Page 83 of Wynter's Bite

Vincent and Justus both gaped at him. “You’re retiring?”

“Aye.” Edinburgh rubbed his brow. “I’ve held my post for five centuries. I want to do something else for a time.” He regarded Lord Deveril over the rim of his glass. “I dinna suppose ye’d be interested?”

Vincent reared back in his chair as if a cobra had appeared on the table. “Good God, no!”

“Pity. Despite the trouble you got yerself intae the other year, ye’ve done a fine job ruling over a larger territory than most.” Edinburg set down the glass of brandy that he clearly enjoyed despite his complaints. “Ah well, we’re to interview the Duke of Burnrath in a few months. I think he’s a wee bit young to be an Elder,” he chuckled at his pun, “but he’s held one of the largest cities in the world for a long time.”

“Ian as an Elder?” Vincent took a deep drink as if he needed fortification to contemplate the notion.

“I think it would suit him,” Justus said. “He’s certainly staid and stuffy enough.” He paled at the Lord of Edinburg’s glare. “I mean, he is qualified.”

“But his wife...” Vincent shook his head. “That is right. You never met her.”

Bethany’s eyes widened as she grasped the connection. “We admire her novels.” She remembered Justus’s amusement when she’d told him she’d enjoyed the Duchess’s work. Her Grace was a vampire, and her husband must be the Lord Vampire of London.

Bethany had spent the remainder of Edinburg’s visit in rapt awe at the enormity of her new world. Every night, some new secret had revealed itself. She wondered if she’d discover that someone else she’d heard of or even met was also a vampire.

Now that the Elder had departed and all was peaceful in Cornwall, Bethany was more than ready to be Justus’s wife at last. She grinned at Lydia, happy to have at last found true friends and a home with the man she loved.

After Lydia and her maids had finished with Bethany’s wedding gown and hair, they left in the Deverils’ coach for the church. It was a small ceremony, attended by half the vampires of Cornwall, but Bethany barely noticed them or even the vicar. She only had eyes for Justus. After eight years of misery and isolation, they were together at last. Sometimes, in her cell in Morningside, Bethany wondered if had she known what would have happened after Justus had first proposed to her, if she would have said yes.

Now, as Justus slipped an antique ring on her finger, she knew she would have paid any price for this moment.

When they were pronounced man and wife, he kissed her until she was breathless and wished they’d opted for a private ceremony.

Bethany forced a polite smile as the guests offered congratulations, when all she wished was for her and her husband to return to their seaside cottage with its bookshelves they were just starting to fill, and their soft, downy bed.

“Justus,” a husky voice interrupted her musings.

Bethany bit back a gasp when she recognized the Baron of Darkwood. She remembered her mother shoving her at him and his cold hostility when they’d danced. Darkwood was the Lord Vampire of Rochester, the vampire who’d been Justus’s closest friend. The vampire who’d sentenced him to exile.

Justus didn’t seem to mind anymore. “Gavin!” he exclaimed and embraced Darkwood.

“How are you faring?” Gavin asked, his usual harsh features softened with wistful regret.

“Much better than the last time we spoke,” Justus answered with a grin.

“You found your lost love.” Gavin turned to Bethany and bowed. “My lady, you cannot imagine how I’ve wished to see you here with Justus at this moment. And how much I regret all the suffering you both have endured, how I wish I had done something sooner...”

“It is quite all right.” She extended her hand and he took it. “If you hadn’t found out that I’d been taken to Manchester, Justus never would have found me in the asylum. And if it weren’t for your letter to Lord Deveril, we may not have been welcomed.” Not to mention the fact that Lord Deveril, Justus, and herself could have been subject to the wrath of the Elders.

Lord Darkwood lifted her hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. “You have a generous heart, Lady de Wynter.”

“And you seem to have a forgiving one, for the trouble we have caused,” she returned.

Darkwood smiled. “The credit belongs to my wife. I did not know I had a heart until she uncovered it.” He turned and grasped the hand of a slender, dark haired woman beside him. She’d been so quiet that Bethany hadn’t noticed her. “Allow me to introduce you to Lenore, my baroness.”

Lenore gave Bethany a shy smile. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“I can imagine.” Bethany chuckled, remembering how Justus told her of how he’d kidnapped Rochester’s bride in his quest for vengeance when he’d thought that Rochester had killed Bethany.

Lady Darkwood’s smile broadened. “You should have seen the look in his eyes when Gavin told him that not only were you alive, but he’d also tracked down your location. It was an extremely difficult task, as your parents did not want anyone to know where they tucked you away. You must be very brave and strong to have survived being imprisoned so long. Gavin felt terrible about the whole unpleasant business. He’d assumed you’d been taken to live with one of your relatives. We had no idea that you’d been committed until Justus wrote us a letter last month.”

“And I had no idea that the Lord Vampire of Rochester had anything to do with my rescue.” With that, the letter he’d written to the Lord of Cornwall, and the carts full of Justus’s books, furniture, and other personal possessions, it was clear that the Baron of Darkwood was doing his best to make amends for his role in their separation. “I’d love to hear the whole story of how you met Lord Darkwood.” It was apparent in the way the two looked at each other that Lenore had indeed been instrumental in the softening of the vampire’s heart.

“And I would love to hear about how you met Lord de Wynter and the adventures you encountered on your way to the altar.” Lenore touched her sleeve. “But you have a wedding night to enjoy, and we have to return to Rochester. We’d like to come for another visit in a month or two, if that is agreeable with the Lord of Cornwall. I know Gavin is eager to renew his friendship with Justus, and I would very much like to befriend you.”

Despite Lady Darkwood’s outward timidity, there was a quiet strength and compassion in her large dark eyes that made Bethany want to reach out to her and pour out all her secrets. “I would like that too.”

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