The whole household at Marshalswick House shared the happiness which Quentin brought home with him. They had never seen their master showing any real emotion, so the transformation was startling. He told every one of them, with a grin stretching from one side of his face to the other, that he had found Faith, and she would be coming home, but better yet, she had agreed to marry him! And then he forgot whom he had told and repeated himself.
The children were overjoyed.
He was completely taken by surprise when Christopher wrapped his arms around his waist saying, ‘You did it Uncle Quentin. You got her back. Thank you!’
He’d had to remind them that her job hadn’t finished, but that she planned on visiting on Sunday because she had missed them so much. Then she would have to leave again to work.
Whittle astounded him by making a personal comment, something he had never done in all the years he’d worked for him. Not even after the episode in London.
He said that he’d wondered how long it would take for Quentin to come to his senses. Quentin laughed at his temerity and then tapped him familiarly on the shoulder.
Whittle had looked askance, but Quentin placated him by saying, “Sorry Whittle, I’m not myself and never will be again, so you’ll have to get used to it.”
Whittle smiled. His job was going to be a piece of cake now.
The week passed and Quentin asked Ted to come with him in the phaeton to Chipping Barnet to pick up Faith. It would leave him free from handling the horses for the return trip.
The children were already in bed when they arrived home, but then they didn’t expect Faith until the next day anyway. The staff were all delighted to see her and to offer their felicitations. She smiled at Quentin who shrugged with a silly grin on his face. She knew he’d told them all that they were to marry.
When he dragged her into his room, she realised that this was the first time she’d seen inside his room. It was strange that she had lived in the house for more than two months without seeing it, but she’d had no reason to visit the first floor apart from the use of the water closet.
He knew when he’d taken her into his room that she had her monthly courses. She had told him without embarrassment, perhaps testing herself to see if they had reached that ultimate intimacy. Quentin had not done more than look a little disappointed, but he explained that it was because he had secretly hoped that they might have made a child. He then smiled saying that he would just have to keep trying, but in the meantime, he just wanted to have her to cuddle. They would have plenty of other times to indulge in their passion.
They spent hours talking. They spoke about their childhood, which wasn’t very different in the end as they had both lacked parental affection. Finally, they fell asleep entangled in one another’s arms.
In the morning, Quentin had awoken to Faith kissing him lightly all over his face. He’d pulled her to him in a tender embrace grateful he hadn’t dreamed it all. He still had trouble believing she had forgiven him.
They were sitting on the bed’s edge before going down to breakfast when he showed her the family ring that he would like her to accept as her betrothal ring. She was not expecting it and was lost for words.
Seeing her hesitate, he felt a slight panic. He remembered that she’d said that she would have accepted him without marriage and he prayed she hadn’t changed her mind about marrying him. It was extremely important to him that she commit herself with marriage as it was the only way he would feel safe in having her. She must have noticed the pained look on his face, because she threw her arms around his neck and told him that he was beyond her wildest hopes, and she would be proud to wear his ring. He let out the breath he had been holding and squeezed her.
“You’re going to squeeze all of the goodness out of me if you don’t stop soon,” she managed to say as her breath left her.
He hadn’t realised how tight he was holding her and kissed her on the top of her head.
“I just can’t seem to get enough of you,” he admitted, “I thought if I squeezed a bit…”
She’d had to laugh.
The ring fit quite well. It was gold with a sapphire surrounded in diamonds. She immediately liked it, not for any monetary value but because she was beginning to be part of the Wolfe family and this ring was there to remind her. Before going down to breakfast, she wanted to go up and see the children. She surprised them still in their beds and the shrieks that they made might have given cause to believe there were little pigs in their place.
They both hung on to her. Christopher was moved beyond words, but he took her hand and kissed it before raising it to his cheek. In a flash, Faith had him in her arms cuddling him and putting kisses on his head. Helen asked for cuddles too, but soon went her way, not wanting to be restrained. It was almost as though she wanted to show she cared without having any of the fuss.
Quentin had to pull Faith away saying that Christopher and Helen needed to dress and have breakfast, and then they would be back for them as they were going on a picnic.
It was the perfect day. The familial picture was completed by Wizz running back and forth not knowing on whom to jump next.
“But all good things come to an end,” said Quentin a little sadly, knowing Faith had to return to the shop.
She took her farewells of everyone and spent extra moments with the children assuring them she would soon be home for good. Christopher nodded he understood but still looked sad.
She kissed him solidly on his cheek saying, “Keep that for me until I return.”
And she was rewarded to see him smile.
They left in the phaeton with Ted driving.
When Quentin had spoken about ‘good things coming to an end’, he little imagined that his words were to be prophetic.
If he’d not spoken them, perhaps nothing would have happened, but it was too late, the words were said.