The Settling of Scores

Chapter 7

            In the morning, Priscilla and Avery shared their first breakfast together after informing the household staff of the pending nuptials. Everyone seemed happy for them.

            During breakfast, they discussed the wedding and the guests who would attend. Avery wanted to know if there was anyone Priscilla wanted to invite to attend their wedding? Since she and Jason moved from Hartford to Bridgeport, only a few months before his murder, she had not had time to make any. She also had no relatives in America to invite.

            Avery smiled and told her his friends would become hers once they were married.

            She hoped that would be so.

            The dinning room was still under renovation so the ballroom was their choice for where the wedding and the wedding dinner would take place. She was to decorate it as she wished and she was not to worry about the expense.

            Priscilla saw him to the door, where he kissed her goodbye in front of Hitchings, who tried to look anywhere but at them.

            "You look very happy, Mrs. Brightmore," Hitchings told her once Avery was gone.

            "I am, Mr. Hitchings, I am," Priscilla beamed at the butler then went in search of Cook to plan the food for the wedding dinner. She thought Avery would invite around fifty people to their wedding.

                                                                *                 *               *

            Avery hummed a lively little tune as he rode to the shipyards that morning, happy at how his plans came to fruition sooner than he expected them too.

            In three days, Priscilla would be his wife.

            She'd said yes to him and even after he told her about his past, she still said she would marry him.

            This morning their breakfast together made it seem as if they were a happily married couple who shared their plans for their day with one another. It was a pleasure to have someone you cared for sitting across the table from you. Their life together was going to be just as he imagined it would be.

            Priscilla glowed this morning as they went over their wedding plans for Monday. If he didn't need to have Donald Treeman send out the invitations right away, he would have stayed home with her today.

            Three days. Three very long nights.

            He hoped he would make it to the wedding before hauling her upstairs to their-soon-to-be-shared bedchamber.

            Once he arrived at the shipyard, he told Donald Treeman he wanted to see him and Ma'xethetane in his office right away for an important meeting. Donald was scurrying from behind his desk while Avery strode on to his office. Taking off his coat and hat, Avery was just sitting down behind his desk when the two men entered.

            "I have an announcement to make," Avery told them once the men sat down in his office. "I'm to be married on Monday." Avery couldn't seem to help the silly grin that came upon his face.

            "Congratulations, sir," Treeman told him. "Do we know the lady?"

            "It's Mrs. Brightmore, isn't it," Ma'xehetane said returning Avery's smile.