“What if I bought it for you as an engagement present?”
“What?” I laughed, but my stomach flipped with the thrill of his words. “What do you mean? We’re not even engaged.”
“Well, that’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to you about.” He stood from the table and came around to where I was sitting. Everything else seemed to happen in slow motion. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a small seafoam-green box with a white bow, then took a step back and was down on one knee in front of me. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“Archie,” I said in a whisper, suddenly overcome with emotion. “What are you doing?”
“Olive May McCormick Shine,” he said, taking my left hand in his and kissing it. “I love everything about you, and I don’t want to spend another minute of my life without you by my side. Would you do me the great honor of being my wife?”
I put my hand over my mouth, stunned. I couldn’t believe what was unfolding. I couldn’t speak.
“Olive, my darling, will you marry me?”
“Yes.” I stood and pulled him to his feet. “Yes, Archie, nothing would make me happier.” I kissed him.
“Well, then let me place this on your finger before you change your mind,” he said. He opened the box and took out a huge emerald-cut diamond ring with two baguette diamonds on either side.
“Oh my,” I said, breathless, stunned all over again.
He slipped the ring onto my finger and kissed my hand. “This, my love, this is where it all begins.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
There was a dusting of snow on the ground when we reached the Pines Camp, even though it had been a crisp fall day back in Manhattan.
I’d been caught so off guard with the engagement, and the fact that I’d said yes, that I hadn’t given much thought to what we’d be doing once we arrived.
“I’m surprised Anne’s here at this time of year,” I said.
“She’s packing up some of her belongings, and we’re going to sign the paperwork.”
“You were already buying this place?”
Archie smiled. “I’ve been talking to them about it since the beginning of the summer, but I want it to be yours. I know how much you enjoy socializing and entertaining, and this is the perfect place to do that. We’ll change anything you like to make it more accommodating.”
This was starting to sound like a lot of fun. Ruthie had beenright—any place this difficult to get to had a certain appeal, an exclusivity that made it seem even more mysterious and magical than it already was.
“It’s nice to see you again, Olive,” Anne said as we climbed down from the carriage. She was wrapped in a fur shawl, looking elegant as usual.
“We’re so happy to be here.” I was beaming. I knew it and yet I couldn’t help myself, I was desperate to tell someone the news.
“Olive?” She looked inquisitively from Archie to me. “Archie? What is it? You’re keeping something from me.”
“We’re engaged!” I jumped a little and held out my hand. It wasn’t the way she would have announced it, I’m sure—she would have waited for us to be seated inside, luggage unpacked, sipping tea from bone china—but I wasn’t her, and I was giddy with excitement.
“I am thrilled to hear this,” she said. “Raymond! Come on out here, we have some fantastic news—and let’s put some bubbly on ice!”
We spent the next few days touring the property and meeting the rest of the guides we’d somehow inherit with the camp. Jose showed us around and walked us down to the vegetable garden and the small farm that housed chickens, two dairy cows, a goat and some sheep. And the stables! Four beautiful horses were being fed when we passed by.
“What are we going to do with all of this, Archie?” I asked when Jose went into the stables. “It’s lovely, but I don’t know what to do with these animals.”
He took my hand and led me into the chicken coop, where he opened a little door at the end of an enclosed shed. He reached in and took out two eggs.
“We’re going to make omelets!” he said. “The staff live here year-round, they know what to do. They’ll take care of the animals, just like they’ll take care of the property, and in the dead of winter they’ll fill the icehouse with blocks of ice from the lake so we’re well stocked for summer. Believe me, Raymond and Anne have this place running like a well-oiled machine.”
Being in the wilderness was freeing. The air was clean, the views of the lake and the forests beyond were magnificent. Jose rejoined us, and as we were about to head back up the hill to the main lodge, I saw one of the horses had stuck her head out of the stall and was watching us.
“Here, feed her these and she’ll be your friend for life,” Jose said, placing a few carrots in my hand. “This here is Lady. We think she might be going to foal early next summer.”
