Astoria

f i f t y

"I know that, but this is a special occasion," fussed Therese. "So navy blue or emerald green?"

Isabella sighed. "I suppose you should go with the blue then."

"So gold or silver for accents?"

Isabella groaned. "Silver!" she said, impatiently.

Therese smiled and turned to the decorator who was accompanying her, giving him the orders again in case he hadn't heard.

"Now," said Therese. "I simply need Antony's opinion."

"I'm sure that Antony doesn't really care, Mother," she said, sighing. "He's letting you plan the entire event for a reason..."

"Nonetheless, I feel like I should ask."

Antony entered the room just then. "Ask what?" he questioned, frowning.

"Blue or green?" said Therese, happily, holding up the fabric swatches. Isabella smirked at her cousin over her mother's shoulders and Antony gave her a helpless look.

"I suppose the blue is nice..." he said, finally.

"That's what Isabella said," nodded Therese. "Silver or gold accents?"

"Silver?"

Therese nodded and turned to confer once more with the decorator.

Isabella went to Antony's side and stood on tiptoe to whisper to him. "She's obsessed with decorating for the winter gala, and she still thinks that I would find a kindred spirit with Lord Andrew."

"Have you told her about Kade?"

"Every time I've tried to bring it up, she changes the subject or brings up Andrew again. It's not as if Andrew isn't nice, or even genuinely pleasant company. I just don't love him."

Antony nodded gravely. "Sooner or later you need to force her to stay on subject," he said. "Isa, at some point you have to let your mother know that you will finish having your say before she moves on. If Kade is important to you, that is. And I know he is, therefore, you shouldn't have a problem."

"Easy for you to say," she said, frowning grumpily and crossing her arms. "Word has, of course, begun to travel about how you confronted my Aunt Catherine. Needless to say, she needed it."

Antony smiled. "She certainly did. However, she seems to have been on her best behavior ever since, even going so far as to get along with her sister."

Isabella watched her mother. "I suppose she'll try to force the Lady Adelaide on you again?"

Antony sighed. "She would...If I weren't going to set her straight on that matter presently."

Isabella smirked, looping her arm through her cousin's. "Am I correct then in assuming that you've fallen rather hard for my lovely friend?"

"You are, as usual, right, dear cousin," he admitted.

She smiled and hugged him. "I'm very happy for you," she said softly. "You both are two of the dearest people in the world to me and I want nothing more for you than happiness."

"You are one of the dearest people I know, cousin," he said, and then pulled back to face her. "I also want nothing more for you than happiness, which is exactly why I'm going to tell your mother about Kade if you don't do it soon."

She laughed and playfully smacked his arm. "Alright, alright," she said. "I'll take the hint. But for now, I'm off to see Meredith. Don't worry..." She smirked as she turned back at the door. "I'll give her your love."