Page 90 of The Gentleman's Deception

“I never felt equal to a man named Arthur Drake,” Delia—Minnie—said, clasping her hands to her breast. “But Icanbe the equal of a Johnny Grimmett.”

“It appears we are two of a kind, a couple of sparrows who have pretended all these years to be swans. ‘A heaven on earth I have won by wooing thee.’ And while I will apologize on behalf of my dear Delia—or would you prefer Minnie?”

“Delia. I haven’t been Minnie in a while.”

Artie—Johnny—nodded his approval. “I do hope you will forgive her, Livvy, for she has given me the most splendid gift a man who has devoted his life to the theater could ever hope for. I have seen many great performances over the years—thrilling, moving, wonderful performances—but I haveneverseen such convincing acting in all my life until now. And she did it all forme!”

“Here, here,” Dr. Ellis said.

“True love, indeed. We’ve gotten a taste of our own medicine, have we not?” Lucas said quietly to Lavinia. “But would you look at Artie’s face?”

The elderly man had finally won the woman of his dreams, and Lucas had rarely seen anything so beautiful.

* * *

For several minutes, everyone congratulated the ecstatic couple. Eventually, Dr. Ellis took his leave, Hannah went to her room to get some rest, and Lady Thurlby left to consult with her housekeeper.

It was as good a time as any, Lavinia thought, to resolve a little matter of her own. She laid a hand on Lucas’s arm as they left the room, immediately drawing his attention.

He smiled at her. “What a couple of characters they are!” he said. “I’m not sure what names we address them by now though. Is she Delia or Minnie? Is he Arthur, as Delia calls him, or Artie or Johnny? When they marry, I suspect they will have to do so under their real names. I wonder what Isaac would have to say about that?”

“I’m sure he’d agree with you.” Now that the moment had arrived, Lavinia found that her carefully thought-out speech had fled. “My guess is that they will go by Artie and Delia, since that is who they have been for decades.”

“You’re undoubtedly right,” Lucas said.

Lavinia swallowed.

“Was there something else?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in question.

“Yes. I—” Her heart was racing, and she was having difficulty breathing. “I am terrified, Lucas,” she whispered. “But I have discovered that, after all, there are a few honorable men in the world, and you are one of them. And, heaven help me, but I am willing to take a risk on love . . . if you are.”

He closed his eyes as if in benediction. “Thank God.” And then he took her hands in his and kissed each one and then kissed her. “It seems we have a real announcement to make to my family, then.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “And a confession.”

“Amen,” he said.

* * *

That evening at dinner, after everyone was seated at the table and toasts had been made to Delia and Artie, the newly betrothed couple, Lucas stood. “There is more news to share,” he said, raising his voice in order to be heard over the convivial noise in the room. When everyone had quieted down, he continued. “I must come clean to all of you. After my time in Spain, my pride got the better of me, and rather than return home empty-handed, I announced to you all that I was betrothed to this remarkable woman.” He gestured toward a radiant Lavinia, who was seated across the table from him. “She and her friends were gracious enough to go along with my deception and spare me the humiliation of confessing my lie so soon upon my arrival home. But I, for one, have learned my lesson.”

“Something about pride going before a fall?” Isaac suggested, earning a few laughs.

“And honesty being the best policy,” Lucas said. “The happy reality is that despite my failings, Lavinia has looked beyond them and has agreed to marry me in truth. She is to be my wife. I am the happiest of men.”

“Second happiest,” Artie crowed, making everyone laugh as they all once again raised their goblets in a toast.

“Happiest,” Lucas said to Lavinia.

And then they ate and talked and enjoyed being a family together with friends, and afterward, he and Lavinia joyfully accepted hugs and good wishes from everyone.

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