"Thank you, sir!" He said with a big, fat grin on his face whilst he took his soon to be in-law's hand and pumped it thrice. He wanted to give a boyish whoop for joy, but stuck his cigar in his mouth again instead, taking a few celebratory puffs of tobacco. "She really is something, that lass." He offered a handful of fresh cigars for later, and thought about a glass of port when he got to the office he was leaving. He stubbed out his cigar after a few moments and then said, "I wish to ask her formally now."

Wentworth noted the man's exhilaration and was simultaneously surprised by and glad of it. It was clear to him that this Donald Witaker truly cared for his daughter, likely more than he did, and he was pleased to know Persephone's wild architecture ideas and free-spirited nature would soon no longer be his responsibility, and the changing of her name to Witaker (as would presumably be the case) would greatly decrease the poor reflections of her unladylike goals upon the Blythe name. "A pleasure," he said, shortly but not sharp, and allowed Donald to leave the parlor. Persephone, by chance, had just followed Harriet down the stairs after letting her sister tie a periwinkle ribbon in her hair and was right beside the parlor door when her father opened it to let himself and Donald out.

"Darling," she said with a smile, slightly less wide than before her fiance had spoken to her father, and kissed his cheek. "Father, what did you say?" At the news of a positive verdict, she turned back to Donald and smiled, taking his hands in hers. "Of course you did," she teased Wentworth, "he's all you could have hoped for and more!" She glanced to the side and blushed, admitting, "And I feel the same." She'd taken some time upstairs with Harriet to think over her feelings for Donald and had decided she would learn to love him, even though she did not- yet.

He was smiling down at her when she took his hands and kissed his cheek. When the news was out that Mr. Blythe had said "yes" to him, Donald softened his smile and gaze at her... Even though he knew she would say yes, he still wanted it to be better than the first proposal when he dropped to his knee. He decided there was no time like the present, dropped to his knee gallantly and put one hand to his heart while the other held her hand. "My darling Persephone. You would do me a great honor by becoming my wife. Will you marry me?"

Persephone beamed and took her fiance's hand, deciding not to tease him about how she'd already agreed the other day, and replied, "Yes." Harriet started jumping up and down, an unusual reaction for the usually-proper girl, and surprisingly enough, their mother Alexandra didn't tell her to stop, only smiled at Donald and Persephone before her. Wentworth seemed slightly uncomfortable in the moment and stepped back into the parlor, muttering something about his cigar. Assuming Donald stood a moment later, Persephone leaned in and kissed him, causing further delight in Harriet whereas her mother blushed and glanced away, and Persephone was satisfied to feel butterflies in her stomach when she pulled away.

He kissed back, but it was a chaste kiss. He would have lifted her up and spun her if they weren't in the middle of the hallway. "Good," he said and gave her a tight, but brief hug that spoke of his joy at her answer and her father's approval. Now he simply had to take care of the marriage license and then they could do the deed. He kissed her cheek then and whispered in her ear, "Thank you."

Persephone whispered back, "Of course," as soon as she heard those two words of appreciation and stepped back, a genuine smile on her face. Harriet took her hand then and also grabbed one of Donald's- a sign that she'd already accepted Persephone's fiance into the family -and tugged them both toward the back door to see the greenhouse. The girl detailed how she'd been keeping the petunias alive all winter with such excitement it was contagious, and Persephone shot a wide grin at Donald as they entered the greenhouse. The change in temperature from the outdoors to the greenhouse came as a blast and Persephone felt her hair practically wilt in the heat. Harriet brought them over to the petunias and gestured at them, looking for words of approval, and Persephone smiled and told her they looked quite vibrant. Harriet turned her gaze to Donald, hoping for a compliment as well, and Persephone noticed her mother waving for her through the greenhouse's glass and took a step out, bidding a quick word of 'I'll return shortly' to Donald and Harriet.

He found himself being pulled along and into the warmth of a greenhouse. It seemed like a marvelous place to be, and had he known about it, he probably would have used that spot to propose. They were surrounded by flowers, and it smelled fragrant in there. He was about to say something to Percy but she said she would be right back and left him with her younger sister. For a moment, Donald was quiet, not sure what to say to Harriet. Then he said, "Your sister talks about you a lot. Did you enjoy the gift she brought for you?"

Harriet looked up at Donald and smiled widely. The gap-tooth she'd had as a child was disappearing as she grew up and the way she held herself was more poised than only a few months ago, and though Donald couldn't have known these changes, Persephone had noticed them and mentioned them to her fiance as they came out to the greenhouse. She was growing up, for certain, into a pleasant young woman, both in appearance and demeanor. "Yes, I love it," she replied, still smiling, and moved to water a few of the petunias before her. A moment later, she spoke up and asked, "Do you love Percy?" She turned a gaze toward Donald that seemed both innocent and yet wise beyond her years.

"I do," he said with a smile. "She's very special to me. I hope she finds it within her heart to love me back, but I'll not force it." He didn't want Percy to pretend she loved him or be forced into choosing for her heart instead of letting her heart decide. Donald thought about Mister Blythe's words about children for a moment and then asked, "Has she ever spoken to you about children? I very much want children." Even if he was on the older side, he wanted that legacy to pass his vocation down to and his properties.

Harriet tilted her head to the side as she watered the petunias, thinking hard on Donald's question for a moment. "Hmm..." Her eyes lit up. "Yes! But only once. It was right before she went to Whitby. She was sad, so I asked her what would cheer her up, and she said 'the slim chance I might meet someone who I can love and be glad to marry'." Harriet gave a decisive nod. "Maybe that wasn't exactly what she said, but it was close. I asked her if having children would cheer her up too, because the thought of my own future children always makes me smile, and she thought about it allllll day before she said yes after supper." Harriet put back the hose and spread out the basil pots beside the petunias. "She said 'I want children one day, Harriet, because then I have the chance to do some good by raising a daughter or a son or both to be kind and loving. We need more people like that in the world'."