Color returned to Wil’s face together with a beaming smile that stretched from ear to ear. The spirit that had all but slipped from its mortal sheath returned to him in a flash. Not only did Wil feel alive – he felt more alive than he had ever in his entire life. Overwhelmed with emotion he replied honestly and from the bottom of his heart.<br/><br/>“Aye, Ah woods choose ye – and Ah do… an’ ne’er will Ah loove anotha,” he said with his heart in his chest.<br/><br/>Refreshed by the water, Elizabeth’s kindness and her shared feelings for him, Wil felt like he was indeed in heaven after all. His pulse raced as his strength returned, revitalized by the wonderful, intelligent, beautiful woman who had agreed to be his wife. No longer able to hold back his feelings, Wil put the cup of water to the side and gently placed his hands on either of her cheeks. In that moment he felt as though his life depended on him kissing her right then and there. No matter how forbidden it was or how upset her father would be – Wil nonetheless drew her lips to his again with the happiest, yet most desperate expression he had ever worn on his face.<br/><br/>As their lips touched Wylyam was filled with the most wonderfully amazing sensation that he had yet to experience. It was so overwhelming that he had difficulty even understanding what he was feeling at all. All he knew in that moment was that he was the luckiest man alive. His emotion drove him to ignore his pain and wrap his arms around her – pulling her in closer and closer until she lay on top of him on the bed.<br/><br/>In the many letters that were to travel between them in the coming weeks and months Wil struggled to put into words exactly how he felt in that moment. After much thought and effort he was finally able to explain his feelings to some degree. Although he spoke with a very thick accent, his written words were free from that hindrance.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">In your arms that night I realized for the first time that life was not some terrible battle to be won, or some endless suffering to be persevered, or a drudgery to be endured. No, life was a blessing and a miracle to be cherished and adored, as long as there was someone in it whom you love with all your heart; and they you. That night made me realize that life could be filled with such hope and joy that I did not even know existed in the world.</span><br/><br/>The passion he felt quickly escalated beyond Wil’s ability to think rationally. With the warmth of her body so close to his, Wil’s skin felt as though it was catching fire. The kissing grew deeper and more passionate with every passing second. Without even realizing that he was doing so, Wil gently nudged her onto her side and quickly extricated himself from under the bed’s covering – all while not breaking the kiss. It was then he realized that he was only wearing a long, linen nightshirt provided to him by the doctor and not the leggings he had arrived in. The shock of the cold air on his bare legs snapped him back to the reality of the moment. All but undressed, he lay in bed with a woman who was not yet his wife. He broke off the kiss with an expression of shame.<br/><br/>“M’lady,” he said breathlessly. “Please… forgive meh…Ah am… Ah’m so sorry…” he said, stammering an apology, as red in the face as one could possibly be. As he begged forgiveness he struggled to hide himself under the linen shirt with limited success, desperately seeking a sense of modesty after the uncontrolled fire and passion of the past few minutes.