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“Yes, but as you said, I did not ask you for the right reasons They were ht reasons, but not all”

“I—I—” She was stu on the emotion

He was staring up at her, his eyes glowing clear and blue in the di you to ine living , and then at night, and a hundred tih with you, and I want to sigh toyou are, all the while secretly knowing I am the luckiest man in town”

“What?” she demanded

He shrugged “A ot to keep up appearances I’ll be universally detested if everyone realizes how perfect you are”

“Oh” Again, how could a woue with that?

And then his eyes grew serious “I want you to be my family I want you to be my wife”

She stared down at hi at her with such obvious love and devotion, she hardly knehat to do It seemed to surround her, embrace her, and she knew that this was poetry, this was music

This was love

He smiled up at her, and all she could do was s wet

“Hyacinth,” he said “Hyacinth”

And she nodded Or at least she thought she did

He squeezed her hands as he rose to his feet “I never thought I’d have to say this to you, of all people, but for God’s sake, say so, woman!”

“Yes,” she said And she threw herself into his arms “Yes!”

Epilogue