Cora smoothed down her dress as Garrett handed her coat over to very large and balding man with kind eyes who had opened the door for them. "Cora this is Boggs, he's worked for my family for as long as I can remember, Boggs this is Cora Scott."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Scott," he said with a smile before turning and leading the way towards a pair of closed doors on the left of the foyer.

The house was an hour's drive from the center of Boston and sat on a few acres of land. It looked as if it had been built in the 1950s in the Antebellum style. The front porch had been grand with large support columns that stood to either side of the front door. The foyer had a sweeping staircase that rose to a gallery that looked down on the entrance to the house. Everything was white and all Cora could think about, with her practical mind-set, was that it must be a nightmare to keep clean.

Garrett took her hand and looked down at her before opening the door.  "What are you thinking so hard about?" he whispered.

"I'm thinking that with all of this white this place must be very hard to keep clean," Cora whispered back.

She missed Boggs's lips twitch as he opened the door for them.

"Wait until the grandchildren come," Garrett whispered back as he pushed her forward.

This time Boggs didn't bother to hide his grin as he nodded at Garrett before closing the door behind them.

Cora was so stunned by his comment that she forgot to be nervous as she looked up at him in shock.  She hadn't considered their having children together. The thought gave her a warm contented feeling as she had a quick image of little Garretts running through the house.

After a moment, she followed his gaze towards the room full of people, at least it felt as if it was full of people.  There were really only six of them. There were two older couples and Teddy, who had a tall blond man standing next to her.

"Cora!" she greeted as she rushed towards her and enveloped her in a warm hug. "It's good to see you again."

Cora hugged her back glad for the friendly face and warm greeting.

"Everyone this is Cora, Cora these are my parents, Garrett and Hannah Reed." Cora shook hands with a couple that looked to be in their early fifties. Mrs. Reed had blond hair that was cut short and delicate features and Mr. Reed looked just like Garrett, the only difference was that he had gray mixed in with his black hair.

"This is Theo and Jackie Styles, they're Theodora's parents." Cora now knew where Teddy got her unique name from. They were both very tall with dark hair and eyes. Mrs. Styles was unbelievably skinny and Mr. Styles had a very sharp nose.

"Garrett and Cora this is Conrad Muller." The tall blond man stepped forward and shook their hands, greeting them with a thick German accent. "Conrad is from Germany." Teddy added, affirming Cora's guess.

Cora was led over to a sofa by Teddy where she was invited to sit. Everyone followed their lead except Garrett who moved to fix them both a drink.

The conversation was stilted at first, until Garrett's mother took things into her own hands and directed it in a pleasant manner that had everyone wanting to have their say. Garrett presented Cora with a sparkling water before sitting in the chair next to her, joining in on the conversation, and between him and his mother they managed to keep it going.

Cora didn't say much as she watched the personalities around her.  She noted that Conrad was very taken with Teddy and Teddy's parents were not nearly as warm and friendly as Teddy. Garrett's father seemed distracted and his mother kept shooting her questioning looks. It was beginning to make Cora apprehensive about Garrett's announcement.

When they all rose to go to dinner Garrett held Cora back, watching the others leave before placing himself between her and the door with his back towards the foyer. "What's wrong Cora?"

"I don't think this is a good idea, your mother-,"

'Doesn't know you." He cut her off mid-sentence.  "She's not as bad as she looks, I promise.  She raised me after all and I am pretty amazing."

Cora was to tense to be amused by his joke. "Maybe we should wait until she knows me better. We could pretend to date a little before we announce that we're getting married."

"Are you having second thoughts already Cora?" he asked softly, taking her face in his hands as he searched her eyes for an answer.

When he looked at her like that she forgot everything. Her eyes met his and she bit her lip as her gaze traveled down to his lips.

"Are you?" he asked again after her continued silence.

"No."

"Good." He said as she took her lips in quick hard kiss before someone clearing their throat behind Garrett caught his attention. As he turned, stepping away from Cora, she saw his mother watching them.

Garrett grinned as he took Cora's elbow and followed his mother into the dining room where he held out her chair and saw her settled before he settled himself.

"What held you two up?" Teddy asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I'm sure your able to guess Theodora," Mrs. Reed said dryly as she took her seat.

"When's the happy day to be then?" Teddy asked.

There was a sudden stillness in the room as everyone looked at Cora and Garrett.

"As soon as possible if I have anything to say about it." Garrett smiled before turning to his mother. "Congratulate us Mother, I've asked Cora to marry me and she's said yes."

"But you've only known each other for three weeks!" Mrs. Styles exclaimed.

Cora placed her hands under the table and started to wring them. She wasn't sure if she was upset more by Theodora forcing Garrett into an announcement, Garrett's mother's obvious displeasure at the announcement, or the fact that Theodora knew that Garrett was going to ask her. If Theodora knew he had asked her then it meant that he had discussed it with her beforehand.

So much for everyone thinking it was a love match.

Even though her hands were busy under the table and she wanted to run away, she kept up the appearance of being calm. Aunt Mable had been good for something after all, for if she could withstand years of her verbal abuse she could withstand Garrett's mother's disapproval.

"I think it's wonderful, you two make a perfect match!" Teddy said as the first round of dinner was served.

Cora looked up at Boggs as he set her plate before her and he gave her a friendly smile. She returned it as best she could with a word of thanks.

Everyone congratulated them as Mrs. Styles's earlier comment was ignored while the conversation moved on to potential dates and locations for a wedding. Cora had very little to say on the subject as she tried her best to eat some of the delicious food that was placed before her.

Finally, as dinner ended, she was able to make a temporary escape when she asked for the powder room and Boggs showed her the way.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the wall. Why had she and Garrett thought this would work?  If his family didn't believe they would make a good match no one would. She wanted to cry but she couldn't. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, fixing her limited makeup and hair with a shaking hand. She had pulled her red hair back into a chignon and she was wearing the same blue dress that she had worn the week before when she had met Teddy. She still looked painfully thin but it seemed to be the fashion even if her pale face was not.

Realizing that she needed to return or they would suspect something was wrong, she took another deep breath and headed back towards the living room where everyone else had headed. As she reached the door she could hear raised voices and she stopped, not wanting to intrude but unable to not listen to the conversation that was happening.

"How can you marry her? You don't know anything about her Garrett!" Mrs. Reed insisted.

"I love her Mother." Garrett's voice sounded firm and sure. How Cora wished it was true.

"You've known her for three weeks!" Mrs. Styles repeated her earlier comment.

"We all hoped that you and Theodora would get married one day." Mrs. Reed said before Mrs. Styles had even finished her comment.

Cora felt a hand on her arm and looked behind her to see Teddy listening as well. She gave Cora's arm a gentle tug and pulled her across the hall and into what appeared to be a library.

"Are you mad at me Cora?" she asked, once the door was closed behind them.

"No, should I be?"

"Yes, I forced you and Garrett to tell everyone. I did it because I didn't want either one of you to change your mind."

"So, you knew he was going to ask and that he had asked?" Cora watched Teddy closely and she had the grace to blush.

"He mentioned it, for what it's worth I told him that I liked you and I liked the idea. I really do think you two will be perfect for each other."

Cora shook her head, "Why don't you two just marry each other?"

"We have no wish to marry each other," she hissed, peeking out the door.

"Why not? You obviously love each other very much."

"Not in the marriage kind of way."

"He doesn't love me, this is a marriage of convenience, even if you two aren't madly in love with each other you still love each other and that's more than we have."

"No Cora, it's not. You're in love with him. You may not realize it yet but you are, and the attraction is there, isn't it?" She watched Cora blush and Teddy smiled as the door behind her was pushed open.

"Why did you both leave me in there?" Garrett pushed Teddy further in the room before closing the door behind him.

"Where's Conrad?" Cora asked, realizing that he was either in the room with the parents or he had gone.

"He left, I saw him off just before I found you." Teddy threw herself down in a chair.

"Found her?" Garrett must have picked up something in Teddy's tone because he turned and looked at her in askance.

"I found her listening to our mothers hounding you. She wants to know why we don't get married instead." Cora couldn't miss the look they exchanged and Teddy shook her head subtly, but not subtly enough.

Garrett turned to Cora, taking her shoulders with both his hands. "Cora, with both of us here, believe us when we say we never have and we never would consider marriage. No matter how badly our parents want us to. If you choose not to marry me that's fine, but it won't change the fact that Theodora and I will never marry."

"I swear!" Teddy held up her hand as if she was in court. "Garrett mentioned that he was thinking about marrying you and that he wanted me to meet you, that was all. He didn't tell me that you agreed, but I'm not stupid.  If you're both here, meeting the parents, it could only mean one thing. That he had asked and you had accepted."

"Is that what this is all about?" Garrett turned a surprised look on Cora but Cora wouldn't look at him.

"Would you excuse us Theodora?"

Teddy stood up and left without another word, leaving her and Garrett alone with a tense silence.

"You've said yes now Cora, it will be you I come to for advice in the future. I didn't have you then, but I have you now." At Cora's continued silence he gave her a little shake, "Cora, do you want me to see less of Theodora?"

"No!" Cora wasn't sure what she wanted but she like Teddy and she meant a lot to Garrett. Forcing them apart wouldn't help anyone. "I like Teddy."

"Then what is it?"

Cora felt the tears start and Garrett gathered her close. "Cora?" he asked softly.

"I've been disliked for so long Garrett. I had hoped your parents would at least like me a little." She sniffed into his shirt.

She felt him take a deep breath. "I...I like you Cora, and I promise you, that in time, they will like you too, maybe even love you."

He tilted her head back and wiped her tears with his thumb. "Let's go home. We've done what we came to do. You wait here and I'll go say our goodbyes, O.K."

Cora nodded as he hugged her close once more before releasing her, she felt bereft as his arms left her.

*******

Garrett closed the door softly behind him, leaving Cora alone in the library. He was beyond mad, none of it had gone to plan and Cora had been hurt. He stomped across the hall, he was also angry that he had almost revealed to her that he loved her. He would have to be much more careful in the future.

He entered the living room closing the door behind him.

"Cora and I are leaving, she's upset." He noted that Theodora was sitting, subdued, in a chair by the fireplace, sipping a glass of wine.

"Why is she upset?" His mother made it sound like it was a fault in Cora's personality.

"Maybe it's because you've been less than welcoming, maybe it's the fact that she overheard you suggesting, once again, that Theodora and I get married, or maybe, it's because Theodora forced the announcement of our engagement." He noted that his mother looked suddenly concerned.

"I am going to marry Cora, she will be your daughter-in-law. I do love her. But, even if something were to happen and we didn't marry; you and Jackie need to accept that Theodora and I will never marry."

"Never." Theodora backed him up with her firm voice.

"I'll go apologize-," his mother started for the door.

"No, not now. I'll let you know when the time is right." He placed a kiss on her cheek. It couldn't have been easy to hear that her son was getting married to a total stranger, and it wasn't her fault that Cora had overheard her talking, but it was out of character for her to treat Cora as abruptly as she had. His mother was generally a warm and welcoming person. But he would have to figure out the why another time.

"I'll call you soon." He wanted to get Cora home and away from everyone else. It was easier when it was only the two of them, and it would have to be that way for a little longer, until she was more sure of their relationship, and a ring on her finger would definitely help.