He grinned, her response making him so happy.  "Let me talk to Heidi to see what she thinks.  I have no doubt she would want you to be her mother, but I want her to understand that we won't forget Momma Cress nor her birth mother, and the various grandparents."  He thought about it for a moment.  "I do think we will need to make the large drawing-room into three small rooms.  The nanny lives behind the nursery, which you already know.  But that way we will have four bedrooms when the children get older.  I will need you to plan the reception room to make it a parlor for you as we do have visitors from time to time."  He smiled.

He was already imagining the home they would fill with love.  "I have to go to my stable in town tomorrow.  Perhaps you'd like to go with Heidi and me?  We could make a day out of it.  I would be leaving about noon."  He thought a few errands while they were there would be needed.  He did plan on a ring for her for sure.

"I would love to, Lorn," she said, meaning it. She was going to be married! Oh, Lord, she was going to be married! Her arms went around his neck upon impulse either way and she said, "I want to be your wife... And I want to make a family with you, with the children. I love you." There, she said it. It bubbled up like a hiccup almost. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, "And I would love to go into town with you too, but..." but what about the other people who remembered her for the wrong reasons. She had not been to town much since she moved into the cottage.

At her happiness, he wrapped his hands at her hips and lifted her around swirling her legs lightly in a circle.  Setting her back down, his own joy was clearly there.  It was happening fast here, at least for England from what the society he had met in London, that is.  Back home in Texas things could go faster.  He had been trying to follow the tradition of the area, but if she was okay with a fast engagement, he was okay with it as well.

"I fell harder than a bronco-breaking rookie."  He replied, not exaggerating either.  He was already planning the errands he would need to get done while they were in town when he saw her expression change.  He paused, his hands still on her hips.  "But what, Sunshine?"  He asked worriedly.

She laughed when he whirled her around and then offered a kiss. Lord, they were going to be married! She hadn't even felt this happy when Harold and she got married. She looked up at him breathlessly and her hands rested upon his chest. This was so... sudden but in a good way that she couldn't comprehend what was happening.

There were preparations to make, people to talk to, even fabric for a wedding gown that needed to be bought. It all seemed overwhelming.

Still watching her face, he hoped she had not changed her mind.  "You said 'but..'.  What's wrong?  Anything I need to do?  Should I speak to your brother?  I mean, I know back home we talk to the father or oldest male relative, and I think the same is here in England.  I just thought you were not in touch with your brother, but if you need me to, I will."  He suggested thinking her 'but' was about that kind of issue.

"But what if they start talking?" she asked softly when she realized he was still holding onto the but that hung in the air. "I..." She looked down then, not sure what else to say. It was clear that there was fear etched into her fine features. She took a deep breath and swallowed. "I don't wish for ye ta have to hear that." It was an unsettling thing to hear, anyways. After all, people lived to throw past mistakes back in the faces of those who made said mistakes.

Lorn moved over to one of the decorative iron-wrought garden benches.  Drawing her with him, he guided her to sit down and he sat beside her.  Taking one of her hands with his own, looking into her eyes seriously.  "You have told me everything they might mention, correct?"  He paused assuming she had done that, as he trusted her.

"You are to be my wife and I want you at my side at events and the important things in my life from now forward.  That includes social events and business gatherings from time to time.  I even bring them here as well.  I am proud to have you by my side.  You have to be ready to stand there as well.  Know you won't be alone, even if I am not right beside you.  I am there in your heart and you are in mine.  Our children will see you being strong and an example to them of how the son will see how to expect a woman to act and how to expect to be treated by the good people that they look up to.  For the girls, they will see what a lady will act like when others don't know how to act, and what to allow how others to treat them.  I trust you to teach my ... our daughters how to be a strong fine lady."  He assured her.

"This will just be the first of many outings that we have together."  He smiled.  "A lifetime full of creating wonderful memories."

Oh dear. Karen's stomach clenched at the thought of being around so many people. The whispers... gah. She stared off for a long time without answering, but he'd be able to tell she was listening because her shoulders drooped a little here and there. Social gatherings... she had never been a hostess to parties or anything like that. Suddenly, she felt overwhelmed by it all and looked down, wringing her hands, "I..." she was starting to sweat a little, he'd be able to see the dewy droplets on her upper lip as her face paled.

She worried that he wouldn't marry her if she couldn't face the crowd. She swallowed heavily and closed her eyes, starting to tremble. She didn't want him to doubt her, didn't want him to think her a coward, didn't want him to walk away from what they had... But then, this was Lorn. Her Lorn.

He didn't have a mean bone in his body. She would have to trust him to make it alright somehow.

"Don't worry about having people here other than business meetings that I have in my office."  He assured her.  "The events out in the town, I do have to attend and would want you with me if it were social.  But please don't fret about it.  We will handle it together, okay?  I won't allow them to make a scene.  If they have issues with you, they will have issues with me, okay?  Dishonor my wife and you dishonor me.  That is a big thing in Texas."  He said seriously.  There had been some major fights there over such things.

"Remember, I am not some English gentleman.  I'm a Texan, well not originally, but grew up there most of my life.  I am rough on those proper manners.  So, people talk about me too and laugh when I mess up something.  That I am marrying the laundress and not some social lady likely will set them on talking too.  Just put it up to that I don't want some weak lilly fainting lady.  I want a strong and good-hearted woman at my side."  He smiled.

Her gaze softened as she peered at him. "Oh, Lorn..." Her hand moved to his cheek and she cupped it. "I love ye. I would do anythin' for ye," she said, her eyes searching his. "I'll go with ye to market, aye." Even if she didn't like it, she thought and gazed into his eyes with those soft ones of her own. Her lips parted for her to say something else, but whatever it was seemed to die on her tongue.