Heavenstone 02 - Secret Whispers

right, it’s never too fast.”
    “Now you’re going to start quoting her?”
    He laughed. “You’re always quoting your father.”
    “That’s different,” I said. “He’s a part of Kentucky history. I’m not the only one who quotes him.”
    “Of course. I was just teasing. I would never put Lucille on the same level as your father.”
    I thought for a moment, looked at the ring, and then asked, “Does she know about this?”
    “The ring? No. I haven’t even told your father yet. I was hoping you’d be happy and the two of us would have some fun at dinner tonight. We won’t sayanything when we first enter the dining room. We’ll wait to see how long it takes for one or both of them to notice. How’s that sound?”
    “That sounds good,” I said, happy to hear he hadn’t gotten Lucille’s or my father’s approval first, that this was entirely his doing.
    “I will confess that the way you sounded on the phone today sped up my plans. I knew you were terribly unhappy, and I wanted to do something to please you and cheer you up. I wasn’t going to wait too many more days, anyway. As soon as they called me into your father’s office and promoted me, I felt I could propose to you.”
    “Our love shouldn’t depend on how much money you make or how important you are in the Heaven-stone Corporation, Ethan.”
    “And it doesn’t, but it doesn’t hurt, either,” he said. “Hey, don’t blame me for being a bit intimidated by all this. Look at what you’re used to having. Any guy would think, Who am I to assume she’d care enough? ”
    “I never flaunted anything.”
    “You never had to. It flaunts itself. But I do think we see each other now for who we really are, don’t you? And that is truly love. Am I right?”
    “Yes,” I said, smiling. “You can’t have love without honesty.”
    When I looked at the mirror, I saw Cassie dwindling, but I didn’t care. This was more important than fighting Lucille over maids and cooks and the running of the house. This was my future, my love.
    “Okay,” he said, rising. “I’m going to getshowered and dressed for our first so-called gourmet dinner. Let’s both wear something special. Lucille will think we’re doing it because of the changes she has made, this gourmet chef, and so on, but we’ll surprise her. And of course, your father as well.”
    “Yes,” I said. Now it did sound more like fun.
    He fixed his eyes on me with that serious, deep look that made my heart skip beats.
    “I’ll always think of you first, Semantha. I hope you’ll always believe that.”
    He hurried off. I didn’t move for a few moments, and then, looking at my ring, feeling a new surge of excitement and energy, I, too, hurried to prepare for the unveiling of our future. Maybe my father and Lucille wouldn’t be as quick to approve of it as Ethan obviously thought. Maybe Daddy would say it was a bit too fast and we should wait. Maybe Lucille would be very annoyed with how we had stolen her thunder. None of these possibilities frightened me.
    First, it would be a good test of Ethan’s sincerity. If Daddy or Lucille told us to put our engagement on hold and he retreated, I would know that their approval, his career, was more important to him than our love and our lives together. Second, I had never looked forward more to shaking up my father than I did at this moment. If he could disregard all prudence to bring Lucille into the Heaven-stone world so quickly and firmly, I could do the same with Ethan.
    Most important, perhaps, it would truly be declaring our independence. Our lives, what we did now and in the future, would be our decision.Heaven-stone wasn’t a puppet theater, and we weren’t puppets.
    I chose one of my more formal dresses and bedecked myself in my most expensive necklace and earrings. I worked on my hair and my makeup the way I would have if I were about to attend my own debutante ball. When Ethan returned, dressed in a new black suit and tie, he looked at me as if he had lost his breath.
    “You’re absolutely beautiful,” he said.
    “You’re not so bad yourself. When did you get that suit?”
    “Yesterday. Lucille picked it out.”
    “Lucille? She’s picking out your clothes now, too?”
    “Oh, she just knew we had some new styles and told me to try it on. I’m wearing it because I thought I looked good in it and you’d like it.”
    “I do.”
    He held out his arm. “Okay, then. Shall we make some Heaven-stone history