LGB

Hope Valley

December 25, 1918

My sweetest Elizabeth,

Last night at this very time, I wrote to you hoping that today you would accept my proposal and promise to be my wife. I know we had agreed that we were ready to take this next step in our relationship, but I was nervous nonetheless. Today you have made me the happiest of men and I am so looking forward to our lives together as a family. To be a husband and father means the world to me and you can be assured that I will strive every day to make you proud as well as happy.

I was overjoyed by your reaction to the proposal. I had this day so built up in my mind and I prepared so carefully… When you entered the library and I let you open your eyes, you saw the book on the table and thought that was your gift; your excitement was so special. That was only the first step in my plan and you were already over the moon because of the rare first edition book of poetry by Shelley. It was all I could do to get you back on track. I am not sure at what point you realized the extent of the surprise, but I knew when you walked toward me standing by the Christmas tree that it had registered. My nervous energy and excitement would surely have clued you in at that point, had you not already realized….

I was so prepared to recite the words I had written but when the moment came, I was trembling and the knot in my throat made it difficult to speak. It was the most memorable moment in my life when you knelt down with me and told me you would marry me. I felt so connected to you. I could feel your love through my trembling hands and the happy tears on your face as we kissed. I could no longer hold back my own tears as we were united in the overwhelming feeling of love and joy.

I am so happy that you are wearing my grandmother's ring. I was willing to purchase a new one for you had you preferred it. But to tell you the truth, it does truly warm my heart that you felt honored to wear it. I remember how much she loved my grandfather and how much the ring meant to her. They were an amazing couple and when my grandfather passed away, there was often a dreamy look on her face and I knew she was remembering him. When I was very young, she would let me sit on her lap while she read to me and I remember looking at the ring sparkling like fairy magic in the sunlight coming through the window behind us. I remember asking her why it would sparkle like that, "Grand-mere, pourquoi ta bague brille comme ca?". And she would tell me it was her love that shined in it, "c'est mon amor qui y brille." As I grew older, it became our special little tradition. I would ask her from time to time and she would always tell me that it was her love shining. But a few years before she passed, when I had reached manhood, she told me that someday it would be my one true love who would make it sparkle with her love for me. So, you see my love, the magic of the ring continues in you and now you know why I am so happy that you choose to wear it. Someday you will perhaps tell our grandson of the magic in the ring.

Please, let's set our wedding date for some time very soon. Besides the fact that we have both expressed our desire to be a family as soon as possible, now Jack knows about our marriage. He is sure to start pestering us with questions about when I will be his "real papa". Even though we already have the bond, he now understands that there is another step and then we can live together.

I will say good night and try to sleep as I am to be up early with our parents. As we planned, I will come by to pick you and Jack up, so we can all have breakfast together at the Queen of Hearts and say our goodbyes.

I love you, my soon-to-be wife, with all my heart.

. Lucas