Legacy of Love

"Everyone, listen up," William said from the head of the table, tapping the edge slightly to catch the attention of everyone. Williams was a family man, and for that reason, he had the entire family back at his mansion every Sunday for dinner to get away. That way, they could discuss and gloss over the events of the week and give each other updates. 

After dinner every night, the men got together and watched a sport regardless of what was airing at that time. They all seemed to enjoy the time together. The older women would go out to the balcony and have tea while talking; they called it talking, but everyone knew very well that it was gossip. The younger girls would cluster in Lila's room and try to really catch up on what had been going on. 

Everyone raises their head to William at the head of the table. He dropped his spoon to his plate and propped his elbow on the table so he could intertwine his fingers. Seeing his posture, everyone could tell that this was serious business, so they all kept quiet and dropped their cutlery to their plates as well. 

"Lila," he said, calling on his last daughter. She looked at him, trying to decipher what he was going to say. She could not read minds, but she was sure this had something to do with her marriage. Both of her elder sisters had gotten married at the age of twenty-four, and she was already a year late, according to her father's timeline, which made her wonder if he was really going to set up a marriage for her as he did with her sisters. 

"You are going to be getting married to Levi Beaumont," the smile on her face faded. She understood her father's proposition to want to choose space for them because of their position in society. It was best for them to get married to the rich so they could stay rich longer. That was the only way that the Carrington family has been able to stand and stay rich for five generations now. That was the same with the Beaumont family, but it did not make sense for both families to get married. They could say the name of each, so how could her father suggest that she get married to their enemy?

"William?" Eleanor screamed at him with her eyes open. She was his wife, and he did not want to discuss this with her before springing it up on them at this family dinner. 

"Woman, let me be," he said. That was not his usual response, so it made everyone reel in shock. 

"Daddy, you must have made a mistake in the name because surely you cannot ask me to marry a Beaumont," Lila said from beside her sister at the tail end of the table with her cousins sitting there. 

"I have made no mistake; you will marry Levi Beaumont." They all stared at his face. The youngsters expected him to burst into uncontrollable laughter and tell them that it was all a prank, and he wanted to see the expression on their faces. If he did, that would not be out of his character; after all, that was the kind of man that he was. The laughter did not come, and so Elizabeth spoke. She was his first daughter and had been given to marriage to the Ashbourne family; she held the hand of her husband under the tale and cleared her throat.