Three years later…

“William,” Sylvia cried out, calling to her young son who had raced out a little too far in to the gardens. It was as if he could not contain his adventurous spirit. “Do not go too far.”

But it was as if he did not hear her. He ran around with boundless energy, his laughter echoing through the air. According to Wesley, he was just like the man that he had been named after – Wesley’s late father.

It did not matter. Sylvia could not chase him anyway. As she rested her hand gently on her rounded belly, she smiled as she watched her son continue to play, feeling the gentle flutter of their unborn child within her. The child who would be with them soon enough.

Today was a special day, a day of celebration and new beginnings for everyone. The family had gathered for the christening of Edward and Harriet’s newborn daughter earlier on in the morning, and now the guests were coming to a party being held by Sylvia and Wesley to celebrate them. She loved celebrating love, especially that of those she cared about. And Edward and Harriet had been nothing but wonderful to see them blissfully married and happily in love.

As Sylvia walked further into the garden, she spotted her husband staring off into the distance, deep in thought.

“Wesley,” Sylvia cried out to him, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Are you day dreaming again?”

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and embracing her like he often enjoyed doing. “Just taking it all in. It is a beautiful day, is it not?”

Sylvia nodded, but did not get a chance to answer because the guests were starting to arrive and William was eagerly greeting them all.

“Wesley, Sylvia” Harriet called out, beckoning him over as soon as they arrived. “Come, join us! We were just talking about our plans for Amelia’s first birthday.”

They joined them and Wesley chuckled. “Already planning the next celebration, are we?”

Harriet laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Of course! We have to make every moment count. Mother is in agreement, but you know what she is like with parties and celebrations these days. Especially when it comes to the children.”

Sylvia turned her gaze over to the most doting grandmother in the world, much to everyone’s surprise.

“Careful now, William,” Victoria called out, her voice warm and gentle, a stark contrast to the woman that Sylvia first met. “You must be gentle with your baby cousin.”

William giggled and nodded, his bright eyes wide with excitement. “Yes, Grandmama!”

It was baffling to Sylvia. He would never listen to her, but was perfectly well behaved for his grandmother. Maybe he was wise to her and knew to be a little bit cautious too. Sylvia could understand that all too well. Not that Victoria had caused any issues for a very long time now…

“Oh Wesley,” Edward declared, dragging everyone’s attention his way. “Have you heard the latest rumours?”

Wesley raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “I do not have time for rumours… unless you are going to be the one to tell them.”

Edward leaned in slightly, his voice lowered conspiratorially. “It appears that Lady Arabella has married the marquess at long last. I did not know if that was ever going to happen, did you? It seems to have been a rather long affair if you ask me. Very strange. Especially for a family who does not wish to cause scandal.”

Sylvia’s eyes widened in surprise. She had not even thought about Lady Arabella in a very long time. But right now, she felt nothing but sympathy for the lady. Knowing what it was like to be on the wrong end of gossip was painful. She hoped that everything with Lady Arabella was alright.

Harriet nodded, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she joined in. “Indeed. And that is not all. Lord Marcus has apparently wed a lady with a substantial dowry. So he can finally pay off his debts and come back to London… if that is what he wants.”

Wesley could not help but laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. “Well, it seems everyone is finding their place in the world.”

Harriet smiled, her gaze drifting to where Edward was holding their daughter, his face alight with paternal pride. “Yes, it seems they are.”

But the day did not feel complete yet, not until Aunt Grace and George arrived. They might have spent most of their time in Bath these days, but they would not miss a gathering such as this one. She beamed ear to ear as she finally had everyone that she truly loved around her. There was truly nothing better.

“This has been a perfect day,” Sylvia said, her voice soft and filled with contentment.

Wesley nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. “It truly has. I could not have asked for more.”

Sylvia looked up at him, her eyes shining with love. “And there are so many more perfect days to come.”

Wesley smiled, leaning down to kiss her gently. “Yes, there are. And I can not wait to experience them all with you.”

The End