"Had to be. Had to make sure it fit in hopes ye'd one day say yes ta me," he buried his face into the crook of her shoulder and planted a kiss there. "I love ye, Molly. Always have, always will." He paused and then pulled back to gesture toward the stack of awful letters he'd gotten in response to his ad. "Thankfully, I didn't use me name. I'm sure t'wouldn't be hard ta find me out, ain't many of us butchers here that I know of. I just... thought me hopes were for ought."

Molly gasped at the kiss and laughed as she squirmed and kept an arm looped around his shoulders. The woman eyed the stack of postage before looking towards Bruce. "It would have never worked out, you know. Even if I didn't marry you, I'd never let another woman have you. You are mine and that's how it'll be. If the easiest way is with a ring, so be it. But you know I don't share. "

"Oi, ye know I could never love another," he breathed and rubbed his nose against hers. His fingers caressed at her jawline, "And ye should know, I do not share well either." He put an arm beneath her knees and lifted her to him, standing up and moving toward the bedroom. He wanted to hold her. "I've missed ye so, me love." He placed her on his bed and crawled in with her, assuming she willingly went, and he would spoon her from that point.

Molly gave him a calm unwavering look. "Your advertisement says otherwise." She brushed back some of his hair as she allowed him to take her to the bedroom and leaned into his strong body. "It is true though, there is no way any woman in town could compare to me. So you are blessed that I've given myself to you in body and heart." Her eyes closed and she relaxed in his hold. "I suppose I missed you too."

He smiled into her hair, "What if I told ye I hoped it'd get yer attention?" He meant the words as he said them, glad that the advertisement did what his heart of hearts had, indeed, hoped for. He sighed softly and murmured, "Believe it or not, I pined for ye. That marriage to another wouldn't have been a lovin' one, that's fer sure and certain. Ye're always on me mind. When ye're not here, I miss the smell of yer hair, the softness of yer skin, the smolderin' in yer eyes when we lay together. Ah, Molly, t'wouldn't have been fair to these lasses who wrote to me... One of them would have been miserable."

Molly nuzzled him and grabbed his collar of his shirt, admiring the muscle beneath before she tugged it to bring him closer to her face. "You're lucky I have given in. I'd have been furious to have you married off to some low class woman desperate to hook her claws into a decent man. I would have made you miserable and her even far worse off. I desire you, even if I hadn't married you. You're the man I chose to hold in my arms." She breathed hotly against his ear before she nibbled it. "If I find you've started any correspondence, I'll burn the letters and toss your ring into the ocean. You are mine and as long as you are, I will be yours."

"That so?" he asked and squeezed her. "Then it's a good thing ye'll be me wife." His eyes squinted at her and he touched her on the back. "Why did it take me puttin' the ad out, though?" he asked.

The woman in his arms rolled her eyes and waved him off. "I thought it was obvious. I wasn't in any rush to be married, especially after I'd been widowed not that terribly long ago. It looked good to wait, in any respect. But seeing you are so impatient, I could not risk losing you, now could I?"

He nuzzled her neck again and kissed it, "Alright, alright, the deed is done. I'll close me box in the mornin. In the meantime..." He pecked at her shoulder, "I just want ta hold ye. I love ye, Molly, that's all there is to it."

A “pound 1 pork bun get 2 free” coupon would be waiting for him in that box if he did.