“Hmm, I suppose that I could manage,” she retorted playfully.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I am here so unexpectedly?”
“And here I am, thinking you simply could not bear the thought of being away from me for a moment longer,” she replied, deliberately not asking about whatever it was he seemed so eager to share.
He smiled back at her. “Normally, I would try to tease you enough to make you curious until you simply have to know what brought me here. But, today, I don’t have the patience for that,” he told her.
She inhaled sharply, her eyes widening and her heart starting to thud in her chest, as he took both of her hands in his own and went down on one knee.
“I came over early today because I couldn’t wait until dinner to ask you something,” he said as he released one of her hands to pull a small velvet pouch from his pocket.
Somehow, her breath seemed to catch in surprise all over again, and a host of butterflies settled in her stomach when she saw him take a ring out of the pouch.
“I am madly in love with you, Georgiana. I hope I have made that clear to you these last few weeks. There is no doubt in my mind that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Nothing would make me happier than having you as my wife.”
He paused, taking a deep breath before asking the question so dear to his heart. “So, dear Georgiana, will you marry me?”
The depth of her own feelings and the emotion she saw in his eyes had tears starting to flow down her cheeks. When he finished speaking, a huge grin spread over her face despite her tears, and she launched herself at him, ignoring the ring as her arms went around his shoulders.
“Yes! Yes, I will!” she exclaimed, nearly knocking him over and sending them both sprawling to the ground.
He staggered back a pace or two, dropping the ring as he chose to wrap both of his hands around her waist and lift her into his arms, spinning around with her twice, as they both laughed in delight, before setting her down right in front of him without releasing her.
“I love you, too,” she began as they both caught their breath, their eyes gazing into each other’s, “and I can’t wait to become your wife.”
For some reason, the feeling of being overwhelmingly ecstatic seemed to fade away somewhat. Though the emotion was still present, they became lost in each other’s eyes and everything else drifted away.
Caught up in the moment, they found themselves growing closer. Which of them began the kiss, Georgiana couldn’t have said, though she was sure she had been the one to close her eyes first, as her hands shifted from Walter’s shoulders to circle his neck.
The moment their lips met all other thoughts fled from her mind. All that existed was just Walter and her as the kiss deepened … until she heard someone clearing their throat.
Georgiana jumped back, startled at the sound, but did not take her arms completely off Walter’s shoulders, nor did he loosen his hold on her. Turning, she saw her aunt and uncle standing not too far away, watching them with amused smiles on their faces.
Her cheeks went red almost instantly, and she buried her head in his shoulder to cover her embarrassment as Jonas said, “Now, just because I gave you permission to ask her to marry you, that does not mean you can behave as though you are already married.”
Walter seemed abashed at this, loosening his hold on Georgiana’s waist and holding her hand instead. She wasn’t particularly happy at their special moment having been so rudely interrupted.
“Uncle!” she complained. “Don’t special moments, like getting engaged, entitle one to a little privacy? How long have you two been standing there?”
“The whole time,” Adelaide replied unapologetically, as her husband whispered something in her ear which put her on the brink of laughter. “Now, behave,” she told him.
“Yes, behave, Uncle,” Georgiana added. What he had whispered to her aunt she didn’t know, but she couldn’t scold him as much as she would have liked because the smile on her face wouldn’t let her be truly angry at anyone just then, especially not with Walter standing beside her simply enjoying holding her.
Jonas cleared his throat, looked between his wife and his niece, as a look of mischief appeared on his face. “By the way … that is a lovely ring,” he stated.
Georgiana was puzzled for only a moment as Adelaide swatted at him for what he had said, and Walter stiffened behind her. Only then did what he had said sink in, and her eyes widened.
The ring! Does Walter still have it, or did he drop it when I threw myself at him? What was I thinking! I didn’t even let him put it on my finger…
Walter chose that moment to dart to one side and start searching the ground. She went over to help him, but he found the ring first, chuckling at himself as he got back down on one knee.
“If you will allow me,” he waited for her to give him her hand, so that he could put the ring on it, which she did gladly. “Now, we are officially engaged,” he added, kissing her fingers before he rose to his feet.
“Yes, we are,” she replied, on the brink of getting lost in his eyes again.
Jonas, however, was not to be ignored. “As I said, it is a lovely ring,” he quipped, his amusement clear. “And this will be a lovely story to tell our future grandchildren.”
Adelaide started to swat at him again, but then considered it really would make for a good story. Meanwhile, Georgiana felt like groaning, and would have done so if she were not so happy, feeling sure Walter must feel the same.
“So,” her aunt began excitedly, trying to change the subject. “When would you like your engagement party to be held? It is going to take a little work to plan it, so the sooner we start on the details, the better.”
“Well, I think I would like it to be within as short a time as we can manage,” Georgiana replied thoughtfully. “I really don’t see any point in waiting too long.”
She saw Walter was smiling at her, clearly agreeing. “How does a week sound?” she asked, turning back to her aunt, who made a face indicating she disagreed.
“I think not, dear. I hardly think two weeks is enough time to plan a proper engagement party.”
“Oh, well, I don’t want anything big or extravagant, just something small, with our closest friends in attendance,” she replied, hoping it would solve the problem.
“Hmm…” Adelaide was clearly not convinced and seemed inclined to discuss the matter further later. “And how big a gathering might that be?” she asked, as the four of them slowly walked into the manor together.
“Well, Mary, of course, then there is Susan, my cousins–if they can come, Ambro—” she cut herself off in the middle of saying his name.