Ada awoke early the following morning to the sound of Sarah's hungry whimper. Stretching and wiping the sleep from her eyes, she felt something on her hand catch in the tangles of her hair. Flicking on the lamp beside her bed with her free hand, and then pulling the other hand free with it, she gasped at the sight that greeted her.

"Oh James!"

There, as plain as day, was the ring that she had sealed in an envelope three years earlier and posted back to him. She could hardly believe that he had kept it. She twisted it round and round her finger, confirming to herself that what she could see, and feel, was real. Sarah's more persisted whimpering brought her back to reality.

"Coming little one," she soothed, pulling on her slippers and dressing gown

Sitting in one of the chairs by the fireplace, Ada put Sarah to her breast. So engrossed did she become in this most wonderful of morning routines, she did not notice that James had slipped into the room.

"Morning, my love," James said after watching the scene for several minutes.

Ada tried to cover herself with her spare hand and coloured a little, before asking "What are you doing?"

"I came to see my future wife and daughter," he replied, ignoring his fiancee's embarrassment, "I look forward to seeing you every morning for the rest of our lives together." He moved closer to them and kissed first Sarah's forehead and then Ada's mouth, running his hands through her hair and down her face and neck as he did so. As he made towards leaving the room, he turned around, their eyes met and he asked her, "who do I need to ask permission in order to marry you?"

"You have asked the only person whose opinion matters," Ada responded with a smile, "though perhaps you should inform Lady Burbridge that she will be in need of a new nurse."

"I think that is a conversation for you to have, if that is what you have decided," James replied with a mischievous glint in his eye, "I'll see you at breakfast," he added skipping out of the door.

At breakfast, Lady Constance could not contain her joy as Ada announced the news of her and James' engagement.

"You can hold the ceremony here in our church," she squeaked, "and have the reception in the ballroom," she added excitedly, "if that is what you would like?" she added more soberly.

"Your offer is immeasurably kind and generous," James replied with a smile, "and one which we will certainly consider, won't we Ada?"

Still reeling from waking up with a ring on her finger, Ada smiled and nodded in response. All her dreams were beginning to come true. The speed in which they occurred still alarmed her somewhat. She fiddled with her ring before returning her attention to the plate of egg and bacon in front of her.

After seeing to both Lady Constance and Sarah, Ada joined James for a stroll around the grounds.

"May I?" James had asked, taking hold of the handle of the Silver Cross. Ada nodded and could not help but be astonished at James' paternal instincts. She had never seen a man push a pram before. She wondered when, and if, the novelty would wear off. After a moment James continued slightly nervously, "when we marry, I would like to adopt Sarah, become her legal father. If that is agreeable to you?"

"You'll accept her as your own?"Ada replied.

"Without a second thought. We'll be a family. And I hope, one day, she'll have some brothers and sisters."

"I hope so too."

"Would you like to have the wedding here?"

"I want something small, James, if I am honest," Ada replied, "just our families, a few friends, nothing more. The marriage of a Bishop's daughter to an eminent young surgeon ought to be a grand affair, but I don't want that. Especially as I cannot marry in white."

Ada paused for a moment. James noticed her face fall slightly.

"I'd like Ethel Bennet to be my maid of honour," Ada continued, "and I would like Miss Luckes to be there."

"What about your parents? You must alert them to our news."

Ada's face fell further. Aware he had touched a nerve, James said, "have they not met Sarah?"

"I was told, in no uncertain terms, was I to show my face in the village until I was married," Ada sniffed.

James put an arm around her shoulder, Ada snuggled into his body, resting her fingers amongst the buttons of his double-breasted coat.

"The banns only need to be read out on three Sunday's before the wedding. If I can return to London by Monday I can register our intent to marry and have the banns first read next weekend. We could be husband and wife within a month. What do you say?"

"I say we take Lady Constance up on her offer of hosting the wedding at Burbridge Hall, then we can go to the village and set the date with Reverend Smithfields, and." Ada paused for a moment and stared at the ground, thoughtfully.

"You're not, having second thoughts, are you?" James asked, with an air of panic in his voice.

"No, of course not, you silly old stick," Ada replied, echoing what he used to call her, "I just can't believe, this, us, it's real. What did I do to deserve you?"

"You were just you," James replied, tightening his grip on her.

After lunch having, to Lady Constance's great delight, taken up her offer of hosting the wedding at Burbridge Hall, Ada and James announced that they were going to head to the Rectory to arrange the date for the wedding.

"The weather's rolling in, you'll get soaked before you've walked there and back," Lady Constance fussed, "you should have said, I would have had the carriage ready."

"We'll ride," Ada suggested, "Ronaldsey is sound isn't he? And I'll be safe on Sam!"

"You can ride?" Lady Constance and James chimed in union.

"Well enough to get me to the Rectory and back without receiving a soaking. I'll ask Adelaide to mind Sarah," she added, "come on James," she called over her shoulder as she disappeared out of the dining room.

Twenty minutes later James found himself perched upon Ronaldsey the hunter, who must have been the biggest horse he had ever seen, following Ada, sat elegantly sidesaddle on Sam, at a trot out of the grounds of Burbridge Hall. When he and Ada were secretly courting, he had always been impressed by, and in admiration of, the rare glimmers of her flare, her passion, her spark that she had been able to express. Now, free from the straight-laced confines of The London, she could be herself, and he loved her more than he could dare to have dreamed.

Reverend Smithfields, a tall, wise looking man in his mid-sixties, with a flash of white hair, blue eyes and a bone structure which betrayed long-since-past handsomeness, was intrigued by James and Ada's insistence of such an imminent wedding date. He politely asked the relevant questions, and, satisfied that the pair were in good standing, agreed to read the banns the following Sunday. On the way home, they took a detour via the railway station, and asked the Station Master about the resumption of the service to London.

"T'morro' mornin' sir!" he had replied to James, "usual time."

Having glanced at the timetable to ensure he knew what the usual time was, James resigned himself to the fact that he would have to leave the beauty of rural Oxfordshire, and Ada, behind for a few weeks.

The following morning the carriage awaited outside Burbridge Hall to take James to the station. Ada accompanied him. As they pulled up outside the station, James put his arm around Ada and said,

"I'll telephone, when everything is sorted."

"I was hoping you would telephone me everyday, telling me how much you miss me," Ada giggled, unable to help herself.

In response, James kissed her mouth, gently first, gradually becoming more passionate and deep.

At that moment, the whistle and wheeze of a steam locomotive alerted them to the arrival of the express train to London.

"Go! Otherwise you'll miss it," Ada urged as they parted.

James jumped out of the carriage, turned and waved, before calling "see you soon my love," and sprinting into the station.