So many emotions whirled in her head and she wasn’t sure what she should feel. Anger. Betrayal. Despite all of this, she still loved her father, but now she knew she couldn’t trust him. Not anymore.
As an heiress, did this change anything? Would Caleb still want to marry her? She hoped so because she still very much wanted to marry him.
The following morning, Caleb was about to enter the dining room when his sister slipped out of the door and blocked his path.
“I’m sorry,” Anette said with a weak smile on her lips.
Unsure of why she would utter an apology, he asked, “For what?”
Anette stepped out of his way. “You will see soon enough.”
Caleb entered the dining room to find his mother and father seated at the table, both wearing broad smiles. His heart dropped. They knew of his engagement to Simone, and now he was dreading this upcoming conversation.
His mother jumped up from her chair when she saw him. “Caleb, come sit and join us for breakfast,” she said in a far too exuberant voice for such an early hour. “Anette just told us the wonderful news.”
With a glance over his shoulder at Anette, Caleb muttered, “Did she now?”
Anette winced, having the decency to look ashamed. “Roswell told me this morning,” she shared. “I had come over to congratulate you and I had wrongly assumed that you told them about Simone.”
“I had not,” Caleb said.
“Sorry,” Anette mouthed.
His mother spoke up, drawing back his attention. “Have you posted the banns yet?” she asked.
“Not yet,” Caleb replied. “I only just asked Simone to marry me last night. But I hope to do it soon.”
“I will start planning the wedding luncheon at once,” his mother said. “Do you know what Simone’s favorite flower is? We will decorate the townhouse with an abundance of fresh flowers.”
Caleb shrugged. “I do not know what her favorite flower is.”
His mother gave him a disapproving look. “You will have to ask her. A man should always know his wife’s favorite flower.” She paused. “Is she commissioning a gown for the wedding? If so, she needs to meet with the dressmaker at once. That is not something that she can wait until the last minute for.”
“I don’t know what dress she intends to wear,” Caleb said. “Does it matter?”
Her eyes went wide. “Of course it matters!” she exclaimed. “The gown a woman wears at her wedding sets the tone for the whole marriage.”
“Breathe, Elizabeth. It is just a gown,” his father’s calm voice interjected.
Anette approached the table and suggested, “I think it might be best if we do not bombard Caleb with questions since he only just got engaged.”
Caleb offered his sister a grateful look, but it was short-lived. His mother was many things, but being patient was not one of them.
His mother waved her hand in front of her. “Unfortunately, that is impossible. We have a limited time to plan the wedding of the Season.”
“I just want a simple wedding,” Caleb said.
“But is that what Simone wants?” his mother asked. “Her mother had an extravagant wedding and even the queen was in attendance.”
The last thing Caleb wanted was such an elaborate wedding, but he would do whatever Simone wanted. “I will ask her.”
His mother bobbed her head in approval. “Will you go now?”
“Now?” Caleb asked, glancing at the plate of food in front of him. “I haven’t even had breakfast yet.”
“Let the boy eat,” his father said.
His mother sighed. “Fine. Eat some bread and…”
