I'm still trying to make up for being such an unwitting idiot
during the past few weeks. Anyway, I worked out the details
for the sleigh with Sam. It seemed like the perfect way to get
a moment alone with you."
Happily, they rode together with only the sound of bells,
the muffled rhythmic thump of hooves, and the metal skids
slicing over the frozen snow. Then after a while, Jed spoke
again. "I had a reason for planning this little midnight ride,"
he explained, his voice sounding just slightly uncertain. "It's
probably not going to make a whole lot of sense.. .but I think
you know me well enough.. well, you'll understand that I
don't always do things in a traditional sort of way. Plus, as
you said yourself, I have a lot to learn about women. So, if
I'm doing this all wrong, please feel free to set me straight."
He looked directly into her eyes with an almost pleading
*expression.
She nodded, trying to encourage him, and at the same
time comprehend what he was talking about. As far as she
was concerned, they were all right now. There was nothing
more to be said about what had transpired between them.
Jed was completely forgiven, and she looked forward to
what was ahead for both of them.
*He cleared his throat. "You see, there was something that
was supposed to go with your Christmas present last
week..." He reached into his pocket with his free hand. "I
know this might all seem rather sudden to you, and I don't
want you to think that I haven't given this thing plenty of
thought. Because the truth is, I hardly think about anything
else." He sounded so unsettled and nervous that suddenly
her heart began to beat wildly. She was filled with a strange
hope and what seemed a wild expectation. Surely this
wasn't... surely it couldn't be!
Looking for You All My Life303
"Maggie Carpenter, I love you more than I have ever
dreamed was even possible, and I feel that I cannot live my
life without you. Would you please do me the honor of
becoming my wife?"
It was!
She just sat there in speechless and silent shock. Jed
Whitewater was actually proposing to her! Why had she not
seen this coming? Then she looked straight into his eyes and
saw a flicker of worry there, and suddenly knew her pause
was giving him some serious cause for concern. She realized
just how difficult this whole thing must be for him-and per-
haps this was why he had done it in what seemed like a
slightly abrupt (albeit intensely romantic) fashion.
"Of course, I'll marry you!" She threw her arms around
him, and he began to laugh.
"You will?" His voice sounded incredulous.
"Yes, I will! I just thought you would never ask!"
"You didn't?" He held her back and looked into her eyes,