Chapter Eight: Page Three
"Honor will compel us to wed." Irvine kept his eyes cast down, shrinking from the contempt he was sure to see in Selphie's eyes. He knew what he must do to make amends, though it would condemn him to a lifetime of fresh heartbreak. "I swear I will make no demands on you once we are married and I will allow you every freedom you would enjoy as a single woman." If that meant the humiliation of watching her flaunt her love affairs under his nose or even letting the children of her lovers bear his name, it was no more than he deserved. "Irvine Kinneas!" Selphie cried. She pulled at his hand. Thinking she wished to be released from his touch, Irvine let her go. To his amazement, Selphie grasped his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Do you truly believe I would have taken you into my bed last night if I had not known all along it was you?" "Known?" Irvine shook his head. This could not be a summer night's dream, for it was morning. A morning suddenly sparkling with golden hope and promise. "Of course, known!" Selphie hurled herself into his arms. "How could you think I would accept such a sudden proposal unless I had known my suitor for a very long time, and grown to love him without ever realizing it?" "You did? You do?" His heart was too full to say more just then, so he let his lips speak for him…without words. When at last they drew apart, Selphie looked deep into his eyes, and Irvine saw the love he had long despaired of finding. "I will forgive your error in thinking I could give myself to a man I'd just met." She dealt his nose a teasing bat with her forefinger. "If you can forgive my youthful folly in believing I could never fall in love with a man I've known all my life. A man I mean to know a good deal better in the years to come," she added, offering him her lips in earnest of her heart. "A man I mean to love forever." "Know better," Irvine agreed, savoring a world turned topsy-turvy in the most delightful way. "Love forever." Deep, long and sweet they kissed, then, discovering a magic that needed no champagne, no rose gardens and no starlight to weave its potent spell around their hearts.
The End
"Honor will compel us to wed." Irvine kept his eyes cast down, shrinking from the contempt he was sure to see in Selphie's eyes. He knew what he must do to make amends, though it would condemn him to a lifetime of fresh heartbreak. "I swear I will make no demands on you once we are married and I will allow you every freedom you would enjoy as a single woman." If that meant the humiliation of watching her flaunt her love affairs under his nose or even letting the children of her lovers bear his name, it was no more than he deserved. "Irvine Kinneas!" Selphie cried. She pulled at his hand. Thinking she wished to be released from his touch, Irvine let her go. To his amazement, Selphie grasped his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Do you truly believe I would have taken you into my bed last night if I had not known all along it was you?" "Known?" Irvine shook his head. This could not be a summer night's dream, for it was morning. A morning suddenly sparkling with golden hope and promise. "Of course, known!" Selphie hurled herself into his arms. "How could you think I would accept such a sudden proposal unless I had known my suitor for a very long time, and grown to love him without ever realizing it?" "You did? You do?" His heart was too full to say more just then, so he let his lips speak for him…without words. When at last they drew apart, Selphie looked deep into his eyes, and Irvine saw the love he had long despaired of finding. "I will forgive your error in thinking I could give myself to a man I'd just met." She dealt his nose a teasing bat with her forefinger. "If you can forgive my youthful folly in believing I could never fall in love with a man I've known all my life. A man I mean to know a good deal better in the years to come," she added, offering him her lips in earnest of her heart. "A man I mean to love forever." "Know better," Irvine agreed, savoring a world turned topsy-turvy in the most delightful way. "Love forever." Deep, long and sweet they kissed, then, discovering a magic that needed no champagne, no rose gardens and no starlight to weave its potent spell around their hearts.
The End
