Previous Section, Section X
"Emmy? Where have you been?" Richard asked as Marina came through the door. She dropped her gym bag on the floor and looked at his defensive posture. "I was expecting you home at least two hours ago."
"I was at swim class. It's Tuesday, remember?"
"I remember what day it is. I also remember that your class ended last week."
"Didn't I tell you? I signed up for the deep water confidence class. I figure that if I stop swimming now I'll just get scared of the water again." Richard's mouth fell open. "What?" Richard pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair.
"My little daredevil," he said as he hugged her to his heart. "You never cease to amaze me. I'm proud of you, Emmy"
"It's just a swim class. Don't get crazy," Marina laughed as she gently pulled away. "And if you really love me, you'll have something for me to eat by the time I come back," she said as she headed for the bathroom.
When she returned a few minutes later she found Richard waiting at the dinner table. She sat down and allowed Richard to place a napkin in her lap.
"Now I know why you've been so eager for my return. You're hungry."
"Guilty as charged," Richard admitted, "but I was genuinely worried. It's not like you not to call when you aren't coming straight home."
"I'm sorry. It never occurred to me that you would be worried. It should have, though," Marina teased. "You've always been a worry wart where I'm concerned."
"I care. So sue me."
Marina reached out and caressed Richard's cheek, running her fingers over his pout before she kissed it away.
"So what have I missed?" she asked as she turned her attention to her meal.
"Well, I was trying to finalize plans for Thanksgiving," Richard replied. "Did you get Wednesday off?"
"Well, not exactly. I'm low man on the totem pole, remember?"
"So we'll have to go with plan B, then," Richard said, undeterred. "I'll drive up and meet you at work and we'll head north from there."
"Sounds like a plan. I'm kind of psyched about seeing Mr. and Mrs. F again."
"Me, too," Richard said as he regarded her thoughtfully. "Are you always going to call them that?"
"Hmm?"
"My parents--you probably ought to consider calling them something else."
"Why? I've always called them Mr. and Mrs. F," Marina said with a frown.
"But they won't always be Mr. and Mrs. F to you, will they?"
"Won't they?" she challenged.
"Well, I'd like to think that someday you'll see them as mom and dad," Richard replied.
"I'm a little old for adoption," Marina said archly. Richard grabbed her nose and gave it a tweak before she could slap it away.
"I'm working up to something here, do you mind?" he said playfully, but Marina could see that he was serious.
"Ricky?"
He took hold of her hand and stared at it as he spoke.
"From the moment I realized that I was in love with you I knew it was a permanent condition. Since then I've come to realize that I've been in love with you a lot longer than I originally thought. You're right, Emmy. We have wasted a lot of time and I don't see any reason why we should wait any longer to start working toward our happily ever after."
He faltered, then, and Marina squeezed his hand encouragingly. Richard looked up and smiled. He rose and drew her away from the dining table so that he could enfold her in his arms.
"Will you marry me?" he asked shyly.
"I've been waiting half my life to hear those words," Marina said tearfully.
"Want to hear them again?" he quipped. Marina shook her head as she hugged Richard tightly.
"I committed them to memory a long time ago."
"Ah." They held each other for a minute before Richard pulled away. "Hey! Don't you have a line or two to say?"
"Yes," Marina said, her voice cracking slightly as she spoke.
"Well?"
"Yes!"
"Oh!" Richard lifted Marina's tear-streaked face to his and kissed her.
"Pardon me for complaining when you've obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make this beautiful meal," William said, "but why are we having turkey three days before Thanksgiving?"
"I like turkey," Lizzy answered simply. "Besides, I doubt that Mrs. Fitzwilliam will be serving meatloaf on Thursday," she said as she placed a thick slab on his plate. William promptly forgot his complaint when the aroma reached his nostrils. He smiled and lifted his fork then frowned when she took his plate. It reappeared a moment later adorned with mashed potatoes and gravy and a healthy side of string beans.
"There," Lizzy said, "and there's--." She cut off her remark when the phone rang. "I'll let the machine get that," Lizzy said as she sat down to eat.
"Is there pumpkin pie for dessert?" William asked halfway through the meal.
"No, William. I have it on excellent authority that Hugh Fitzwilliam's pumpkin pie is to die for. My idea of pumpkin pie involves a cruise down the frozen food aisle. Do you really want that?"
William shook his head.
"Good. I got apple instead." She smiled at his brief look of horror. "Actually, I baked you an apple cobbler."
"Is that a good thing?"
"It's better than a frozen pie."
William smiled in agreement and they finished their meal amid good conversation. He washed the dishes while Lizzy served up the dessert and they retired to the living room to eat it in front of the television.
"Oh, I should check that phone message," Lizzy said. She checked the answering machine and found that her mother had called. She dialed home and curled up in William's arms to chat with first her mother then her father.
"Give your parents my regards," William whispered. Lizzy conveyed the message and then handed him the telephone.
"Daddy wants to speak with you," she said. She extricated herself from his arms and went to the kitchen to fetch the coffee.
"Hello, Thomas," William said. "No, I haven't gotten around to it yet... No particular reason. I did warn you that I wasn't in any--. Yes. Yes. That's true, and I agreed with you at the time--. No, I haven't changed my mind. In fact, if anything I'm even more--. Well, I will! I've just been--. Okay. Happy Thanksgiving to you and the family. Bye." William sighed and hung up the phone just as Lizzy returned with the tray.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
"Oh, it was just a continuation of a conversation we had when we were up there," William said coolly. He took the cup Lizzy offered and waited for her to settle in beside him before taking a sip.
"Sounds pretty heavy."
William shrugged.
"I guess it is."
"What were you two talking about, if I may be so bold as to ask," Lizzy prodded. William didn't answer right away. His attention was on the television. "William?"
"Oh; he wanted to know if I'd proposed to you yet."
"Yet?" Lizzy repeated, nearly gagging on her coffee. William reached across her and snagged the last bit of abandoned cobbler on her plate. "My father is expecting you to propose?" she asked incredulously.
"I suppose he does," William replied with his mouth full. "He undoubtedly thought I'd do it sooner given that I'd sought his blessing weeks ago. He's been awaiting your call with the good news ever since."
"But you haven't proposed," Lizzy said with a very dry throat.
"I guess I forgot about it," William said as he glanced at her and smiled sheepishly. She just gaped at him.
"You forgot to propose? How does a man forget to propose?"
"I don't know! I guess I had other things on my mind," William said as he tried to suppress a chuckle. "The Yankees made the playoffs, then I had that trip out to L.A., and then Gee had that appendicitis attack--."
"Gee had appendicitis?" Lizzy gasped.
"Oh, no wait--that was last October," William said. "Ow!" he wailed when Lizzy hit him. "What?"
"You were planning to propose to me and forgot, that's what!" Lizzy shouted.
"I'll do it tomorrow," William offered.
"Tomorrow?"
"After this show?"
Lizzy reached for the remote but William was faster. They wrestled for a minute until he had her on his lap and immobilized. He made a show of checking his watch.
"Seven minutes," he whispered in her ear.
"Gee, I can hardly wait," Lizzy deadpanned, but she struggled with her composure as William began to nibble her throat. "Hey, you don't want to miss the big ending."
"Oh, right," William said as he withdrew from her neck and sat back, pulling Lizzy with him.
"May I drink my coffee?"
"I'm afraid not. There's no telling what you might do if I release those hands," he said.
Lizzy smiled in spite of herself.
"Actually, you're probably right," she replied and nestled in to watch television for the next few minutes, but her heart pounded in her chest the whole time. When the credits began to roll, William released her arms. She stretched them and turned to him, but he was already rising and heading for the door. "Where are you going?"
"To get my coat," he said.
"You aren't leaving!"
"No," William smiled. He opened the closet and pulled out his coat. Lizzy grabbed it from him and held it to her chest.
"What are you doing, then?" she asked suspiciously. William calmly dug through the pockets of his overcoat.
"I was looking for something," he said. "Can't propose without the right props, now, can I?" He left Lizzy standing in the foyer and returned to the living room. "Coming?"
Lizzy followed him, dropping his coat over a chair as she went. William had turned off the television and was waiting for her. He extended his hand and she went to him.
"Actually, the main reason why I haven't already proposed was this," he said with significant look at the box in his hand. "I was torn as to whether I should propose first and then take you shopping for a ring or to buy the ring first. Ultimately, I opted for doing things the old fashioned way. And then, of course, I had to find just the right ring. And once I found that I began to think of the perfect time and setting. I'd decided to propose under this great old tree up in Northampton that Richard and I used to climb as kids. Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait till Thursday?"
Lizzy shook her head.
"I wasn't going to make you climb the tree or anything. It's just a beautiful spot with a little bench Uncle Hugh built. Richard always called it the necking bench because--."
"William?"
"Okay, 'now' it is. You're really missing out on a great setting, though."
"What's wrong with my living room?"
"You're right," William said. "I suppose the best setting is the one we're in. I do hope you like this ring--."
"You're babbling."
"I know. This is the most important moment of my life," he said, swallowing hard. He took a deep breath, looked Lizzy in the eyes and started to speak. "Oh, don't start crying, Lizzy! This is hard enough as it is!"
"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "This is a big moment for me, too." They both laughed a bit subconsciously. William took another deep breath.
"Lizzy," William said, averting his eyes so he could find the words he needed to say. "I would be honored if you would agree to grow old with me, to build a life with me and be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children, my confidant, my strength. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. You've made my life so rich, so happy, I--. Will you marry me?"
"Will I?" Lizzy said as she reached up and pulled him close to kiss.
"I'll take that as a yes," William said sometime later. He pulled away and opened the ring box. "As a little token of my esteem, I have something..." He opened the box and Lizzy gasped.
"It's beautiful!"
"That's a relief! Have you any idea how hard it is to exchange these things?"
"I'm going to marry a nut job," Lizzy laughed. "And I can hardly wait."
"Lizzy!" Marina practically shrieked moments after she sat down at her desk the following morning.
"What?" Lizzy said. She was in the act of running a brush through her windblown hair when Marina's cry made her freeze.
"You got engaged, too!" Marina replied. She pointed at Lizzy's hand, where a solitaire diamond sparkled on her ring finger.
"Yes, William proposed last--wait a minute--too?"
"I haven't got a ring yet," the younger woman replied. "But Ricky proposed to me, too. It was the second best night of my life."
"And here I'd thought you'd finally forgotten how to blush," Lizzy said as she dropped the brush and rose to hug her friend. "Congratulations."
"Same to you!"
"What's all the commotion?" Charles said from the doorway.
"Marina and I got engaged last night," Lizzy said. Charles eyes opened wide. "Not to each other; Marina's marrying her Richard and I am marrying the most wonderful man in the world."
"So you think," Marina protested. Lizzy laughed and they hugged again.
"Well, good things really do come in threes," Charles said. "I became engaged this weekend myself."
"You're kidding!" Lizzy gasped. "Who's the lucky girl?"
"Her name is Jane Bennet and I have Marina to thank for my current happiness," Charles beamed.
"We both do," Lizzy said. "I told you she'd be the best thing to happen to this department!"
"Indeed you did, Lizzy," Charles said. "I've come to give you some more good news. I've negotiated a day off for the entire unit tomorrow."
"Cool!" Marina said. "Ricky has tomorrow off. We can go up to Northampton early!"
It was some time before either woman could concentrate on her work. When she got a chance, Lizzy called William with the good news.
"I should be able to get off tomorrow. I certainly have extra sick days I haven't used," he said.
"I have more good news. You weren't the only one to propose last night," Lizzy said. "Richard and Marina are also engaged."
"Really?" William sat forward in his seat. "I don't believe it!"
"Believe it. Marina is practically floating on air this morning. I'm a little euphoric myself," Lizzy admitted. "Oops, it's nearly eleven o'clock and if I want to be off tomorrow I have to get some stuff done this morning. Call me when you know about tomorrow."
"I will," William said. He dialed Richard as soon as he completed his call with Lizzy.
"Hello?" Richard said absently.
"What's this I hear about you getting engaged last night?" William said without bothering to return the greeting.
"Oh, it's you," Richard said. "It's true. I asked Emmy to marry me last night. I wanted to be able to go home tomorrow and introduce her as my fiancée."
"Well, I hate to steal your thunder, but yours won't be the only fiancée on the premises tomorrow."
"You're kidding!"
"This is nothing to kid about, kiddo. I've been thinking about this since I went up to New Hampshire."
"I've been thinking about marrying Emmy since I--well, since I started thinking about Emmy."
"So how did you do it?"
"Oh, the normal way," Richard said with a frown. "You know, 'Will you marry me?' Boring, I grant you, but very effective. How about you?"
"Oh, I did that, too. Of course, I told her how much I loved her first and what she meant to me."
"The standard preamble? Yeah, me too."
"Did you get her a ring?"
"Are you kidding? This is Emmy we're talking about! You can't just go out and buy any old ring for Emmy! She's an artist, Will. Besides, I've decided to give her my grandmother's engagement ring."
"How did you get it?" William asked suspiciously.
"Mom promised it to me after I told her that I wanted to marry Emmy."
"How did she get it?"
"My dad gave it to her when they got engaged. He couldn't afford to buy her a ring in those days, so my paternal grandmother gave him her ring to give her."
"Oh! I thought you meant Grandma Bess's ring."
"Are you insane? You know she's held onto everything grandpa ever gave her. "
"Yeah," William said soberly. "It's very fortunate that Edward doesn't try to compete with his memory. Hey! The house is going to be lousy with engaged couples," he said, brightening.
"It sure will. I can't wait. When are you going up?" Richard asked and the cousins began to make plans.
"Déjà vu," Lizzy said as William handed her an ice cream cone.
"Oh, it's a ritual with us," Marina said. "We always stop for ice cream here on the way to the house."
"And we always stop for ice cream on the way to my house, too," William said. "It's Richard's fault, I think."
"Yum," he said, unrepentantly.
"Does it matter to you at all that it's thirty degrees?" Lizzy asked.
"I noticed that the temperature didn't prevent you from ordering," Richard replied.
"Well, they had pumpkin," Lizzy said defensively. "I'd be insane to pass up an opportunity for pumpkin ice cream."
"Agreed," Marina said. "Especially here; this is the best."
"Shall we get moving?" William asked. "I'm eager to kick back in front of a nice cozy fire in the den."
"You'll have to build it yourself. Both mom and dad are on campus today," Richard said as he headed for the car. William followed him and grabbed his arm to have a word before he got in.
"Did they have a chance to take care of those things we asked for?"
"Done and done," Richard replied. "And I called Grandma Bess, too."
"Cool. Let's roll."
In less than a half hour, the foursome arrived at the Fitzwilliam home. Marina took Lizzy on a tour of the house while William built a fire and Richard checked things out in the kitchen. After unpacking, they all settled in to watch a movie in the den. That's where Kathleen and Hugh found them a few hours later.
"Hello, everyone," she said as she waded into the group to hug and kiss each of her guests. "So good to have you all here." Hugh took his turn at greeting everyone while Richard followed his mother upstairs.
"Mom?" he said as she reached her room and sat down to remove her shoes.
"Yes?" Kathleen looked up curiously. Richard went and sat beside her.
"Remember when we were at Aunt Anne's and I told you I wanted to marry Emmy?" Kathleen looked up and Richard smiled. "You told me before we left that I could have grandma's ring."
"You've proposed."
"And she's accepted," he said simply. Kathleen hugged him tightly.
"Hey! I wanted to tell her!" Marina said as she entered the room. Kathleen rose to hug her.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you both," Kathleen said through tears of joy. "I knew that if you just gave it enough time, everything would work out."
"Has something happened?"
Everyone turned to see Hugh in the doorway.
"Emmy's officially joining the family," Richard said.
"Does that mean what I hope it does?'
"Well, she rejected the idea of adoption, so we're going to have to get married."
"Wonderful!" Hugh welcomed the new addition with hugs for the younger couple while Kathleen went to fetch her mother-in-law's engagement ring from her jewelry box.
"I do hope it fits," she said as she handed it to Richard.
"Let's see," he said as he examined the ring. Emmy held up her hand and he slid it onto her finger.
"It's perfect," she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Hugh took Kathleen by the hand and walked to the door.
"Just remember that this is our room," he said with a wink before they left the couple to have a few minutes of privacy.
The two couples were out when the Darcys arrived that evening. They soon returned and everyone sat down for a family dinner. As everyone took a place at the long mahogany table, William cleared his throat.
"Before we begin, there's something Richard and I would like to tell you," he said with a look at his cousin.
"Oh?" Georgiana said. "Would it have something to do with that big rock--?" She fell silent when George gave her a threatening glare.
"You're right, of course, Gee. Both Richard and I--," he paused and looked at his cousin, who nodded. "Richard and I both became engaged this week."
Lizzy averted her eyes, inwardly cringing in anticipation of the reactions to come. She hadn't given any thought to how William's parents might react to the news of their engagement. Her own parents had been delighted with the news. But now it occurred to her that Anne and George might not be so happy.
"You too? Oh William, I'm so happy for you!" Kathleen said. "I'm happy for you both!" Her voice was quickly drowned out by others and she just held onto William's hand tightly as she awaited the inevitable protest. When it didn't come she hazarded a peek toward the far end of the table.
"Welcome to the family, Lizzy," Anne said with a warm smile.
"We're absolutely thrilled to have you," George concurred. Lizzy turned to look at William and she knew instantly that he had already spoken with them. She smiled then and heaved a tiny sigh of relief.
"This is the most wonderful news," Bess said. "When Richard called me with the news I was so pleased for all of you."
"In other words, I'm the only one here who was completely surprised," Georgiana said.
"I guess so," William said. "I told mom and dad about Lizzy and me. Richard told his parents about him and Marina."
"And Grandma Bess knows all, as is her due," Bess said with a smile. "But don't feel too badly, Gee. Edward was kept in the dark as well. I knew you'd want a little company," she said with a wink and a pat for Edward's hand. "Well, this calls for a special celebration. We'll have a great deal to be thankful for tomorrow, but tonight is for our young lovers." She led the family in a prayer and they enjoyed a delicious meal. Lizzy and Marina were grilled about their proposals and everyone got caught up on all the other family news. When it was done they all retired to the living room. Hugh and Kathleen went to the kitchen to fetch the champagne and cake Richard had requested, while Anne drew Lizzy aside.
"I really am very happy about the engagement, Lizzy," she said. "You looked a bit surprised when I said so earlier."
"I'm sorry," Lizzy sputtered. "I--."
"It's all right," Anne laughed. "It took me a little while to warm up to the idea, so your reaction wasn't that farfetched. In fact, the real surprise is that the longer I thought about it, the better I liked the idea of having you as my son's wife."
"Thank you," Lizzy said, suddenly unsure as to how to address her future mother-in-law. Anne put her arm around her shoulders, but was quickly displaced by Georgiana and then George, each of whom took a turn at giving her a warm and welcoming hug.
"Come here my dears," Bess called, beckoning for Lizzy and Marina to sit beside her. "I have something for each of you. Now, Lizzy, you'll have to forgive me. Yours is sort of a rush job. I've been expecting Richard and Marina's announcement for some time. But your engagement to William was a complete surprise. I figured he wouldn't make a move before Christmas so I've only begun to work on yours."
"Work on my what?" Lizzy asked quizzically.
"Well," Bess said as she began to pull boxes from a tote bag, "we have a longstanding tradition in our family. Every member has a Christmas stocking made by Grandma Bess. I've just finished Edward's," she said with a loving smile for her partner. "When Richard called me with the wonderful news I knew that I'd better start working on your stocking, Lizzy. As I said, I'd already made and finished Emmy's." She winked at the younger woman and handed her a box. "That's yours and this one is yours, Lizzy, but you're going to have to give it back so I can finish it while I'm here."
Marina tore at the paper on her box excitedly. She was very familiar with the family tradition and couldn't wait to see her stocking, since each one was designed to reflect the personality of its owner.
"I dreamed about having one of these someday," she admitted as she opened the box and gasped. Inside she found a deep purple velvet stocking with an elaborately embroidered crazy quilted cuff trimmed with handmade lace, buttons and ribbon. She held it to her heart and grinned from ear to ear. "Thank you Grandma Bess," she said as she hugged the family matriarch.
"It was a pleasure, honey. I only wish I had a reason to make you one sooner." She turned to Lizzy and watched as she opened her present.
Inside Lizzy's box was a cobalt blue stocking with an unfinished cuff of cream silk overlaid with lace. Lizzy examined the delicate ribbon embroidery as well as her entwined satin stitched initials on one edge. She ran her fingers over the tiny Christmas tree that was embroidered next to "First Christmas, 200" and looked up at Bess, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.
"This is so beautiful."
"Wait till it's finished," William said proudly as he took the stocking from her to examine. "Every one of them is a work of art. Hey, this is the same color as mine, Grandma Bess."
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of giving you two stockings that weren't complementary," she replied. "Those two can handle contrast," she said with a wink and a nod toward Marina and Richard.
"Us? Contrast? Whatever do you mean?" Richard said as Marina wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Well, Kathleen, all's well that ends well," Anne sighed as she watched the couples from across the room. Richard had gone up to the attic and brought down the box containing his and his parents' stockings and a lively discussion was taking place about the history behind each one.
"It's ended very well," her sister agreed, "except that neither of us won the cup."
"We got something worth much, much more."
"We certainly did. They're all so happy," Kathleen sighed. "I still want the cup, though, she said after a moment."
"Me, too."
"Which couple will marry first, do you think?"
Anne glanced at her sibling.
"Don't even start."