Five

By the time Ernest came for the seventh or was it the eighth? There was definitely time between each meeting. This time he noticed that this time he wasn't alone. The start of the social season was coming, and he had to regrettably tell her that he would not be visiting as much if at all. He was about to knock on the door when he heard the voices inside. It would have been rude to just listen in as he knocked anyway.

"Who is that?" asked the voice that was of a young man. He felt his stomach lurch as he was hoping that the voice was Briars. He had come to like the girl but didn't truly know her.

The door swung open as Clara stood there relieved to see him.

"Mr. Sinclaire,' she said pleased to see him as she greeted him with a smile. "It's so nice to see you, please come in." Part of him was hoping that she would call him Ernest until he saw Briar glaring at a man with dark hair.

"Francis," said Clara as she attempted to smile at him. "This is Mr. Sinclaire, he helped me organize my mother's funeral. Mr. Sinclaire this is Mr. Olsen. He's, um…" Her voice trailed off as Ernest got a good look at the young man.

"Waiting for the answer to my marriage proposal," said Francis as he was watching Clara carefully almost like a hungry wolf leaning in for its prey. "I was hoping that you would say yes Ms. Mills. I understand with your mother's passing that it might be lonely here in. I am hoping to give you companionship and love like you deserve."

Ernest felt his heart flip as she was being proposed marriage in front of his eyes. He watched the man as he tried to reach for her hands, but Clara nimbly pulled away from him. Briar wasn't happy either as she reached for Clara as the two girls linked arms. Ernest's thoughts were far away from the moment as Clara was being proposed to. Part of him couldn't see straight as he… No, he shouldn't be thinking of her like that. They were of completely different social classes then again that never really mattered to him. No, the only reason that thought even came to his mind is how putting Clara in that group was like throwing bread to the birds. She would have been torn apart.

"She said no Francis," said Briar, that caused Ernest to pull out of his trance.

"It's going to keep being no," said Clara a hard look on her face. "I'm not marrying just anyone who is going to come to my door just to keep me from being lonely. I'm happy just the way I am. Thank you for coming but you should be leaving now."

So this happened before and he was just now hearing about this? Francis looked at both Briar and then at him as he pursed his lips and headed for the door.

"You'll have to say yes to a proposal sooner or later," he said as he turned back to the room before heading down the path.

"That was very impressive the way you handled that," said Ernest as the man was completely out of view now. He didn't even have to step in to help defend her. He had to admit with that fire and determination she could very well stand her own within society. "I didn't know you had potential suitors."

"They just started coming this week since my mourning period is over," said Clara a bit sourly. "Everyone wants a pretty bride and someone to cook for them. I'm waiting for love and I don't think it would be from the likes of Francis. If you excuse me I need to scream into a pillow." With that she headed upstairs to her bedroom leaving him with Briar.

The girl saw that they were alone as she turned to Mr. Sinclaire. "Two days ago, a young man named Timothy came to propose to her. He tried to grab at her skirt," said Briar. "My father was coming to visit and stopped him."

Ernest felt his face harden as he heard that one as he felt the need to rush up there and kiss her. Clara had said that people were the same regardless of class but…

"Four days ago, a young man named Robert proposed to her and she said no," said Briar as she was glaring at him. "Now Robert is very nice, he's wealthy, a merchant owners son. Any other girl in the village would have married him, including Clara once upon a time."

This was news to him about Clara and some Robert fellow.

"She's holding out for you," said Briar. "Are you going to propose to her or not?"

Then in one fail swoop did Ernest lock his jaw as he stared at her surprised and annoyed. "Excuse me?"

Briar only got in close to him as he refused to back away from her. "You heard me, Clara wants to marry for love and I know how much she likes you," said Briar with a pause as she poked his chest. "She's being showing you how much she likes you. Ever since you trusted her with some secret she's been up in arms about possibly being with you regardless of social class. Are you going to do it or not?"

Ernest thought about it as they did spend time together and if society knew what was going on between them, well, they might as well be married. "I shouldn't have gotten her hopes up like that," he admitted as much as he hated to say it. "To be honest the only reason I haven't or thought about it is because of how society will tear her up. I could protect her as best as I possibly could and I can only hope that it's enough. I really do love her which is why I'm not…"

"You love me," said a voice from behind them a bit shaky.

They swirled around to see Clara there her eyes wide as her jaw dropped. It was deathly quiet as she looked at Briar first.

"I'm sorry Clara I was only trying to help," she said as Clara nodded at her friend.

Then she turned to look at him as Ernest only watched her. In essence, he had told Clara that he was in love with her. When had he fallen for her? Could it have been any number of the times he visited her or possibly even earlier? The day and night she spent in his home? Ernest only drank her in as she was standing in front of him her hair slightly mused. Her cheeks were bright pink, and her eyes were nothing but adoration.

"Clara," he started to say as she threw her arms around him and feverishly kissed him.

Not on the cheek, not on the forehead, but on the lips as Briar gasped. Their lips met, and he practically melted. Ernest had been wanting to do this for a long time to kiss her, more than just sweet one they had done earlier. Forgetting about the audience in a heated rush of response he kissed her back his hands gently taking her own off him as he held them. They pulled apart as their breathing was gasps.

Their foreheads were touching as he smiled their hands still tight. "I love you too," she said sweetly as he couldn't believe he as hearing this. "Does this mean we'll get married?"

"Married," he sputtered echoing her words. He took a controlled breath as he didn't know what to say to that, he was trying to protect her by having her here. Away from his high-class society. Although sadly where young men were proposing to her and will be continuing doing so long as long as she was unwed. "What about Robert? The one who proposed to you?"

She looked quizzically at him as Briar sheepishly stepped back.

"Ernest once upon a time I very well may have but I want to be with you," she said as she smiled at his name. "I know you want to protect me from what people will say and not see me hurt. I think I can handle myself just fine so long as I have you with me."

They stared intently into each other's eyes as he didn't know what to say. Clara was important to him as he wanted her with him. The social season was coming up, he thought bitterly, as he would have woman jumping into his arms that wasn't her.

"Stay with me," he said softly. "I'll give you a proper proposal and we can get married as soon as possible," he said.

"Oh Ernest," she said as she kissed him again as Briar only watched thrilled for them.

Now he just knew that he had to teach her a thing or two about running a household as he wanted nothing more than to have her stay with him for the rest of the day. They had broken apart as Ernest knew what he had to do next, find his mother's wedding ring and talk to Bishop Monroe. "I shall be back tomorrow with a carriage," he said as he kissed her head.