“I’m sure all of you will extend them your best manners and courtesy,” her mother said, staring directly at Lucy.
“Mr. and Mrs. Zebulon Grey and Axel Grey,” the servant announced formally.
Lucy and her sisters stood up and gathered by the doors to greet their guests. Lucy waited slightly behind Francine as the Grey family entered the dining room.
An older gentleman who looked very much like Axel entered first. He wore a nice charcoal Earther suit with a white shirt and blue patterned tie. Following him was a very pretty older woman in a lovely long blue shimmery Earther dress. Her eyes looked like Axel’s. Finally, Axel entered, also wearing an Earther suit and tie. He looked uncomfortable and beautiful. Lucy stopped breathing and stared at him, her gaze riveted on his face, his eyes, him.
Axel glanced around, staring briefly at everyone else before finding her withhisrather intense gaze. They stared at each other for a long moment, until her mother introduced all of them one by one.
Second to last was Francine. “And here is your intended, Francine. Next to her is our middle daughter, Lucinda. Welcome to our humbleRoyal Caldera Fortequarters. Thank you for joining us on such short notice.” Lucy was surprised her mother hadn’t said, “I know you’ve met Lucinda already, but too bad, you have to marry Francine because of birth order,” or something along those lines. But she didn’t and Lucy wondered if Axel understood why he was slated for her sister Francine. Had his parents explained the rationale of the supposed lucky second-born marriage legend?
Francine looked at Axel and smiled. She looked at Lucy and also smiled as if to say, isn’t he cute?Yes. He is. I’ve always thought so. I wish you didn’t think so.
The dinner seating was reordered so Axel sat directly across from Francine. Lucy was next to Francine and across from Drucilla. Ardelia was at the foot of the table next to Lucy on her left, probably steaming mad because she wasn’t getting married first. But she wouldn’t make a scene with guests present. Later, she’d whine, lament and complain loud enough to let everyone on the airship hear about her unhappiness at this new arrangement. Even so, hers was a distant second to Lucy’s misery about these coming nuptials.
The four parents gathered together at the head of the table, likely to discuss the rolling out of the arranged marriage paperwork and wedding ceremony details.
Lucy wondered if she could keep from being sick through the entire long meal. She didn’t want to have to excuse herself and miss anything.
Francine was quiet at first, looking her intended over shyly without comment, but soon enough she became quite chatty with Axel. Lucy tried not to be jealous. If her sister knew how she felt about Axel, she’d likely help with a plan for Axel and Lucy to be together. For now, she seemed happy about the arrangement. Lucy fought her baser feelings and swallowed a lot of angry words during the first course alone.
“When didyoufind out about our arranged marriage?” Francine asked Axel.
“A little over an hour ago. How about you?”
“I found out just before we met, about ten minutes ago.”
Axel glanced in Lucy’s direction as he smiled at Francine. “Surprise.”
“I think that means I win,” Francine said and then giggled.Giggled!
Lucy watched Francine’s animated face. Animated and giggling at Axel. What? No! She then watched Axel and his reaction to her giggling sister. Unfortunately, he seemed rather enchanted. And then it dawned on her. Of course he was enchanted. Francine was beautiful inside and out.
While Francine and Lucy were much the same in manner and attitude, her sister was very beautiful, like their mother. And Lucy was…well, she looked like her father’s mother, Grammy Matilda. Nothing like the forgotten realization that she looked like her grandmother to immediately cool Lucy’s jets.
Axel, given the choice between the two of them, was naturally going to count his lucky stars that he got to marry Francine. What man wouldn’t? She was so much prettier than Lucy. Besides, Francine was a lovely person. Her very best friend and confidante. But how could she tell Francine the truth about Axel if, according to their parents, shehadto marry him. Knowing Francine and her typical attitude of getting along, her sister was likely grateful to have such a wonderful future husband. Axel was getting a wonderful, kind and, best of all, more beautiful sister.
Lucy sucked in a trembling breath and exhaled slowly, doing her best not to break into loud hiccupping tears. The dinner continued, but Lucy went to a very dark place inside herself. She stopped looking at either Axel or Francine, or anyone. As each course was set in front of her, Lucy either took a single taste, or ignored it altogether as she pondered her miserable fate.
Francine and Axel chatted about the surprise dinner, their likes and dislikes about Alpha-Prime and other inane things. Lucy wished she could slink out and hide in her room for the duration of dinner.
“I want you to know, Axel, I am very glad you’re so young. I thought you’d be much older,” Francine was saying when Lucy started paying attention again.
“Older? Why?”
Francine shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m afraid I pictured a man only a few years younger than my father all these years as my arranged marriage partner.Youare a very welcome sight. When your father walked in, I was certain I’d been right all along.” Francine bestowed her brightest smile on Axel. Lucy wanted to be sick.
She chanced a quick look at Axel and he winked. Lucy did a double take. When Francine looked away, Axel winked at Lucy again and his gaze was unmistakably on her. She stared back until Francine looked at Axel again.
Lucy quickly stared at her plate and the undisturbed food there. She picked up a utensil and took a bite, wondering if Axel had something in his eye or if he had truly winked ather. A very common Earther flirtation or a speck of something causing irritation.
“Lucinda?” he asked.
Lucy looked up when he said her formal name. “Yes.”
“Is that your name?”
“Yes. Why?”
