Epilogue Part 2

Thomas Lynley the 8th Earl of Asherton was standing on a little hill in his garden from where you could see the House and the sea. It had been exactly one year ago that he had proposed to Barbara here.

It wasn´t how he had planned it. His plan had been taking her to the Minack Theatre the next day and after the play having a romantic sit-in on the beach of Porthcurno having Champagne and asking her then.

But when he came looking for her he saw her standing on this hill, hair flying and herself laying in the wind she looked totally at ease with herself and unbelievable beautiful to him.

Then she had turned to him and said with sparkling green eyes: "Oh Tommy, now I know why you love this place. I guess I am falling in love with this view myself right at this moment!"

That had made him so happy so on impulse he got to his knee and asked her right away. They went to the Minack Theatre the other day but skipped the beach for his bed…

It had been Barbara´s wish to marry exactly at this spot of his land and he had agreed happily.

Luckily it was warm and sunny without any wind today. The guests were sitting in rows up the hill where Tommy, the priest, Peter and Sam were standing waiting for the bride to arrive.

They had agreed on two best men one from each side so to speak. Peter who had recovered very well and was studying again now had been surprised and pleased when they had asked him to be their best man.

The relationship between the two brothers had improved a lot since then.

And regarding Sam Tommy had to confess that over the last months he had come to appreciate the friendship with Sam. He had always been supportive only wanting Barbara to be happy. But Tommy also knew that if he would ever hurt Barbara badly, which he hoped never would happen, Sam would make him pay for it. He had made that perfectly clear in a man to man talk they had shortly after Barbara and he got together.

Now the three men were standing here facing the guests waiting for the bride. If she wasn´t too late Barbara should appear during the next 15 minutes.

Peter and Sam were joking but Tommy was far away with his thoughts. Looking over to the house and the stables he remembered Christmas morning and the joy he felt when he realized that Barbara had learned how to ride just for him.

Their rides together in the mornings were the most treasured times they had down here. But Barbara had surprised him in more than one way over this last year. She had attended a few charity function with him already some in London some here and had done well. Somehow she was able to accept this part of his life now and was herself surprised that it wasn´t as dreadful as she had thought.

His few real friends had also accepted her without any concern they were just pleased that he was happy and also more of his old self again.

Looking at the guests now he saw his family in the front rows on the left side most of them looking pleased for him. Lafferty, Cordia, Winston and Sam´s kids were sitting on the right side smiling widely at him. Looking on into the following rows he could see a lot of people of Nanrunnel who were just proud that the event was at the Estate this time and he also saw some of the society´s young ladies who had hoped to be the next Lady Asherton and who were now only here in hope something would go wrong or would be embarrassing. They had the same look on their faces as some of the old hard core aristocrats who didn´t accept anyone outside their circles. But Tommy couldn´t care less about them as he knew that nothing would go wrong as he was more than sure that he married the only right person now.

Looking down the hill he saw the carriage coming up. Judith was driving it having the two horses in front totally under control.

They arrived and Barbara and his mother got out. The musicians started playing the Intermezzo from "Cavalleria rusticana" (again a special wish of the bride) and Dorothy brought his bride to him. It surprised him as it wasn´t planned but it also made his heart go out to his mother as he knew what she was saying with this.

But then he looked at Barbara for the first time while she was coming up the hill and he nearly forgot to breathe. She looked so beautiful but in a really natural way and then he recognised the dress.

An old long forgotten memory came to his mind:

He was five years old and sitting on his grandmother´s lap looking at her wedding pictures. When he said to her that she looked beautiful and that if he would ever marry his bride should wear a dress like that, his grandma had smiled at him and said: "You know Tommy-boy, if she is the right one she will wear exactly this dress!" and had kissed him on the top of his head.

His grandma had been a wise woman and smiling his special smile at Barbara now he thought he would tell her this story later when they were alone again but now she was here smiling at him and facing the pastor now they were both ready to start this new chapter of their life!

A/N: Okay here is part two of the epilogue. It´s a bit shorter than the others but there is going to be a third part, as with the saying: "All good things are three!" Thanks again for all the nice reviews.