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Re-cap: Erik proposes…

Ch 40 - Oui ou Non ?

Someone pinch me, please.

My mind insisted I was dreaming.

Here I was, two weeks shy of being in this century for a full year, sitting upon a quilt by a French lake, having a picnic with a famous composer and nefarious nineteenth century legend. …and he proposes.

Never in my wildest imaginings did I expect this from Erik.

I knew in my heart of hearts that I would not be returning to the 21st century and was struggling to make peace with my new reality. I had dated many men before, yet none of those contemporary admirers compared to my enigmatic Victorian lover.

Sunlight danced upon the facets of the ruby and diamonds stones, causing the ring to glisten in my hand. I felt as though every butterfly in the meadow now fluttered inside my stomach.

I longed to say yes.

"Erik, this ring—it's all so unexpected. You do know that I love you, right?"

"Yes, darling, and I love you too, now, about my proposal; you've not answered me, Gabrielle."

I pulled back to meet his inquisitive stare, "Now? Oh, god Erik, this is all so sudden. I don't know…"

Erik closed his eyes against my words, his lips drawing into a thin line. He looked crestfallen.

I sat back on my heels to better meet his gaze, "Listen sweetheart I'm not saying no to you, not at all, I'm simply surprised."

Erik opened his eyes and narrowed them at me the way a wary animal does when it's not sure if it can trust you.

We sat frozen in our places on the well worn quilt, scrutinizing one another.

I chuckled nervously, "You want me as a wife? You sure are brave now aren't you?"

"Whatever do you mean? I have lived my entire life without a wife; I consider the decision to marry a monumental one. You are more than any man could ever wish for in a mate, why, you are my lover and companion. It is not a frivolous proposition that I now make to you, Gabrielle."

"I know that, Erik. Are you certain you want to handle living with my idiosyncrasies? Be honest."

"Your idiosyncrasies? I must admit to being rather outré myself. No Gabrielle, I will not allow the differences between our unique personalities to keep me from true beauty and happiness. I have braved perils more daunting than you, darling. For goodness sakes woman, I bought you a ring did I not? So what will it be, yes or no?"

Adrenaline obeyed my body's signals. My palms were moist and my breathing became shallow. I knew how I felt; it was rationality that struggled to surface through the deluge of emotion within my brain

"Erik, I'm wise enough to figure out that I won't be visiting 2005 again anytime soon. If I must be stuck in this frighteningly strange century, I wish to do so only with you. So—in answer to your offer of marriage…yes, Erik, definitely." I whispered behind a teary smile.

Erik smiled the sweetest smile I'd ever seen a man smile. It affected his entire face from his perfect teeth to the corners of his luminous jade eyes.

He reached out to stroke my hair so gently, it was as if he was afraid I might disappear.

I smiled at him then lowered my lashes to the ring in my quivering hand. I thrust my open palm toward him, "Here, please put it on me, Erik."

Erik stared blankly; his face bore a mixture of bewilderment and fear.

"I've given you an affirmative answer, I'll take that exquisite ring now," I cajoled.

Erik blinked as if a switch had flipped inside his head, "Yes, of course. Where are my manners?" He plucked the ring from my palm and I presented my left hand to him.

"Your other hand, dear."

"Isn't it supposed to be on my left hand?"

"Engaged women wear their rings on their right hand until they are properly wed."

"Oh, I did not know that, must be a French thing huh?"

Erik took the white gold band and slipped it on my right ring finger.

I admired the revered symbol with awe, "This is the most exquisite ring. But Erik, how did you know what size I wore?"

He shrugged, "Simple really. I found the ring that other man gave you, traced the circumference and passed that information to the jeweler."

"You are so sneaky! Erik, I do love you so."

I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him voraciously. Joyful tears trickled down my cheeks.

I swallowed him up in a flurry of hugs and kisses, toppling him over on the blanket.

Erik laughed and reciprocated my joy by rolling on top of me, still laughing he said, "Gabrielle, I am dreaming am I not?"

"No Monsieur, this woman beneath you is your future bride."

He claimed my mouth with his, kissing me slowly with a silky sensuality that left me breathless. If this were my last day on earth, I would have passed away in a glorious cloud of bliss.

After a while, when our tongues began to cramp from the relentless kissing, we broke contact and stared into each other's eyes like love crazed kids.

"How long does one wait in this century for the nuptials," I asked.

"First, I will need to procure a marriage license, and then arrange for someone to officiate. I would prefer not to wait to terribly long, however completion of my opera for the Lyric is paramount; with that out of the way, there will be nothing left to come between the two of us."

"The opera is due Augusts' end so we're talking sometime in September. That's not too soon is it? September is a lovely month, still warm but not sweltering and the skies are the purest shade of blue."

"September it shall be; say, the third Saturday morning? That should allow for ample time to prepare."

I shook my head yes enthusiastically.

"You'll require a gown, you know."

"You better believe I do-a white one too. Don't look at me that way you ornery man. It's been a long time since I've been with anyone, that other man and I, we never got to the make-up in bed stage of our re-kindled relationship before I ended up in Victoria-Ville."

"Such a pity for him."

"You know Erik; I've never been with a man in this century. You will be my first and only, so I can wear virginal white after all."

Erik raised his eyebrows and cast me a wry smile, "True, but it matters not to me Gabrielle, I know you are a virtuous and faithful woman. And soon you will be mine."

"Erik; I am yours now."

He rolled into the sitting position and removed his ridding breeches. Would you like to indulge me in a swim, darling?"

"Why not," I removed my t-shirt, tossed it on the blanket and stood on wobbly legs. I needed an outlet for my newly found nervous energy. "Race ya to the water," I challenged.

"Bah, no contest Mademoiselle."

"It is if I get a head start." Off I ran ahead of Erik to the lake. Three quarters of the way down the bank, he caught up with me, grabbed me around the waist and carried me to the water's edge, where he tossed me in.

I swam beneath the surface where he couldn't see me and held my breath, a talent perfected from playing water games with my brother back in Chicago.

I could barley hear Erik calling for me. As stealthy as possible, I glided along beneath the lake's surface until I could see his torso. He was still wearing his underwear and I got an eyeful of his fine rump.

Quick as a water moccasin I struck, wrapping my arms about his legs and making his knees buckle. I heard him yell out in surprise. It was all I could do not to laugh and inhale a mouth full of lake water. When I popped up to the surface, Erik's face was red with embarrassment or anger; I'm not sure which because at that point all bets were off.

He shouted gruffly, "Gabrielle, you frightened the living daylights from me. Do no ever do that again, do you hear me?"

God help me, but I could not stop laughing, he lunged at me with the look of a man possessed and I knew I was in for some type of torture so I began to swim away as fast as I could.

Four or five strokes into my retreat Erik grabbed my ankles. He pulled me into his arms tightly, "You shall pay for your insolence." My bra was swiftly un-hooked and tossed out into the water.

"Hey, I only have two of those and they're scarce to come by in the 19th century, you know!"

"Then you will learn to live without them, I like you better this way."

"Erik, you bugger. Go fetch my..." Erik cut off my words by burying his tongue in my mouth. He held me against him with one hand and stroked my breast with the other. I felt his sex come to life against my abdomen.

As usual, I abandoned my will to him and reciprocated the kiss. Erik is not a man one can say no to easily.

We bobbed along toward the shore and collapsed on the grassy bank where we continued kissing and peeling the wet underwear from each other's body.

"That was an easy task," Erik murmured while continuing his assault on my lips.

"You're incorrigible."

"Your actions speak of your disgust, darling."

"Um yes, please Erik, show me how much more disgusting you can be."

For then next hour Erik and I satiated each other in every possible manner of foreplay our minds could conjure. The shadows from the trees told us we were two hours from sun set and in the woods, darkness would come earlier still.

Already dry from being out of the water a while, we re-dressed, packed up and made our way back to the manor.

Once on the other side of the woods, the setting sun cast a fiery glow over the tall grass, wildflowers and tree tops in the meadow. Birds called out to their mates from different trees, signaling them to return to the nest before darkness came.

Jostling easily atop out mounts, Erik and I took our time ridding back. A comfortable silence rested between us.

"Tomorrow is my birthday. I'd nearly forgotten about it," I said with a terse laugh.

"Is it a day for celebration in your home, Gabrielle?"

"Normally, my family makes a big deal out of birthdays. Family and friends come to my house, or we go out to eat at a nice restaurant, I get presents and they make me wear a phony tiara because it's my day to be a princess, childish huh?"

"No, I suppose not, it sounds as if you have a loving family. No wonder you miss them so Gabrielle, I wish more than anything that I could find a way to erase your pain."

"You do Erik," I smiled and blew a kiss at him.

"I remember how you told me about your dismal childhood. I think it's terrible not to celebrate a little boy's birthday. For that matter, it's a crime not to celebrate a big boy's birthday. Erik, have you any inkling when yours might be?"

"I am not certain why, but I have the impression that it is in early summer, so it may already have passed. I do not relish the day I was born, Gabrielle."

"I do. Without you, I would be lost, dead, or at the very least without the love of my life. I'm glad you were born, Erik.

"For all we know, you and I share the same exact birth date. It is possible you know. Hey, I have an idea. Tomorrow I'll bake us a cake and sing this horrible little birthday song to you. No presents, nothing big, just an acknowledgement that we were born. I think I need that Erik, please say you'll play along with me?"

"My birthday is not important, Gabrielle."

"Well mine is and if you don't let me celebrate your birth, than I can't celebrate mine. Oh please, for me?"

Erik sighed loudly, "Only for you, Gabrielle my love."

"Thank you; you're a prince of a man."

"Dear lord, you're not thinking of making me wear a tiara are you?"

"What? Oh that! Humm, not a bad idea."

"It is a very bad idea."

"Both of us could wear one, we are after all rulers of our domicile are we not?"

"You really are a bit nutty aren't you dear?"

"I warned you, but you can't have the ring back."

I spurned Anjalia into a gallop for the remainder of the ride back to DuPuis Manor.

While we were in the tack room hanging up the various pieces of equipment, Erik turned to me. "Embarrassed though I am at my uncharacteristic forwardness, I cannot erase the memory of the day I kissed you here in the hay."

"Kissed? Unless my memory is faulty, you were gunning for more than a kiss dear Erik," I smiled as I teased him about the day he so boldly assaulted my lips and body in the tack room.

Erik blushed, "Forgive me, Gabrielle, being ignorant of how one deals with affection, I can be a boorish fool."

"There was never anything to forgive, Erik."

I hugged him from behind and rested my head against his back, taking in the smells of fresh air, hay, cedar and spices. He placed his hands on mine.

"Gabrielle, that day here in this room-it was the first time I'd ever touched a woman in the way that I touched you. I simply could not stop myself from exploring you. When my fingers discovered the silky wet flesh between your legs, I thought I might well die from the sensation." The recollection made Erik's voice thick with desire.

"Why, the very idea that a woman would ever allow me such liberties, I was overwhelmed with base lust and emotion. And your ready response to me fanned my fire into a raging inferno. Little did I know it was love that dared thaw my frozen heart. I cannot imagine my life without you."

He released my hands and turned to face me.

"Erik, mon bel homme," I said as I placed my hands on both sides of his face and looked into the jade green depths of his eyes. You are so masculine, so intoxicating you're very essence overwhelms me. Being here in this time, it is my destiny-you are my destiny, Erik."

Our embrace was interrupted by the sound of someone creeping about behind us.

I started, Erik calmly turned toward the sound. "Good evening Henri, I thought you to have retired for the evening."

"Pardon my intrusion, Monsieur DuPuis, I heard noise in the stable and figured you had returned from your long ride and you may be in need of assistance putting away the tack and hot walking your mounts."

I waved a hand at him, "Not to worry Henri, Erik and I have already taken care of those things. I hope we didn't disturb you and Marie by making too much."

Henri's eyes focused to the ring on my finger. "No Madame, we had not yet retired for the night. Ah, I cannot ignore the ring on your finger, Madame Gabrielle. I dare to be presumptuous when I say that we have something to celebrate."

Erik eyed the older man calmly, "Indeed Monsieur, the lady has accepted my proposal. He let his hand rest on my back as he spoke.

"Splendid! I told you that she would you know."

My eyes grew wide in amazement. "Henri, you knew that Erik planned to propose to me?"

"Aye, Madame."

"You see darling, Henri is a man of experience in such matters, he and Madame Roux have been together twenty five years now…"

"…Mostly happy ones, I might add," interrupted Henri.

"…And I know the man to keep his secrets," Erik added.

Henri walked across the straw strewn floor and extended his hand to Erik, "A hearty congratulations to you my good man, and Madame Gabrielle, he bowed. You two will wear the cloak of matrimony well. Wait until Marie hears the good news, she will be ecstatic; women love a wedding you know."

"Henri, there are only a few people I consider worthy of my time and Gabrielle knows very few people here. Please exercise caution in telling Marie lest you get your dear wife's hopes up for a substantial affair."

"Curious as to what Erik envisioned for us, I glanced up at him, "I want whatever you want Erik, but tell me, what sort of ceremony do you envision for us?"

Looking down at me, he smiled sweetly, "My darling, I hope you will not be chagrinned if we say our vows here at my manor. We will of course secure a priest or judge to officiate over the nuptials. And I shall require help securing identification papers for you."

Erik could not go into detail in front of M.Roux, but I knew he was hinting at the need to forge some sort of documentation declaring me a citizen of some legitimate place in 1877.

"Honestly Erik, I don't care if one of these horses officiates for us as long as it's legitimate and legal. Perhaps we could have a brief ceremony in the rose garden. It will still be in full bloom in early September. Oh it is so beautiful there, could we?"

Erik nodded his approval. "I'd never given the idea considered, but, why not? If it pleases you darling, then I too am pleased."

"Of course Henri and Marie will be here, they can stand up for us and we can invite Caron and maybe even your friends from Paris, Monsieur Khan, and the Giry's too." I said enthusiastically.

"Steady Madame, you're frightening your future husband, chuckled Monsieur Roux."

Erik did appear slightly befuddled.

"Forgive me, Erik, it's just that…well, I'm beside myself with happiness. It would be nice to have the few people in the world you trust and like to share the day with us."

"I shall consider the idea Gabrielle." He faced Henri, "Monsieur Roux, don't worry about the horses, Gabrielle and I will care for them tonight. Go, tell your wife of my good fortune," he chuckled.

The men bowed to each other, and then Monsieur Roux left the stable for his cottage. He had an earful of news for Marie.

Most nights Erik and I slept in our separate bedrooms, as was the norm among well-heeled Victorian era folks. Most nights Erik toiled in his study or music room until the morning light. I cherished the times when we loved each other into the night, falling asleep and waking up together in his massive bed. When we married, I would insist on sleeping there always.

Having said yes, to Erik's proposal of marriage, enticing him was an easy task. Our night was spent in his bed, pleasuring one another, and, after the long day of swimming and horseback ridding, sleeping."

- O -

This story is far from over. Please send me your comments and reviews. Thanks to the fabulous Amy, my beta—Leesainthesky

oui ou non means yes or no.

mon bel home means my beautiful man.