His breath was taken away as he spotted Izzy coming down the stairs; she was resplendent in a crimson velvet gown with a touch of creamy ivory lace around the collar. Her hair was up in a braid, with wavy tendrils softly framing her face. Felix realized that he had never seen Izzy look so radiant.
Izzy, for her part, was stunned at how handsome Felix looked in the dress uniform, the dashing hero of her dreams come back to life. It seemed that even just the one afternoon back in Avonlea; the first that he truly wanted to be there since now he was confident in the love from Izzy and his family, had rejuvenated him. True, he still could use a bit of fattening up, she thought, but at least those dark circles are going away and he looks happy and more at peace.
The two looked at each other with longing, and were about to share a tender kiss when they heard Clive’s voice, "Muriel and I will be getting to the party later, and Izzy, be sure to save a dance for your old father, eh?"
Izzy laughed and kissed Clive on the cheek reasssuringly as he helped her into her coat. Felix offered his free arm to her, and the couple left. As soon as the door shut behind them, Felix took Izzy in his arms and kissed her passionately. It was difficult to stop, but Felix broke off the kiss, feeling Izzy start to shiver despite his arms around her. "I don’t want you to get cold. Let me get you tucked into the fur rug and we’ll get to the White Sands. I know just the place where we can have a little privacy—there’s something important I need to tell you."
"What? Tell me now, I hate surprises!"
"Really, I didn’t know that. You must have been so disappointed to hear that I was alive," Felix teased.
"Oh, no! That was the best surprise of my life!" Izzy exclaimed, and sat closer to him in the cutter.
Upon making their entrance at the White Sands, Felix could not take Izzy six feet into the front hallway before everyone who was there crowded around them. They didn’t know which way to look first as the crowd exuberantly offered their congratulations and good wishes to Felix, in their happiness that he was home.
The couple was overwhelmed by the heartfelt welcome, but wanted nothing more than to make their way through the crowd to some place a little more secluded. The force of the crowd pulled the couple apart as their attention was called from one person to the next. Izzy was surrounded by a group of her friends welcoming her back when she became privy to a conversation taking place next to her, between her father, Bert Potts and Constable Jeffries. Clive said, "Yes, when we were in Halifax, Felix was asked to remain in the army, to serve out of the Citadel."
"But what can he do in the army, what with his bad leg?" queried Bert Potts.
"My friend, Major Hamilton, will use him for recruitment purposes. That way he can continue to serve his country in spite of the leg. Oh, Izzy, I didn’t notice you there. Aren’t you proud that Felix will be remaining in the army," Clive stated as if Felix’s continued military service was a foregone conclusion.
Izzy, flustered, managed to stammer out, "No, I mean yes…yes, that will be a wonderful opportunity for Felix." She felt tears burning her eyes and quickly excused herself and fled to the atrium.
Felix, who was in the middle of a large group of people yapping at him, managed to espy Izzy’s flight from the hallway, and pushed as politely as possible through the group to follow her. Felix burst through the door only to find Izzy sobbing quietly into her handkerchief. Quietly, he limped over and sat down next to her on the loveseat. "Izzy, what is the matter?" he inquired, stroking her hair with the back of his fingers.
It took awhile, but she finally managed to calm herself enough to be able to speak. "Father says you’re going to stay in the army. Is that true?"
Felix looked down, not really wanting to look her in the eye, and admitted that was his plan. He quickly added, "But I didn’t tell your father or anyone else about my intentions. I don’t know how he knew. Maybe he just guessed that I feel there’s more I can do for our country."
Izzy began crying again, and moaned, "Haven’t you given enough? You almost got killed! You staying in the army means that we’ll be apart; I just can’t go through that again!"
"Izzy, listen to me," Felix ordered, and then softened his voice as he gently took her face in his hands to make her look at him. "The stuff about the army was only part of what I wanted to talk to you about tonight. I don’t want to leave you behind either. I want you to...um, I mean I want to ask you to marry me. I was going to ask you at the stroke of midnight, but it’s important that I do it now."
Izzy gasped in surprise as she heard the words she had dreamt of for so long. Felix continued, "Before I left for France, I always assumed that I had all the time in the world to ask you to be my bride. I now know that’s not true, and that life is so precious. It would be more precious to share it forever with you."
"Oh Felix, it’s my dream come true to become your wife," Izzy replied happily as she watched Felix remove his medal from his tunic.
"Izzy, I don’t have a proper engagement ring for you. I suppose I should have been more prepared for this moment but I hope you’ll understand that I didn’t want to wait a second longer than I had to. Please accept this medal as a symbol of the promise of my eternal love." Izzy nodded with a beaming smile and Felix pinned the medal to her shoulder.
As he did so, he advised, "I think we should tell everyone our news tonight; I want us to get married soon so you can come to Halifax with me. I’m firm about my decision to stay in the army and I’ll call the major tomorrow and let him know, but I’m sure he’ll want me there as soon as possible."
Izzy shivered with delight as she concurred, and then they kissed passionately before going out to the ballroom to make their announcement. As they walked to the door, Felix put his arm around Izzy’s waist and said, "You are going to be the most radiant bride on earth."
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