A Time for Honour

Epilogue

August 1817

'It is beautiful,' Verity said as she looked out across the parkland. 'I have never seen such a magnificent view.'

'I knew that you would love it,' Cassie said as she looked at the delighted expression on her sister's face.

The baby that was perched on Verity's lap gurgled and flapped his arms up and down, before looking up at his mother and then his aunt. 'Charles loves it as well,' Verity said as her son grinned at them both in turn.

'And, we all love Charles,' Cassie said as she tickled her nine-month-old nephew under the chin. Charles gurgled again, and then unceremoniously hauled himself of his mother's lap. Once he was free, he began to crawl purposefully towards his aunt. When he reached her, Cassie picked him up and kissed his cheek. Then she sat him on her lap and, much to his delight, she bounced him up and down.

Even though it was nearly the end of September, it was a warm and sunny day and felt more like a summer's day in June. It was the middle of the afternoon, and the two sisters had decided to take advantage of the unusually warm weather by sitting outside on a rug, under the shade of a large cedar tree on the lawn just outside Silverton Grange: the main country seat of the Earl of Silverton, in Norfolk.

'I cannot believe it has been over a year since you got married,' Verity said as she looked at her sister, who was still bouncing her son up and down on her lap.

'It feels like only yesterday,' Cassie said smiling at her sister, 'yet so much has happened over the past year. Damien has made his maiden speech to the House of Lords, Lady Harrington launched me into London society and, most important of all, I became a doting aunt to a handsome nephew.'

'It has been a busy year,' Verity said in agreement.

After a long silence, as both sisters looked at the fluffy white clouds that were slowly ambling their way across the sky, Verity, at last, broke the silence. 'You are happy, are you not?' she said as she touched her sister's arm.

Cassie smiled warmly at her sister. 'Yes, Verity, I am. I have never been happier.' But Cassie knew that this was not the question her sister wanted to ask. She had seen the look of concern in her sister's eyes. 'I know that you are worried about me,' Cassie said, looking down at baby Charles, who was sitting in her lap happily gurgling away to himself. 'But you must not be,' she then added, 'I have been fortunate. I have found something not everyone can find during their life. I have found love.'

Verity smiled and touched her sister on her arm and said, 'anyone, with any sense, can see that.' Then after a short silence, Verity said, with a look of concern on her face, 'do you still think about what happened to you when you were under the control of Ellington? I can only imagine how difficult it can be to forget something like that.'

Cassie sighed. This was the conversation that both sisters, over the past year, had avoided, but it was something that they both needed to discuss. 'I would not be telling you the truth if I said that I have never thought about it,' Cassie said as she smoothed the baby's soft, wispy hair. 'I sometimes dream I am still there,' she paused, as she looked into the distance. 'But I soon become aware that it is only a dream. And, when I do eventually wake up, Damien is there, with his arms around about me, comforting me.'

There was another long silence as both sisters looked towards the horizon. 'Reggie was sorry for what he did to you,' Verity said, a little hesitantly. Cassie said nothing in the short silence that followed. In truth, she could think of nothing to say. Did it really matter what Reggie thought anymore? It has been over two years since his death, and during that time she had barely given him a second thought. 'He matured during those weeks leading up to Waterloo. Before he went with his regiment to the battle, he wrote me a letter. He wanted you to know that he was sorry for everything he did to you. If he had lived, I do believe he would have made an effort to put everything right.'