Chapter 3
The four couples were sitting in the pool. The two babies were strapped securely in baby chairs as servants took care of them, and as the mothers watched occasionally to see if everything was going alright. Most of the time everyone was sitting and chatting, relaxing and unwinding on this wedding day.
�I�m sorry for getting on your case earlier,� Oen said to Daniel.
�Apology accepted,� Daniel replied graciously. �I know I myself have been stressed out the last few days myself. I am rather unsure of my abilities of passing myself off as some kind of gentleman.�
�But you are a gentleman,� Delia said.
�I may be a kind and friendly person, but I have little experience dealing with aristocracy, especially when I am supposed to act like an aristocrat myself,� Daniel said.
�Most people find acting like an aristocrat rather easy,� Natonito said dryly. �Still, since you are shooting for the engineers, you need to learn how to carry yourself well-sit up straight, not pick your nose in conversation, not speak to loudly in private conversation, not act so jumpy all of the time-things like that.�
�I thought the engineers liked a good slouch,� Daniel joked. �Besides, back problems run in the family. Scoliosis is the name of my family�s back problem, I think.�
�And you have it too?� Delia asked.
�Yes,� Daniel replied. �When I lay on my back my spine curves like a longbow.�
Splashing him with water, Delia said, �Let�s talk about something more pleasant.�
�I agree,� Daniel said, splashing her back.
�That�s cold!� Delia squeals with delight.
�Silly children,� Oen said sternly. �You�re getting me wet too.�
�Oh, dear,� Karen said sharply. �Let them enjoy themselves. They are young and happy, so why do they need to suffer and stop enjoying life.�
�Yes,� Natonito said. �Let them play. Today is a day of rejoicing, not a funeral.�
�This is not only for pleasure, but for business as well,� Oen said.
�What business is there to discuss, father?� Henry said.
�The issue of a dowry,� Oen said. �What sort of dowry does Cherie have for this marriage?�
�She brings with her the Longbert estates, which she is to control until death, at which point the title will pass on to the second heir of the house. If she and Henry only have one heir, or none, it will pass over to my wife�s second heir, so that the house may not be swallowed up,� Natonito said.
�I mean, what dowry does she bring that becomes community property?� Oen asked, insulted.
�What is the bride price that your son is brining into the marriage for community property?� Natonito replied.
Oen blankly stared, and then stammered, �What are you talking about?�
�You wrote the law yourself,� Natonito said. �When a nobleman impregnates a noblewoman out of wedlock, he must pay a bride price equal or greater to the dowry that the wife brings in case the couple marries. Also, the husband is unable to inherit the estate of a wife who is either pregnant or has given birth to his child.�
�Can�t we waive the law here?� Oen asked.
�Why should we?� Natonito said. �After all, your family is not in need of any money, and neither is my family. Both Henry and Cherie are well-off enough with their own estates that we can waive both the dowry and the bride price requirements here.�
�Yes,� Cherie said. �There is no need for us to haggle over this. We are well off enough as it is.�
�I agree,� Henry said. �There is no need to fight over money here. We all have more than enough.�
�Silence,� Oen said. �I am the head of this household.�
�Very soon I will be the head of my own household,� Henry said.
�Henry is right,� Karen said. �And so is Cherie. Leave this subject alone, because there is no purpose in causing strife over money.�
�Alright,� Oen said, wearily. �They will bring their own inheritances to hold separately and there is no need for a dowry or for a bride price.�
�Now, can we splash each other again?� Cherie said, splashing Henry.
�Sure, go ahead,� Oen said, defeated.
�What was that all about?� Karen fiercely whispered to Oen.
�Personal business,� Oen whispered back fiercely.
�I don�t think so,� Karen hissed back. �You cause a fight within the family on our son�s wedding day and will not tell the reason?�
�That�s right,� Oen said.
�I�ll just find out the reason for myself,� Karen said.
�Something is wrong,� Bathsheba whispered to Natonito.
�I know,� Natonito whispered back.
�What do you think it is?� Bathsheba asked.
�I cannot say,� Natonito answered. �Oen is a hard person to read. I think it has to do with business he does not want to speak of. Whether it is some kind of shady business with his business dealings or some kind of affair, I cannot say.�
�Either way, it can�t be good,� Bathsheba whispered.
�That is right, my dear,� Natonito spoke sotto voce. �It can�t be good.�
�You look beautiful in that bikini,� Daniel whispered to Delia.
�Thank you. Those boxer trunks are quite sexy as well,� Delia said, winking.
�If there were not so many people here I would skinny dip with you,� Delia said, winking.
�We will have to arrange that some time in the future, like in a heart-shaped jacuzzi on our wedding night,� Daniel said, winking back.
�I thought you would agree,� Delia said. �After all, if everyone else is going to get some tonight, just wanted to know if you wanted any.�
�I want,� Daniel said. �But I keep myself under control, no matter how tempting it would be to make love to you. After all, I have seen you in almost full glory. Still, I cannot do what is not right, though the lust of the flesh is strong.�
�I know,� Delia said. �But do not think I am a mere temptress. I really want you to experience the joy of sex. Rise up my love.� She put her hand on his inner thigh.
�I will, my love,� Daniel said. �But in time. Now is not the time for sex. The time for sex is marriage, and if you are willing to control yourself until after graduation, I would be happy to marry you. You are my love.� He kissed her gently.
�Oh, how sweet,� Cherie said, looking at the couple. �They show their affection quite openly. �Oh that you were my brother who nursed at my mother�s breasts. If I should find you outside, I would kiss you; I would not be despised.��
�You speak beautiful words, as sweet as pomegranate wine,� Henry said with a wink.
�Very soon you will be my husband. Promise me one thing,� Cherie said.
�What is that?� Henry asked.
�Be true to me. I will not stand for you drinking water from other wells,� Cherie said.
�I will be loyal to you,� Henry said.
�We shall see,� Cherie said. �But beware if you betray me. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.�
�You are wanted, Duke,� a hotel employee came up to Oen.
�That is fine,� Karen said. �As long as it is not for unlawful carnal knowledge.�
�I�m sure she�s legal,� Natonito replied. Oen gave him an evil glare as he went off with the hotel employee.
�I wonder what that�s about,� Bathsheba said.
�This has happened so much recently,� Karen said. �I fear the worst.�
�I can�t say I blame you,� Natonito said. �He has been acting rather erratically today.� Everyone looked at each other with a concerned expression on their faces.
�I suppose we should get ready for the wedding now,� Cherie said. �We all have yet to change and shower.�
�I agree,� Natonito said. �Let�s go.�
�Duke Bravia,� the employee said to Oen. �There is a call from a Meadow Moore here.�
�Okay, what is the message,� Oen said blankly.
�Meadow says that unless you deliver the five million freznics in hush money by tomorrow, she will blab the story to all of the newspapers and news organizations in Secfenia about her affair with you,� the employee said.
�That bitch,� Oen said. �Tell her that I am not going to pay that kind of blackmail. She doesn�t have any evidence to support her claims.�
�She says here that if you responded like that, that she has quite a good deal of evidence, including photos of the two of you together,� the employee said.
�Photos can be doctored,� Oen said. �That is not conclusive evidence.�
�She says she also has some eyewitness testimony, tapes, and DNA evidence,� the employee said.
�A stain on the blue dress?� Oen asked. �She should have washed it off in the spin cycle. Why does she want the money? You just can�t trust interns these days.�
�I agree,� the employee said tactfully. �She will be at the wedding, and will give more details then.�
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