Page 110 of The School Mistress (Emerson Pass Historicals 1)

“I think so too,” Annabelle said. She turned to me. “Lord Barnes, we’re so very grateful to be here.”

“We’re family now,” I said. “You must call me Alexander.”

We had several hours before the train to Emerson Pass. After we collected their suitcases, I took them all out to a meal.

We dined on steaks, potatoes fried into crisp wedges, and crunchy salad with creamy dressing and bits of bacon. Josephine sat up straight and was polite and grown-up. I imagined her as a young woman. How soon that time would come that I’d have to agree to a man’s request for marriage.

Both the Cooper women seemed to enjoy the meal immensely, exclaiming about everything. Mrs. Cooper fretted over the prices. I reassured her by saying it was a special day. “It’s not every day you meet your bride’s family.”

“You’ve been able to keep our arrival a surprise?” Mrs. Cooper asked.

“Only Papa and I know,” Josephine said. “Well, and Jasper and Lizzie. They know everything about our family. It’s been so hard to keep the secret, hasn’t it, Papa?”

“Very much so,” I said. “However, I’m a romantic and want to have you both at the house to help us celebrate tonight. I’ve been imagining it for weeks now.” I pulled the ring box from my inside jacket pocket. “Would you like to see the ring?”

Annabelle squealed when I opened the top of the box. “My sister will love it.”

“I’m taking her on a sleigh ride away from the house. When we return, we’ll have a party to celebrate, and you’ll be her surprise.”

“What if she says no?” Annabelle asked, deadpan, before bursting into peals of laughter. “I’m just teasing. We know for a fact she’s saying yes.”

“I certainly hope so,” I said. “Or it’s going to be an awkward party.”

That evening, I took Quinn out for a sleigh ride. The stars were bright overhead, and a sliver of a moon smiled down on us. Oliver and Twist nuzzled as they clomped through the snow. When we reached a spot in the middle of the meadow where the stars were particularly bright, I stopped them and adjusted in the seat to face Quinn. She had her head tilted back, looking up at the sky.

When we returned from Denver, we’d hidden Mrs. Cooper and Annabelle in Harley’s cottage.

“I think about my mother and sister on nights like these,” she said. “And wish they could see the stars from right here.”

She turned toward me. In the shadowy light, I could only just make out the outline of her face. I knew every inch, though. Every freckle and the exact color of her eyes and the way her nose wrinkled when she laughed.

I took the ring from my pocket. “I fetched you a trinket in Denver.”

“A trinket? Do you mean a ring?”

I didn’t answer as I lifted her hand from under the blanket and tugged at her glove, which stubbornly refused to come off her slender fingers.

“Here, let me,” she said, giggling. “There’s a trick to it.” She gracefully slid the glove from her hand and waggled her fingers at me. “Would you like to put the ring on, or shall I?”

“I have to ask first.”

“You’re taking a very long time,” she said.

“Perhaps I’ll just put it back in my pocket?”

“No, no. I’ll be quiet now.” She pressed her fingers against my mouth. “See, it’s ready for you.”

I laughed and kissed each one of her fingers. “Will you wear this rin

g and be my wife?”

God bless the sliver of the moon, for it took that moment to shine a little brighter and made the diamond sparkle. “Yes, I’ll wear your ring and be your wife.”

I slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her. Somewhere in the night, a wolf howled as if giving his approval. “Marry me on Christmas Eve?”

“Christmas Eve?”

“Yes, Pastor Lind will do the ceremony. We’ll invite the whole town.”