Persephone gently took the ring from his hand and put it on the appropriate finger. How sweet that it fit just about perfectly. She smiled at it glistening on her hand, parsing out all the emotions running through her mind, as the aforementioned servant put down the treats and the steaming pot of tea on the table, then politely left the room, probably having overheard Donald's question. Persephone stood, as they were sitting opposite each other at the moment, and extended her hands for Donald to hold when he stood too. "Yes."

One could feel the joy radiating off of him, it was so palpable. He stood and took her hands, then he leaned in and, at first, brushed his lips ever so gently over hers before settling in for one of those kisses that could knock the socks off of someone if that was such a thing. He lifted one hand and gently brushed her cheek before pulling back and looking at her. "You're so very beautiful," he said in awe, "and you have made me very happy."

Persephone, for the first time in her life, cursed that she wasn't wearing heeled shoes at that moment- it would have been much easier to reach his lips with heels rather than standing on the very tips of her toes. She squeezed his hands a little to keep her balance but when they kissed, she forgot all that. This whole idea was starting to seem just about perfect to Persephone when he pulled back and called her beautiful. She blushed and leaned her cheek into his hand, lost in the moment. For the first time in her life, Persephone Blythe was looking forward to getting married, and she rather liked the feeling.

She was responding, oh how his heart lept at this. He smiled down at her and let his thumb caress her bottom lip, now reddened from the kiss. "Thank you," he said softly. "I will procure the license and take care of all that needs to be taken care of. You have nothing to worry about other than your gown." Not that it would be a big wedding, seeing as they were both new in town and such.

Persephone nodded, smiling softly at how he was already jumping into the logistics of this. It was exactly where her mind had been drifting, too, and she was glad to know he wanted to be the one to take care of most of it. There was one question she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure she wanted to in case it spoiled the lovely moment they were having. Where would they live? She didn't know where Donald lived, but as he was a doctor, she assumed (just based off of her knowledge of a doctor's income) that his lodgings would be smaller than hers. Then an idea came to Persephone, and so she set it forth to him: he mentioned he'd bought a place to set up a medical clinic but also to live in, right? Well, what if they lived here, in her house, and the entire building he owned would be the medical center? It would allow more space for clientele and equipment, and (this is where she really got excited) while Donald was setting up all he needed to inside, Persephone could design a loft if there was no attic, or, if there was, redesign that upper space as a place for Donald to sleep in case he couldn't make it home some nights.

He still held onto one of her hands, the one with the ring, and admired the way the sapphire looked on her skin. His gaze traveled up her arm and back to her face, the face of HIS fiance. They were really going to marry, he thought. He didn't know what she was thinking, but clearly, she was thinking about something. "Is there something on your mind, my dear?" he asked. His dear... The pet name seemed to fit, for she was becoming dear to him. "You can tell me anything, you know?" And he meant that too.

Persephone smiled softly at the pet name. It was sweet, wasn't it? "I know," she replied, and she meant it. It was only a brief time that she'd known Donald, but already she felt like she could earnestly confide in him. And so she spoke of her idea concerning their living arrangements, not really caring that the tea on the coffee table was growing cold. The idea of actually building something she'd designed or completely remodeling a space sent a thrill up her spine, and it was clear on her face how excited she was about this new idea.

Upon hearing her ideas, he nodded softly and said, "Well then, we shall live here if that is what you wish." He had not fallen in love with his house the way she had hers... Besides, it would be good for him to have an office space separate from home in any case. He was surprised by how much she really wanted to stay in this house, but he didn't begrudge her that. "I like the idea you have much better than sleeping alone in that house."

Persephone nodded, glad she'd had the idea and the chance to offer it. And that this whole marriage thing was being wrapped up nicely into a little bow. She now had a fiance, a man who supported her dream and whose company she enjoyed, and she would be able to see Harriet again soon! For the umpteenth time in the last few minutes, Persephone felt like everything was falling into place. She didn't know quite what she felt toward Donald, although she could tell her was taken with her, but she assumed in time she would love him. Not feeling that way now was not a bad thing, she told herself as she stood there, him still holding her hand. "Miss Blythe?" Persephone turned to see her housekeeper holding a letter. "A letter from your parents," the woman explained as her gaze flicked to the ring on her employer's finger. Surely there would be gossip about the house tonight, Persephone thought wryly as her housekeeper handed her the letter and left the room again.

Slitting it open with the pocketknife on the dresser near the door to the parlor, Persephone pulled out the paper and read it quickly, not meaning to keep Donald waiting there in silence for too long. Unfortunately, it was a rather long letter, and if he helped himself to some lukewarm tea or finger sandwiches in the meantime, she understood. Once she was finished (a good five minutes later), she folded the letter up, chuckling slightly, and told Donald, "My mother is most intent on the details of my search for a husband, my father wants to know if I find Whitby nice enough to live here indefinitely- he simply wants me out of London so my 'unladylike aspirations' don't 'taint the family name further' -and my sister wants to know when she will get to see me again. She doesn't quite understand the reasons of my leaving, but I do believe she will be glad when she learns I will be seeing her soon." A small smile tugged at Persephone's lips. "I am truly glad to be able to reply positively to each of their questions in turn, and it is mostly thanks to you," she went on to Donald, "and I thank you for that."

"I don't find your aspirations unladylike," he shook his head. Her parents certainly had lofty expectations for Percy, that much was clear. "I think you're wonderful and wouldn't change a thing." Enough said, he thought. He helped himself to a sandwich, then, but decided the tea was too tepid for his tastes. He hadn't eaten breakfast, he had been so nervous about asking her to marry him that he had plumb forgotten. He shook his head at himself, then, finished the sandwich he was eating, then dabbed his mouth clean with his handkerchief, and he said, "Won't they be surprised to learn you've already taken care of that detail of marriage?" He wasn't sure he liked her parents very much yet.