The Earl’s Beguiling Botanist – Extended Epilogue

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Two Years Later

“All right now” Aurelia said, bouncing the boy on her knee. “There’s a good boy.” 

He gurgled with happiness, his little hands reaching up to pull her gown, her hair, anything he could touch. He was an adventurous and curious little boy. He had just turned one year old and was a bonny little thing. Aurelia argued often that he was the most beautiful child ever to have been brought into existence. Hugh reminded her that she was biased, but she would have none of it. Her boy was the best at everything, and he always would be.

Living now at Ashton Hall, the little family of three had settled into a routine. Hugh worked in the morning, surpassing his duties and expectations, then they often spent the afternoons together in the drawing room. Hugh and Aurelia both loved to watch the boy play—he was the perfect merging of them both. Hugh’s dark hair, Aurelia’s blue-grey eyes. His strong jaw and her petite nose. His mischievousness and her determined intelligence. He was everything they could have hoped for. 

“Aaron,” Hugh said, taking the boy’s small fingers in his. “Can you say Papa?”

While Aurelia sat in the nursing chair with Aaron on her lap, Hugh sat on the floor looking up at them with such love and gratitude. 

“He should say Mama first,” Aurelia said with a snort. 

“Who says so?” Hugh demanded. 

“Everyone says so! It’s natural. Mother always comes first purely from the amount of time he spends with me compared to you.”

“It’s true,” Hugh said with a feigned sigh. “But I suppose he’ll learn to recognize me eventually.”

“Of course he will. But a boy will always love his mother, won’t he?”

“Only if his mother is like you,” Hugh said. He dropped the boy’s hand and picked up his wife’s, kissing her knuckles gently. 

In the years they had been married, their desire for one another had not dwindled—not ever, not even a little. They kissed and embraced; they touched each other whenever they could. Whether it was the brush of their fingertips when they were at a ball, a silent reminder of their love, or whether it was falling into bed naked together, they never tired of touching one another. 

“You say the sweetest things,” she replied, allowing him to smother her hand with kisses. 

“It’s easy when you’re around,” he replied. 

She had learned to give herself up to him, and in return, he gave himself to her. It was not as she had imagined, not at all. She didn’t lose herself, she had won herself. She became the woman she was meant to be: wife, mother, botanist. Hugh did not stifle her independence but rather, he celebrated it. He set it alight. It was everything she could ever hope it would be. 

Their life together had become a sweet thing, though Aurelia missed the rest of her family from time to time. That was why they were preparing for a big family reunion in only a few weeks’ time. Everyone was going to be there. She’d received plenty of letters, but it wasn’t the same. It was going to be the biggest, grandest, most exciting ball London had seen in years, and Aurelia simply couldn’t wait. 

The Duke of Brampton was currently in Paris with Daphne and Antoine, taking a break from the hotel before the high season began. In their last letter, they mentioned having seen Lady Pheobe, married now to a Russian noble who had something of a reputation for being a brute. Aurelia would never wish badly on anyone, but she was pleased Lady Pheobe hadn’t got the happy-ever-after she had been hoping for. 

Daphne was with child, as was Margaret, and Aurelia hoped both would have had the babies before the reunion. It would be such a delight to meet the new family members all at once, even if their mothers would be tired. Aurelia would be there to help them, being the first of the sisters to have birthed a child. She could advise and assist, and she could introduce little Aaron to his new cousins. They would, in time, grow close to one another, after all. 

Lady Cecilia, Hugh’s mother, was due to arrive soon, too, along with Sylvia and her new Irish husband. They had been living in Ireland for almost a year, and Aurelia wondered idly whether either of them had picked up the accent. It would amuse her if they had. 

“The post has arrived, My Lord,” the butler said, knocking on the door and pulling Aurelia out of her thoughts. 

Balanced on a white-gloved hand was a silver tray, piled with folded parchments with scratchy writing on them. They always had a lot of correspondence because they had a lot of friends. It was something Aurelia loved since they were married—writing and receiving letters, communicating with the ton and others. 

What interested her most today, though, was what was at the very bottom of the pile. It was a thick parcel, wrapped up in brown paper and tied with twine. She cocked her head, wondering what it could be. 

“What’s that?” she asked. “Have you ordered something?”

“Oh wonderful!” Hugh laughed as he leapt from the floor to the door, obviously knowing exactly what it was. “It’s arrived!” He took the entire tray from the butler then dismissed him. “Thank you, Beaumont. That will be all.”

The butler left in silence, ever the perfect servant. Aurelia looked at Hugh curiously and could see the twitch of joy on his lips. He placed the tray down on the table and leafed through the pile of letters nonchalantly, ignoring the parcel entirely. He was teasing her, she knew, and she bit her tongue to stop herself from saying anything. Begging him to know what was in the parcel would only encourage him further. It had become something of a game of theirs. 

“There’s one here from your father,” he said. 

“Oh, is there? How lovely. I wonder how he is doing in Paris.”

“Would you like to open it?” Hugh asked, holding the letter out to her. 

She shook her head. “No, later is fine.”

Please tell me about the parcel! 

She forced herself to pretend she didn’t care. He looked at her from the side of his eyes, wanting to know whether his teasing was working. She held her expression straight, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. 

“Any others?”

“A few uninteresting ones. But, oh, look, here’s one from my sister.” He brought that one letter over to her and sat in the chair next to her, examining the address on the letter as if he’d never seen it before. “I think we’ll open this one first.”

As he slid his finger beneath the wax seal, Aurelia couldn’t take it any longer. “Oh for goodness’ sake, you are cruel at times!” 

She thrust the baby into Hugh’s arms, causing him to burst into laughter. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to last! You have the curiosity of a scientist, my dear.”

“I am a scientist,” she said over her shoulder as she snatched the parcel from the tray. “Is this something you bought?”

“It’s something for you,” he said. The laughter in his voice had gone, replaced by love and kindness. “Something that you did, but I … well. You’ll see.”

She frowned at him, returning to her chair with the parcel in hand. Hugh bounced Aaron on his lap and watched with a delighted expression, pleased with himself. Aurelia glanced at him one last time before pulling the brown string until it undid and the paper fell away. It was a book inside, the cover bound in leather and imprinted with golden letters. The title read:

A Compendium of Plants and Herbs by Lady Aurelia Bastable of Ashton

Aurelia gasped, her eyes wide. “It’s my research, my plants!”

“I sent it to a publisher to see if they would be interested,” Hugh admitted. She turned to gape at him before quickly turning back to the book, and he held one hand up in submission. “I know I should have spoken to you about it first, but I was just so excited, and I think your work is absolutely worthy of being in print. You’re a marvellous botanist and herbalist, my dear. I wanted everyone to know about it.”

She flicked through the pages. It contained all the diagrams and sketches she had done, each with a detailed explanation of what that plant did, what it was good for, when it should be avoided, and more. 

“Oh Hugh,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion. “I love it. I really love it.”

“And now it is available for everyone to buy. Mr Lewis at the publisher believes it will be in every household in London by the end of the year. A useful tool, he said, for anyone who wants to learn how to treat and heal through plants, as you have done so often.”

Aurelia knelt in front of her husband and child, and she threw her arms around both of them, the book still in her hand. She pulled Hugh close, whispering in his ear. “Thank you so much, my love. Thank you. I cannot tell you what this means to me. It is the single greatest gift I have ever received.”

“I know what it means to you,” he whispered back. “Because I know you as well as I know myself. Now, if you don’t mind, I believe you’re squashing the baby.”

A bubble of laughter escaped Aurelia’s lips as she backed away, matching the tears of joy that had begun to run down her face. 

“I believe—oh, sorry, am I interrupting?” 

Aurelia turned to the door to find the nursemaid hovering hesitantly. 

“Not at all, Annie. Come in.”

“I believe it’s time for little Aaron’s nap, that’s all. Didn’t mean to walk in on—”

“Really, Annie,” Hugh said with a laugh. “You have not walked in on anything.” He handed the baby to the nursemaid with a smile. “Though if you don’t mind, please ensure we’re not disturbed for the next few hours. I’d like to spend some quality time with my wife while Aaron sleeps.”

“Of course, My Lord. I’ll let everyone know.” With the baby swaddled comfortably in her arms, Annie left and closed the door behind her. 

“Quality time?” Aurelia asked, looking at her husband curiously. She knew what he used that euphemism for, and she couldn’t deny the idea was an attractive one.

“You know, I was thinking this morning that we have made love in every room in the house.”

“Every room?” She frowned at him, her mind racing back through all the times they’d shared their love. 

He tilted his head to one side. “Well, almost every room.”

He looked over at the couch and then back at her. She followed his gaze open-mouthed. 

“You don’t mean …?”

“I absolutely mean …” He laughed then pulled her from her seat. “Come.”

“Absolutely not!” she cried, putting her foot down and refusing to move. 

He turned back at her and blinked, so surprised he was by her outburst. She very rarely, if ever, said no. “I-I’m sorry,” he said, almost questioningly. “Have I done something wrong?”

She gave him a serious look through her lashes. It was her turn to tease him. 

“You should know me well enough by now, Earl Ashton, to know I would much rather make love on the rug in front of the fire than on the uncomfortable sofa.” With a glint in her eye and a lopsided smile, she turned and led him to the rug. 

“Oh, Lady Ashton, what a wonderful idea!”

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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

Grab my new series, "Lustful Lords and Ladies", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

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