He’d made his decision. Dr. Leonard wasn’t the ultimate test: this was. She could walk away—he’d try to allow it. He would try, if that’s what she wanted, but he had to know. He had to present the option.
He continued, “I don’t want to be without you again, but I want you to make your own decision. Tonight, I’d like to present you with two options: your freedom—you may leave tonight and your debt is paid, or,” he removed the ring he’d bought from his jacket pocket, “you could agree to marry me and spend the rest of your life with me, not out of obligation or contractual agreement, but because you want to be with me.”
Perhaps Claire would think that his shaking was due to the cold. He waited. When she didn’t reply, he said, “You told me yesterday no more black boxes, so I took it out of its box.” He grinned. “Could we see if it fits?”
Claire nodded and extended her left hand, covered by a large mitten.
Tony smiled as he removed the fuzzy mitten and placed the ring on her fourth finger. “It seems to fit.” Tony looked into her emerald eyes. “The question still seems to be unanswered. Do you want to keep it on and stay with me? Will you please be Claire Rawlings?”
“I-I’m so surprised,” she stuttered, “ar-are you seriously asking me to marry you?”
He grinned and bowed his nose to hers. “Yes, my dear. This entire night has been leading to this proposal. I’ve watched you with me in private, in public, and with my closest friends. I want you there always. I love you.”
“Please,” she implored, “please, let me think. I promise you an answer soon.”
He did what she asked. It wasn’t often that Claire asked anything of him, and now she wanted time to think. As the carriage moved slowly around the frost-dusted park, Tony wondered how much time she wanted. Each moment made him more anxious. Maybe he hadn’t thought this through enough. What if she chose freedom? Could he do what he’d said? Could he give it to her? As the panic continued to build a defensive wall, her beautiful voice broke through—shattering his doubts and calming his anxiety.
“God help me, yes—Tony, I’ll marry you.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tenderly. When their lips separated, Claire confessed, “I love you too.”
Relief like he’d never known filled his chest. Despite the frigid temperatures, he was warm and satisfied. Her confession of love was the most wonderful thing he’d ever heard.
The next morning, Tony slipped from their bed and made his way down to his office. He didn’t care that it was Thanksgiving morning. He had a wedding to plan, and he wanted it done—now. Glancing at the clock, 7:03 AM, he knew who he needed to call first.
He’d discussed his plans with Catherine, and since Claire’s conversation with Dr. Leonard, Catherine’s opinion of Claire, too, had softened. She even told Tony more than once that she thought Claire was good for him. Funny, that was also what Courtney had said. It was more than that. Catherine spent hours and hours working with Claire and helping her recover from her accident. Tony suspected that it reminded Catherine of her own accident years ago. She knew firsthand the difficult path Claire endured, both mentally and physically. She understood it in a way Tony never would. That common experience created a bond between the two women. Of course, Catherine never admitted that, but she did say that when Tony was with Claire, especially during her recovery, Catherine saw Nathaniel in him. Although, Tony hadn’t witnessed Nathaniel and Marie’s interaction during that time, he knew a compliment when he heard one.
Despite all of that, Tony wasn’t sure how Catherine honestly felt about the marriage thing. He squared his shoulders and hit CALL. Catherine answered on the second ring. “Yes?”
“Good morning, Marie.”
“Anton … you have heard of holidays, haven’t you?”
“I thought you would want to be the first to hear my news—our news.”
Catherine gasped. “You did it, didn’t you? You asked her and she said yes?”
“Yes, and she’s very anxious for your reaction.”
“You actually asked her?” She emphasized the word.
“Yes—I asked her.”
“And she said yes?”
Tony grinned into his phone. “Should I be offended that you find this so difficult to believe?”
“No, you shouldn’t. I’m just—just—pleased. I think you’re right. The situation couldn’t go on the way it was much longer. This makes perfect sense. Besides, I can tell … it’s what you want.”
“I do,” Tony agreed.
“Did you offer her an alternative?”
“Her freedom.”
“Oh, Anton, what if she’d gone that way?”
“She didn’t.”
Catherine’s tone hardened. “Tell me how this changes things.”
“It doesn’t. Like you just said, it’s a continuation.”
“She’ll have your name. Things will change.”
Although his office door was closed, Tony lowered his voice. “She’ll share the name Rawlings. You know as well as I, that she’ll never be able to share my name and we both know why.”
“Do you? Do you remember? It’s important that you remember.”
“Marie, how could I forget? I remember as well as you.”
“Are you in love with her?”
Tony hesitated. “I believe I am.”
“And you don’t believe that changes anything.”
“Maybe it does,” Tony conceded. “Maybe it changes her role, but it doesn’t change her debt. Now it has become a debt that she’ll pay forever. That’s the way this works, right? Forever—until death do us part?”
“No, Anton, it goes beyond that. I can promise you that.”
He sat taller. “It may not have been the original plan, but once she says I do, there’ll be one less Nichols.”
“You believe that, don’t you?”
“Don’t you?” Tony asked. “Tell me that we haven’t changed her and made her into a Rawlings.”
“She has changed. I see that.” Catherine conceded.
“I’ve helped you and you’ve helped me. Can I continue to count on your assistance?”
Catherine’s tone softened. “Yes, of course, Anton. Nathaniel intended for us to work together. I won’t be the one to disappoint him.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Neither will I.”
In a professional tone, Catherine replied, “Mr. Rawlings, please tell the future Mrs. Rawlings that I’m very happy for both of you.”
Tony smiled. “I’ll do that. Marie?”
“Yes?”
“This has worked out much better than I ever imagined, and I know it wouldn’t have without you.”
“Anton, I agree with everything, but please don’t forget the big picture.”
“I’ve told you that I’m in control, and we’ve seen that over and over—with Dr. Leonard and with my proposal. Now the whole world will know that she belongs to me—it won’t be a clandestine arrangement.”
“The whole world?” Catherine asked. “Is that referring to the emails you’ve been receiving from Emily Vandersol?”