with Walter standing beside her simply enjoying holding her.
Jonas cleared his throat, looked between his wife and his niece, as a look of mischief appeared on his face. “By the way … that is a lovely ring,” he stated.
Georgiana was puzzled for only a moment as Adelaide swatted at him for what he had said, and Walter stiffened behind her. Only then did what he had said sink in, and her eyes widened.
The ring! Does Walter still have it, or did he drop it when I threw myself at him? What was I thinking! I didn’t even let him put it on my finger…
Walter chose that moment to dart to one side and start searching the ground. She went over to help him, but he found the ring first, chuckling at himself as he got back down on one knee.
“If you will allow me,” he waited for her to give him her hand, so that he could put the ring on it, which she did gladly. “Now, we are officially engaged,” he added, kissing her fingers before he rose to his feet.
“Yes, we are,” she replied, on the brink of getting lost in his eyes again.
Jonas, however, was not to be ignored. “As I said, it is a lovely ring,” he quipped, his amusement clear. “And this will be a lovely story to tell our future grandchildren.”
Adelaide started to swat at him again, but then considered it really would make for a good story. Meanwhile, Georgiana felt like groaning, and would have done so if she were not so happy, feeling sure Walter must feel the same.
“So,” her aunt began excitedly, trying to change the subject. “When would you like your engagement party to be held? It is going to take a little work to plan it, so the sooner we start on the details, the better.”
“Well, I think I would like it to be within as short a time as we can manage,” Georgiana replied thoughtfully. “I really don’t see any point in waiting too long.”
She saw Walter was smiling at her, clearly agreeing. “How does a week sound?” she asked, turning back to her aunt, who made a face indicating she disagreed.
“I think not, dear. I hardly think two weeks is enough time to plan a proper engagement party.”
“Oh, well, I don’t want anything big or extravagant, just something small, with our closest friends in attendance,” she replied, hoping it would solve the problem.
“Hmm…” Adelaide was clearly not convinced and seemed inclined to discuss the matter further later. “And how big a gathering might that be?” she asked, as the four of them slowly walked into the manor together.
“Well, Mary, of course, then there is Susan, my cousins–if they can come, Ambro—” she cut herself off in the middle of saying his name.
“I think, unless you are entirely against it, you should invite him,” her aunt told her quietly. “You did agree earlier that you were going to write him a little message of some sort. You didn’t know what you would tell him then, but I think this would be a good way to break the ice between you.”
Georgiana bit her lower lip as she considered it. After a few moments, she glanced up at Walter, feeling the decision would affect him every bit as much as it would affect her.
“What do you think?” she asked him.
“I think … I think he is still your childhood friend. You can invite him and, if he decides he can’t stand the sight of the two of us together, he doesn’t have to accept. On the other hand, he might really want to come.”
“Then, I will invite him as soon as we have the date settled, which I still wish to be in one week,” she replied.
“Very well, one week will have to do then, but we shall have to start immediately planning it, in that case, or else there is no chance everything will be settled by then,” Adelaide said, releasing her husband’s arm to grasp Georgiana’s.
“This minute? But—”
“Come now, you are spending the rest of your life with him, after all. Just help me make a start, and then I will leave you two alone at dinner, so you can have the rest of the evening to yourselves,” her aunt insisted.
Georgiana pouted slightly, still too giddy from the knowledge she was finally engaged to Walter to be too upset. With an apologetic glance at him, she let her aunt lead her away.