Finally Easter Day had arrived. The Thornton's were to pick up the Hales in their carriage and take them to church. Since Watson was also joining them, John thought it would be best for everyone's comfort if he and Margaret walked to the church while the others rode in the carriage. Therefore, when they arrived in Crampton, Mr. Thornton stepped out of the carriage and Mr. Hale took his place. The carriage pulled away and John stepped into the house where Margaret was preparing to leave.
John had previously promised Margaret to bring her a new bonnet for Easter. He had assured her that he would not allow Fanny to help him in any way. He knew Margaret's tastes were simple yet elegant and so he chose her new bonnet accordingly.
Margaret gasped as she lifted the lid off the box. In it was a simple straw bonnet with a yellow ribbon and yellow silk roses lining the brim. With a broad smile, she tried it on and turned to show John how it looked on her.
"Oh, thank you John!" she exclaimed, "It's beautiful!"
"And you make the bonnet look even more beautiful," he said as he slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close. As he expected, her hands came to rest on the front of his jacket with her right hand over his breast pocket. He bent down to give her a kiss in her pretty bonnet. As he stood back up she felt something in his pocket.
"What's this?" she asked and she started to slip her fingers into the pocket.
He quickly placed his hand over hers, halting her progress. "Oh, that," he said nonchalantly, "That is for you but you may not have it until after church. I can't have you playing with it during the service, it will distract you too much," he teased.
"Oh, John!" she pouted, "now I will be too distracted trying to guess what it is!" She could flirt too.
John pulled out his pocket watch to tease her some more, "Not enough time now, we'll be late. You will just have to wait until afterwards." He smirked.
"John!" she said, "It will only take a minute for you to show me."
"No," he said with seriousness, still holding her close and reaching into the pocket himself, "It will take a lifetime for me to show you," then his voice dropped to a low whisper, "…how much I love you." He pulled out the ring.
"Margaret," he asked, "Will you marry me?"
Margaret gushed at the gorgeous ring. Then she looked up into his clear blue, imploring eyes, and said, "Yes!" Then she slid her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him.
They stayed like that for some time until they remembered that they needed to get to the church. As Margaret turned to retrieve her reticule and go, John said with a smile, "Don't you want to put it on?"
"Oh!" Margaret blushed in embarrassment, "I am just so happy to be engaged that I forgot." She let John slip the ring onto her finger. He took her hand and kissed it. Then they prepared to go.
Thankfully their elation carried them to church faster than they had expected, so they were not late. As she walked to the pew on John's arm Margaret felt as though everyone could discern their joyful news just by the look on her face.