Olivia (Logan 5)

promised. "I'll come as early as you want. What time

do you want me?"

I had to laugh.

"Let me catch my breath, Samuel. You're

making me dizzy spinning and jumping and making

these dramatic pronouncements like some town crier." "I want to; I want to keep you dizzy with

surprises and happiness," he said. "I've got to go home

to tell my father the good news, and then be back in

three hours to take you to Nelson Childs' engagement

party. We'll steal the limelight," he promised, slapping

his hands together.

He started out of the room and then turned and

rushed back to plant a quick kiss on my cheek. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you for making

me the happiest man in the world."

He turned and left me sitting there, dazed, the

diamond glittering under the light of the lamp beside

me, my heart galloping.

What a wonderful surprise this will be for

Mother, I thought as I stood up. My legs felt a bit

weak under me as the realization of what had

happened sunk in. I was engaged and to a very

handsome man. In a

sweeping moment, I was ahead

of Belinda again and the proper thing would happen:

the older daughter would be married first. Mother

would surely be pleased and she so needed something

to make her happy and bring a smile to her weak, thin

face.

As I started for the stairway, I heard a voice

within me ask, "But do you love him, Olivia?" I paused.