Page 64 of Black and Silver

Lawrence turned to Dunstan with a scowl.

“Mrs. Weatherby whispered the plot to me when I first rushed to Father’s aid,” he admitted, blushing. “That is why I prevented the parson from approaching him and discovering the ruse.”

Lawrence clenched his fists, then settled his angry gaze on his father. “I know you do not think very much of me, Father, but this? This was cruel.”

Lord Gerald’s sly look changed to a surprised one. “What do you mean that I do not think very much of you?” he asked.

Minnie shifted closer to Lawrence and took his hand, but the volcano within him exploded all the same.

“My entire life, you have treated me as the imbecile of the family,” he nearly shouted, pouring so much emotion into hiswords. “I was never as strong as Waldorf nor as clever as Alden, nor as savvy as Cedric. Even Dunstan and the girls were given priority of place over me whenever you and mother entertained guests, or when it was just the family. I was forever relegated to second-best, and why? Because I could not read well? Because you believed me to be stupid?”

“I did not think you wished to be singled out,” Lord Gerald said, his words heartfelt and his surprise genuine. “You were always a shy child. Your mother and I did not wish to force you into any sort of performance that would make you uncomfortable. We championed your other skills instead. We are all so deeply proud of your artistic accomplishments, son.”

Lawrence’s anger puffed over into a breath of hopelessness, as if relieving decades’-worth of bottled resentments left him adrift and uncertain.

“We are very proud of you,” Waldorf said, looking kinder than Minnie had ever known the gruff man to look.

Those words made Lawrence seem at even more of a loss.

Minnie turned and reached for his other hand, nudging him to stand facing her and not his kin for a moment.

“Sometimes, the stories we tell ourselves of our own life may not be as factual as we believe them to be,” she said softly. “It is so often easier to believe the worst, particularly about ourselves, than it is to feel we are whole and accomplished and good.”

Lawrence relaxed even more, lowering his head and staring at Minnie’s hands in his.

“I think the world of you, Lawrence,” she said, ignoring everyone else in the room and moving one of her hands to cradle his face. When Lawrence looked up at her, she went on with, “I would have said yes to your proposal days ago, even before our pause at Tidworth Hall. I knew within days of our departure from London that you were a match for me and that no otherman would ever come close to competing with you. I love you, Lawrence.”

Lawrence drew in a breath, seeming to feed of those words and gain confidence from them.

“And I love you, my Minerva,” he said, squeezing her one hand in his and resting his other over hers on his face. “I do not know how I lived before you, all I know is that I could not live the rest of my life without you. Whatever I lack in strength and confidence on my own, you have given me by your unconditional friendship and support. I will never take anything you give me for granted.”

“Good,” Minnie said, arching one eyebrow, then sliding her arms around Lawrence’s back to hug him tightly. “And I will fight and curse any man or woman who ever tries to belittle you or set you down again.”

Lawrence laughed and embraced her tightly in return. “We would not want that,” he said, resting his cheek against her head. “You’ve already come back from the dead once, after all. At this rate, you will become part of the Curse of Godwin Castle.”

“And I would enjoy every moment of it,” Minnie said, happier than she’d ever known herself to be.

Epilogue

As certain as the family was that Owen would not dare to return to Godwin Castle, and that Minnie’s parents would never darken its doorstep again, Minnie was not convinced they would maintain a peaceful distance and allow her to live her life. And so, as soon as was possible under the laws of the Kingdom of Wessex, which was a very short time indeed, she and Lawrence were married in the castle’s chapel.

“I am deeply grateful for two things,” Minnie declared as she and Lawrence addressed their friends and family during the small gathering that took place in the great hall after the ceremony. “The first is that all of my dearest friends were able to rush from London and their homes, despite Joint Parliament being in session, so that they might be present on this joyous occasion.”

“Thank heavens there was a boat traveling from London,” Bernadette laughed, resting her hand on her round stomach.

“Thank heavens we all had plans to spent the holiday season at Godwin Castle to begin with,” Muriel added, patting her even rounder belly.

“Yes, it seems as though the family’s luck has changed this year,” Alden said, beaming at Bernadette.

“It is because we friends have married into the family,” Kat declared with a laugh, then raised her glass of wine to salute her sisters in marriage.

“We are better off for it,” Lawrence said, one arm looped around Minnie’s waist, beaming at her.

“I must say, the Godwin family appears to have performed miracles of their own,” Muriel went on, smirking at Minnie. “Is that abluegown you are wearing and not black?”

Minnie laughed aloud. “I have decided that I shall never wear black again.”

“Not even when you are in mourning for those you love?” Lawrence asked with a falsely sad look.

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