The Arrogance of Elegance

Part the Thirty-Second

"Magdelline, do you have anything to add?" my father asked me, snapping me from my thoughts. I straighten in the chair in his office as Nicolas beside me seemed to be buzzing with either nerves or excitement--perhaps both. Papa had just accepted Nicolas's offer.

I shrugged. "Not anything I can think of at the moment--except pure joy. Relief."

"Why relief?" Papa laughed heartily. "Did you think I would refuse such a good-mannered man for my daughter?" He added in a loud whisper: "Besides, I'd have to deal with our neighbors if I refused."

"Oh, Papa." I smiled only wider as Nicolas intertwined his hand in mine. I looked up at his beaming face before leaning onto his shoulder. "God has been good."

"He always has been, always will, dear." Papa smiled before opening his book. "Now you two leave so I can finish reading."

We stand to leave but I pause at the door. "Since when have books been of interest to you?"

"Ever since my grandchildren have been begging me to read to them."

--

Nicolas and I walked across the property, arm-in-arm as he led me to his estate. We were planning on next telling his family, so since we were neighbors, now was the best time. And I didn't think that Nicolas could contain himself any longer.

"I can hardly believe it," I whispered, as I placed my free hand upon his arm as he led me alongside the road. 

Nicolas looked down at my face with a soft smile. "That we are engaged to be married?" 

"Indeed." I pursed my lips as emotions swelled up inside of me. "For years I had dreamed of it--I always wanted to marry you. Ever since you snuck me into your father's library to read together."

"That's a long time," Nicolas commented before looking at the clouds gathering in the sky. "I think I've always loved you. It may have not been in a romantic way for a bit, but I still felt a deep connection with you even when we were children. You seemed to have understood me as well as Audra did. And that was a rare find."

We stopped abruptly as the wind picked up, and rain drops slowly started to patter around us.

"What is it?" I asked, confused as the rain started to wet my face.

"I love you," he whispered before leaning into another kiss. It was quick, but it brought a blush to my cheeks. 

"I love you, too, Nicolas."