muttered to him and to Isabella as well.

“Looks like we’re almost ready,” William observed aloud as he came to stand by her side; his presence solid, warm, and comforting.

“Yes. Another hour and all will be set for the opening ceremony.”

They’d decided to make it an afternoon event. After cutting the ribbons and giving a couple of speeches, they would retire into the school’s dining hall for a celebratory feast.

“I still can’t believe it,” she wondered aloud, and his arms wrapped around her then.

“I know what you mean. Everything seemed to happened so quickly.”

She nodded. It was as though she’d been in a race ever since that afternoon an arrogant Lord attempted to kidnap her. Love, marriage, their daughter, the school… her free hand went to rub her still flat stomach again and the new gift they had on the way.

Sometimes, she wondered what she’d done to deserve so many blessings. Life simply couldn’t be more perfect. She had all that she needed, could have ever desired, and more.

The joy in her heart was boundless. Of course, she and William continued to clash every now and then, but that added to the thrill of being married. He adored her, proving it more and more every day. As a husband? He was beyond amazing. And as a father? He was simply perfect.

William was just as marvelous with Isabella as he was with Eleanor. Patient, as well, as though he’d been born to do this; fatherhood. It was no secret their daughter favored him more, even though it was a truth Eleanor would never admit aloud.

As for her in-laws, they treated her like she had Evans blood flowing through her. The Duke and Duchess were so sweet, and Teresa, needless to say, was the sister she’d never had.

It was even more fascinating that she and her sister-in-law had given birth a week apart. Now, Teresa and Antoine’s son, Benjamin, and Isabella grew as siblings rather than cousins.

“I know what you mean,” her husband said, halting her thoughts. “But you deserve this, my love. Everything here, all that you have, all these people who have gathered to celebrate with you, it’s all because of your beautiful, brave, large heart. You draw everyone in and make them your own. It’s no wonder why we’re so devoted to you.”

“Oh, William,” she sighed, leaning into his warmth.

Her reward was another kiss to her forehead that had their daughter giggling.

And before Eleanor could say another word, Resa and Antoine arrived, Benjamin in tow with his nurse.

Soon after, her father joined them, as well as the Duke and Duchess.

All her family together, Eleanor welcomed them with her heart, and went to prepare for the opening ceremony.

“For too long, have our daughters been sidelined, deemed fit for only birthing children and managing households,” Eleanor had begun, giving her speech, an hour later, after cutting the ribbons to the cheerful applause of their small guests.

“It is high time that changed. The mission of Sarah Warwick’s School is to help as many girls as possible realize they can be more. They can be intelligent, confident, industrious, wealthy, and they can make their own choices. And how do we do that? By empowering them enough to be independent. Because only with independence can women truly be free. And only then can we truly have an optimally functioning society.”

The crowd had clapped as she finished speaking, but even as Eleanor climbed down the podium, she was certain that there were those who still weren’t convinced, many who still didn’t believe a woman had any place in society other than her father’s household or her husband’s home.

However, Eleanor was not discouraged. The fight was going to be a long one. One that she wouldn’t even hope to win in her time. All she had to do was sow enough seeds. And centuries after she was gone, those seeds would be unmoving trees, uniting as a thick, unstoppable forest. A force to be reckoned with.

This was the thought still on her mind as the feast began, and she went around greeting guests. Then, they danced, dined, made merry, and finally, when it was just family left, Eleanor broke the news.

“Isabella!” she said, gaining everyone’s attention. Her hand fell to her belly then, patting the soft, barely noticeable mound softly. “Is going to be a big sister.”

Eleanor would remember the shouts of joy, the happy tears, and warm embraces for the rest of her life, along with all the many other happy memories she would make in this lifetime.

***

“Do you think it’s going to be a boy or a girl?” she asked her husband that night in the still darkness of their chambers.

Since she now had an office in Bath and would be visiting frequently, William had purchased a townhouse for them.

Their guests who would return to London the next day were asleep in various chambers, or perhaps, awake and speaking in hushed tones, just like herself and her husband.

William’s grin tugged at her heart as he covered her belly with one large palm.

“Boy, girl, twins, we’re going to love them as much as we love Isabella.”

And Eleanor knew without a doubt that that was the truth.

William wasn’t worried about the possibility of not having a son to inherit his Dukedom; he was just happy to be a father once again. And that… made Eleanor feel emotions she would never be able to put into words.

So instead, she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled closer. “I love you, William Phillip Evans.”

A lingering kiss on the side of her temple. “And I love you, Eleanor Mary Spitfire Evans.”

She chuckled at that. “You forgot ‘sweetling’.”

His laughter was a rumble deep in his throat as his hand cupped her sex, eliciting a gasp from her.

Eyes wicked with mischief, he winked. “I’d rather show you how sweet I think you are.”

So, he did, and like always, it was glorious.

Just like everything else about their life together.

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