When Masks Fall Off Epilogue
"Ahem," Francis cleared his throat from the doorway. Maryann looked up from putting the final pins into her hair and noted his presence with surprise.
"Francis. What brings you here?"
"Well, you know that talk that Father brought up about us being married?"
Maryann sighed. "Francis..."
"No, just hear me out. I want you to know that Father talked Keith into convincing Duke Preminger that since he's the Duke's future son-in-law he deserves a little help when in jeopardy, and the House of Preminger agreed to aid the House of Harcourt. So we don't need the aid of the House of Hamilton anymore." Actually, that was a condensed fact. The actual sequence of events had been their Father ordering Keith to talk to the Duke, Keith refusing, a loud fight ensuing, Francis talking to Nadja and explaining his ulterior motive in wanting Duke Preminger to help out the House of Harcourt, and Nadja explaining the situation to Keith and taking him with her to argue with her grandfather.
"Francis," Maryann said, standing quite suddenly—and giving Francis quite a start. Maryann was usually demure, graceful in her every endeavor. "Francis," Maryann said again, and her voice was hard; harder than Francis had ever heard it. "I've already made it clear that that offer no longer stands."
Francis gulped nervously. He had to go on, but at this rate, he had the feeling his courage would fail him before he ever got around to making his point. "Well, we've known each other a long time, you know, and I-"
"Francis," Maryann said gently, "if you think that I'm not going to be your friend anymore just because of that silly engagement of convenience-"
"No, no, no, that isn't it either-"
"You're acting strange," Maryann pointed out, approaching Francis worriedly. "Are you feeling all right?" She touched his forehead to check for a fever; Fancis forgot everything he'd been about to say. He was nervous enough as it was, but her proximity was turning 'nervous' to 'anxious' to just plain 'madly in love.'
So Francis did the only thing he could think of and caught Maryann by the hips, pulled her to him, and kissed her. He tensed in response when she began to tense, but then she relaxed and put her arms about his shoulders, and he had never been happier. When he pulled away, Maryann's cheeks were flushed and she was breathing heavily. Maryann, always calm and composed since they had been young children, now had had that composure cracked: and all because of one kiss from him. The thought sent a surge of something hot through Francis's chest, and he pulled her back for another kiss.
"Maryann," he started quietly as he pulled away, "Will you marry me?" Maryann's eyes went wide: another expression he'd never seen on her, Francis realized. "Not because of our Houses this time, but because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life beside you."
Tears came to Maryann's eyes, and she covered her mouth with one hand, turning away from him as she did so. "Maryann?" called Francis, alarmed. Maryann had always been one to support others; never one to break down in front of others, and even as a child, Francis could only remember one occasion on which he had ever seen her cry. When he had fallen from a tree and scratched his knee, she had soothed him and helped him up and back to the house; when he had been sobbing for the death of his pet dog, Maryann had sat beside him with comforting words of the dog's happiness in Heaven.
Now she was crying, and just because he had asked her to marry him.
"Yes," Maryann choked out. Francis almost couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, Francis, I thought you didn't... That you'd never..." Francis understood. So he gathered her into his arms and kissed her again.