The Lords of Kendal Manor

Epilogue

~ Whinlatter House, Cumberland, Wednesday, 22 July 1818. ~

Alex escorted His Grace into the solar, where their women assembled, and their refreshments would be taken.

The morning had been drawn out, for they'd poured over the legal ramifications and final requisite documents required to secure the inheritance of the Westbridge Dukedom.

Clearly, Percy found the process draining. It was the culmination of two and a half years of investigating and navigating the legal process to challenge the validity of his first marriage.

Alex sighed, for this precedent's ramifications would be discussed for many years to come amongst their peers.

The foundations of the entire legal case fomented from a humble question, one Alex asked in curiosity during Oliver's secure transfer to Manchester, when His Grace angrily threw words at Oliver, during an argument that he wished he could annul his marriage, after all, they'd both been below the age of twenty-one.

Alex, of course, asked if all four parents to the marriage were consulted and consented?

Percy revealed that his father had already died but that his mother and Celeste's adoptive parents gave them written consent.

The years were difficult following, but Celeste's true father was eventually found in America, ageing and slow; however, the brother of Celeste's adoptive mother had left his child in the capable hands of his sister, following the death of his wife. He'd known nothing of her subsequent life. Plus, the adoption had never been official. He had sent money for his daughter until losing contact with the family during his daughter's teenage years.

That lack of consent changed everything.

All that was left was ensuring the titles and inheritance went to Percy's son Mason.

Alex sat beside Eleanor and placed his arm comfortingly around her shoulders. Her belly was swollen with the next of their brood, whilst the twins ran the nursemaid ragged.

Eleanor's wearied countenance lifted to look upon him. Even tired, he found her strikingly beautiful. Nursemaid they might have, but Eleanor prided herself on being a present mother in most ways. Even still, their son and daughter were blessed by the devil himself and ran riot since they discovered they could walk.

Percy relaxed into a lounge chair and dropped his head back.

His illegitimate brood was home for the summer, out finding ways to both amuse themselves and find trouble. He was clearly worn out and groaned in satisfaction to be seated on softer cushioning.

"My love." Her Grace called, walking into the room with their recently born prodigy in her arms, as she lightly patted him on the back, following feeding him in another room. "Can you hold Mason for me?" She asked, placing the babe in his arms.

"For you? Anything!" The man enthused, the enthusiasm of his answer failing to reach his eyes.

Gwendolyn Braithwaite smiled, as she was want to do, a cheeky knowing type of smile that glinted in her eyes, as she turned away and found a soft padded chair beside the window.

Alex found the moment comforting.

The room was filled with people he knew well, people who shared much of their lives alongside each other, for better and worse, and yet found a peaceful conclusion from which to continue. Through the opened window where Lady Westbridge sat, he watched Lachlan running after his twins and his own daughter, Jessica. The sound of his brother's roar and the squeals of the children's responses flooded the room, and he noted everyone silenced to listen.