He gave her a gentle look.  "You can't hide away.  I mean if you want to, I won't stop you, but you shouldn't.  Bullies and gossips can't be stopped if you don't stand up to them.   They just get stronger and keep teaching their children to do the same things."

He put a hand on her elbow and guided her to a jewelry store he had used before for a gift for his mother a few months previously.  "Let's go look at rings."  He smiled.  Inside the store, there were several glass displays of all sorts of jewelry.  He nodded to the salesman. 

"How can I help you this time, Mr. Vaughn?  Did your mother like the necklace?"

"She loved it.  Thank you for your help with that.  This time I am here for an engagement ring and wedding set for the two of us later on."  He indicated Karen.  "This is Karen Calloway, my fiance.  I want her to show you the ones she likes best."  He took off his hat and leaned a hip on one of the displays to watch Karen look around.

Karen gave a half smile, "Tis me own fault, Lorn. I didn't act proper." She looked down, looking as if ready to weep at any moment for what had just happened. She followed him to the jewelry store. Once inside and introduced, she gave a wan smile and nodded softly, having shrunken into herself despite his words. It was clear they start of the fight had made her spirit just... close up.

She caught her breath at the sight of one ring, her eyes wide at how lovely and dainty it was. But rather than go for it, she bit into her lower lip and thought about it... then she reluctantly walked away from that one, not wanting to make it seem like she was marrying Lorn for his wealth, as she was not.

Lorn had noticed which one she had reacted to.  He stayed where he was though.  He wanted her to see the whole store and there was also a wedding ring set to pick.  However, he had a feeling he had already seen which of the engagement rings that he would be getting for her.  He glanced at the clerk and saw that the man was also keeping an eye on what items Karen was pausing at and gazing.

"Seeing any you like, Sunshine?"  He asked lazily as he continued to lean on the jewelry counter.

She looked again at one in particular, it wasn't a huge stone but it was a lovely ring that was sure to be costly, she pointed instead to a rather plain looking ring even though she didn't particularly care for it. She did not look at Lorn, for she knew if she did, he would see that she was trying to pretend she didn't want the pretty one.

Lorn motions to the jeweler, "Could you please size her ring for us?"  The man nodded and moved over to Karen with a motion of his own hand indicating her left hand.

Lorn at that moment went to the first one she had liked and tapped the glass.  "This one to made to fit her, please."  He stated with a smile and twinkle in his eyes looking at Karen.  "Only the best for my Sunshine.  The wedding set should match this one as well, please."

She blinked when he picked out that very ring she had been looking at. Karen blushed prettily and said, "Are ye sure, Lorn?" she asked softly, a worried expression etched upon her face. She looked at him with wide eyes. she was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Lorn moved over to her and took her left hand and kissed her finger where the rings would be put.  Looking back at her, he nodded.  "I am completely sure.  It is perfect for you and I saw how you looked at it.  That look in your eyes is what I want to see all the time.  I want you to be happy and feel treasured." 

He guided her hand over to the clerk so her finger could be sized.  "This one only needs a slight adjustment and it can fit her right away."  He then indicated that Lorn should extend his finger as well to size him for the man's wedding ring.  "I will have to get one made up for your wedding set.  Your hands are a bit larger than it was set up for."  The clerk explained.

Lorn nodded.  "We will wait for her engagement ring, and send the information to my address when the wedding set is ready.  We will want it as soon as possible." 

The clerk nodded and gave Lorn a form to fill in the address to send the billing.  Lorn put down a downpayment for the wedding set but paid for the engagement ring right there.  He turned to her and smiled.  "Now if you like earrings or anything else please let me know while we wait for him to adjust your ring."  He winked.  He liked seeing her eyes go wide when he said stuff like that.

"Ye're spoilin' me, Lorn," she said in a breathy manner, her cheeks a lovely shade of pink. She had never felt so shy around him before. While they waited, she picked out the jewelry she would wear for their wedding, choosing modest things like a single strand of pearls that was just bigger than a choker and a pair of earbobs to match. He would probably see that she gazed at plenty of jewelry but was quite the frugal one and not at all one to pick the best things. There was a particular choker she inhaled sharply at, a lovely, ruby choker.

Lorn made a note of the items she liked, as he would have birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmases to buy gifts for her as well.  However, the pearl items she chose, he nodded to add them to their bill.  The ruby choker though, he paused and looked at it.  "I think this one is quite nice.  What do you think, Karen?  How about you get it too?"  He glanced over at her with a twinkle in his eyes knowing that she would have figured out that he had seen her reaction to it.

The clerk was making each of the items wrapped up for the couple, and writing down the bill.  Adding down the bill, the clerk's eyes were a bit surprised, but there were other rich people that came in there.  Lorn had been there before to send birthday and Christmas gifts for his mother, late wife's mother, and to Heidi's birth grandmother.  So he was not new to the store.  Just not this much at once.

She looked like she wasn't sure how to react to his buying her that necklace. Karen nodded in acquiescence, and she would probably be hesitant throughout the entire shopping trip. Her mouth curled upward in a soft smile as she regarded her fiance.