“Can’t say that I blame him for that.”
“Indeed,” Ottilie agreed. “And before you ask how he’s going to occupy his time, the captain’s decided to help me with a few projects I want to do now that I’ve returned to Chicago.”
“Projects?”
“I saw in the newspaper that there’s an archeologist who uncovered a tomb in Egypt. He has a few spare mummies, which I want because, besides starting up a publishing house, I think Chicago could use another museum.”
“Does that mean we’ll no longer have mummies and sarcophaguses stored in the dungeon?”
“It certainly does, but...” Ottilie’s eyes widened as she peered at something over Annaliese’s shoulder. “Good heavens. What do we have there?”
As Annaliese turned around, Norma Jean suddenly began pointing down the drive, but any urge to remind her that pointing wasn’t all that acceptable disappeared when Annaliese directed her attention to what Norma Jean was pointing at and discovered an elephant being walked her way, followed by another elephant, and then another, and then five wagons laden with large crates.
Tears blinded her for the briefest of moments, and after swiping them away, she turned to Seth, knowing full well he’d been responsible. “Elephants?”
He moved closer to her and took hold of her hand. “It seemed to me as if everyone had made an excellent point when they’dsuggested a grand gesture. Granted, Mother thought I should do something memorable for you before we shared a first kiss, but, well, that ship certainly sailed before I could do anything memorable.”
“I think our first kisswasvery memorable,” Annaliese couldn’t help but point out.
“Agreed, but Rhenick had that iron gate made for your sister, and that got me thinking that you truly did need a grand gesture as well, not that I’m doing this because I’m going to propose like Rhenick took to proposing with Drusilla after his grand gesture.”
“We might need to revisit the whole proposing business.”
Seth blinked. “Really?”
“Really, but before we do that, how did you get those elephants when the owner of that circus in Pensacola seemed adamant about not selling them to me?”
Seth shrugged. “He was only adamant until I offered him something in exchange for all his animals that will undoubtedly bring in more money for him.”
“What did you offer him?”
“I modified that cannon that can shoot a cannonball farther than most cannons by making it spring-loaded. That makes it possible to shoot a small person out of it, and after the first one worked—not that I used a person even though Norma Jean wanted to volunteer—I made two more, and then made a fin that the circus owner can use in a sideshow act that’s far more realistic than the one Miranda was sporting when she worked at the fair.” He grinned. “I then pointed out in a telegram I hired a Pinkerton to deliver because I wasn’t exactly sure where the circus was set up, that I have a modified flame thrower that could be used to really generate some excitement. That was enough—well, after he charged me a rather hefty sum—for the circus owner to give me all the animals he had.” He leaned closer. “I’m sorry to say that there was no unicorn available.”
“I’ve always wanted an elephant more.”
“And now you have three, along with two trick ponies, a performing bear, two monkeys so Harriet will have friends, and I don’t recall all the other animals, but there are enough of them to now safely say that you have a legitimate animal sanctuary.”
He nodded to the elephants. “I was worried they wouldn’t do well in a Chicago winter, so after I made the human cannon, I started fiddling with a large forced-air furnace. I’ll have it sent here later today since I just finished with it. It shouldn’t take me long to install it in the barn, where I’m sure the elephants will be fine until we can build them nicer accommodations.”
Words were impossible to come by as Annaliese’s gaze traveled back to the elephants, all of whom seemed weary and probably thought they were being shuffled off to yet another circus where they’d be expected to perform or suffer pain. She swiped a hand over her cheek where tears were now falling before she drew in a breath and turned to Seth.
“I love you,” she said quietly.
“And I love you,” he didn’t hesitate to return.
“Would you marry me?”
Seth’s mouth went a little slack. “I beg your pardon?”
“Would you marry me?” she repeated.
“What about us taking time to justbe?”
“I think we’ve had enoughbetime since I know exactly who you are—a gentleman who brought me elephants, and a gentleman I will love to the end of my days and who I want to spend every second I have available with, and not with Seraphina trailing after us.”
Seth’s lips began to curve. “When do you think you’d like to get married?”
“As soon as Drusilla returns, which should be in the next week according to her last telegram, but...” She smiled. “Was that a yes?”
