Near the top of the tunnel Mandie spotted a piece of folded paper on the ground. When no one was looking she stooped to pick it up and quickly stowed it in her pocket, figuring she'd investigate it later. The four had just made it through the door of the tunnel entrance and found themselves in Uncle John's office when Celia pounced on Mandie.
"Oh, Mandie I thought something must have happened to you and Joe in the tunnel when you didn't come back. Oh, I should never have let you go." Celia exclaimed pacing back and forth.
"Celia! Both Joe and I are perfectly fine." Mandie cried out.
"Sallie." Mandie said as she spotted the Cherokee girl and went over to embrace her.
"I thought you weren't supposed to come until tomorrow." Mandie said quickly.
"My Grandfather decided to set out earlier than we had planned because of the snowstorm." Sallie told her.
"Dimar!" Mandie said to the handsome Cherokee boy, who was standing beside Sallie.
"Hello Mandie, it has been too long." Dimar said smiling at Mandie as she quickly embraced him.
"It has been." Replied Mandie.
"Let's all go down and have dinner." Uncle John said, though Mandie was sure it was past dinner time.
"Amanda." Elizabeth said, embracing Mandie as they entered the dining room. "I was worried sick about you."
"Joe really, you are an adult now and you chose to put both yourself and Amanda in danger." Mrs. Woodard said to Joe disapprovingly as she embraced him.
Joe quickly put his head down. "Sorry Mother." Was all he said in reply.
They ate supper and discussed the activities of the next day to prepare for the ball.
After supper, Mandie went to find Joe. He was in the sitting room playing chess with Jonathan. Everyone else had gone up to their rooms. Mandie took a seat and decided to wait for them to finish playing.
"Why Mandie what a nice sweater you have on." Jonathan said grinning slightly malevolently, looking from her to Joe.
Mandie looked down and groaned. She'd forgotten in her haste to see everyone and have dinner that she was still wearing Joe's fleece. Hastily she stood up and pulled it off over her head.
"Jonathan Guyer!" Joe said tempestuously, taking a swing at Jonathan. Jonathan grinned again and bid them goodnight before either of them could say anything else. As he left, he turned around and winking at Mandie he went up to bed.
Mandie suddenly had butterflies in her stomach yet again, she looked around and realized her and Joe were completely alone. Mandie abruptly realized how quiet the room was. She glanced over and saw that Joe was picking up the checkers game, looking deep in thought. Mandie wished she could tell what he was thinking. "Joe?" Mandie said as Joe picked up the checkers' game.
Turning the top half of his body towards her at the sound of her voice he looked deep into her eyes saying "Yes Mandie?"
"Thank you for giving me your sweater down in the tunnel, I was awfully cold."
"Ah shucks Mandie I was just worried about you. I'm glad you're alright and everyone made it out safe." Joe said standing up slowly and moved towards Mandie. Mandie froze. Should she say something to him? Should she go up to bed?
"You were about to say something about the day that Mother and Uncle John got married down in the tunnel, but Uncle Ned and Uncle John interrupted you." Mandie said blinking up at him as he slowly drew closer. Mandie also moved in closer as though an invisible force was drawing the two of them together.
"Oh that, I just wanted to know if you remembered me asking you to marry me?" Mandie stopped moving, her heart felt as though it was beating in her throat.
"Of course, I do, Mother and Uncle John got married. It was one of the happiest days of my life." Mandie felt slightly flustered. Once again Joe was gazing intensely into her eyes, as though he was searching for something in them. The two were now standing barely inches apart now.
"Mandie, I jus… I just wanted you to know…" He said slowly, leaning in closer. Mandie felt as though her heart was beating a thousand beats a second.
"Yes Joe?" Mandie said when he failed to continue his sentence. Joe's head was craning down, Mandie felt her face turning scarlet, she moved her head down, breaking eye contact with Joe. Mandie felt a warmth on her chin. Joe had reached down and was gently moving her chin up, their eyes met again.
"I just… just wanted to tell you…" Joe was saying. Mandie was surprised, Joe rarely was lost for words when they were growing up. Mandie's curiosity was piqued she wanted to know what he was trying to say. Mandie opened her mouth to tell Joe to spit what he was trying to say out. She then found that her head and Joe's had been leaning in towards each other. Time seemed frozen. Mandie in shock realized that her lips and Joe's lips all but touching. Joe had stopped moving his eyes bore into Mandie's even harder. 'What are you doing? For all you know Joe could be seeing someone else?!' Part of Mandie's conscience told her. 'Just lean in a little bit closer.' Another part of Mandie's conscience said. Mandie felt her lips brush against Joe's momentarily. To her horror Mandie found herself gasping and pulling away from Joe quickly.
"Joe I… I'm sorry." Whirling around and hurrying to the door. Mandie glanced back quickly at Joe as she flew through the doorway. Joe was standing in the same spot; he was looking at the ground. The look on his face made him look as though someone had punched him in the stomach. For a brief moment Mandie almost convinced herself to walk back, to say sorry, to tell him how she really felt but she really didn't know how she felt in the moment. Mandie rushed down the hallway and quickly up the stairs, she was shaking her head at herself. What'd she think she was doing. How was she going to come back from this? Mandie was confused. Why couldn't she just let things continue to play out. What was Joe going to say? Why didn't she say anything about how she was feeling to him? And why, for goodness sake did they come closer than Mandie had ever been to kissing someone. Mandie sighed and went to open her bedroom door. As she entered her room, she found that Sallie and Celia were still awake, sitting up on the bed.
"What were you and Joe doing down in the sitting room all this time?" Celia smiled.
Mandie's cheeks burned pink "Nothing." She replied, flustered.
"Well, Mandie, I have something to tell you. Dimar and I are engaged!" Sallie said excitedly, face glowing.
"How exciting!" Mandie replied. In her head all she could think was she was tiring of all the engagements and wished they could all stay young forever.
"I would like you and Celia to be my bridesmaids." Smiled Sallie. Celia squealed.
"Of course, Sallie! I'd be honoured to be in your wedding." Celia said delightedly.
"And you can always count on me Sallie, I'd be thrilled." Mandie told her.
"When will the wedding be?" Celia asked, excitedly.
"Dimar and I have decided on a late June wedding down in Long Creek."
"I wonder who will be engaged next?" Celia said, grinning at Mandie.
"Oh, leave me out of this." Mandie responded quickly. Celia and Sallie shrugged their shoulders at each other.
As Mandie prepared for bed she remembered the card she had picked up in the tunnel. She removed it from her dress pocket, which was laying on a rack in the bathroom, and began examining it. The front read 'To my dear Polly'. She opened the card and read it to herself 'Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, but nothing is near as sweet or beautiful as you. I will arrive on the 22nd. From your Secret Lover.' As Mandie finished reading the card she began to worry. This was the same card that Polly had in her arms the day before when she'd met her in the yard. As she thought to herself, she realized she recognized the handwriting, it looked an awful lot like Joe's. Mandie's eyes welled with tears at the thought that Joe might be keeping a secret relationship with Polly from her. Her eyes were damp as she left the bathroom and entered her bedroom where Sallie and Celia were sitting on the bed, they abruptly stopped talking as they saw Mandie was in distress.
"Mandie, what is the matter?" Sallie asked quickly.
Mandie said nothing as she walked towards the bed and handed them the card. Celia opened the card and read aloud 'To my dear Polly.' Celia looked at Mandie, confusion read all over her face 'Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, but nothing is near as sweet or beautiful as you. I will arrive on the 22nd. From your Secret Lover.'
"Oh Mandie, I see. This looks just like Joe's writing but there must be some mistake, Joe can't love Polly!" Celia exclaimed.
"I am sure this must be someone else's writing. Joe would never write this." Sallie tried to assure Mandie.
Mandie lay in bed thinking. Joe must have decided in Mandie's indecision about marriage to pursue someone else, Joe must think she didn't love him. She fell asleep quickly yet slept restlessly and dreamt awful images of attending a wedding for Polly and Joe.