Page 83 of The Duke on Her List
Reeves closed his eyes. “You were always too stubborn for my peace of mind,” he murmured. “And yet…I have yearned to see you find love. I can tell that you mean what you say. I can hear it in your voice.”
“I really do,” Agnes said fervently.
“And so do I,” Gabriel said. “I pledge to love her and to care for her always. You will never have to wonder whether you’ve made the right decision if you grant me her hand today.”
“Very well,” Reeves said. “If it’s what you both truly want, I suppose I won’t be the one to stand in the way.” He smiled slightly. “In truth, this was what I hoped for all along. I justhoped the journey here was going to look a bit different—but that’s out of my control.”
“You’re saying yes?” Agnes asked, her heart racing. This was the very last obstacle that had to be overcome. Everything else was the way she had hoped it would be. If she had her brother’s blessing, she would have everything she could possibly want. She would be watching her dreams come true.
“I’m saying yes,” Reeves agreed. “But you had better not make me regret it, Your Grace.”
“Gabriel,” Gabriel corrected. “Please. After all, we’re to be family now.”
“Gabriel,” Reeves said with a nod.
Bridget couldn’t contain herself a moment longer. She bounded to her feet and embraced Agnes. “This is so wonderful!” she enthused. “Oh, Agnes, I so hoped this day would come! I always believed that it would! You must be so happy! I’m so happyforyou! You’re going to be married! Oh, just think, one day our children will play together.”
Agnes laughed. “You’re skipping ahead a bit,” she said fondly, returning Bridget’s embrace. “But I’m happy too. As happy as I ever dreamed I would be.”
“I suppose we’ve got some work to do,” Reeves said, getting to his feet as well. “We’ll host a wedding breakfast here, if you’re comfortable with that, Gabriel?”
“Yes, of course,” Gabriel said. “And we’re going to need to figure out what we want to do with Agnes’ house, now that she’ll be living at mine. I’m sure we’ll come up with something good to do with that property, though.”
“Oh, never mind property talk,” Bridget said. “We need to buy a wedding gown! Agnes, you’ll let me help you with that, won’t you?”
“Of course,” Agnes beamed. “I need your help. But I think, if it’s all right with Gabriel,” she glanced at him. “I think I would like Helena to be a part of that as well.”
“I think she would love that,” Gabriel agreed. “She already can’t wait for the wedding. She’s so excited to have an aunt, she can hardly wait for everything to happen.”
“I’d like to have you and your niece to dinner as soon as possible,” Reeves said. “Since, as you say, we’re going to be family, we might as well all start getting to know one another better. What do you say?”
“It sounds wonderful to me,” Gabriel said. “And I’ll have you to Bellmoor as well.”
Agnes broke away from her fiancé and went to her brother. She embraced him. “Reeves,” she said quietly. “You have always been the very best brother I could ever ask for. You’ve always been so good to me. So patient with me. And now you’ve agreed to this marriage—the only thing I want. Thank you. I’m so grateful for your patience and your love.”
“I’m just glad that you’ve found what you wanted,” Reeves said. “It means the world to me to see you happy, Agnes. I’m so glad that you’ve found love at last, and that you’re finally going to know what it’s like to be married and to have someone who appreciates you for all the wonderful things you are.”
He shook Gabriel’s hand. “Take good care of my sister,” he said.
“I will,” Gabriel promised. “For the rest of my life. It will be my sacred duty, I swear to you. I swear it to the both of you.”
EPILOGUE
“Agnes, I don’t think anyone has ever looked more beautiful than you do today,” Dorothy enthused, holding her at arm’s length.
“Yes,” Violet agreed. “That gown is just lovely on you.”
The gown was a pale cream color, designed in the latest fashion, and it was the finest garment Agnes had ever owned. She had never taken much of an interest in clothing before, but things were different since Gabriel had become a part of her life. She thought a great deal more about what she wore each day, knowing that he was going to see her in it. And today had been the most important day of all their time together.
“I chose the gown,” Helena boasted.
Everyone laughed. “Did you really?” Violet asked, intrigued.
“She really did,” Agnes said, giving her new niece a fond smile. “Helena has wonderful taste, and I knew that I would be able to count on her to choose something that would suit me well. I owe her a debt of gratitude for finding this gown. I wouldn’t feel nearly as beautiful today in anything else.”
“Oh, but I’m sure you would,” Helena countered. “I agree it’s the perfect gown for you, but what really makes you shine is just how happy you are. Everyone can see it. You’re glowing.”
“She’s right, Agnes,” Bridget put in. “I don’t know when I’ve seen you this happy. But then, until recently, I had never seen you in love. It’s so wonderful to know that you’ve finally found this joy.”
