Goodbye, My Duke – Extended Epilogue
Two years later
Margery stepped into the Society for the Relief of the Destitute Sick with a newfound sense of purpose. The smell of old books and cold stone walls filled her with a familiar warmth as she looked around at the volunteers bustling about. Though she was now head of the society, Margery was still one of them, just as passionate and dedicated to helping those in need.
Margery had an incredible amount of work to do, but it excited her, knowing that even in some small way, she would be making a difference in people’s lives. As she stepped further into the room, her wedding ring glinted in the light and reminded her why all this hard work was worth it. It was something Ferdinand believed in too. She thought back to their wedding day when he promised to love and honor her until death, and now here they were, two years later, both living out their promises.
Having been raised in poverty herself, Margery felt incredibly blessed to have found someone who shared her drive for giving back to those less fortunate. It made perfect sense that they should take on this new venture together, building a better future for others by leading from example. This life wasn’t easy by any means, but together they could make things better, not only for themselves but for everyone else too.
The sun shone through the window as Margery smiled contentedly at the thought of working alongside Ferdinand again, something far more rewarding than any amount of money could ever bring them. No matter what kind of hardships they faced along their journey together, knowing that they were doing it side by side made it all worth it.
Elated voices followed her as she walked in through the rooms, and Margery felt a wave of warmth wash over her. She made her way to her small office at the back with a satisfied smile.
The smile widened when she opened the door of her office. Ferdinand sat behind her desk, Ivaine next to him. He was reading from a large book on the desk, his deep voice carrying through the office.
“The prince searched the kingdom to find the owner of the glass slipper, and when he arrived at Ella’s home, her stepmother and stepsisters tried to claim the slipper as their own. But when Ella tried on the slipper, it fit perfectly, and the prince knew that she was the one he had been searching for. The prince and Ella lived happily ever after, and her stepmother and stepsisters learned the error of their ways and became kinder people.”
Margery smiled happily at the sight. Soon after their wedding, they had taken on guardianship of Ivaine, and the young girl had blossomed under their care, quickly befriending Sophia as Ferdinand had expected.
Ivaine rushed forward at the sight of Margery, wrapping her arms around the older woman eagerly. Her eyes suddenly widened, and she looked down at Margery’s growing stomach.
“Mother!” she exclaimed eagerly, her eyes shining with joy. “I felt the baby kick!”
Margery moved her hand to rest it on her belly and smiled gently.
“Soon, dearest Ivaine,” she said with a soft smile, “you will have a sister to play with.”
“Oh, we must give her a beautiful name,” Ivaine insisted, “like Elizabeth or Regina or—”
Ivaine’s list was interrupted by Ferdinand’s warm laughter, which boomed through the small office. He stood from his chair and moved towards Margery and Ivaine. He wrapped his arms around his wife and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips.
“It could be a brother,” he said with a twinkle in his eye, and Margery shook her head.
“No, I am quite certain that I am carrying a girl,” she teased, and Ferdinand laughed.
“Well, I will love either a boy or a girl, as long as it is our child.”
Ivaine grinned brightly. “Another young volunteer for the society,” she teased, and Margery nodded.
“Oh, certainly. At the rate with which it is expanding, we will need all the help we can get soon. We have been getting more and more patients from outside the city. Evidently they had heard of us and felt as though we were their best chance of survival. Some of them spent their last bit of money on their fare here.”
Ferdinand lay a palm against Margery’s cheek gently. “And we will help them back on their feet as soon as they have healed,” he promised, and she sighed with a grateful grin.
“How are your parents?” Ferdinand asked now, changing the course of conversation. Margery laughed with a shake of her head.
“Father is not saying much, merely grumbling about the move. Mother, on the other hand, has gone all out with decorations, much to Father’s chagrin. They have finally settled in their new home and are very content with it. How is Jemima fairing?”
Ivaine smiled brightly. “Jemima has been quite a terror, giving all the eligible bachelors a hard time. She is determined to find the perfect match and nothing less.”
Ferdinand laughed, shaking his head. “That’s our Jemima,” he said with a fond smile. “She will give her poor mother a hard time until she finds the one for her.” He patted Margery’s hand gently before leaning in to whisper something in her ear that made her blush fiercely.
“What was that?” Ivaine asked curiously, but Ferdinand merely grinned mischievously and winked at Margery who looked away in embarrassment.
“Never you mind, young lady,” he said with another laugh, patting Ivaine’s shoulder affectionately. “You can rest assured that I pity the poor sod who marries her someday.”
“Ferdinand!” Margery laughed with a shake of her head. “It is Jemima’s every right to consider and choose carefully. It is a lucky man who marries her. She’s quite bright.”
She gestured to Ferdinand, who looked in the direction of the door with a stiff smile.
“Are you heading out?”
He nodded with a deep sigh. “Indeed. Ivaine and I are meeting Uncle Ambrose.”
“Oh!” Margery looked at her husband curiously. “You have been meeting more and more often lately. How have things been going?”
Ferdinand sighed at her question and shrugged.
“It is a process,” he said finally. “A lot has happened, and there is a lot to overcome. Grandfather really did him in. There is still some anger, but we are slowly learning to trust each other.”
Margery nodded slowly. “What about Caitlin and George?”
Ivaine’s face lit up at the mention of George, and she answered before Ferdinand could.
“George is getting more adorable by the day,” she exclaimed. “He is the most precious little thing! You should see his drawings, Mother! And he is talking so much, babbling away happily whenever Father and I visit.”
Margery glanced at her husband who nodded. “Indeed. I hardly recognize the shy, frail boy that he was. He is absolutely blooming. I can see that his father’s presence does him a world of good.”
Margery nodded and smiled up at Ferdinand. “We ought to invite them over for tea. They are family after all.”
“Yes,” Ferdinand agreed with a smile, “they are family. I shall invite them today.”
Margery watched with a peaceful grin as her husband and daughter left, and she moved to sit down behind her desk.
The office was a cozy and inviting space, filled with family portraits and knick-knacks. It felt like home, more so than any other place she had ever been. On the walls were paintings made by her daughter and some other patients.
As she looked around at it all, Margery realized that she finally had everything she’d ever wanted: a space where she could help others and make the world a better place. She had love and joy, everything one could wish for in life. Looking out of the window at the landscape outside, Margery smiled contentedly to herself. For once in her life, things were going just right.
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Lovely book. I really enjoyed it.
Hello my dear Madhu, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the book! Thank you for the support!