“What do you have there, Mr. Langdon?” Julia asked. The lopsided smile tugging at the corner of her mouth was so adorable, he longed to kiss her again.
He cleared his throat. “I took your music, the songs that you composed, from your pianoforte at the Wilhern town house when I went to fetch your things.”
She shook her head. “I am surprised you would think of those, as I did not think to ask you to take them.”
“I did think of them. Arrogant sort that I am, I believed you would eventually accept my marriage proposal, and I took them to surprise you. The surprise is, I got them published.”
She stared openmouthed. “You published my compositions?”
“On the contrary. That well-known publisher of music, Robert Birchall, published your music.” He opened the portfolio to show her.
She ran her hand over the printed sheet music. “I can hardly believe it.” A tear raced down her cheek. He reached out and wiped it away.
“Did I do wrong in having them published without your permission?”
“No, it’s just so surprising. But I love it. I love you.”
She threw her arms around him, causing him to drop the portfolio on the floor of the carriage so he could hold her properly.
“You are a published composer now,” he said against her hair. “Published anonymously, but if you wish it, I shall tell the world you composed them.”
“That is not necessary.” She pulled away. He handed her his handkerchief, and she wiped her eyes. “It is enough to see them in print. I wonder if anyone will actually want to play them.”
“I have it on good authority that they shall be favorably mentioned in Ackermann’s Repository.”
“Ackermann’s? Can it be true? My own music in Ackermann’s? Thank you, Nicholas. May I call you Nicholas? Just when we are alone?”
“My name has never sounded so sweet.”
“It is the best gift, by far, that anyone has ever given me.” She leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder and squeezing his arm, and then lifted her head to kiss him.
He reveled in the feel of her beside him, in his proper Julia being bold enough to hug and kiss him.
Never had he so happily anticipated a long ride in a carriage.
EPILOGUE
For Julia, the next few weeks were a whirlwind of parties and introductions to various members of Nicholas Langdon’s family—and furtive kisses with her future husband when no one was looking.
Nicholas procured a special license so that they could be married at the Glyncove parish instead of Julia’s home parish in Warwickshire. He also sent his steward and a footman to Wilhern Manor, and they were able to retrieve the remainder of Julia’s belongings.
But before they could marry, the Prince Regent summoned Julia and Nicholas to London. The prince made a very pretty speech praising both of them for their courage and tenacity in thwarting the assassination of General Wellington, England’s famous war hero. The House of Commons approved the Prince Regent’s proposal of a reward of thirty thousand pounds for Nicholas Langdon and thirty thousand pounds for Julia Grey.
Julia wrote—and rewrote several times—a letter to Phoebe telling her how pleased she was that Phoebe was married to a good man like Mr. Dinklage, and asking her to forgive her for her role in everything that had happened with her father, explaining that she had felt she had no choice. She did not receive a reply.
Though it pained Julia that her precious friend and cousin with whom she had spent most of her life could be estranged from her, she would hold out hope for better things in the future. One day they might be reconciled and could at least be friends again.
And on the day she became Mrs. Nicholas Langdon, the only thoughts in her heart were joyful ones.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all, I want to thank my agent, Natasha Kern. She gave me the idea I needed for this story and resurrected my dream of writing and publishing a Regency romance. Natasha suggested I write a story about a hero who had gone to war and been injured, as there must have been many such men in Regency England, and make him a spy for England against their enemy, France. I am very grateful for her insights of every type—business, creative, and even personal. Thank you, Natasha.
I have to thank Nancy Mayer and all the knowledgeable authors and researchers and history lovers at The Beau Monde chapter of Romance Writers of America. Their knowledge of Regency England is astonishing, and I am forever grateful for their willingness to share that knowledge with their fellow authors. That being said, if there are historical inaccuracies, they are entirely my fault.