"Now, Alice, do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?" Lorina asked me after we got done congratulating her on her engagement.
"I promise-"
"No, no, put your hand on your heart when you promise," Lorina said cutting off my promise.
I put my hand over my heart and started again. "I promise not to tell Mother or Father about your engagement."
"Good. Now, Ms. Nigbits do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?"
"You know I won't," the maid said. The maid's voice sounded like it had a pinch of anger in it. Now, that I think about it the maid didn't really congratulate Lorina on her engagement. The maid only told her that she better hope her Mother-in-law didn't expect her to cook.
"But do you promise not to tell Mother or Father about my engagement?"
The maid put her hand over her heart and said, "Fine, I promise not to tell Mr. Liddell or Mrs. Liddell about their daughter's engagement."
"Excellent! Now, Alice do you promise to act surprised when Samuel and I tell Mother and Father about our engagement tonight?"
"But, I'm not good at acting!"
"Then practice being surprised. I need you to look surprised when Samuel comes over to tell Mother and Father about our engagement."
"But, what if Mother or Father asks me why I'm making such funny faces?"
"Then tell them you are practicing for the theater."
"I can't lie to Mother and Father!" I can't believe Lorina would expect me to lie to Mother and Father.
"Then don't say anything to Mother and Father today until after Samuel and I tell them about our engagement."
"But then I will have to be quiet all day."
"Well, you could just avoid Mother and Father all day. That way you wouldn't tell them about my engagement."
"But it's raining outside! How could I avoid Mother and Father if I can't go outside?"
"Oh, my look at the time! I better go start the laundry," the maid said before Lorina could answer my question.
"Before you go, Ms. Nigbits, I need you to promise to act surprised when I tell Mother and Father about my engagement with Samuel tonight."
"Fine, I promise to act surprised when you break the news with your fiancé tonight," the maid said with her hand over her heart.
"Yay!" Lorina happily said as the maid left the room. This was probably the first sentence Lorina has said that didn't use the word engagement.
"So, how can I avoid Mother and Father if I can't go outside?"
"Think of it as a game. That way you wouldn't tell Mother and Father about my engagement."
A/N
So, I used James Birdsong's choice of name for the fiancé. Come on down to claim your prize!
Did anybody else find the word "engagement" annoying?
. . .
B/N Chocolate chip muffins = my note of wisdom