⚘epilogue⚘

Benedict and I stand in the Hall waiting for the children to come downstairs.

"Can you believe Lydia is about to make her debut?" I remark.

"It feels like yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time," Benedict says.

"Time truly has flown by," I admit.

"In the best ways," Benedict states.

Thirty years of marriage have gifted Benedict and I eleven children of our own. William came by the end of our first year of marriage. He married two years ago a wonderful young woman, the oldest daughter of the Baron Masterson, Marjorie. They have already had one child, a boy they named Aaron.

John is next. At seven and twenty he is thinking about declaring his own intent to marry. I was able to talk him into letting Lydia have this year all to herself.

Two years after John came Philip. He is very much enjoying his time as a bachelor.

At two and twenty Timothy has just finished his education at Oxford. He is ready to be out on his own. He follows in his brother's footsteps at raising hell.

Lydia, our oldest daughter, is making her debut at one and twenty. It took some convincing to push it so long, but I think it for the best. After all I was twenty when I married Benedict and Daphne was one and twenty when she married the duke.

At eighteen Catherine has spent the better part of this past year trying to convenience Benedict and I that she was ready to debut. Of course, Benedict and I did not agree. The last thing I need is two of my daughters debuting the same season.

Edmund has just finished his education at Eton. He will be following in his brother's footsteps and starting at Oxford in the fall.

At fifteen Eliza reminds oh so much of her Aunt Eloise. She is independent and too smart for her own good. Her twin brother Peter is our youngest boy. He is by far our quietest, kindest son.

Margaret is fourteen and the best pianoforte player I have ever heard. I know that if she tried, she could very well make a living from it.

The baby of our family is twelve-year-old Bridget. She may be the youngest but has the loudest voice for sure. She will not let a single one of her siblings step on her or tell her what to do.

The children start to make their way towards my husband and I.

"I am already roasting," Eliza complains.

"Are you to complain the entire day, Eliza?" Timothy questions.

"Surely I cannot be expected to bear these fashions the entire day," Eliza remarks.

"I feel like a princess. Do I look like one?" Bridget asks.

"Do you truly wish to know what I think you look like?" Edmund remarks.

"Is Lydia still not ready?" I ask.

"She's only been readying herself the entire night," Catherine states.

"You mean her entire life," John remarks.

"I shall run upstairs and hasten her along," Philip offers.

"No need," Peter tells them.

Standing at the top of the stairs is Lydia. I smile widely at the sight of my daughter. She makes her way down the stairs towards the rest of us.

I grab her hands in mine. "You look so beautiful."

Lydia smiles. "Thank you, Mama."

I look to our sons. "Do not under any circumstances ruin this for your sister."

They all groan in response.

"Listen to your mother," Benedict tells them.

I cock my head to the side. "That goes for you to, dear."

Benedict puts his hand on his chest fainting offense. "I would never."

I chuckle. "No never. Now let's move along. We cannot be late."

"Being late is what our family is best at," Edmund remarks.

"Better late than never," Benedict offers with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A/N Hi just wanted to give you a little something something so y'all know that Diana and Benedict live happily ever after