"So now we're at dinner, can you please explain." I tried to sound polite and casual, but I was dying to know. Plus I'm not a patient person so there's that. If the brief exchange I'd overheard in the hall was any clue, they wanted Ethan to marry me because something happened with Charlotte. If that's the case, they think I'm just a pawn they can control and I'm not okay with that. But I would be okay marrying Ethan, so I'm willing to play along. But something also told me that my cruise was in jeopardy.
"You may have heard about the engagement of my daughter Charlotte, and her upcoming wedding." I nodded and he continued, "Unfortunately, Charlotte had a change of heart and decided to elope with someone else last weekend."
Mom nodded, "She decided she couldn't enter a loveless marriage, and eloped with someone she loved?"
"Why do you say it would have been a loveless marriage?" Miranda asked.
"Just a guess." Mom replied. I could tell there was more to this situation. Is that what happened with my parents, my father chose duty to marry someone else over love? No wonder Mom never married. I wondered how Miranda felt now that Mom was in her house. Or was Miranda his first marriage. I'd have to check. Now I wish I'd have been more into celebrity gossip.
"I'm not sure as to her reasons, the main fact is that we have a contract for someone in our family to wed one of the sons of the Earl. There are two sons Sera, you can get to know them to see if either of you are compatible. If not, we will deal with the breech of contract."
"Isn't the other son of the Earl only 20?" Mom asked. Wait, how did she know this. I thought we both stayed away from celebrity gossip.
"I think that's right. Is that a problem?" Miranda asked.
"He's six years younger than me. Let me meet the older brother and see how it goes. I am not promising anything, and I've heard he's a bit cold to others. I will not agree to a marriage with someone who is not capable of love." My heart is telling me I'm crazy. I should marry Ethan no matter what, but if he'd changed in the last few years I couldn't let him trample my heart. I also couldn't let them know that I was already in love or at least had been in love with Ethan now it's probably more infatuation. I need to act indifferent.
"Are you okay if you meet him and his parents right now, they can join us for dinner?" Charles asked.
"You mean they're already here?" Mom asked and Charles nodded.
"Then they should join us for dinner, you should not keep them hidden away without food." I said. Really, what is wrong with these people.
"They were told dinner would start in a few minutes, I wanted to give you a chance to understand the situation before they were brought in." Charles explained.
"I think I understand perfectly. Let's just get this over with." I said. Mom squeezed my hand and whispered in my ear, "You don't have to do this."
"I know Mom, but since we're here we may as well meet them." I answered. Not even Mom knew about my love for Ethan. There was no way I could have explained my infatuation with someone that was totally out of my reach to her.
A minute later we stood as an older couple stood in the doorway.
"Lord and Lady Maxwell, may I present my daughter Sera and her mother, Grace." I bowed my head as a symbol of respect. So grateful for the training I'd received at the summer camp on how to act when introduced to a variety of people.
"It is nice to meet you." I said.
They entered the room and Ethan next came to the door. His look of shock only registered for a second before he composed himself. I wondered if I was the only one to notice it and looked around. Judging by the expressions on everyone's faces they didn't see it.
"Young Lord Maxwell, may I present my daughter Sera, and her mother Grace." I bowed my head in greeting to him as well.
"It's nice to meet you." I said and tried to keep my tone the exact same as I had with his parents.
"The pleasure is mine." Ethan responded with a cool tone. I was hoping he was acting cool as to not lay our cards on the table instead of him being indifferent to seeing me. Maybe he was following my lead and thought I was acting aloof and so he should as well. Or did he just not care. My thoughts were going a mile a minute. I felt like a 14 year old insecure girl again, but I would not let them see that. I would be the strong, confident woman I'd become.
We took our seats, Ethan was sat next to me, so I was sandwiched between Mom and Ethan. Charles and Miranda were at the head of the table and Ethan's parents were across from us. I knew there were more members of each family, but I guess they wanted to keep this meeting as small as possible. Not that I could really blame them, if it was a disaster there were less people to talk about it.