CHAPTER 4:

That single invitation kept her on air for weeks as she was unusually happy.

Joan noticed and used this as an opportunity to talk to her daughter. She called Sue and sat her down.Sue sat down on the chair on the dining room as she looked at her mother with a little bit of anxiety.

"Sue ,you said you'll be attending cotillion classes ..."

"No worries mum"Sue said with a smile but Sue didn't know Joan had news of her own.

"You are right .no need guess what?"Joan said excitedly.

" What ?"Sue tried frantically to keep up with her mother's happy but somewhat meaningless empty chatter.

"The Thornes are coming to our house next two weeks on Monday "

" wow "Sue replied unenthusiastically as she continued "but mom are they coming in the morning? Cos l want to go to my friend's place for a sleepover"she said as she tried to be vaguely enthusiastic .She needed no hitches with her plan.Joan crouched,smiled and pinched her cheeks playfully that made her daughter feel uncomfortable ."awww my little baby has friends"

"Mum!" Sue said in annoyance.She had avoided her question.Joan got up and maintained her smile as she was walking out of the dining room with an almost motherly concern.

"Ok just try to look your best "

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Sue was furious .Her mother had said that the the Thornes weren't going to arrive in the morning. Now she thought of it, her mother-the crafty woman had blatantly ignored her question ,she was going to miss Taylor,her new friend's sleepover.Tay would think she was ditching her.

"Oh why?"she cried into her soft pillow

"Ding ,ding"Nicholas and Joan went to answer whoever was at the door.

"Hello Robert,Lena,please come on in"Nicholas spoke in a charming way in order to impress the radiant couple before him.

It didn't even a make dent.

The Thorne family where the richest and most powerful family.The money came as a result of an old fishing empires in the eighties .Old money,new faces.Lena Thorne looked around in distaste and gave a nod of disapproval.

Behind this powerful couple was their eighteen year old son,Damien.He was dark haired ,had sleek features like that of a model in a magazine cover .Beneath the friendly smile,he pondered on his parents' reason for him being here but he was unperturbed .

"Maria!" Nicholas yelled suddenly as a young woman in her late twenties appeared out of the blue with a peculiar face and an awkwardly stiff body.

"Bring me a bottle of the strongest wine for I and my wife and ... Robert ,Lena what if I may ask would you like todrink?"

"Same you having Nick" Robert replied with a smile.

"And a bottle of Ros'e"Lena chipped in.

"Well if that's the case,make it three bottles"Nicholas said with a grin "And oh, please tell miss Sue not to keep us all waiting" he ordered the poor maid.Maria disappeared ,running off to do her duties quickly.

Robert shifted his gaze to Nicholas and gave his host a polite smile."Do you care for a smoke?"he said."l feel a cigarette coming on" Nicholas nodded his head affirmatively .

The two men stepped out to the balcony leaving the women behind. Once they were alone and out of the earshot of the women,Robert retrieved an executive golden lighter and a cigarette box from his pockets and lit the cigarette up.As he puffed out smoke into the air,he offered one to Nicholas who reluctantly accepted.

"Nick"he began as he smoked his cigar slowly.

"Yes,Robert?"his host said as he puffed out smoke.

"You know the reason we are here?"

"No"Nicholas muttered quietly

"I want our son to marry your daughter"

Nicholas noticed the tone his guest used.Commanding like he didn't have a choice. Like'a king talking to a lowly peasant.he thought.

"Okay?"he did that trick to make it sound like a question -and to put up a show of course.

"I want our families to merge .what do you say "it was clear cut and no nonsense.Robert didn't care for formalities,he would always say yes at the end.Nicholas managed to put up an unruffled appearance.

"When will they get married?"

"As quickly as possible " Robert replied eagerly as he gave Nicholas a friendly slap on the back.

"No" his companion interjected suddenly and then with a softer tone,"let's give them a little time right? We don't know how they might take it"Robert laughed heartily.

"Do they have a choice? But anyway it's a splendid idea"his guest said obviously delighted at the turn of events.After a while,they strolled back into the mansion.

Sue cleared her throat to alert her parents of her presence. She gave a little courtly bow that etiquette demanded.

"Wonderful! What a beautiful child and has good manners too"Lena exclaimed.she was quite a talker.

Joan beamed with pride.

"Father,Maria said tea and dinner is ready.we are having rack of lamb and couscous.

"Divine" her father muttered.Her parents were glad she hadn't let them down. The adults all left for the dining table,leaving Sue and Damien to get "acquainted".

Damien had accidentally eavesdropped on his parent's conversation days before.he became nervous.he had to marry a girl he had just met. Man ,that was just so twisted!.

Sue stared at him to the way beyond.even as she continued to gaze at an extremely cute Damien,she didnt budge. It wasn't like they said she should talk to him and besides she had a high cute boy tolerance .

Sue wasn't going to lose this staring match.Damien was at loss on what to do next ,The way she was staring at him was drilling holes into his very essence.

An hour passed.

"Come on Damien we are leaving" Lena said on the way to the door.

"Alright mother"Damien said with a kind of apologetic smile and got up.Robert and Nicholas briefly shook hands as the family departed.

Nicholas beckoned on Sue to come and told her the great news.It was the end for Sue.

"You are getting married to Damien Thorne"her father said with a note of finality.it was all over.

Sue felt her whole world crashing and burning all around her and there was basically nothing she could do about it.