Emily waited, and waited. It was two minutes until noon and no sign of Lord Barkis anywhere. She held the letter tightly in her grasp, re-reading the words over and over again in her mind. Her heart raced every time she came to the same words – "I love you. Marry me". It was pure adrenaline for her. She told her parents she was going out to lay flowers on her grandmother's grave in the local cemetery in the forest. A lie, obviously. She was far from the cemetery and most definitely not going there any time soon.
The loud, monstrous sound of the village clock tower echoed across the village, as the clock hands struck twelve, and morning was replaced with afternoon. It was now twelve o clock.
Yet no sign of Lord Barkis. Was he late? Was he delayed?
Be patient Emily, it's only been noon for ten seconds!
Emily squirmed on the hard stone edge of the fountain, feeling the cold seep through the fabric of her skirt, listening to the trickle of the water, gently calming her slowly rising nerves. She spun her head in all directions, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man she would call her fiancée, and soon her husband. Down every street, every alleyway, every corner and shop entrance that he might be loitering around.
Where is he? Did he change his mind? Oh no, he's found another woman he loves more! Oh great! I'm going to die a lonely woman with only a budgie and a load of cats to keep me company! No fairy-tale wedding, no bridesmaids, no dream life of love. It was all one big fantasy.
"You came" a voice said behind her.
Her heart fluttered in her chest and her pulse raced when she heard that voice, creeping up behind her like a hungry fox amongst the chickens. She knew he would come, he had to. What man in their right mind would infatuate a girl in to marrying him, then run away for no apparent reason? Unless he came to break up with her? Maybe that's why he was late? He was dreading telling her the bad news and strayed back to find his courage. No, he wouldn't. He couldn't. Could he?
"I was worried you weren't coming" Emily answered.
"What makes you think that I wasn't coming?" he replied.
"You were late. You said twelve noon by the fountain. It's five minutes past noon."
"Five minutes never hurt anyone" he said.
"If you say so." Emily replied, keeping her back towards him. "Though I should hope you won't be late on our wedding day. I don't want to kept waiting at the altar" she teased.
"You won't be. I'll be there to watch you walk down the aisle. You're saying yes, then?"
"What else would I say? I can hardly say no" Emily answered, taking this opportunity to turn around and face Lord Barkis – him and his piercing eyes staring at her.
"You've made me a very happy man Emily."
"Wait until the wedding night" she teased, pouting her lips and tossing her hair back flirtatiously.
"That's the thing. I can't wait. If I had the opportunity, I would marry you here and now" he answered, taking small steps forward so he came face to face with her, taking a seat beside her at the fountain.
"I would too, if…" Emily began, remembering her father's words.
"If what?" he asked.
"If I had my father's permission" she added, bowing her head slightly, gazing down at her finger nails.
"Your father's permission?"
"He disagrees that I should be rushing in to a marriage where I do not know the man I intend to wed enough. He refuses to allow me to marry you on such short notice."
"Short notice?"
"Yes. So, unless you meet him…" Emily began, and instantly she noticed how Lord Barkis' eyes widened, almost with fear.
"What?" she asked.
"I cannot meet your father. What would he think of me?"
"That is the purpose of introducing you two to one another. So he has an idea of what you're like and see that we are fit to marry."
"I don't know Emily."
"Maybe if you gave it a chance? Why are you being so hesitant?"
"One chance is all I need to ruin everything."
"But, maybe…"
"No 'maybes' Emily, darling. I cannot meet your father, and that is final."
"Why not?"
"I just…I just…cannot! Simply cannot! I'm not good at convincing people to like me."
"Well, if not my father, then my mother?"
"And if she disapproves?" Barkis asked.
"Well then…there'd be no other option."
They were silent for a moment, the trickling fountain water being the only sound heard in the village. Emily looked at Barkis, seeing his head bowed in deep thought as she felt disappointed and let down that such an obstacle as her father was stopping her from achieving her biggest desire. That was, until Barkis raised his head, eagerness and excitement in his eyes. He turned to Emily, edging closer to her as he placed his hand on her hands that rested in her lap.
"There is one option." He began.
"Which is?"
"We can elope?"
"Elope? You mean 'run away'?"
"Think of it as being rebellious. Grabbing life at the best opportunity."
"It's running away!"
"For love" Barkis added. "Running away for love. Don't you want to start a new life away from here, away from everything that's holding you back? Start a new life with me. We can be married, have children, watch them grow, live our lives together in perfect harmony like we're living a dream. But it will be reality. It will be us. You and me, together forever. Don't think of it as running away; think of it as living the dream. Or would you rather stay here for the rest of your life and never do anything spontaneous? What do you say Emily?" he added, staring intently deep in to her eyes. Emily sat there, dazed by Barkis' words but emotionally affected by the images he had put in to her head.
She could picture it now. Them, in their own home, watching their children play as they looked over the summer horizon, listening to the sounds of their children's playful cries. She wanted that. She wanted it so badly that she was…willing to go ahead with an elopement? Really? Could she go through with it? In her heart, she couldn't stand the idea of staying in the same place for the whole of her life, and she wanted to have a love, marriage, children to make her life complete. Well, none of those things would be accomplished in this village, not unless she did something…spontaneous.
"I say I do" she said beaming.