Hope Valley

December 25 ,1918

My darling fiancée,

I am so very happy tonight. Soon, we will be married and I cannot wait for the day to arrive. You have given me so many wonderful and romantic dates and surprises that I cannot believe that you could come up with something to top it all. But you know me so well, and so you chose a way to propose that would be so special to both of us. I want to record this for our journal right away while it is so fresh and sweet and because I know that I will not be able to sleep until I do.

When you asked me to come with you to collect the last of my Christmas presents, I wondered why you couldn't give it to me at the house with all the other gifts. But, knowing how you like to surprise me, I was more than happy to go with you after church and I wasn't at all surprised that we ended up at the library. I was wondering what your addition to the library might be. You had me close my eyes before we entered and while you hung our coats. And when you let me open them, I saw the most exquisite bouquet of flowers I have ever seen. Dozens of long stem red roses with holly, pine, and mistletoe to honor love and the Christmas season. And also on the table, just in front of the bouquet was a book with a note inserted as a bookmark and a single pink rose beside it. The book is a beautifully, leather-bound first edition of poetry by Percy Shelley. I knew that this was one of the special books in Mr. Darcy's shop. I squealed excitedly at such a wonderful treasure and gave you a big hug to thank you for my present. But then, I hear in the beautiful voice of yours "read the note Elizabeth." And here is the note:

A pink rose for happiness.

Love's Philosophy by: Percy Shelley

The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—

See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?

Find the white rose my love…..

So not seeing a white rose on the table, it occurred to me to go to the poetry section. And sure enough, I see a white rose next to a book on the shelf: Elizabeth Barrett Browning. It was a second copy of the one we already had, but that always was checked out. And here is the note found in the book:

A white rose for the purity of heart.

How do I love thee? (Sonnet 43) by: Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Find the red rose my love…

And so, I browsed the shelf with poetry and found the red rose next to a book of poetry by Robert Burns. This is one that we didn't have that you purchased for the library. And here is that note:

And a red rose for deep and abiding love.

A Red, Red Rose by: Robert Burns

O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That's sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a' the seas gang dry.

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

I will be waiting for you by the Christmas tree

And so, I carried the roses and notes back to the table and laid them by the first book, and then headed for the tree. And there you were waiting for me looking so dashing in your beautiful black suit and burgundy vest and tie. My heart sang with joy at the sight of you, and then you took both my hands in yours and I could feel you tremble. You looked deep into my eyes and knelt down and kissed my hands and then began to speak. Here are your words my love which you had transcribed to this note.

My love,

I share with you my profound love of literature, but alas I do not have the gift to write to you the poem that is in my heart. I do not possess the eloquence of Shelley, Browning, or Burns, but my words nonetheless speak from my heart.

It was love at first sight for me, and I knew you to be the one for me very soon in our acquaintance. My love has grown and waited patiently for you; until we each made our way to our bridge and left the bridge together. You are my one true love and you own my heart. You are my soulmate and as I have told you before, where my soul ends yours begins. Will you continue this sweet journey with me my love? I want nothing more than to support, honor and love you until my last breath. Will you be my wife, and I your husband and together, parents to our children? Will you marry me sweet Elizabeth and form the final bond that joins us as one?

Eternally I am yours,

Lucas

I could feel you tremble and saw the tears form in your eyes as you spoke and I felt myself drowning in the love in those mesmerizing eyes. And then as you finished, I found myself kneeling, my hands still in yours, and I touched my forehead to yours and nodded as I whispered to you.

"Yes, Lucas Bouchard, I will marry you and be your wife and forever love." And then our noses touched first in the most tender of Inuit kisses as you placed my hands on your chest, so I might feel the beating of your heart. My tears flowed freely so that I could no longer see clearly. But I felt one hand on my cheek and the other hold my head as you drew me in for the kiss of a lifetime. As we finally broke the kiss you stood and drew me to my feet. I could see the tears roll down your cheeks as well. And then you said to me, "Elizabeth, you have made me the happiest man in the world. I have something for you in an ornament on the tree; may I show you? I can't possibly wait one more minute while you search for it." So, you took my hand and walked me towards the most beautiful Faberge egg I had ever seen, a deep burgundy color like your tie, with the most beautiful filigree in gold. You took the ornament from the tree and opened it to reveal a beautiful Victorian-era ring. And then you said to me, "this belonged to my grandmother, she would have wanted me to give it to you to cherish. I hope you like it. She and my grandfather had many happily married years together and I am sure that we will continue their legacy."

That of course, caused the floodgates to reopen as I looked up at you and smiled. "I would be honored to wear her ring, Lucas. I am truly blessed to be marrying her beloved grandson." And you put the engagement ring on my finger and kissed me sweetly on the cheek, then touched your forehead and then nose to my cheek in the sweetest of gestures.
Then you announced, "I want to shout out our love from the rooftops! Shall I take you home so you can prepare yourself for the community ball? We should tell Jack that I am going to marry his mama and be his papa. And then, I can't wait until we announce our engagement tonight. This is the best Christmas of my life."

Thank you, my love, for wanting to give me the beautiful words of the poets. But your words were the most beautiful of all for they were for me alone and were spoken so lovingly from your heart.

On this 25th day of December 1918.
I am ever yours,

Elizabeth