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Chapter XXIV
When he opened the door half an hour later she was waiting for him, standing inside her circle on the floor, facing the door. She had found the long black ankle length dress in the closet, along with the hose and shoes he had put there. He noticed that she was wearing the earrings, small gold rings that matched the golden tinge of the collar around her neck. The engagement ring was prominent on her left hand. She stood straight, quietly, eyes down, awaiting his approval.
He was astonished at the change in her. She seemed to glow with life. As he walked around her she did not turn to follow him. He completed his inspection by stopping in front of her and reaching out, placing his hands at her waist. He could feel the metal waistband underneath. She looked up at him as he touched her, pride and devotion shining in her eyes. "Dinner is almost ready, let's sit down at the table," he told her, holding out his hand. She looked surprised for a moment, then took his hand. She seemed to move with a fluid grace as he took her out to the dining room, the only sound the soft rustle of her dress around her ankles.
He pulled out her chair and motioned for her to sit down, then pulled out his own chair. On the table were a fresh-tossed salad and the cart of salad dressings. Two bowls were stacked next to it. "We'll start with the salad in just a minute. I have to take out the potatoes to cool first. As he went into the kitchen she turned to watch him. He took out the casserole dish and set it on a hot pad on the counter. On his way back he passed by the stereo in the living room and turned on some soft background music. She recognized it, classical, a concerto by Vivaldi. He lit a candle on the table and went to the wall to dim the overhead lights.
He sat down next to her and began dishing the salad into the bowls. He put the first bowl in front of her then prepared his own. She did not reach for her fork or the dressing, remembering that she must wait for his consent first. Instead she kept her hands in her lap, left hand over her right, so she could see the ring on her finger. She did shift slightly, it would take some time to learn how to sit while wearing the belt. He stopped, noticing her squirm, but continued as she sat silently. He picked up her fork, stabbed a bit of lettuce, and held it out to her.
"Eat," he ordered. She ate off the fork, carefully keeping her hands in her lap. He put the fork down in her salad bowl and picked up his own. "You have permission to eat, and to speak" he told her as he began eating his own food.
"Thank you sir, may I have some dressing?" At a nod from him she poured some dressing on her salad and began eating. "Sir, the music, I think I've heard it before, is it Vivaldi?" She took a sip of water from the glass on the table. The table was set with real porcelain china, a linen tablecloth, and cut crystal glasses. She saw that he had changed clothes too. Not a suit, but a clean shirt and slacks. The atmosphere was perfect, understated elegance. It was intimate and romantic, just the two of them.
"Yes it is, one of his lesser works, called La Cetra . I like to play it at dinner; it's quiet and subdued, not as energetic as some of his better known chamber music. Good for the digestion," he smiled.
She twisted again in the chair. "Sorry sir, I'm not accustomed to sitting with the belt on. Once I'm used to it I won't wiggle so much."
"I understand, don't worry about it Sue Ann, wiggle as much as you need. You look beautiful in that dress. I hope it fit okay? As you know I had to guess on dress and shoe sizes."
"Thank you sir, dinner is so wonderful, I'm glad you decided to make it more formal tonight, as it is a special occasion." She held up her left hand and the ring. "May I ask why you decided we should marry?"
"I'll answer that as soon as I get our main course." He rose and went to the kitchen with their empty salad bowls, returning with the cheese potato casserole. He dished out a portion for each of them, then sat back down.
"I have asked you to make a lifelong commitment to me, Sue Ann. You agreed, and here you are. I wanted to show you that I am dedicated to making this work too. I know we will have conflicts in the future. Whatever they will be, they will not separate us. That ring you wear is my promise to you that we will be man and wife. It won't happen right away, but when I think it is safe for you to venture out then we will get married."
The conversation lulled as they ate dinner, both lost in thought. His marriage proposal had been so unexpected she still didn't know what to make of it. No , she thought, not a proposal . He had told her, not asked her. It wasn't necessary to answer yes or no, he had already decided for her. And he would choose the date too. As it should be, she realized. He was an extraordinary man, someone she would never have found in her previous life.
He was still dumbfounded at how fast she had changed. He had no concerns about her running away now; he could see in her every move and word how she had surrendered to him. The moment he had seen her, calmly standing in her circle, standing proudly with his collar securely fixed around her neck, he knew he had won her heart. Now would be the most difficult phase of all, keeping her.
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