Grace’s heart began beating wildly, just as it always seemed to do when she was the center of his attention. Excusing himself from his company, he came across the room, reaching for two goblets of wine as he reached Grace, who was leaning against the window seat that overlooked the snow-covered garden.
“My love,” he said, handing her a glass, which she took. “Are you all right?”
“Very much so. Why? Do I not appear it?”
He shook his head, a touch hesitant.
“To be honest, no. You’ve a look of melancholy on your face and it’s causing me to worry about you.”
Grace grinned.
“When have I ever caused you to worry?” The obvious expression on his face made her chuckle. “Well, I suppose I have from time to time, but you needn’t be worried now.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
“Because I’ve decided on something. Something I hope you might assist me with, since I will be lost without you and I can’t very well do it on my own.”
James sighed.
“If this is about the hospital again, I already told you, I will allot as much of my time as I can, but it will be difficult considering my new position at the school and everything.”
“It’s not about the hospital.”
He gave her a suspicious glance.
“Then what is it?”
Grace placed the wine glass that she had not sipped from on an end table.
“Well, I’ve been thinking recently and it has been several months since I’ve been granted the title doctor and I was rather curious… I mean, I once asked that we might wait to further our, well, relationship until I reached this goal I had and since I’ve reached it, I’m not sure if you were still… I mean…”
She shook her head, staring at her hands while the words formed clumsily from her lips.
“Grace—”
“I just want to know if you were still of the mind to propose, or if your feelings have waned in the years since you made that statement.”
When he didn’t speak right away, Grace felt her throat tighten, but then he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her straight out of the parlor, in the view of everyone. Mortified,Grace tried to pull her hand away, but he had such a grip on her that he did not let her go, even when they were in the hallway.
“James,” she tried. “Please—”
“You think my feelings have waned? That it is you, who has been waiting these months to hear about a proposal?” he asked incredulously. “For God’s sake, Grace, it is I who has been waiting for you.”
She stared up at him.
“Me?”
“Yes. It was three years ago that you told me that when you finished your schooling, your studying, that you would come to me. But that wasn’t true. You went to Italy instead.”
“To shadow a surgeon.”
“Yes, I understand that. But to assume that you were the one waiting, when you specifically said that you would be the one to come to me, well, Grace. You’ve cut me more than you know.”
Grace, realizing that she had indeed told him such a thing, reached for him.
“Oh, James. I am a fool, aren’t I?”
“The smartest, most clever fool I know.” She smiled, tears stinging her eyes. His hand came up and his thumb brushed against her cheek. “Well? Are you going to ask me?”
