Olivia (Logan 5)

"That's exactly right and you'll fall in love with him, I'm sure," Daddy insisted. "How could you not? He's good-looking and very intelligent. He'll make you a devoted husband."

Belinda looked totally confused and I was enjoying every moment of it.

"It's the best thing that could happen to you, my dear, and it will help the family a great deal. Does everyone agree?" He looked at Mother.

"Yes," she said. "I think it would be fine for Belinda to get married."

"So do I," I chimed. Belinda looked like she had been struck in the head. She gazed at Mother and Daddy and then at me before looking down, a strange smile on her face.

"I don't know the first thing about being a wife," she said. "I can't cook, sew, clean, keep books and I don't have any patience for children."

"Really?" I said. "That's really too bad considering you almost had one."

There was a dead silence.

"We're not supposed to talk about that," she finally said.

"So don't," I followed. "Mother, you can put down that I agreed with Daddy. Carson McGil would make a wonderful husband for Belinda and it would help our family. I know we've been in a negotiation with his father for most of the year."

"Belinda? Will you agree to let him come court you?" Daddy asked.

Belinda looked at the ceiling and sighed.

"I suppose," she said. "But if he doesn't like me, don't blame me," she added.

"Then it's settled," Daddy said. "I'll get back to him and he'll call you. He's a fine young man, distinguishing himself in his business. Don't throw away a good opportunity for yourself," Daddy warned.

"We could have an old-fashioned sort of wedding, a ceremony behind the house, couldn't we?" Mother asked.

"I don't see why not," Daddy said. "Why don't you work up a preliminary guest list, dear, and as the time draws closer, we'll review it."

"How can you plan my wedding? I didn't fall in love yet!" Belinda exclaimed.

"To be honest, Belinda, love is something that happens after a wedding, real love that is," Daddy said.

"Just keep thinking of what you can do for the family and you'll see, it will all work out for the best." He clapped his hands and declared the meeting over.

Belinda was numbed by Daddy's

announcement. A part of her wanted to be outraged and indignant that such an important aspect of her life would be dictated to her; but then there was that vain face smiling back at her from her mirrors, fanning the flames of her ego by convincing her that she was so worthwhile a catch, men would come to her father to plead for the chance to get her to fall in love with them. I realized quickly that she saw it as a form of an audition. If Carson didn't work out, there would soon be someone else knocking on the door.

"I really feel bad that Daddy expects I will marry before you do, Olivia," she told me that night. "It's almost as if my beauty is a curse, I suppose."

"That's all right," I said swallowing back my laughter. "I'll survive."

"Carson has become a very nice-looking young man. Have you seen him recently?" she asked.

"No, but I don't get out as much as you do, Belinda. If you say he's good-looking, I'm sure he is."

"Daddy's so worried about me," she muttered. She thought a moment. "I'll try and see what happens," she concluded with a sigh so deep, I thought she would deflate and collapse.

"Do that," I said.

Satisfied now that she was dating Carson because she wanted to, Belinda welcomed him warmly when he came courting. Carson was an only child, spoiled and protected from the day he was born. His parents decided he would attend private schools from kindergarten on, and so he knew few of the young people in the community. I had met him on two different occasions and found him stuffy and conceited.

He was somewhat effeminate with his long eyelashes, his very long, soft hands and his slim, sixfoot one-inch frame. He had dark brown hair, greenish-brown eyes and perfectly shaped lips. I thought he had a better complexion than most girls I knew. I knew most would kill for his eyelashes.

The second time I met him, I told Mother I thought he had been brought up by a textbook. Everything he wore always matched perfectly. He always said the right things, the proper things. In short, he was nearly the diametric opposite of Belinda, which made the prospect of such a union even more amusing to me.