The Proposal
©Kimber - 2002
Catherine kept her eyes firmly closed as Rebecca lead her through the tunnel passages. She knew she was in for one of Vincent's famous Romantic Surprises when she saw the note propped on the table on her balcony. She had spent the previous week grilling everyone she came into contact with Below trying to find out even a hint of what to expect but everyone from Winslow to Father had been irritatingly silent. Mary had smiled THAT smile and patted her cheek, Pascal had just grinned and clutched his rapping rod tighter, even Kanin had just chuckled and turned back to the small box he was working on. Damnit all anyway, she thought. When one of the children had appeared at her door that evening to escort her down she knew she would just have to wait and find out.As Rebecca began to slow, Catherine could hear music wafting gently down the corridor. The words weren't clear yet but the melody was haunting. She knew the moment she crossed the threshold where she was. She could feel the cool mist from the falls on her face. Rebecca squeezed her shoulder and whispered in her ear: "Open now, honey." The smile was evident in her voice. Catherine gasped as she saw the picnic laid out before her, and Vincent standing just a few feet away with a dozen roses in his hands. He held them out to her, inviting her to approach and take them. She raised an eyebrow at him but stepped forward, completely forgetting to thank Rebecca who was well gone in any case. She faintly heard a woman singing..."The first time I loved forever...". How appropriate flashed breifly across her mind as she grasped the hand that held the roses. She was slightly shocked to feel the other hand circling her waist, pulling her close. Vincent lightly nuzzled her ear and whispered, "I have a surprise for you, my love."
He put the roses down carefully on a nearby ledge and led her in a slow, graceful dance around the floor. She could feel his breath in her hair and reveled in the sound of his heart beating. The dance became a glide as if their bodies for a moment had become one.
As the song ended, Vincent moved aside to give her a full view of the picnic blanket spread on the ground. Fruit, cheese and a lovely loaf of bread lay there, she couldn't see where the music was coming from but she knew Mouse must have set up a tape player somewhere. He led her over and helped her sit, moved to the bottle of wind and poured it into an exquisite crystal goblet. As she accepted it Catherine made a mental note to ask where in the world he had come up with it. Trying to maintain her composure, she asked, "So to what do I owe this...wonderful evening of romance." Vincent took a deep, tremulous breath and reached inside his vest, pulling out a very familiar looking small box. Catherine's fingers felt as if they had turned to ice as he rose to one knee in front of her. She put the goblet down before she dropped it and looked deeply into the eyes of the one man she loved as much as her father. He opened the box and she looked inside. Tears ran down her face as she saw her mother's wedding ring resting there in the silk lining. "I want our marriage to be at least as wonderful as theirs..." At her quizical look he smiled and said "Peter".
He had to keep them both from falling over as she wrapped her arms around his neck, crying and saying "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes..."
Mouse rose clapping from the vent he had been shamelessly evesdropping at and nodded to Jamie who ran to tell Mary. Mary went directly to Father's chamber and sat across from him at his desk. Pulling out a sheet of paper, she started to make lists. "Now this is just the beginning, mind you, but we should really get William started on designing the cake..." Father didn't know whether to laugh or cry but he decided instead to vacate his library before he was asked his opinion on color or something equally ridiculous. He entered his sleeping chamber and crossed to the closet. Pulling out a small box, he held the blanket that Vincent had come to them in and sat on the edge of his bed...thinking.