Captivated (26 page)

It was a small, elegant, antique chest, with beautiful silver detailing across the front. "What's that?" she asked in a whisper.

"Why don't you open it?"

Kate fell to her knees and pressed her hands against the wood, which perfectly matched the door. She turned the small key that was sitting in the keyhole and listened for the tiny click that told her the top would open. When it did, she pushed it open, surprised at how light it was. Looking inside, she found the chest almost completely empty, except for one, small box. She turned her head to look at Wes, who, encouraged her to pick up the box with an eager smile.

She turned the box over in her hands, too anxious to open it at all. "I can't, you open it for me."

Wes smiled, "But it's not for me."

"I know, but, I can't."

"Well, perhaps it is better if I open it," he sighed, taking the box, but he didn't open it. Instead, he placed it into his pocket and took her hand. While she stood, he closed the top of the chest, and helped her to sit on it. She couldn't take her eyes from his, but found it hard to breathe when she felt her own eyes lower to continue her gaze. He had dropped to one knee, and it was all she could to keep from being hysteric.

"Katie Lynn Carter, I have been in love with you for longer than you could even imagine. When Sam wanted to sleep over at my house, I always begged to sleep at yours, for a chance at seeing you. Discovering that you liked me was probably the happiest day of my life, until today, well maybe today, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Your letters kept me alive in the war, knowing that you were safe, knowing that you were waiting, was motivation enough to get me home. I know that I don't want to live without you. I know that I want to have you by my side, every day for the rest of my life. So now, I'm asking, if you'll be my wife?" he pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it carefully.

Kate didn't even look at the contents of the box, but kept her eyes on his. She finally let her held breath fall out of her mouth, and threw her arms around Wes, knocking him to the floor. "Yes! Yes I'll marry you! I love you Wes Mason." She kissed him, and only pulled back when she felt him laughing under her. Pulling away, her eyebrows raised at his strange reaction.

"You didn't even look at the ring!"

"I love it," she said quickly.

"But you haven't seen it!"

"I don't need to, to know that I love it," she smiled, allowing Wes to pick her up in his arms, and settle them both on the chest, her legs draped across his lap.

"Well would you at least let me put it on?"

Kate stuck out her left hand and waited as Wes slid it onto her ring finger. "Oh Wes!" she gasped. "It's beautiful!" The ring was exquisite, it was a single square cut diamond that sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. "Is this our house?" she whispered, after examining the ring.

"Yes ma'am it is," he said with a proud smile.

"When can we move in?"

"October," he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Mmm, I think October sounds like a lovely month to get married."

"We don't have to rush it, this house is ours forever, and I want you to have the wedding of your dreams."

Kate smiled, "Oh, I will."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"Because any wedding where I get to kiss you at the end of it, is the wedding of my dreams." She popped up onto her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him, leaving them both dizzy and breathless.

Chapter 27

March 16, 1945

"Good morning baby girl," Lilli crooned with a smile, bending to pull Grace from her crib. "How do you think Momma is doing today? Did you notice that she didn't cry as much yesterday? I think you bring out the smile in her. Well come on then, let's get that diaper changed and then we'll get you some breakfast." With a gentle bounce, she kissed Grace's head and got to work.

Lilli took Grace into the kitchen and fixed her some hot cereal for breakfast, it still amazed her that Grace was already so old. And now she could look at her and know she would get to watch her grow up. Lilli spent her morning taking care of Grace and let Sarah sleep in, she knew from experience that grieving made you tired.

Sarah finally appeared a little after noon and seemed to be in great spirits, considering. She cuddled Grace, and smiled at Lilli and even ate a little of the scrambled eggs Lilli made for her. When Grace went down for her afternoon nap, Sarah returned to the kitchen with an almost giddy look on her face.

"There was a package for you on the front steps," she smiled.

"For me?" Lilli asked in confusion, both at the gift and Sarah's smile. "I don't know who would be sending me a package."

"I think a certain brother of mine would send you a package..."

"Why would he need to send me a package? He only lives down the lane," Lilli laughed.

"I don't know, but I think you should open it."

"Well of course I'm going to open it!" Lilli squealed, ripping through the bright blue paper. She found a beautiful wooden box, and opened the lid eagerly. When she saw what was inside, her breath caught in her chest. Bound neatly together with a blue ribbon, were three letters. Upon closer inspection, Lilli realized that they were old letters. Curiosity propelled her forward, she untied the simple bow, and opened the first letter. It was dated May 17, 1943. Lilli read the entire letter and smiled at the memory of it. It was the first letter Sam had ever written to her, the letter that answered all of the questions she had peppered Joe with and not received answers to. After reading the entire letter, she noticed that a word was underlined in a dark pen,
orchard
.

Not quite understanding what the word orchard was underlined for, she decided to read the next letter, which was dated June 26, 1943. This letter also had a word underlined,
come
. "Come, orchard?" she whispered softly to herself. The third letter was out of it's envelope quickly, she couldn't help but read the entire thing, loving how the past sprang forth in her mind, but her eyes were searching for underlined words throughout this one, there were two,
to, the
. "Come to the orchard!" Lilli was out of her seat in an instant, she grabbed her trench, threw it over her shoulders and was out the door without saying a word to Sarah, who had been sitting there watching the whole thing with a smile splitting her face.

It was starting to get late, and dusk was settling over the Carter's orchard. The orchard was a very large place, but Lilli knew exactly where she was headed, the cherry trees. She couldn't keep her feet from running, and before she knew it, she was standing in front of a small table with a beautiful candle burning on top of it, a single rose sitting beside it in a glass vase. Then she noticed two small boxes, and picked up the smaller of the two first. Inside were two more letters. August 7, 1943 and November 6, 1943. After reading them both entirely, she found the words,
go see my mom
. She swept up the other box in her arms, blew out the candle, and raced toward the big house. While she walked, she peeked into the box and found a large slice of chocolate cake, her favorite!

Lilli had to catch her breath on the porch of the big house before knocking, but when she did, Mrs. Carter came out of the house with a huge smile on her face. In her arms were two more boxes, and this time, she gave Lilli some instructions. "The smaller box is for you, the bigger one is for Sam. And here is a basket for you to carry everything in," she smiled. After Lilli had nestled her own cake next to Sam's box, Mrs. Carter pulled her into a big hug, then ordered her to sit in a chair and open the smaller box.

Inside were two letters and the journal. She began with the letters dated, December 1, 1943 and July 7, 1944, finding the words,
Come
and
Dance
. Then she opened the journal to the page that was book marked, it was the entry Sam had written when he first gave it to her, and the words that were underlined were,
with me
. "Come dance with me," Lilli whispered.

Again she bounded off the porch and raced back out into the open space of the orchard. She could remember three places that she and Sam had danced, under the cherry trees, in Sarah's living room, and in the barn, after she had finally admitted her own feelings. Since she had already been to the cherry trees, and figured Sam wouldn't be waiting at Sarah's house, she turned toward the barn. When she had almost reached it, she could hear a slow song playing in the night air. The music only increased her excitement, and she ran the remaining thirty yards to the doors.

Inside, the barn was dimly lit with lanterns which hung from the rafters around the large space. A table was set up in the middle of some hay stacks, a candle in the center, two plates on either side, and another single rose. She took a step forward, trying to control the heavy breaths coming from her chest.

"Sam?" she called, wondering where he could be. She had expected to race right into his arms, but he was no where to be found. He didn't answer her call, so she continued to walk carefully around the barn. She found a haystack which was covered with a blanket, and a note was laying on top of it.

Lilli, read the last journal entry.

She sat down on the blanket and dug through the basket to find the journal. Her hands shook as she turned to the last page that was written on.

Dearest Lilli,

I hope you don't mind that I asked Sarah to bring me the box that you keep your letters in. I've been reading all of them in preparation for this final letter. I picked a few out for you to read, so that our past would be fresh in your mind while you're reading this. I know that you were always most concerned about finding the perfect husband for yourself, and I do hope that you think you've found him. I also want you to know that I want to spend forever with you by my side, and that Dylan was right when he advised me to marry you. I only wish we already were. But, I'm glad you didn't marry Joe the night you first met. I think we would both agree that would have complicated things even more!

Lilli Windsor, I have always been captivated by you. When I read that first letter two years ago, I knew that you were the only woman for me. It wasn't long before I started dreaming about life with you. Lazy days curled up on the couch, dinner staring into your eyes while we talk, watching you rock our little ones to sleep at night. The thought of you got me through the difficulties of a harsh war.

When you left me at the café, I was crushed. I didn't know what I was going to do without you. The thought of losing you was almost too much to bear. Even though you told me you never wanted to see me again, I saw you. In my dreams, every night. I had to hold onto the hope that someday you would realize what I already had. That we were perfect for each other. I have had several happy days since then. Two of the happiest being when you told me I still had a chance to be with you, and when you admitted that you loved me. But neither of those will compare to tonight if all goes as I hope it will.

I love you Lilli, will you marry me?

Lilli looked up, tears streaming down her face, searching for some sight of Sam. It only took her a moment for her eyes to connect with his. He was on his knee, just three paces away from where she was sitting. She had been so entrhalled with the journal entry, that she hadn't even noticed his approach. Quickly, she propelled herself off the hay stack and flung her arms around his neck. "Yes!"

Sam kissed her, bringing her down onto his knee. When he finally pulled away, he slipped a simple diamond ring onto her finger, taking her breath away again. "I thought it only fitting that I propose in a letter, since they've been so influential in our relationship," he said softly. "And, I think Mrs. Metcalf should receive the first invitation to our wedding, and that it would be perfectly acceptable for you to start dreaming about a white dress, flowers and that all important kiss."