by Lisa Norato
Iris glanced around at all the familiar faces. “They cheer for you, Peter,” she said. “They are all your friends.”
Tears filled his eyes at her words, and he smiled like Iris had never seen him smile before.
Giddy with excitement at her friend’s success, Iris began to lead him off the dance floor when suddenly Peter tapped her on the shoulder and shouted, “It is Johnny! He’s come. Look, my lady, he is here!”
Iris glanced about wildly without success before having the presence of mind to follow the direction of Peter’s gaze. As she did so, a gentleman stepped forward to separate himself from the crowd. It was the latecomer who had stood in the entry wearing a deep blue jacket.
Johnny.
Their gazes locked and he smiled at her — a brilliant smile that seemed to be shining out of his very heart. It lit his face with an expression of joy and love. He stepped forward and Iris’s feet swept her across the floor to him with a will of their own. Johnny held out his hands for hers, and they stared at one another, hands-clasping-hands, as though they were the only two in the room.
“Iris, you look beautiful.”
“And you, Johnny, look well. Very well indeed.” Iris took inspection of his attire, from finely-tailored trousers to swallow-tail suit jacket to the stiff, white frill at his throat.
His handsomeness left her slightly lightheaded, and she had to catch her breath before continuing. “We were not expecting you, as you never responded to my invitation. I do hope you plan to remain in Duxbury for a bit. Salty has missed you.”
He frowned. “Salty. No one else?”
“We have all missed you.” Iris would not give him the satisfaction of believing she had been pining for him. Not a visit in months and suddenly he makes an appearance unannounced? She might have loved a humble lighthouse keeper once, but how much did she know about this dandy gent before her? She pulled her hands from his.
“Forgive me, Iris. I meant to respond. I always had every intention of coming, but there were several things I needed to attend to first in order to make that possible.”
She hid her disappointment behind a formal tone. “I imagine you must be quite busy in Salem.”
“My days have been consumed in work with no time for socializing. I have greeted each day feeling as though I was being pulled in several directions, trying to get my uncle’s affairs in order. I understand now why he never married. I imagine he must have been a very lonely man, and I am sorry for it, even if it was his own choice.”
His gaze softened. “In truth, I have been busy, Iris, but not in a way you can imagine.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I must speak privately with you, though this is hardly a place to speak in confidence. But speak I must,” he said.
He took her by the elbow to lead her away, and Iris allowed him to walk her toward a row of empty seating along the wall where it was much less peopled.
“I cannot hold it inside any longer,” he said. “These feelings of mine demand to be voiced, so let all of Duxbury hear what I have to say. I don’t care, so long you will hear my words, Iris Moon, my little sea urchin.”
His dear face bore a look of such earnestness Iris could not turn away. “I am listening, Johnny.”
He smiled, almost in relief. “Iris, I have been a fool not to tell you how I felt when I had the opportunity, but perhaps deep inside you knew. Salem does not feel like home to me, and it hasn’t for a long time. I have no family there. Duxbury is my home. It is home because you are here.”
A trickle of hope made the blood pump a little quicker through her veins, but Iris would not let herself jump to conclusions. “I do not understand. What are you saying, Johnny? You have the chandlery and properties in Salem. Obligations hold you there as well as your livelihood and inheritance. What of them?”
He captured her hands once again and held them in his strong, sure ones. “I have taken on a business partner, a man who has worked at the chandlery since the days when my father ran operations. He shall manage the store for me. Repairs have been made on the family home and that property has been rented. My business partner shall collect the rents and report all to me, and I shall visit once or twice a month to address any outstanding issues and to ensure that affairs are in order. I have sold all my uncle’s other holdings — which mainly included buildings along the wharf — for quite a tidy profit. Today, I have returned to Duxbury with my fortune and here I intend to stay. I shall buy a property of my own on the Nook and build a shed where I can begin carving again. But, Iris, my happiness will not be complete without one other thing … or, more correctly, one person.”
Her breath caught in anticipation.
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. “Your father once taught me that a man’s self worth could be achieved in the accomplishment of doing a work he was skilled at, but I have learned something even more valuable in the time I’ve spent here at Nook House. And that is, I shall only feel truly worthy when I see my worth reflected in the eyes of someone I love and trust. You, Iris.”
She gasped. He loved her.
Johnny dipped to one knee before her.
“Whatever are you doing?”
“As a boy aboard the Mad Colonial, I once watched Captain Moon make this same gesture to you mother. I shall never forget it. It was the most romantic moment I had ever witnessed and it is burned in my memory. He said that long ago it was customary for a knight to kneel in servitude to his lady when requesting her favor. Much like your parents, time and circumstance has prevented a proper courtship. Still, they knew how they felt and took a chance. And so, I am asking you, Iris Moon, to do the same with me. I know my heart, and it is sure. A million days together would not leave me more certain of my love for you. If you will consent to marry me, I pledge to be your truest and dearest friend forevermore, your love and your devoted husband. Iris, please say you will become my bride.”
Johnny had never looked more loving.
The room silenced. Even the music had ceased to play. Iris quickly glanced up and saw her father’s approving grin. With a silent chuckle, he wrapped an arm around an astonished Captain Roark. The entire crowd was watching. The air was filled with the anticipation of her answer.
She turned to smile down at her beloved.
“Yes, I will marry you, Johnny, my love.”
He rose and pulled her into his arms to the sound of more applause and the music striking up once again.
He leaned toward her and Iris’s lids fluttered closed, as for the first time, she felt his kiss. It was the most wonderful sensation of intense love and joy and of all being well with the world. It was a dream come true. The events of her entire life had led her to this, this one precious moment and the future that lay ahead. All the sadness and fear that had once filled Nook House drifted away as though it were no more than a mote of dust being carried out an opened window on a breeze. Iris sensed her mother’s essence alive and in her own heart. And it was just as her father had foretold.
Their lives were filled with love and light.
Thank You for Reading
A native New Englander, Lisa Norato lives in a historic village with homes and churches dating as far back as the eighteenth century. Lisa’s goal is to spin stories rich in historical detail, which will transport readers back in time, and encourage Christians in their faith and in finding the courage to place their trust in God. Lisa also enjoys exploring early American daily life with her fellow bloggers on the Colonial Quills blog. For more about Lisa, visit http://lisanorato.com/.
Sea Heroes of Duxbury
The Promise Keeper
Prize of My Heart
Other books by Lisa Norato
Where Eagles Fly
I Only Want To Be With You