The next week was the church social and Hiram walked over to the Olesons' place and picked Katie up and went over the the church, where everyone was arriving.
"I must say, Katie, you're looking beautiful tonight." Katie was wearing a ruby-colored dress, a gold heart-shaped locket, and the watch-chain ring Hiram had made her. Her dark brown hair was curled and put half up with a ribbon that matched the color of the dress, leavng the rest of her hair down, falling to the middle of her back.
"Did you notice I'm wearing the ring you made me?" She asked quietly.
"Yes, and I'm glad...as I told you once before, it was made for you...and only you." He whispered the last three words, holding her hand in both of his.
They entered the building and saw all the school desks leaned up against each wall, so where they were originally put for school, it was all open space. Mrs. Oleson saw to this, because according to her, this was the only place large enough to hold a gathering such as this. May Heaven forbid to hold it in a barn for goodness sake, she had said.
They heard Charles Ingalls softly playing the tune of "Barbara Allen" on his fiddle, and some people started dancing. Hiram asked Katie if she would like to dance. She did, and so they stepped out on the dancefloor. She held his hand extended, and put her other hand on his shoulder. His other hand wrapped around her thin waist, and they moved in time to the music. They talked while they danced.
"So how has living in Chicago been?...Wonderful I suppose." He said.
"Yes, very wonderful...I'm studying to be a nurse." She smiles at him.
"That's great!...The large hospitals in Chicago need all the nurses they can get."
"Actually Hiram...I want to be a country, small town, nurse." Katie told him.
He glanced at her dress. It wasn't as fancy as the dresses she usually wore, it was more like a pretty Sunday dress, and considering what she just told him, Hiram knew what Katie was trying to do.
"Katie...don't change yourself...just to win me back...it isn't right. Be yourself. Be who you are." He said, looking into her brown eyes.
She stared at Hiram in disbelief...She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She took him by the hand and led him outside.
"Hiram...I'm not changing for you. I'm changing because I'm sick of all this, because I'm wealthy...I'm tired of being treated the way I am just because of my last name!" She says, raising her voice. "And if me changing, as you say, 'wins you back' in the process...then so be it!" She talks to him gently this time. "Hiram, you know I love you,...and when I left that day on the stagecoach it was like a part of me died and was buried...here in Walnut Grove." Tears start to run down her cheeks. "I know how you and my family feel about our age difference, but just don't care...I don't Hiram!...When a man and woman are in love that should be the only thing that matters! Not age or looks! And if we ever were to marry then they would just have to get used to it! My aunt in particular...I'll let you think on what I've said, Hiram Baker..." And with that Katie went back inside. Hiram wasn't sure on what he should do. He didn't think he could go back in that building after a talking-to like that. He just couldn't face her,...so he headed for home.
Two months later, Katie was about to get on a stagecoach, going to a train-station that would bring her back to Chicago. She looked over her shoulder just to see if Hiram was there, but he was not. She went aboard and sat down and sighed. "I guess we're not meant to be together." She thought to herself. The stage rolled away from Walnut Grove, as Katie Thorwald thought,...forever. The stage had gone two miles, and the driver heard someone yelling. He stopped the stage and looked back and saw a middle-aged man in black slacks, a white shirt, and a black vest. His watch chain bouncing as he ran...He asked if he could talk to one of the passengers.
"Katie!...Katie Thorwald!" He yelled.
"Hiram!" She called back, sticking most of her body out of the stagecoach door.
He puts his arms around her waist, gently helping her down. "Katie, I want you to know when you left on that first stagecoach,...I watched you leave from my bedroom window...Seeing you go...it felt like it made my heart break into a million pieces," There were tears in his eyes as he was saying this. "I don't understand why you,...a beautiful, young, 19 year old woman would love a 40 year old, middle-aged man like me, but, when people are in love it makes them do strange things, feel stange things...Katie,...what I'm trying to say is,...stay here in Walnut Grove with me,...I love you, Katie Thorwald!" He leans in to give her a very passionate kiss, and she kisses him back.
"Would you like your carpet bag Ma'am?" The stage-driver asked.
"Yes, thank you." She grabs her bag and drops it on the ground by her feet and Hiram took her in his arms and they kissed again as the stagecoach moved farther and farther away from the two.
"Hold me Hiram, never let me go." She says, closing her eyes while in his embrace.
"I love you, Katie." He said stroking her long, brown hair, flowing in the wind, and giving her sweet kisses. "I want to do it right this time,...we'll court for four months, then we can get married. I'll buy you a new engagment ring and a wedding ring, too." He said looking in her deep brown eyes and holding her by the arms.
"Oh, Hiram, no...It's too expensive."
"It's worth it Katie,...every cent." He holds her, stroking her hair. "Every cent of it."
"Then what shall this be?" She asks about her watch-chain ring.
"Your courtship ring." He smiles giving her a kiss on the cheek. He grabbed her bag, and helped her into his buggy, and they drove back to Walnut Grove.