Page 579 of Conveniently Wed
When they arrived at the house, he escorted Lorinda into the house, where he once again kissed her. He looked forward to many long years of sampling her luscious lips and expressing their love to each other. After he stirred up the coals in the fireplace in the parlor and added the needed wood so Lorinda would be warm, he went out to return the sleigh and horses to the barn. He hurried through taking care of the horses so he could join her.
He stopped off in his office at the front of the house before he went into the parlor. She glanced up at him from one of thewingback chairs in front of the fireplace. When he went to her, she arose, and he slipped his arms around her, pulling her close.
“I have a special Christmas gift for you.” He reached into his pocket and produced a small box wrapped in blue paper with a golden ribbon around it.
She stepped back and took the present. When she opened it, sapphire and pearl eardrops, set in gold, nestled on a bed of white cotton.
Lorinda gasped. “They’re beautiful. I’m glad Mrs. Oleson talked me into getting my ears pierced so I could wear your mother’s pearl eardrops.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you so much.”
He grinned. “I’ve had them for a while, since I decided to start courting you. Remember when I gave you the piano music box?”
“Yes, but I didn’t know you planned to court me.”
“I know. That didn’t work out very well, did it?” He pulled her back into his arms. “The stones reminded me of the color of your eyes.”
She looked deep in thought for a minute. “I have a special gift for you, but it’s not something I bought for you.”
“Really? What is it?”
“I’m almost certain I’m carrying our child.”
The words startled and thrilled him. “So soon? How can you tell?”
“Changes in my body. Subtle things. My skin dried out overnight. The only time it’s happened before, I didn’t know it but I was carrying Michael.”
Franklin let out a whoop that could curdle cream. “Tomorrow, I’ll go to Breckenridge and get some of that French body lotion for you.”
He grabbed her and swung her around with her feet off the floor. “I didn’t think I could be any happier than I already was,but this is even more wonderful. Since we have two sons, I hope this one is a girl...that looks just like you.”
He poured all his passion into the kiss they shared, thanking her for the heart gifts she had given him.
