WARNING: this chapter is quite mushy. I apologize in advance ;)
William POV
After a week or so with Susannah staying at my home, I found myself in the gardens during the early morning. I was pacing back and forth and talking to myself, glad that no one was around to hear, for they would have thought I'd gone mad. I had finally decided to ask Susannah to marry me. The only problem was that I had no idea what to say or do. I walked inside and knocked on the door to my father's study. He looked up as I walked in and asked me what he could do for me. I sat down and began to talk to him, "I need your advice. You see, I am planning on asking Susannah something…" He furrowed his brow, "And the problem is?" I looked at him seriously, "I am going to ask her something important." Still he did not understand. "I see. And that would be…?"
I shook my head and smiled at my father, the most unable man to catch a hint. "Well, seeing as you are unable to decipher my meaning," I said, "I was actually going to ask her if she would like to spend the rest of her life by my side." My father now understood what I had come to talk to him about. "William, my boy! That is wonderful! What do you need from me?" I sighed, "That is why I am here. I am unsure of…" My father and I then went into a conversation much too lengthy to relay in this story. Just as I was about to leave, my father caught my shoulder and asked me a simple question that completely slipped my mind: "Have you got a ring?"
Susannah POV
When I woke up, William's mother informed me that she had seen him go into his father's study an hour ago and had yet to emerge. I spent my time helping her with chores. When we finished, I went out to see the horses and brush their coats as they were in need of some attention. As I finished taking care of Buck, I heard footsteps coming towards me at a fast pace. I turned around and William grabbed me by the waist and kissed me firmly. I was rendered speechless by his simple action, but it would be impossible to say that I did not partially enjoy it.
When we parted I stared at him in disbelief, "I-I." I couldn't speak. He interrupted my sorry attempt at speech, "Susannah, I have spent the last two hours with my father trying to figure out what to say, but it is as simple as this: I love you and I always will. Will you marry me?" If I was unable to speak before, then now I was completely mute. A grin grew on my face and I sputtered out a "Yes!" He laughed and held me close, and he began to talk.
"Your father," he chuckled, "your father took me aside before we left your home and talked with me. He said that when the time came, I already had his permission to marry you whether I were to ask you within the hour or in years. And, I almost forgot!" he exclaimed, reaching his hand into his pocket and producing a ring. It consisted of a gold band and a diamond setting surrounded by small amethysts. "This was my grandmother's wedding ring. I would love for it to be yours, too," he said, slipping the beautiful ring onto my finger. It fit just well and William complemented on how nicely it went with my complexion and could do nothing but whisper sweet things in my ear for the next few hours.
I now had to write a letter to my family to notify them that we had a wedding to plan. I knew my sisters would be overjoyed to dress up and get excited for an event. On the thought of my sisters, I suddenly came to the attention that I had no idea of the fate of Eliza Miller! She was more of a sister in her actions towards me than any of my real sisters and therefore I wanted her at my wedding. I had to track her down.