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Samh 9.30.1339 18:53
Colonel Kieron ran to Amoranda eagerly, but Pethany quickly made her presence known, and he stopped in his tracks.
“My dearest Amoranda,” he said, “how shall I return this favor? I received your message with delight, and I have come to die at your feet.”
“You seemed so very earnest for a meeting in your message that I felt I must give you an opportunity. What is it you wanted to say to me that was so secret?”
“To say, my angel? How can any man speak when he has so glorious a subject as Amoranda before him? Come to my arms, my lovely charmer, and let me whisper my very soul upon thy lovely bosom.”
“Hold on there, Romeo, before you fall into violent raptures let me know what your plans are. You have often equated a married state with a nightmare. I presume you give lip service to it because that is the way most young men are as opposed to that you truly believe it? Come, confess to me that you have a mind to marry.”
“To tell you that I plan to marry would be to tell you I have do not plan to love you. Why would you want to subject yourself to one like me when instead you could forever make me your slave? The very thoughts of being bound to someone would make me hate that person and take all love from me.”
“Whyever would you think this? What proof do you have? Although my own experience and observations are young, I know several married people who in all appearance love one another exceedingly well.”
“The key is that it is only an appearance, but appearances are often false.”
“Why then by the same rule,” Amoranda countered, “the love of a man toward his mistress is as empty as that of a married man to his wife. We have no way to know the truth of either except by their words and actions.”
“What a pity that so many good things are said about so bad a subject,” he said.
“If you are so against marriage, why don’t you petition the government and get the marriage laws repealed? If it is as you say, then the lawmakers have imposed upon all of us something they do not believe is proper to follow yourselves?”
“There are political reasons based on the tenets taught to those who first colonized Upsilon Andromedae. Our marriages were initially arranged because they knew they were sending relatively few colonists to do the job. Even now, with our population spread across four of this system’s planets, it makes sense for some to still adhere to this principal and ensure that our miners marry miners and our government marries from suitable families who have been trained to govern. The founders who sent us also worried about wiping out the colony with Earthly diseases that we have not detected here. Now, please oblige me and let’s talk no more about marriage,” he replied.
“I hope you realize I am not yet at my last prayer for a mate that marriage is all I can think about. Please don’t assume despair has any hand in what I’ve said,” Amoranda conceded. “To change the topic, we’ll have some tea.” She nodded to Pethany, who left to get it.
Almost immediately, Kieron’s com-tab buzzed with a message. No sooner did he cast his eye upon it when he knew it was from Katamitoria. Amoranda noticed with pleasure that the effects of a guilty conscious immediately seized his appearance. His tongue faltered, his cheeks glowed red, his hand trembled, and his eyes darted a wild horror. Setting his com-tab aside, he said, “It’s better for a man to have a wife, I guess, instead of a troublesome mistress.”
“I’m afraid I don’t believe you. If that message was from a mistress, I am sure you would be impatient to read it. In fact, I will readily dispense with all ceremony and beg you to do so.”
“The foolish girl who sent this, I own, I admit that I once had an intrigue with. However, she had a better knack at getting a heart than keeping it. Besides she gave me such trouble that I was almost weary of her before I had her. No, now, it is only you who commands my heart. I own no mistress but you nor will I ever wear any other fetters than those you put on me.”
Amoranda laughed.
“I am positive that you have said as much a thousand times—probably to the very lady who sent you that message. Come either read it while I am here or I can leave so you can read it in private.”
“Rather than lose one minute of your company,” he sighed, “I will do penance and read this while you are present. But be assured, I intended to have blocked it without opening it as I have already done several times for her."
Amoranda watched his face as he read and found it altered and then turn as pale as death.
“What is the matter? Is the lady not well?” she asked.
“I—I was mistaken,” he said after a pause. “This message actually came from my steward and told me of a very considerable loss I just had.”
“Pshaw, was that all?” Amoranda asked. “You know, there are misfortunes at all families. You’ll pull through, I’m sure. Come, drown your sorrow in some good tea.”
He sat very moodily for some time, and Amoranda watched the struggles of his soul by his looks.
“Colonel,” Amoranda said after a bit, “your tea will be cold. I wish I was worthy enough that you felt you could share the weighty affair that employs your thoughts.”
“It is a weighty affair indeed,” he said. “I have thought over those things you said earlier and resolved to do that which I have often thought no woman upon earth could have had the power of persuading me to do. Your charms and the points you brought up have dissolved my intentions. I would like to propose marriage to you.”
“I suppose that a man of your estate and quality will not allow me to object,” Amoranda said with a sly grin. “However, if I should comply with your request too soon, you will think I am too cheaply won and value me accordingly.”
“Actually, I am one of those who hate trouble. The less you give me over this, the more infinitely you will engage my heart to you. In fact, since your old crabby guardian is away from home and there is no time like the present, I will send for a justice of the peace. In only a half an hour we can finish the thing—and I hope I will never repent of it.”
“It is too late in the evening to find a justice of the peace, and you have no marriage license.”
“It doesn’t matter whether it is morning or night. I just happen to have a license at home that will do.”
Amoranda hid her shock as best she could. She was wondering why a man who had just been protesting about marriage happened to have a marriage license with her name on it available to him. Thankfully, he was distracted and took off for his home immediately.
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