Their courtship had flown by according to standards of the time. After that first visit he had come calling everyday. At first they had simply sat in the parlor staring at each other more often than not, words only necessary part of the time. It wasn’t that there were ever any uncomfortable silences; it was just that they were happy enough to simply be with each other.

After both her parents had gotten to know Edward over evening meals and visits with both of them, they didn’t mind letting her go to the park across the street with him for late afternoon walks. In fact, they encouraged it. After all, Edward was a nice man and they could already tell that their daughter loved him. That was all that mattered to them.

It was on one of these late afternoon walks in the park that they shared their first kiss. On these walks they had discussed everything, from taste in music and books to their families and future plans. It just seemed to come naturally to both of them that they would be together in that future.

As they walked along, laughing about the jealous looks that one of her former suitors had given them as they walked by him on a path in the park, a gust of wind blew her parasol right out of her hand, sending it tumbling along ahead of them. Before she could even gasp he was running after it for her and she watched as he tripped over a hole hidden by the grass onto which the parasol had moved to.

Lifting her skirts, she ran towards him. “Edward! Edward, are you alright!?”

He just lay there and she didn’t think twice about ruining her pristine white dress as she knelt on the grass next to him.

“Edward?!”

He opened one eye, and then the other and just looked at her.

As she rested her hand on his shirt she asked again, “Edward, are you injured?”

He nodded slowly and then gave her a crooked, bashful smile, “My dignity and pride are severely bruised.”

She couldn’t help but giggle at his words and then, quite unexpectedly, her giggle was cut off as he leaned up and kissed her. It was such a quick kiss that she barely had time to process the fact that he was kissing her before it was over and then he was suddenly kneeling in front of her, his cheek flushed and his voice coming out in an embarrassed stammer. “Elizabeth…g…goodness! I…I’m sorry! I didn’t m…mean…! I….”