26

"Hey, sweet thing – wake up."

Ianto's eyes opened slowly. She smiled when she saw Jack's face bent over hers, his saphire eyes sparkling with something she hadn't seen before. "I must have dozed off. Is it time for supper already?"

"Sure is. Ma told me you had visitors today." He leaned back in the chair by the desk and waited.

"Oh, yes. Them."

"Well, I don't want you to worry about it. I spoke with Gwen today – she's got a handle on herself. Even wished us the very best."

Ianto pushed herself up with her elbows to better look at him.

"Really? Did your mother tell you about what happened when they were here?"

"She doesn't have to – I know Gwen Cooper, and her mother. Don't worry about it a second more, okay?"

She let go her breath and sank back into the mattress. "Okay."

"Now it's time, m'lady." He held out his arms in demonstration.

Ianto smiled.

Jack pulled off the quilt she'd used to cover herself earlier, then easily scooped her up and stood.

"Ahhhh," he sighed. "I've been waiting for this all day."

She blushed a bright pink at his flirting and wrapped her arms about his neck.

"Tomorrow I have a surprise for you," he told her with a wink.

"A surprise? What sort of surprise?"

"Thanksgiving is only two days away, so tomorrow you and I are going into town to see about getting you a few things."

"Oh, Jack, you don't have to do that."

He stopped in the hall and looked at her. "Yes, I do. It's a matter of honour – you're to be my wife, and I'll see you dressed and taken care of properly, you hear?"

Ianto's heart sank. Was he embarrassed by her? She knew her two dresses were horrible. Gwen and Nellie Cooper had only stated the obvious during their little visit.

"No argument. Tomorrow, we'll see what we can do. Gray spoke with Cherys Cooper while she was in town today, and she's got a few things you can use until we have some dresses made for you."

"Oh, Jack … wait. Cherys Cooper?"

"Don't fret – she's much nicer than her mother or sister." He entered the dining parlour and set her down in her chair at the table.

"It's true," Gray agreed from the kitchen. "She's like the 'white sheep' of the family."

Jack heard Ianto sniffle. "Miss Jones, are you all right?"

She looked at him and fought the tears welling up. "I am. It's just that … no one has ever done this sort of thing for me before."

He straightened, looked down at her, and smiled. "Well, it's about time someone did, then. And I'm glad to be the one who's doing it."

She swallowed, unable to keep a tear from falling. "So am I."

Jack sat next to her as his mother and Gray brought in dinner.

Once they were seated he said the blessing, winked at her, and reached for the tureen of stew.

Ianto sighed as another tear dropped. She wanted to pinch herself, to make sure she was awake and not dreaming. Her current circumstances seemed too good to be true. So much had happened to her since the day she sat outside Mrs. Hartman's office not a month ago.

Thank you, Goddess, and thank you, Mrs. Hartman. Ianto thought to herself as two realizations suddenly hit her. First, for the first time in a very long time, she was happy. And second? She suspected that the wonderful warm feeling in the centre of her very being was more than a simple reaction whenever she saw the handsome Jack Harkness.

In fact, Ianto began to suspect she was falling in love.

.

.

.

The next morning Jack prepared the wagon for a trip into town.

Ianto was once again riding in the back on blanket-covered hay, warmly wrapped in quilts while Jack and his mother sat up front. She tucked the quilts about her tightly as cold blasts of wind swept across the landscape. Growing up in Cardiff had not prepared her for the Northwest in autumn.

But other than the temperature, it was a beautiful day. The sun was bright overhead, without a cloud in the sky, and the air was clean and dry. Apple orchards stood on either side of the road, before giving way to pumpkin fields. She could see a few stray orange gourds still in their rows as they drove by.

Ianto sighed and wished it would snow again – but just not at the moment. It wouldn't do to be sitting in the back of a wagon for several miles while it snowed. At least she didn't think so. On the other hand, if she was snuggled against Jack up front on the wagon seat, it might prove to be quite nice ...