The Wonderful Bouquet

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: A great life

"Lionel, dear," Madilyn's sweet voice said, "what is it?"

Thomas and his wife were watching at their children, embracing each other in happiness. Things seemed to be going alright, and finally they had time to face the smaller problems in their life.

So they had watched Lionel for a while, but their son had not done what a five year old ought to do. He had not taken a crayon in his hand or looked into a book. He was holding toys Theodore and Leonard liked to play with.

Startled, Lionel looked up at his parents, then merely shrugged and went back to turning around the toy in his hands.

Madilyn sighed, then walked to her son and crouched down in front of him.

"What truly is the matter?" she asked, laying a hand on his shoulder. "I shall not get angry with you. All I want is for you to be happy."

Lionel shrugged, and stopped moving the toy. It took him a while, but Madilyn waited patiently until he answered silently: "I do not like it."

"You do not like what?" Thomas asked after he had joined them on the floor.

"I am the only boy here," he responded with another shrug.

"No, you are not," Madilyn argued. "You have two brothers and your father."

"Theodore and Leonard are two years old! I cannot play with them! And father is always working. I want a brother who I can play with, like Gwendolyn and Hazel can always play with each other."

Madilyn squeezed her son's shoulder before she looked at Thomas. What to do?

Before either of them could think of good words for their son, the butler entered the room. "My lord, my lady, you have guests awaiting you in the parlour."

Thomas nodded at the man, before turning back to his son. "I will find something to cheer you up," he promised.

A few minutes later, they were in the parlour of their house with Adelaide. Lord and lady Woodward were sitting in front of them. Twas clear that the Hayes mother did not want to be here, but her husband had ordered her to.

"Lord Thomas, we are forever in your debt," he said, his genuine eyes on him. "You have brought Eleanor back to us. And despite the hardship she had brought upon you, you have cared for her. It took us a while to thank you for that, for mere words did not suffice."

He looked at Madilyn and gave her a warm smile. Then his gaze went over Adelaide before it returned to Thomas.

"It might not be a reward to you personally, but it is the best we have to offer."

The man stood up and walked to Adelaide. He reached out and helped her stand up, then held on to her hands while he looked her in the eyes.

"Adelaide," he said with a tired voice. "We have wronged you very much. You did not deserve anything of what you got, and you have every right to hate us for it. But you are still our oldest child, and we love you so much."

He looked at Madilyn and smiled at her. "As we love you too. And we are so proud of the life you have created for yourself. Hopefully we may become a bigger part of it."

The man did not wait for an answer before turning back to his oldest daughter. "Adelaide, hereby we promise you that upon my death, the Woodward title and estate are yours. No matter what your marriage status might be, you will be the next lady Woodward, and I am proud to be able to give that to you."

Lord Woodward kept talking, obviously not seeing the amazed look on his daughter's face. Twas a good amazed look, like she did not expect those words to come out of her father's mouth. And when he finally stopped speaking, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave a kiss on his cheek.

Twas by far the most intimate Thomas had ever seen Adelaide toward anyone but Madilyn and Mary, and it warmed his heart to see it. Every bit of happiness he witnessed, felt so much warmer than ever before. Mayhap endings were not always bad. Mayhap sometimes they were needed to start a new chapter with a new view.

Adelaide had just received the promise to a happy ending. It might not be what she is worth having, for she deserves so much after having gone through what Arthur did to her, but at least it made her happy, and it promised her a good future.

The thought of new views reminded him of Lionel, and how his son needed one. A sudden thought came to mind, and when the lord and lady of Woodward left, he turned it into action right away.

After luncheon, he, Madilyn and Lionel jumped in the carriage and drove for a while until they were just outside London. They stopped in front of a big estate, which Lionel recognized immediately.

"Why are we here?" he asked, but Thomas merely told him to be patient.

They stepped out of the carriage and into the house, where they were greeted by the lord and lady of the estate. Their sons – polite as they were taught to be – joined their parents. And not much later, Lionel was running through the Hawthorne gardens with Henry and Evan, having found his new view in life.

Thomas' smile widened, and when he looked over at his wife, she was looking similarly happy. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, which made her chuckle. Twas a sound that Thomas loved, and that he wanted to hear for the rest of his life.

He watched his sister, who was sitting on the outdoor coach with her husband. Their hands were clasped together, and a never disappearing smile lit up her face.

Life was great. Life was truly great.