"I had nothing to do with planning this at all," she said honestly. "Somehow they learned of my brother and his desire to come to town, and I accidentally told my maid who was once just my friend that he was... strict, to put it mildly. They know of the conditions under which I must marry, and he would only thwart it. And that is why they all decided I must make the best impression and hopefully you would... well... keep your word I suppose." She smoothed her skirts and looked down. Just then, the first course, a potato soup with carrots and cream. Cured pork floated in the milky white depths. It was paired with a white wine of excellent quality.

"They went through so much trouble," she murmured.