Three days after Victoria's dramatic departure from Blackwood Manor, Felicity stood before the tall windows of her chambers, watching the morning sun paint the Yorkshire countryside in shades of gold and amber. The house felt different now—lighter, as though a suffocating weight had been lifted from its ancient stones.A soft knock at the door interrupted her reverie. "Come in," she called, expecting to see Annie with her morning tea.Instead, Adrian entered, carrying a silver tray laden with delicate china and what appeared to be her favorite pastries. He had abandoned his formal morning wear for simpler clothes—buff breeches, a white shirt open at the collar, and a dark green jacket that brought out the silver flecks in his gray eyes."Good morning, my love," he said, setting the tray on the small table near the window. "I thought you might enjoy breaking your fast with your husband this morning."The casual intimacy of the gesture made Felicity's heart flutter. Over the past three days, Adrian had been courting her as though they were newlyweds in truth rather than a couple married under false pretenses. There were flowers in her room every morning, stolen kisses in empty corridors, and long conversations by the library fire that stretched late into the night."This is becoming quite a habit," she said with a smile, moving to join him at the table. "I could grow accustomed to such attention.""I certainly hope so," Adrian replied, pouring her tea with practiced grace. "Because I intend to spoil you shamefully for the rest of our lives."As she accepted the delicate cup from his hands, their fingers brushed, sending familiar warmth coursing through her veins. The simple touch was enough to make her breath catch, and from the darkening of Adrian's eyes, she knew he felt it too."Adrian," she said softly, "we need to talk about what happens next."He settled into the chair across from her, his expression growing serious. "London, you mean? Our return to society?""That, yes. But also..." She hesitated, heat rising in her cheeks. "We've been married for over a week now, but we're still living as strangers. Separate rooms, polite distance. If we're truly to be husband and wife..."The words trailed off, but Adrian understood her meaning perfectly. His gray eyes grew intense as he studied her face."Felicity," he said carefully, "I don't want you to feel pressured into anything. Yes, we're married, and yes, I love you desperately. But I also know our marriage began under unusual circumstances. I want you to come to me because you want to, not because you feel obligated."The tenderness in his voice, the genuine concern for her comfort and consent, only made her love him more. She rose from her chair and moved to stand beside him, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder."What if I told you," she said quietly, "that I've been thinking about nothing else for days? What if I confessed that I lie awake at night wondering what it would be like to truly be your wife in every sense?"Adrian's sharp intake of breath was audible in the quiet room. His hand covered hers on his shoulder, his fingers intertwining with hers."Then I would tell you," he said, his voice rough with emotion, "that I've been having the same thoughts. That it's been torture living so close to you while maintaining proper distance.""Then why are we maintaining that distance?" she asked, her heart hammering against her ribs.Instead of answering with words, Adrian rose from his chair, his hands coming up to frame her face with infinite gentleness. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the air between them charged with possibility and desire."Are you certain?" he asked softly. "Once we cross this line, there's no going back. You'll be my wife in truth, bound to me completely."Felicity's smile was radiant with love and certainty. "I've been bound to you since the moment you defended me against Victoria. Since you told me you loved me. Since you trusted me enough to share your secrets."Adrian's response was to kiss her with a passion that made her knees go weak. This was nothing like the gentle, tentative kisses they had shared before. This was claiming, possessive, full of promise and desire that made heat pool low in her belly.When they finally broke apart, both breathing hard, Adrian rested his forehead against hers."I love you, Felicity Blackwood," he whispered. "More than I ever thought it was possible to love another person.""Show me," she whispered back, her hands fisting in the soft fabric of his shirt. "Please, Adrian. Show me how much."What followed was a morning of discovery and passion that exceeded every romantic dream Felicity had ever harbored. Adrian was gentle and patient, worshipful in his attention to her pleasure, and when she finally gave herself to him completely, it was with a joy that brought tears to both their eyes.Afterward, they lay entwined in the rumpled sheets of Adrian's four-poster bed, Felicity's head pillowed on his chest as his fingers combed through her disheveled hair."No regrets?" he asked softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head."Only one," Felicity murmured against his warm skin.She felt him tense beneath her. "What's that?"She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes dancing with mischief. "That we waited so long to do this."Adrian's laughter was rich and warm as he rolled her onto her back, pinning her beneath him with gentle strength. "Well, Lady Blackwood, we have the rest of our lives to make up for lost time.""Is that a promise, Lord Blackwood?""It's a vow," he said solemnly, then spoiled the effect by grinning wickedly. "Starting right now."Much later, as they lay sated and drowsy in each other's arms, Adrian's voice broke the comfortable silence."There's something I want to give you," he said, reaching toward the bedside table.Felicity watched as he retrieved a small velvet box, her heart beginning to race again. "Adrian, what—""Your wedding ring," he explained, opening the box to reveal a stunning band of diamonds and sapphires that caught the afternoon light and threw it back in brilliant sparkles. "The one you wore for the ceremony was just a placeholder. This... this belonged to my mother."Tears pricked at Felicity's eyes as she stared at the exquisite ring. "It's beautiful.""She would have loved you," Adrian said softly, slipping the ring onto her finger beside her simple gold wedding band. "She would have seen what I see—a woman of courage and grace who makes me want to be the best version of myself."Felicity kissed him tenderly, pouring all her love into the gentle caress. "What do we do now?""Now," Adrian said, his arms tightening around her, "we plan our grand entrance into London society. We let the world see exactly what Lady Blackwood is made of.""And what am I made of?" she asked teasingly."Steel and silk, courage and compassion. You're made of everything I never knew I needed." His gray eyes grew serious as he studied her face. "Are you ready for the challenges ahead, my love? Society won't be kind initially. They'll question your background, your worth, your right to be my wife."Felicity's smile was fierce with determination. "Let them question. They'll learn soon enough that this merchant's daughter isn't easily intimidated. After all, I've already conquered the most eligible bachelor in England.""Have you indeed?" Adrian's smile was pure masculine satisfaction. "And how did you manage such a feat?""I loved him," Felicity said simply. "Completely, unconditionally, without reservation. Even when he was hiding behind a mask."Adrian's kiss was soft and reverent, full of wonder at the gift he'd been given. "Then it's a good thing," he murmured against her lips, "that he loves you just as fiercely in return."As the sun set over the Yorkshire moors, painting the sky in brilliant shades of pink and gold, Lord and Lady Blackwood held each other close and dreamed of the future they would build together. A future free from deception, built on truth and trust and a love strong enough to weather any storm.The masks had finally come off, and what they revealed was more beautiful than either of them had dared to hope.In the distance, lights began to twinkle in the windows of London, where society waited unknowingly for the return of Adrian Blackwood and his remarkable wife. They would face those challenges together, as partners in every sense of the word.But for now, there was only this—two people who had found their perfect match in each other, ready to write the next chapter of their love story together.After all, the best fairy tales were the ones that were only just beginning.
