After a Fashion (A Class of Their Own #1)(108)
Tapping her finger on her chin, Harriet tilted her head. “I could live with that, but you’ll have to agree not to be bossy about it.”
“Bossiness is part of my charm.”
“And what else?” Harriet asked as she tried to keep from grinning.
“I’d like you to help me start up a charitable organization, one that will allow me to use my considerable funds to help the poor living in the tenement slums.”
Tears blinded her for a second. “I could do that.”
“I know you can, and . . . I think you should allow Abigail to help your mother plan our wedding—if you agree to marry me, that is.”
“Of course she must help, but . . . where would we get married?”
“Good question,” Millie said before she snapped her mouth shut when Oliver glanced her way.
Oliver returned his attention to Harriet. “Well, your parents are firmly entrenched within British society, and they’ve only recently found you, which means they’re going to want to see the marriage take place in England, but . . . would you be comfortable getting married over there or would you prefer to have it done here in the States so that Reverend Gilmore could officiate at it?”
Lucetta raised her hand. “I do so hate to interrupt, but why don’t you have two weddings? That way no one will be left out, such as me or Millie, since we might have a hard time making it over to England.” She smiled. “The theater doesn’t really like it when one of their main actresses takes off in the middle of a production.”
Smiling, Harriet nodded. “That’s a fabulous idea, Lucetta, and would make it so much easier on everyone here in the States, but . . . that might take quite a few months to plan, and I’m not certain . . .”
“You want to wait that long?” Oliver finished for her.
Heat flooded her face, but she was spared a response when Oliver, who’d been kneeling this entire time, got to his feet and squeezed the hand he was still holding. “While I would love nothing more than to marry you immediately, I think taking some time to get a wedding or two pulled together is a wonderful plan. It’ll allow us the chance to really get to know each other. It will also allow you to get to know your family without all the pesky distractions of being a new wife. And I know my mother and father would be most put out if we got married while they were still over in India.” He smiled. “My mother is going to adore you, as is my father.”
She wrinkled her nose. “How do you know that?”
“Because my grandfather adores you, and he’s a very good judge of character. I would have to imagine, if you accept my proposal—and this proposal being a real one this time—he’ll send a telegram off to my parents immediately, telling them of my good fortune.”
Happiness threatened to bubble out of her every pore. “It’s so odd to think that I’m soon going to have more family surrounding me than I ever imagined.”
“So you’ll marry me?”
Finding it next to impossible to speak around the lump that clogged her throat, Harriet managed a nod.
Satisfaction settled in Oliver’s eyes before they suddenly darkened, even as he squeezed her hand once again. “You have made me an incredibly happy gentleman, but I must ask you one more thing. . . . Do you think that, perhaps, you might hold me in a bit of affection? I certainly don’t expect you to proclaim an undying love at this point, since we aren’t well acquainted with each other, but I do hope that you have some type of tender feelings for me.”
Tears stung her eyes again and blurred her vision. “Good heavens, Oliver, I do beg your pardon. Here I’ve been so diligent with my demands that I never even thought to tell you about my feelings.”
She drew in a deep breath and released it in a rush. “I hold you in very deep affection, and even though, as you stated, we haven’t known each other long, I must admit that I’ve fallen quite a bit in love with you, and—”
Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly found herself firmly held in Oliver’s arms. He bent toward her, but just as his lips were about to claim hers, he stilled, lifted his head, and settled his attention on Lucetta and Millie, who were both watching them with their mouths gaping open. “Ladies, I think it might be for the best if you went back to the kitchen.”
“But it was just getting good,” Millie complained.
“The last thing I need is for the two of you to call out suggestions while I kiss my true fiancée for the first time.”
“Maybe you need suggestions,” Lucetta pointed out before she laughed when Oliver arched a brow her way. She grabbed Millie’s hand, and they made a hasty retreat, their snorts of laughter drifting through the now closed kitchen door.
Anticipation shot through her when Oliver settled his full attention on her once again. He lifted both of his hands, cradled her face, and then drew near, his lips pressing against hers. She clutched the lapels of his finely made jacket and pulled him closer as tingles shot up her spine.
Buford’s howl caused them to break apart, but Oliver kept his arm around her as he looked at his dog. “What in the world is the matter with you?”
Lumbering slowly to his feet, Buford took a moment to stretch, apparently oblivious to the fact he’d interrupted a special moment. He released a yawn and then moved to the door, lifting a paw to scratch at it. When Oliver made no move for the door, Buford let out a yip and scratched it again.