It was demanded by Kassie and Caitlin to write another one before the epilogue so I'm not entirely sure why I've been writing the epilogue first o.O crazy girl.

I don't really like this chapter but you be the judge :)

They broke apart and she sat curled up on his lap, his arms so tightly around her as he let his tears, now of happiness, fall into her hair while she held his hand over her heart, the heart that now belonged to him.

He didn't want it to end, all reasonable thought had escaped his mind, he was just left with never ending love swirling around his mind, infiltrating every part of his brain until he could not comprehend anything but the wonderful woman wrapped in his arms.
He allowed his tears of joy to freely fall into her hair, he would usually never cry, not since he was a lad but she'd shed so many tears and showed him the woman inside, who was he to keep himself as buttoned up when she clearly wanted him to open up to her.

He watched curiously as a tear drop landed on a curl of hair, like a rain drop on a leaf, it slowly rolled down the curl, flicking off end and landing gracefully on the next curl. So many things about her fascinated him he could watch her all day.

They hadn't said anything but he was certain they were of the same mind – they were both each other's, a promise sealed with a kiss.

He couldn't tell how long they were sat on the floor, it could have been hours for all he knew or cared about. There was work for them both to be doing but she was still not in a state to be seen by others, and know he promised himself to her, he wasn't in the mood to leave her.

She shifted slightly in his lap to look up at him, her cheeks glittering from the many tears she'd shed, but her face no longer distraught with grief, now she held an expression of sheer happiness despite her red rimmed eyes and occasional sniffs.

Leaning up, she kissed the corner of his mouth and rested her forehead against his temple listening to his breathing;

"Charles?" Her voice was soft but not as quiet and shaky as it had been.

"Yes"

"Why do you want to help me, and comfort me?"

He paused before he answered, she was still fragile, as close as they'd just become, he didn't want to overwhelm her as he surely would – nine years of untold love, would surely come as a shock.

"Because you're important, to the house and, to me."

"To you?"

"Yes, very, very much." He stroked his nose against hers and tightened his grip around her.

That seemed to satisfy her until she looked up, causing him to look down at her so her eyes looked directly into his and asked; "How much?"

He decided to take his chances, she'd never have allowed him to hold and kiss her if she only felt friendship for him surely, and if she did he was about to find out.

"Enough for me to want to hold you for as long as you need me to, and hopefully longer."

She smiled and laughed silently, "You can hold me as long as you want."

"As much as I want you forever, we may have to work once in a while."

"You want me forever?"

He tensed as he realised he'd forgotten to add that he wanted to hold her.

"Yes, Elsie I do."

"How long?"

The servants joked that the two of them were able to read each other perfectly and he realised they were right because she said few words and he understood everything she was asking.

"Years, so many years"

"You never said."

"I couldn't"

"It's not right?"

"No, not in our positions."

"Does it matter?"

If she was agreeing to what he thought she was he was certainly glad the way these events had turned out, such sorrow could turn to joy when you were in the arms of the one that means everything to you.

"Not if you don't want it to."

"You said you wanted me…"

"I do."

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted you" she whispered as she got closer and closer to her confession.

"If you meant it."

"I do."

His breath caught in his throat as he heard her words, they weren't explicit but he knew their meaning, their value.

"I'll always be here for you, I said forever, and I meant it.

"As did I."

Her hand slid from his shoulder up to his cheek, she marvelled at the softness of his aging complexion. Her fingertips danced lightly at his temples, stroking the soft hair that was so carefully kept in place behind his ears. She cursed herself for making such a spectacle of herself with all her tears but deep down it simply felt right, she couldn't place the feeling apart from describing it as a gaping hole in her chest and all she could think of doing was cry.

He felt her hand caress his cheek and gazed down to find her perfect eyes staring back at him, they were no longer red rimmed and had returned to their sparkling blue he was used to.
He felt her guide his face down and her lips rise to meet his, her kisses were gentle with a hint of uncertainty, having only just come to know the others feelings and after such a devastating event, he didn't want her to be overwhelmed and would let her take things at her pace.

She allowed her lips to mould against his, her left hand clutching his between them, she longed to deepen their kiss but for now they felt perfect, just as they were. She shifted forward until every part of her body was against his and his arms tightened around her.

She pulled away but kept their faces mere millimetres from each other before whispering the words she'd longed to say and he'd longed to hear.

"Charles, I love you."

Please review I've struggled so much with this chapter and this whole story to be honest.