“Lucinda,” her father said in a not amused tone, “I understand from your mother that you had some excitement today.”
Lucy turned her head slowly toward her parents. “What excitement is that, Father?”
Her father’s brows folded inward. He squinted at her mother. Adeline rolled her eyes. “Let’s begin dinner, shall we?” her mother said.
Lucy kept her comportment serene, as if she had no idea what they were talking about. She hadn’t had any excitement.
Well, shehadmet the perfect man. A guy she wanted to marry and live the rest of her life with on Earth if need be. Except that he, Axel Grey, was promised to Francine. What made that really cruel and unusual was that Francine was her very best friend of all her sisters.
She didn’t expect her father to comment further about her day. Likely he’d make an inane comment about one of her other sisters.
“My understanding is that you left the basement facility, Lucinda, which was exciting at best and dangerous at the very least.”Nope. Her father wasn’t going to let her get away with this.Fine.
Lucy could play this game, too. “Yes. Thatistrue. I met someone, a man.” Every single pair of eyes at the table turned to her. Lucy wasn’t used to having the attention on her. But this time she had something to say and she would speak her mind. “In fact, I met the perfect man today. Would you like me to tell everyone about him?”
Her mother sat up so straight she almost stood up. “That won’t be necessary, Lucinda.” Her mother gave herthe look. Her mother had a very sternlook. Francine cast widened eyes in Lucy’s direction with an implied question of what in the space potato farm was going on. Lucy mouthed the word “later” to her sister. Francine nodded and looked back at her plate.
Before anybody else could speak or ask any questions, or take Lucy up on her offer to tell all she knew about the man she’d met today, her mother whispered something to her father and stood up.
And then her father stood up as well. “Your mother and I have some important news to impart tonight.” All five of them stared at their parents. “We had planned to wait until Drucilla turned twenty in order to tell you all about the arranged marriages we’ve established for the five of you. However, because of recent events we feel it would be best if we shared a portion of the information tonight.”
“What?” her sisters said at the same time.
Lucy didn’t have to ask, since she knew exactly what was going on. Her parents were about to ruin her life by telling everyone that the man she wanted was promised to Francine. Poor Francine. She wouldn’t want him the minute she found out Lucydidwant him with all her heart. Lucy wasn’t sure what to do. She loved her sister. But she also loved Axel Grey. It was so easy to say those words in the privacy of her own mind.
“Typically, we would have started with Ardelia. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we will be announcing Francine’s bridegroom first,” her father said, ignoring the outburst from the table.
Ardelia jerked upright in her chair. “Well, when willmybridegroom be announced?”
“In due time, dear.” Adeline Duvall was apparently not going to brook any argument from her oldest daughter. Ardelia would just have to wait.
“But I’m the eldest. I’m supposed to be first.” Ardelia’s tone was acrid and whiney at the same time, until their mother gave her the special look reserved for misbehaving children. That seemed to cow her for the moment.
Meanwhile, their father kept talking as they all listened to his every word. “In fact, the family we have chosen resides here on the planet Earth.”
Francine paled. Likely no one else noticed. Lucy reached out and stroked Francine’s upper arm from shoulder to elbow. Her sister gave her a wan smile.
“The grandfather of Francine’s future husband was adopted into a Technician family when he was very young,” their father continued. “Although he’s not a true Technician by blood, the family thought very highly of him. Therefore, we think very highly of his descendants. And that is why—for the best possible luck for our family and theirs—our second-born daughter will be married totheirsecond-born son. We’ve invited them to share dinner with us tonight.”
Lucy felt her stomach drop. She wondered why she hadn’t noticed the three extra place settings.
Francine stared at her plate as though it held all the meaning in the universe and she needed to memorize every detail. She looked up at their parents briefly, but didn’t say anything. Lucy wondered what she was thinking. She and Francine would have to talk later about tonight’s dinner. The hard part would be telling Francine she had feelings for the man set to be her future husband. What would her sister do? Lucy hoped she’d decide not to go through with the arranged marriage.
She realized the hardest part of the evening would be when Axel and his parents showed up. Lucy would not be able to keep her eyes off of him. She shot her mother a look of defiance. Her mother looked amused, as though Lucy’s anger were something to be laughed at.
Francine cleared her throat, put a smile on her face and said, “Well, I look forward to meeting my new bridegroom.” She sounded very sincere.
“I’m certain the two of you will suit,” said their mother.
Lucy hoped not. She was about to spend a lot of quality time figuring how to break her sister and Axel up so she could claim him for her own.
A knock at the door stopped her from jumping up and declaring her amorous feelings for Francine’s future husband. Everyone in the dining room stilled.
A servant near the double doors opened both of them wide.
“Ah, perfect. Here they are, right on time.”
Lucy wondered if she’d be able to even hold food down as they announced to everyone that the man she’d spent an exciting day with was also the man about to be wed to her favorite sister.
