Heart's Content

Part Thirty-Nine

{'A Soiree' by George Goodwin Kilburne from Wikimedia Commons}

Over the next several days Mai-Falais began filling with an even greater abundance of life as wedding guests arrived in droves beginning with Genevieve's grandparents and ending with the Anoreens. Genevieve's paternal, as well as her adopted grandparents through her uncle were all equally delighted to be there and seemed to be just as kind and genuine as Sola, Genevieve, and Marques. They filled the remaining days until the wedding with positivity and energy that was so different from Maurice and Nadine that the two stood out strangely in the presence of their soon to be in-laws and Sabien felt that if he must marry someone who wasn't of his choosing, he was fortunate to be marrying into a family such as that of Genevieve.

An invitation had been extended to the Anoreens to stay at Mai-Falais, not out of remorse or pity but out of respect for the family since they had all been long time friends of the Olivays and it was hoped that they understood the reasoning behind the end of Ellory and Sabien's potential engagement. Although they had received the invitation, they chose not to accept because they thought it would be best to take lodgings elsewhere for Ellory's sake.

Lisette and Sabien were unaware of their arrival until Maurice informed them that Mister Anoreen had stopped by the shop to give his greetings. They both wanted to see Ellory, Sabien desperately so, but they each knew that it would be best not to because all it could possibly do is remind her of what was not to be. Sabien never sent his letters just for the sake of not prolonging their heartache, Ellory's over his because he knew he would never cease to think of her and while he hoped that she would always think of him, at the same time he wished that she would be rid of her love for him and able to move on.

Aside from his own desire and Ellory's heart, he also had to consider Genevieve's family and what was expected of him as her future husband. They were such good natured people that he never wanted them to know that he loved someone else and that their engagement had been called off by his parents so that he could marry Genevieve. It wasn't for the fact that the deceit would show his family in a different light but because he knew that Marques and Sola would both feel dreadful and he didn't ever wish for them to bear the sort of guilt that he knew would likely come from telling them the truth.

The days became filled with activity and it was likely that Genevieve would have been very out of place and uncomfortable with all of the people around her if it wasn't for Sabien's presence and even more so, if it weren't for Lisette. They both helped her to acclimatize herself to her new situation and with their encouragement she had become less preoccupied by her appearance. Lisette was a natural hostess and Genevieve often found herself smiling at how effortlessly she interacted with strangers and old acquaintances alike. She found new admiration for her with each smile and laugh she offered their guests and couldn't help but smile herself.

They were all fairly good at playing their parts in front of the guests, Lisette in particular and her outgoing nature was infectious in multiple ways, one of those ways Genevieve easily perceived through Nathaniel. It wasn't only in how his own innate charm intermingled with that of Lisette, it also came with each slight smile he gave as Lisette spoke and the affectionate and subtle touches he offered with his fingertips to her elbow or the back of her hand. Lisette never seemed to take any notice of the gestures Nathaniel made towards her, and carried on with her interactions joyfully, and her feelings of elation were all due to the man who she was only socially paying any attention to. Even though they were to be married, she made no effort to act towards him as though he were her fiance, her attention on Genevieve whenever it was not engaged in conversation with someone else.

Genevieve couldn't fault Lisette for how she behaved, at best she only stood beside Sabien and didn't show him affection as Nathaniel showed Lisette and Sabien was the same. Lisette's outlook of the future was all positivity and even though he believed that the cause of her mood was on account of him, Nathaniel remained unaware of the true reason for Lisette's joy though he was affected by it. Genevieve was also affected by that same joy, though not in the way one would think. The more absorbed by the prospect of a joyous future that Lisette became, the more Genevieve became aware of what would be expected of them as wives.