Forever Yours

Authoress note: This is the final chapter. It's been fun writing this. And I hope people enjoyed it. Okay I will say now. The end is a little lame. But I'm drunk what can I say? But it is longer.

Chapter Twenty One:

One Year Later...

The male officer stood outside the door of a home in London. He glanced up at the falling snow above him. He took a deep breath. And knocked.

An older woman opened the door. And stared at him. So he decided to speak." Hello. I'm...uh...looking for Lady Penelope Pellew...does she live here by anychance?"

To his surprise the woman spoke something in Spainish. Lt. William Bush understood none of it. And the woman shut the door on him. He lifted an eyebrow. And on the other side of the door. He heard a couple women arguing in Spainish. One voice sounded younger then the woman who had closed the door in his face. The younger voice sounded like Penelope's voice.

Then the door opened. The same woman stood there. She spoke this time in English. " Come on in. If you would please sir." She held the door open for him. As he stepped in he removed his hat and brushed off his brown duster." May I take your coat?" She asked.

" Please." He slid his duster off and handed it to her. He was dressed in his entire Leftenant uniform.

He looked around for a moment then glanced over at the door way to what looked like a livng area. He gazed upon Penelope. She was dressed in a blue silk corest gown. Her skirts flowing at the floor. She had longer hair. That brushed her back. It was pulled back into a small ponytale. But most of her hair hung down.She stared perplexed at the officer in her father's house.

" Leftenant." She greated him.

This broke him out of his state of being stunned by her beauty." Penelope." He took a slight gentleman bow.

"Uh...please come sit down." She offered. Gesturing to the table with hot tea by the couch.

" Thank you." William followed her. And took a seat in a chair at the table. Penelope took a seat across from him and poured him a cup of tea. Before either of them could say anything. A servant came running frantically in." Madam Pellew! It's Gracie!"

"Whose Gracie?" William asked.

Penelope said nothing to him and got up from the couch and ran up the stairs in the next room. William followed. When he reached the room Penelope had ran into. He was stricken immedaitely.

There in her arms. Was a little baby. She cradled in her arms. Slowly. " You...'re married." He mused.

" No." She answered approaching him." William...meet your daughter. Gracie." She said softly. Helding the baby girl to him. " Gracie. This is your father." She muttered to the baby.

He could not believe it. His daughter.She was wide awake with blue eyes. Staring calmly at this man. In her mouth was a pacifier." She's mine.Penelope...I..." He could not find the words to say.

Penelope looked at William." Hold her. " She whispered.

" Gladly." He said and accepted the baby handed to him. He held her gently and stared down at her.And as he held that tiny baby everything seemed to slide to a stop in his life

" Feed her." Penelope's voice forced him to glance up. She held the bottle of warm milk before him. Without thought, nor question. William took the bottle and replaced her pacifier with it. He smiled.

" I can't believe it..." He whispered. Feeding her at the same time rocking her slowly." I suppose your father wants a bullet in my back for this for sure." He mused with a smile. Looking at Penelope.

" No. He was hopping you'd come find me. That's why several months ago he had me moved here. " She said softly. Both she and William looked at the baby. She had dozed off.Gingerly he removed the bottle from her mouth.

" Should I put her to bed?" He asked softly. Penelope smiled and nodded. William smiled back at her and went over. Laying the infant into her cradle and covered her with a quilt. And stared down at his sleeping daughter.

" Why are you here?" Penelope asked.Snapping him back into reality.

He looked at her and approached her." I know you did not sleep with Hornblower...I acted too rash...and I...wanted to apologize for it. And now coming here to you. And seeing that you had my baby...brings an entire new purpose to me being here." He took Penelope's hand. she smiled at him and he continued," I never took the ring from my pocket. And I'll ask. Only if I know that you'll still have me."

Penelope approached closer to him and kissed him on the lips.Which he made into an open mouthed kiss.But it was slow and passionate.

He lowered her onto the bed in the room. His eyes skanning her's. His lips lowered then and touched her cheek. Then traveled down and brushed against her mouth. Contining down to the nape of her neck. His right hand slidding something onto her finger. The other hand running up her skirts and brushing against her garderbelt and touching her silk like thighs. But before he could continue. He felt something pressing against his backside. His eyes widened. Penelope glanced behind his shoulder." Father."

" Get off my daughter." The Admeral demaned firmly. Pulling the hammer down on his pistol. Slowly and cautiously William did. And stood face to face with Pellew.He looked well...pissed. " Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you where you stand." He growled between his clentched teeth.

" Sir, I believe there is no reason in the world that you should spare my life." William said.

Penelope had stood up. And took her place beside William. She spoke," There is a reason. " She began. And looked over at the cradle. Where Gracie slept." That should be reason enough to let him live. " She said.

Pellew looked at Penelope. He knew she had a pointed. With the birth of his grandaughter, Gracie. Came a whole new meaning to Penelope's life. His life, and now...William's life. " William has admitted to his folly and has come to make it right." With that she lifted her finger. Where the engagement ring rested.

Pellew looked back at William and spoke firmly."You were not the first to break her heart. But I was hopping you'd undo what you so wrongfully did. " Slowly he lowered his pistol." And you seem that you indeed are here to fix things.I want to see you do it. Fix it."

William looked at Penelope. Took her hand and knelt down on his knees. He spoke with nothing but all truth," Penelope Pellew. What I did to you was unjust. I acted for the worst. I accused you of something I realized you did not do. I am sorry and nothing I can do or say could make it up to you. But if I could, I'd want it to begin here. Penelope Pellew please do me the honors of your hand in marriage. Let me proporly be Gracie's father."

This brought a smile to Pellew's face and tears of happiness to Penelope's eyes.She tackled him to the floor and locked her arms around him. She knew then that everything would be okay. " Lets marry as soon as possible." William muttered. Penelope looked at him. And kissed him deep in the mouth. Thus William Bush and Penelope Pellew finally got married three days later. And that was not the end of it. Oh no. For Gracie was not to be the only little Bush kid. But that is another story.

THE END