Three days later

"Get ready! Time is of the essence," Margaret shouted as she entered her children's room. It was another day, and another outing with William, and she hated the fact that she needed to raise her voice before her children would move faster. It was one of the numerous outings they’d had for him to get to know the children better, and she was glad. It was obvious that the Marquess already knew her children and that the condition she had laid out for him had been met. But what was the next step?

She sighed in relief as Frederick put on his shirt and Charlotte slipped on her dress. It was sunset already, and they were going to the theater to see the latest play, an adaptation of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest."

Margaret returned to her chambers to put the final touches to her dress when Anna knocked softly and entered. "Mrs. Buxton, the Marquess is here," she declared, and Margaret smiled.

"Tell him I'll be with him shortly," she said. Anna nodded slightly and walked back to the door. Then she stopped and turned.

"I've never seen you this happy, Mrs. Buxton. At least, not since we lost your late husband. I am happy that you are giving yourself another chance."

Margaret smiled, saying nothing, and Anna walked out of the chambers. Five minutes later, Margaret walked downstairs, but William was oblivious of her arrival because he was busy playing with her children. They were happily laughing, and she was satisfied.

"William," she said, and he turned sharply to look at her. A smile formed on his face, and she smiled back. He was dressed in a shiny blue jacket and a waistcoat, and when she moved closer to him, she found he smelt nice. It was obvious that he had taken more time to plan his appearance, and it made her glad.

"Let's hurry, or else we would be getting bad seats," he said and beckoned to Charlotte and Andrew, who rushed towards him. He carried them, and they walked to the carriage waiting by the door.

Ten minutes later, the carriage arrived at the theater, and the children were excited. The play started, and they all concentrated. However, Margaret didn't enjoy it as much as she thought she would. The actors failed to portray the comic relief as they should have done, and it left her disappointed.

It all ended an hour later, and they all moved outside. "It is late. Let's get home quickly," William said, and Margaret was glad that he understood the rules and regulations which she used in teaching her children.

When they got home, Anna opened the door as the carriage stopped in front of it. The children got down, and they rushed to Anna, who knew they would have lots of tales of the play.

"We all heard the news about Mr. Garard. I'm sorry I placed you in such a situation. All this wouldn't have happened if I hadn’t come into your life," Margaret said. William held her close and smiled.

"You didn't come into my life; I chose this path. It isn't your fault that Bryan wanted to hurt me to get to you. Besides, I only lost a stable, which was rebuilt yesterday. My mother is fine, and she wants to meet you. My horses were not injured, and Bryan is in jail, where he will be for most of his lifetime. That, to me, is a win for us all," William said, and she nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," she said, and he smiled at her.

"Margaret . . ." He trailed off and went on one knee, causing Margaret and her children to gasp in surprise.

He brought out a ring and continued, "I had a wonderful time at the theater, and I want to build more memories with you. I love you, Margaret. At first, I didn't think I would be able to get to know your children, but now, I've grown fond of them. They are like a younger me. I am their friend, brother, and adviser, and now I want to help by being their father. I'm not replacing your late husband. In fact, I could never replace such a great man. I just want to be with the little angels he brought into this world, to ensure that they become who they want to be, and make him proud. I want you to be assured that everything is fine because you have me beside you. I want your joy to be my joy and your pain to be my pain. I want to be yours forever, and I want you to be mine. I love you, Margaret. Will you marry me?"

Margaret couldn't hold back her tears, and she cried profusely. William produced a handkerchief and passed it to her as he tried to hold back his own tears. She dried her eyes and looked at her children. They had smiles on their faces, and she began to laugh. The feeling of fulfillment and joy enveloped her.

"Yes, I will be your wife. I'll marry you," she said, and William slipped the ring onto her finger and smiled in victory. She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him, and they kissed. It was their first kiss, and it was way beyond her expectations. Anna covered the eyes of the children and prayed that William and Margaret’s union would be blessed and free from all kinds of marital troubles.

* * *

Six months later

Margaret stood before a mirror, dressed in a fine white dress. It was handed down by the best seamstress in London. A dress for their wedding, which was to be held that morning.

"You look wonderful. The Marquess is indeed a lucky man," Anna said, and Margaret smiled. She couldn't argue. They had moved from the mansion to the best lodging in London, located in the country house where they once went on a picnic, the same venue where the wedding was to be held, and she looked through the window as a carriage brought in her children.

"The dress fits you perfectly. It needs a pair of heels to match, and you will be the most beautiful bride London will ever see," the governess said, and Margaret blushed.

Margaret remembered the way she had met William and how far they had come since then. She smiled at his determination to be her husband and was happy to be his wife.

"Leave me alone for a moment,” she requested, and Anna bowed slightly before returning to the adjoining room. Margaret sighed as she sat on her bed. Her mind drifted to her late husband, Frederick. She had held onto his memory and mourned his death every day since the news reached her. But now, it was time to give herself a second chance.

"Oh Frederick. I will never stop loving you. You will always hold a special place in my heart," she promised and lay on the bed. Tears poured from her eyes as she remembered their time together, but then she wiped them away.

"Every day, I see you in the children you left me. They are wonderful and the best gifts you could ever give me," she said and fell silent for a moment as images of William flooded her mind. "Now, I have found love again, and I'm sure that you sent him to me. No one can fill the void you left, but with William, I am happy again. He is a good example for the children, and they have grown fond of him. I love him too," she said and sighed in relief. She closed her eyes, and all the images on her mind were of William making her happy.

"Don't worry. Our children will make us proud," she promised, and the door opened. She turned to see Anna and the children standing by the door.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come in!" she said, and they rushed in, enveloping her in a tight hug.

* * *

William sat in his exquisite chambers. The temptation to take the stairs to Margaret's room was stronger than ever, but he had to fight it. It was considered bad luck to see a bride before the ceremony on the day of the wedding, and he wasn't going to do anything bad.

"You look like a little child whose sweets were taken from him," Adam said, teasing him, and William smiled. But he wasn't going to argue. He missed Margaret and wanted to see her.

"My friend, you are getting married in a little while. Surely, you should be able to wait until then," Adam said, and William nodded in agreement. He stood up and poured himself a drink. He needed something strong to keep his nerves at bay, and he was satisfied when the drink stung his throat.

"Good," he exclaimed, and then they heard a soft knock on the door. He moved to it and opened it, surprised to see his mother on the other side. "What are you doing here, Mother?" he asked, and she smiled at him.

"Can't your mother be with you on your happy day?" she asked. He opened the door, and she walked into the room.

"Mother," Adam greeted, taking her hand to kiss it, and she smiled again, turning to look at William.

"Well, it is not news that I didn't approve of your marriage and that I was not involved in the process of choosing your bride. Nevertheless, I'm pleased that you have finally found a woman to call your own. It is the joy of every mother that her children find suitable partners. We do not know if Margaret is the right one for you, but it is too late to refuse anything."

William scoffed. "Mother, I'm not going to have an argument with you about this. Margaret is going to be my wife, and we should not be going back and forth about whether or not she is the right one for me. I love her, and she loves me, and that's all that matters," he said and returned to his seat, fixing his gaze on her, and his mother shrugged.

"I'm not saying you should not make a wife of Margaret Buxton. However, I said some months ago that I needed grandchildren before I die. I never knew you would take it so far as to get married to a woman who has three children by another man."

William almost slammed the glass in his hand on the floor. "Not another word, Mother. I will not allow you to sit here and cause more trouble for me. Please, be kind today. Do not be the reason why my happy day turns sour," he said, and she raised her hands to show her resignation.

"I think I can do that," she said and walked to the door.

"Wait, Mother," he said, and she stopped, turning to face him. "I will give you your own grandchildren, grandchildren who would look like you. But this is my family now. You need to love them just like you love me," he said, and his mother sighed, matching his gaze before walking out.

"Get dressed; you are soon to be married," Adam called out, and William laughed. He rushed to get dressed, not wanting to leave Margaret waiting.

An hour later, William was standing beside the aisle, with the attendance of his mother, Adam, Margaret's children, the governess Anna, and the servants of both families. Then, Margaret appeared. She looked like an angel. He was stunned as he watched her walk towards him. The procession was quick, and William was on top of the world as they exchanged vows.

"I promise to love you until the end of my days," he said, making his vows, and Margaret smiled. It took all her will to withhold the tears that threatened her eyes.

"I give you my word. I'll love you with all my being and give you the respect and care that you deserve!" she said, and William laughed. Her words were true, and he believed every bit of them.

"With the power vested in me by the church, I pronounce you man and wife," the priest said, and everyone cheered. "You may kiss the bride," he continued, and William wrapped his hand around Margaret's waist, placing the free hand on her neck. Then, he kissed her, slowly and passionately. She kissed him back with intensity, and William was glad, fulfilled that it had ended the way he wanted it to. Margaret, the lady who surprised him beyond measure, had become his wife and was the love of his life.

***

Several years later

It was Christmas, and Margaret and William had the whole family around them. There had been years of pure bliss and unending happiness, and William couldn't have wished for anything better. They gathered around the Christmas tree where there were numerous gifts with the names of the children on them.

"Yay," they cheered and rushed towards the gifts as Margaret and William watched, smiling happily.

Frederick, who was almost thirteen, was the happiest, as one of his gifts was a wooden ship. Another also had a pass to see the insides of one of the naval ships in London, and Frederick was in a world of his own.

"Thank you, Father," he said and unboxed more gifts, happy with his presents. Margaret looked at William, and she was glad. He was attentive, and she saw that he had gifts that were in line with the demands of Frederick's future.

"Everyone should go and play with their gifts," she ordered, and they rushed up the stairs, happy as they went to their rooms to examine the gifts. This allowed William and Margaret some time alone.

"Well, I have a gift of my own for you," she announced, and William was confused. He couldn’t remember her going out to get gifts the time he did, and he wondered what she had got for him.

" What is it, my love?" he asked, looking around, but there was no gift in sight.

"It's in here, growing for you. It will be ready in about nine months," she joked, smiling as she placed his hand on her stomach. William couldn't believe his ears. His hands became shaky as he stared in disbelief. Soon, his face showed excitement, and he kissed her belly as a smile formed on his face.

"Am I going to be a father?" he asked.

"Yes, my love. You are going to be a father!" she replied, and he responded with a kiss, covering her lips with his.

"Now I have everything I want in life," he said. He kissed her belly again, and Margaret was happy that she was his.

"What shall we name him?" he asked, and she looked at him in surprise.

"How do you know it is not a girl?" she asked, and William laughed.

It's just a gut feeling. But, if the baby is a boy, I would call him William," he declared, and she laughed.

"Like father and son?"

"Definitely," he remarked and smiled. "To make it fair, if it is a girl, which I doubt, I'll name the child Margaret. She needs to have the trait of her mother."

Margaret couldn't contain her laughter. "As my lord pleases," she declared, and he picked her up in his arms, catching her by surprise. It was the best Christmas gift ever given to him, and William was happy that he had followed his heart and chosen Margaret, the only woman who caused his heart to beat faster. It was a decision he would never forget and one that would be with him until the end of his days.

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