Page 84 of A Forgotten Heart
But before she could speak, he held out a letter. “From your parents. We had an early Christmas dinner before I left. They send their love.” He had attended Christmas dinner with her folks? Perhaps it was Mother who’d insisted Arnold come to see her. Was this entire meeting part of Mother’s machinations?
Last time Mother had written, she’d touted Arnold’s good qualities, hinted that he would make a good husband for Elsie.
And Arnold’s last letter had laid out his feelings on paper.
This was all Elsie’s fault. She’d waited too long to say something.
She raised a trembling hand and accepted the letter.
Words stuck in her throat, the weight of her parents’ expectations suffocating.
“You look a little peaked, darling. Have you eaten?” He glanced toward Merritt. “Do you mind if I steal her away? Let’s go for a late lunch. I need to speak with you privately.”
Elsie met Merritt’s stare until she felt Arnold settle her coat over her shoulders. Then he escorted her out the door before she could protest.
She tried to rally herself.
Bossy.
Nick’s voice in her head again. Why was it so hard with Arnold?
Outside, the sun shone brightly, melting snow into a slushy, muddy mess. Mrs. Steele from the café peeked through the curtains. Did a double take.
Elsie walked beside Arnold along the boardwalk, though she didn’t take his arm. The woman probably wondered who the man with the new schoolteacher was.
A family bustled down the boardwalk across the street, their eyes following her. She folded her arms around her stomach.
He glanced down at her arms. “I know it’s been too long since we’ve been together, but you don’t have to feel shy around me, Elsie. You can’t imagine how happy I am to see you.”
“I’m always happy to see a friend.”
He studied her. “I do believe that after all this time, you are lovelier than ever.”
She couldn’t meet his gaze. He sounded so sincere. But she felt nothing from his words.
She swallowed hard. “You should’ve seen me before the Christmas pageant. My frazzled state looked more like I was caught in an electrical storm. Hair sticking up everywhere.”
He laughed. “Oh, Elsie, you can make me laugh.”
Her breath lodged in her chest as he swung in front of her, halting her mid-stride. Before she could stop him, he grasped both her hands in his, not caring who saw.
“It’s time that we make this official, Elsie.” His voice carried.
A swell of panic clenched her gut. She tried to yank her hands free, but his grip tightened. His expression was intent.
“Arnold, stop.”
In the distance, almost buried by the rushing in her ears, she heard the gasps of nearby observers and the clop of hooves as someone rode up on the street, reining nearby.
Arnold didn’t hear her protest as he released one hand to pull a small box from his coat pocket and open it to a silver ring. A wedding ring? “The moment I saw you again, I knew. I can’t wait any longer.”
No, she couldn’t let him do this. Elsie tried again to pull away the hand he still held, but he wouldn’t budge. She couldn’t bear to look and see who was watching.
“A match between us would make both our parents so happy. And it would certainly make me the happiest man on earth. Please, be my bride.”
“Elsie?”
Everything went still. Only one voice could cut through the panic sweeping through her.
