In the formal dining room, the mahogany wood table was one of the large ones that spread through the whole room and could hold twenty people.  There were cabinets lining the wall that was to the house side of the room with tasteful paintings of lovely scenery above the cabinets. The side of the room where the three, floor to ceiling large windows were had large ferns between the windows.  The floor was a hardwood floor with a massive oriental rug under the large table framing it with colors that accented the curtains.  The curtains fell from the ceiling to the floor and were a deep rich blue.  There was a large marble framed fireplace at the head of the table.  Currently holding a small flame, as it was a bit nippy in the evening that time of year.

Miss Cora and Miss Bella had set up the formal dining room for Lorn and Karen.  The good silver laid out over deep blue napkins and the fine china.  They put them close together, of course, not opposite each other or they would have to yell to talk.  The food would be brought out and severed once Lorn let the maids (dress up in their best black dresses with the crisp white aprons) know to start.

The nanny and one of the maids had come to pick up the twins earlier in the day to allow Karen to have time to finish up anything she needed to do and then to take her time to get ready.  The staff had sort of joined in the matchmaking program, with the push from Miss Cora. 

Lorn had spent time reading a story to Heidi before going to get ready himself.  He had put on a white shirt and black suit but instead of a tie, he wore a bolo-type tie thing.  He also wore his dress boots.  He knew how to dress up fancy, but this was his kind of fancy dressing.  He had watched the clock in his study finding himself nervous.  He didn't know why.  It wasn't as if he hadn't courted a lady before.  He just wasn't sure how things would go, he guess.

Finally, about half an hour before the time for the dinner, he went to the front of the house and nodded to Mr. Pearson who had brought out an open-topped carriage for him to go pick Karen up.  He figured if he was going to go courting, he wanted her to feel as special as he felt her to be.  Lorn was about to go get into the carriage when Mrs. Pearson quickly rushed up to him with a bouquet of flowers.  They were mixed colors and types of flowers. So, with a nod, after Lorn had gotten into the carriage, Mr. Pearson got the horses to go.

She wasn't at all nervous as she got ready for dinner with Lorn. She did, however, make a fuss over herself since this was the first time she was feeling ready to let him in. She dressed in the second new dress she had sewn in her free time. She wore a white and rose print calico number that set off the highlights in her dark eyes and hair. Karen pulled her hair back into a chignon and looked at herself in the mirror. A small smile formed on her lips as she thought about what his reaction might be to the new look she was sporting.

She thought she saw a different person in the mirror. There, there she was... happy.

Her fingers smoothed over the pretty skirt and she waited for Lorn to arrive with bated breath. Giddiness enveloped her as she continued to prepare for his arrival.

He wasn't nervous, not really.  He was excited.  He had spent the short amount of time between his own house to this one thinking about his late wife and what she would think of him doing this.  She would be happy for him, he thought.  He had stayed busy and focusing on Heidi for long enough.  Not that he would stop focusing on his daughter, no, never that, but some of that overworking there with the horses and at the stable needed to be cut down and spent on making a life for himself.  He gave a quick glance up to the sky and thanked her for her love and support, but now he hoped he was moving on.

His thoughts now were totally about Karen and the evening to come.  He hoped she didn't think he had overdone it.   He wanted to treat her as he felt she should be treated.  Not that he planned their meals to be so fancy every time, but for an official first evening out, he felt it was suitable.  Arriving at the cottage, Lorn's long legs got out of the carriage and he walked to the door.  Holding the bright multiple-colored bouquet, he knocked firmly.

She opened the door and he fairly took her breath away. With a smile, she leaned against the door jam and murmured, "Why Mister Vaughn, ye brought me flowers. How thoughtful!" she gave a delighted gasp, genuinely surprised by the lovely display of blooms. "Come in, come in... let me put these in water," she offered softly, taking the bouquet assuming he gave it to her, she would allow him in and walk toward the kitchen to get a mason jar to put them in. The calico looked mighty pretty on her, hanging just right upon her form. Motherhood had made its mark upon her curves and the dress fit the form perfectly, neither too saggy, nor too tight, not so clingy everywhere but clingy in the right places.

He might catch the subtle scent of the lavender wafting from her as she moved to and fro. Then she grabbed her Irish lace shawl and pulled it on around her shoulders and gave him a happy smile.

Lorn grinned caught up in looking at how lovely she looked in the dress.  Then he pulled off his cowboy hat showing his white hair all combed nicely and followed Karen into the house.  "To be honest, Mrs. Pearson had that idea.  Though I will remember it from now on if I get that kind of smile.  The scent of lavender made him want to be closer to her, well, the look of her did that on its own.

He waited till she had her shawl, and he opened the door to let her go out.  Closing the door behind her, once she had gone to the front porch, he put his hat back on.  "You look quite lovely.  Well, you always do, but that dress is quite fine."  He said with his blue looking her over again with approval and enjoyment in the view.

He would walk her over to the carriage and extend a hand to assist her up into the open carriage.   Mr. Pearson gave Karen a wink of joy seeing the young couple together, but other than that he presented a proper driver's manner.

"I have been looking forward to this all day, and had trouble keeping my brains on the job today."  He commented waiting for her to sit before getting in the carriage himself.

She chuckled softly as he put the flowers in the mason jar, then gave him a happy look when he complimented her. "Thank ye, Lorn," she said, "Ye look mighty fine yerself." When it came time to get into the carriage, she allowed him to assist her up into the vehicle and scooted over so he could fit on the seat with her. She looked at him with such light in her eyes that it was hard not to tell she was smitten with him.

"Ye know ye're always welcome ta come to take a break with me," she offered with another chuckle. By the time he was sitting down, her hand reached out to his and she tangled her fingers with his.

He easily let his fingers go into hers as they were driven back up the road to the main house.  It was a lovely evening.  He would have brought a covered carriage if it had been raining, of course, but he was so glad it had not been bad weather.  He was relaxed back against the seat.

"Hmmm, I might have to do that sometime.  I have been told I don't take enough breaks."  He nodded with a wink in her direction.  "Now that I have a good place to do so, perhaps I will."  He grinned.  He knew he had kind of rushed her out of her place and onto the carriage, but he was excited about the evening meal with her.   "I thought perhaps after we finish eating, we might take a walk in the flower garden paths?"  He suggested with a question in the tone.

A thrill shot through her at his words. Of course, she knew he hadn't meant them in the way she took them. She couldn't help it, she was feeling all sorts of ways. He had her discombobulated in a way she hadn't felt since Harold was alive. Except it was stronger than with Harold because she had waited and gotten to know Lorn enough first to trust him that way. Karen had begun to dream of Lorn in ways that she wouldn't dare repeat, leaving her wanting in the middle of the night. He was a handsome devil, and she, as we all know, had a thing for handsome devils... And they tended to get her into trouble.

She forced herself to the present, her eyes on him. "I am glad ta see ye, Lorn," she whispered, and squeezed his hand, realizing he had asked her a question about walking in the garden, she nodded. "Aye, I'd like that."

He smiled back at her, his blue eyes twinkling with the show of how much he was enjoying being with her.  Once they arrived at the circular drive in front of the front door, Lorn waited for the carriage to come to a complete stop before getting out to turn and give his large hand out to assist Karen.    The outside lights were on the porch showing the door clearly. 

"Mr. Pearson, I'll drive her back afterward, just leave it here and go home to get your boys some dinner.  Mrs. Pearson won't likely leave here until after dinner, so you and the boys are likely on your own."  He chuckled.

Mr. Pearson laughed.  "She set up a stew in the kitchen for us earlier and threatened to skin me if I ruined her good stew kettle when I heat it up."  He waved Karen and Lorn and headed his way back home.

At the door, Lorn was about to open the door when Mr. Tinkerman opened it for them.  Apparently, the man had been listening and waiting for the correct time.  The butler gave a proper nod to Lorn and Karen as they went past him and into the hallway.

Of course, Karen had been inside the house, but usually from the back way in.  He led her up the central spiral stairs that led from the foyer up to the second floor.  Often Lorn just used the servent stairs behind that area of the main stairs, as he would come in from the back himself to visit with Heidi during the day.  But today was special and he wanted to be a gentleman with Karen.

Upstairs, they went out onto the landing to the second-floor foyer that opened to three doors, well also a door to a closet.  He led her to the right side door that opened to the formal dinner room.

She followed him to the second floor, her eyes moving around in curiosity until they came to the formal dining room. At the room's spaciousness, she was taken aback, having not been acquainted well with large dining rooms before. She looked at him then and murmured, "This is lovely." And then looked for wherever they would be seated at. She took off her shawl and folded it over her arm, not exactly sure as to what she was doing.

"Ye did all this fer me?" she asked softly.