Chapter One Hundred Eleven: A Couple in Love
The French Café was fully lit up and buzzing with activity on this particular Saturday Night, but Nathan had gone to extra lengths to make sure this was a perfect night.
Especially, since in all likelihood, this would be their last romantic night out alone, until after their Wedding.
The Maitre-D met them at the Door.
"Chief Inspector, Mrs. Thornton, we are so happy you are dining with us this Evening! We have everything arranged for a most special time together."
He shook Nathan's hand and kissed Elizabeth, European style, on both cheeks.
"And if I may say so, we are all so proud of you, Chief Inspector! Our hearty Congratulations! Will you both please follow me?"
Elizabeth was amazed as every single candle-lit table was full of couples and families enjoying their food and their time together.
She was beginning to wonder where they were going, and then she remembered.
Nathan had reserved their Private Dining Area, which held only one large semi-circular booth.
"This is wonderful, Henri!" exclaimed a very animated Elizabeth.
"Thank you very much, Henri!" agreed Nathan. "Darling, may I help you?"
Nathan held her purse, as she scooted in toward the center of the very elegant booth.
He then handed her, her purse, and scooted in from the other side, beside her.
"Darling, the Roses, there's a card!" said Elizabeth excitedly.
He handed her the card, "For you, Love!"
She opened it, and her expression was instantly one of tenderness.
"They're from you! And they're exquisite. Thank you, Nathan!" and she reached to kiss him.
"Not nearly as exquisite as you, Darling! Welcome to our special night!"
"Sir, are we quite ready to start our meal?" asked Henri.
"Yes, Henri. We're ready!"
Henri smiled and quietly left.
"Aren't we going to order?" asked a perplexed Elizabeth.
"I took the liberty to have already done that, and I hope you will be very pleased," winked Nathan.
"With your attention to detail, Nathan, I'm sure I will!"
The Maitre D returned with Champagne, a very old and wonderful Champagne, one that Grace had told Nathan was one of Elizabeth's favorites.
After one sip, "This is my favorite Champagne. However, did you know?"
Nathan just raised his eyebrows and gave an almost imperceptible shrug.
"A Toast, Darling. To us and this most special night!"
"To us and this most special night!"
Next Henri brought a Cheese Course, consisting of a deliciously Baked Camembert.
Henri then soon returned with Broiled Stuffed Oysters, which Nathan fed to Elizabeth.
After that, the Maitre D presented the Couple with a Terrine de Foie Gras, which totally excited Elizabeth.
"How did you know I love Foie Gras, and I haven't had any forever?"
"You don't expect me to give all my secrets away, do you?" and he spread the Foie Gras on one of the bread slices accompanying it, gave her a bite, and she was in Culinary heaven!
"Have you tasted this before?" she asked.
"Can't say that I have," he answered, very unsure that he wanted to.
"Well, it is an acquired taste, but you have to start somewhere."
She spread some on a slice of bread and offered it to him, although he was still a bit skeptical.
But he tried, "I can't say it's my favorite thing ever, but for you, I'll keep trying! How's that?"
"That's all a girl can ask, Love!"
Next came their Entrees, Filet Mignons, cooked Tableside to perfection.
When they were just perfect, Henri generously ladled a homemade Bordelaise Sauce over them.
"Nathan, this is the best Filet I've ever had in my life! And the Bordelaise Sauce is to die for!"
"It's really delicious, isn't it?"
Then Henri brought the accompanying vegetables: Glazed Carrots and a Potato-Celeriac Gratin.
"Darling, the Carrots are delicious and there aren't even words for this Gratin!" exclaimed Elizabeth.
The entire time they had been eating their various courses, they held hands. Elizabeth used her right hand to eat, and Nathan stretched his left hand over to encase her left one.
This was an art they had perfected over their time together, because this was just what happened when they were both eating together and sitting close.
They simply had to touch, and both thought that was the most natural thing in the world.
"Sometimes, I can't believe how happy I am, Nathan! I am so very, very happy!" whispered Elizabeth.
"So am I, Darling. Deliriously!"
When they finally finished their Main Course and Sides, both felt so full, they thought they could not eat another bite.
But Henri appeared once again, with yet another very large cart, that held a huge Silver Domed Tray in the center, and two slightly smaller Silver Domed Trays to each side.
He and his assistants lifted all three Domed Trays onto their table, in unison, placing them directly in front of the Couple.
"Sir, I'll leave these to you!" and then Henri turned to leave, with his assistants following him.
Elizabeth looked puzzled, as she had never seen Henri leave without a formal presentation before.
"Lisbeth…"
"Nathan, are you alright. You've been a little quiet this evening."
"Oh, no, Darling, I didn't mean to be. I suppose I just needed a bit of time to think."
She nodded but was still confused.
"Lisbeth, I'm not sure there are words to say what I need to say to you."
Now, she had no idea about what was going to happen.
He started out slowly in a soft and low voice and his blue eyes looked directly into hers.
He took both of her hands.
"I love you more than I thought it was possible to love someone. And I don't know what I've ever done in my life to deserve you. To think that we'll be married humbles me, excites me, and lets me know we'll finally be complete. I want more than anything to make you the happiest woman alive, not just now, but always. And I will do my very best to make that happen. I want you to know I will love, and adore you the rest of my life. And that I will do everything in my power to give both you and Jack the life you both deserve. It isn't enough to me for us to just be married. I promise you a relationship filled with passion, and I know you'll give the same to me. That's what I want for us, Lisbeth, I want romance and passion our whole lives through. I want us to be a solid foundation for each other, but I want us to be each other's soft place to fall when one of us needs to fall. I adore you, Darling, and I give you my word, I will cherish you all my life through."
She was sobbing now, and she could only reach for him and hold on to him.
This man, she loved in a way she, the school teacher couldn't even describe, and yet he, the man who had originally been so sparing with words, had been able to do just that.
"I didn't mean to make you cry, Darling! Because this is all about our Wedding, our most happy, wonderful Wedding. And this is for my beautiful, exquisite, and perfect Bride," and he pointed his hand toward the three Domed Silver Trays.
She lifted the smallest and began opening the elegantly wrapped package, wrapped entirely in gold.
Once, she had lifted the velvet lid, she immediately started crying all over again.
"Darling, the Pearl Earrings I was looking at when we were with Jefferson! But I didn't even show you! How could you possibly know?"
He scooted over so she could reach the second smaller Silver Domed Tray, and then he lifted the Dome for her.
She opened the second gorgeous package hurriedly; again, it was beautiful in gold, tied with a wide embroidered gold satin ribbon, just like the other had been.
"The Pearl Bracelet!" and she smothered him with kisses, one after another.
They cried and laughed together, till Nathan remembered there was one more gift…
"Here, shall I do the honors or you?"
"You, please. I don't even think I can lift it!"
When he lifted, the huge Silver Dome, she gasped, because by now she knew what was waiting for her inside.
"This is the most beautiful Pearl Necklace I have ever seen, and not only do they all match perfectly, they match…"
But she stopped herself.
Instead, she brought her lips to those of her fiancé, and she kissed him as his Bride, dancing her lips softly across his, while holding the back of his neck in her hands, caressing him, pulling him toward her with urgency, loving him so completely.
"I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. This is the most magnificent Wedding Gift I could ever hope for, but Nathan these cost a fortune. An absolute fortune!"
"Lisbeth, they are worth a fortune, yes. But Jefferson came through, so I didn't have to break our bank. But, Darling, there is something I do need to tell you. It's not that I've kept something from you. It's just that the books I told you I've had published, well they've done quite well. And all that money has been put aside. It hasn't even been touched, not even for your Pearls. I didn't say anything, because I didn't want the focus to be on me; I wanted it all on you, as it should be with your new book. But now, as we get closer to our Wedding, I can't let you worry, thinking we're financially unstable."
She was quiet and then asked a question, "Nathan, how well have they done?"
"Best Sellers," he answered quietly.
"Best Sellers! That's wonderful! But, Nathan, that means you're famous!"
"No, I'm not. Perhaps N.A. Grant is, a bit, but I'm not. That's why I like to keep everything quiet and rather incognito."
"You mean, I am marrying a Chief Inspector, who happens to write Best Sellers on the side?"
"It appears so," he said as humble as ever. "But I never wrote to produce a Best Seller; I wrote because it took me away to places I loved, out of history. It's odd, but there's something safe about the past, as it's already been completed. I love analyzing it and telling its story in a different way. Perhaps I needed my writing just to escape my own reality. I guess I owe that to my Father, in some sort of back-handed way."
"But, Darling, wouldn't you know I would want to know all of this? It's just as important to me to see that good things happen to you, as it is having good things happen to me. Nathan, I will have my moment with my writing when the time is right, but I'm so very proud that you are already having that. Can you possibly understand how very proud of you I am? The word is immensely!"
"But I feel the same about you! Although, since we're going for full disclosure here, I maybe should tell you your Dad put it together, too. Apparently, he's read all my books and is quite the fan!"
"My Father? Are you serious? That's hysterical! I didn't even know he read, except for the financials!"
"Oh, he reads! He's quite the history buff!"
"Nathan, with what I have and will have, and with what you have, are you telling me we don't have to really worry about money?"
"I don't even know what you have or will have, and don't need to, but yes, I'm telling you we don't have to worry about money. We're going to be fine financially. I just want my Bride to enjoy her Wedding Gift from her Groom. Whether he looks it or not, your Groom can afford it," and he nuzzled her ear.
"And here said Bride was worried about us buying a car!"
"You can choose any car you like, Darling. Well, I should qualify that," he laughed, "not exactly in the same league as what your Father would select, we're not there yet by any means, and no doubt never will be, but yes, a nice car!"
"But, seriously, Nathan I want you to know what I have. Of course, I live on my Teacher's salary and Jack's pension, but I do have a trust fund, that I've also refused to use."
She whispered the amount in his ear, and Nathan was dumbfounded.
"Darling, that's not a trust fund. That's a Bank!"
"Well, you might as well know there will be lots more someday, although I don't even like to think about that."
"I tell you what, let's just concentrate on our finances, and not worry about all that," suggested Nathan.
"But know it's yours too, Darling if it's ever needed."
"Let's hope we won't ever have to touch it."
"I love you, Nathan Alexander Grant!"
"I love you, Elizabeth Rose Thornton, and I can't wait till I can add Grant to that!"
He kissed her tenderly, and almost reverently…
Henri came in discreetly and finally cleared his throat as they pulled away from each other.
"Would you like your Desserts to be served now, Sir?"
"Lisbeth, are you ready?"
"So ready for Dessert!" she smiled.
Henri returned with yet another cart and two Crème Brulee's in the shape of hearts.
He used a flaming torch to caramelize the Desserts, then flamed a Cherry Sauce made especially for Elizabeth, which he poured over the Brulee.
"Bon Appetit!"
Nathan and Elizabeth fed each other their Brulee's and Elizabeth was more than content with the Cherries.
"It's warm! How did you know I love Brulee warm! Cook always scolded me for that. She said a 'Proper Brulee, Miss, is meant to be eaten cold."
"But not for you, I take it…"
"Never. Are you worried, Love?"
"About the Cherries? No. The refined Mrs. Thornton can't possibly mess up my face with Cherries, as we're in a rather fancy restaurant. Why even Godfrey would be appalled!"
"Did you just say that?" she asked, pretending herself to be appalled.
He had said it, although he now knew it was a big mistake.
Thankfully they were in their own private dining room because before he could answer, she had put Cherries all down the length of his nose. And she did so with a gleeful giggle!
"Well, this will never do! How can I possibly leave you looking all beautiful there, without your favorite Cherries?" and he quickly returned the favor, being extra careful not to get any on her beautiful blue dress!
"Well, I never. A girl is never ever safe. That's just all there is to it…not even with the Man she loves!" she pouted.
"Perhaps said girl started this!" he said trying his best to sound stern, but then he dissolved into her kisses. "And I'm so very glad she did! I love you, Lisbeth, just the way you are! Don't ever, ever change from the impetuous, playful, and loving woman you are now. I think that's why I love you the most!"
She took her hand and placed it on his cheek, and he took his hand and tilted her cheek up toward him, searching her face, telling her without words how very blessed she made him feel. But suddenly, he could wait no longer, and he kissed her softly, gently, then more firmly and steadfastly, giving her all the love he could.
"Ready to go home, Darling?"
"Do we have to? This has been so perfect!"
"Just for a while. We'll be headed to New York City, on our working Honeymoon before you know it!"
"Not till after our private Honeymoon," she smiled beguilingly.
"You cannot even let me think about that, because we're at the point now, that's the only way I can even handle all this! But, I will tell you, my Darling, you'd better rest up between now and then, because I plan to keep you rather busy at Lake Granda!"
"Why Nathan Grant, are you taking me fishing?" she impishly asked.
"Constantly," he whispered in her ear…