Once the paperwork had been signed by both fathers and the potentially happy couple things moved really quick. While Penny entertained the four children their fathers holed up with Lester and Hugh.

Tea in the Pink Drawing Room was a formal affair that Penny usually enjoyed presiding over. Today, though, was just that little bit more awkward than usual. Nonetheless, Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward was in her last year of finishing school and knew exactly how to behave.

'I shall pour. Scott, John, I know how you take your tea,' she said, ignoring Scott's expected cringe. 'But I do not know what you would like, Miss Van Arkel and Miss Fourie. What can I get you?'

'Tea will be fine for myself. Hanni?'

'Tea will be fine.'

With a bright smile Penny poured the tea and a coffee for Scott, and proffered the small cakes that Cook had prepared. The boys helped themselves as usual, but the two girls refused. They were nervous.

It was time for Penny to turn up the charm.

'So, Miss Van Arkel. Have you thought about where you go from here?'

'Marion. Please call me Marion.'

'Thank you. You can call me Penny. Now, I understand that congratulations might be in order for you both, Scott and Marion?'

It was John's cup that clattered onto the saucer.

But it was the cry of 'WHAT?!' that had all five of them whipping around to the doorway.

Tanusha Kyrano stood there, shock clear on her face, which was somehow both paler than usual and rapidly turning red before she turned and fled.

With more tact than was usual for the eldest Tracy, Scott carefully put his cup down and strode after her. John winced, as did Penny on the inside, but she turned to her guests.

'Have you decided how you are going forward?'

'Going forward?'

'I mean, how you are going to plan the wedding?'

'Honestly, Penny, I haven't even…sigh…I haven't got to terms with the fact I'm getting married, let alone considered how to organise anything.'

'If you want – only if you want, mind you, I have the name of an excellent dressmaker who will whip you up something in quick time. How long are you planning before you tie the knot?'

John put down his cup – carefully, because he knew Penny would skin him alive if he damaged the china – and left to find his brother and sister. He couldn't bear to listen to this.

Once Scott had left the room he broke out into a light jog, only just keeping his fleeing sister in sight. Unsurprisingly Kayo headed outside, through the formal gardens to the wilder acreage of the grounds not commonly seen. Scott knew where she was heading.

As expected, Kayo was standing in the large lake, shoes abandoned on the shore and her cargo pants soaking up the water. She stood with her back to him, and Scott wasted no time removing his shoes and socks, rolling his trousers up = his Grandma would kill him if he soaked his suit trousers – and wading up to stand behind her.

For several moments they stood side by side saying nothing.

'I'm sorry, Tan. I didn't want you to find out like this. I was coming to tell you as soon as we finished but you know how Penny is, she insisted on tea.'

'Yeah, I bet she did. Why did she know before me, Scott? Am I the last to know? I thought we were closer than that.'

'Tan, we are. '

'So I am. Some sister I am, that you told your brother's best friend before you told me.'

'That's not fair, Tan.'

'Don't call me that. It's Kayo.'

'Please, Tan…'

But whatever Scott was going to say was lost in the lake as Kayo shoved him hard. Caught by surprise he went down heavily, just as John arrived. He couldn't help but grin at the scene – he was just wise enough to wait for Kayo to storm past him before striding into the water to help Scott up.

'Well, that went about as well as could be expected.'

'Grandma's going to kill me.'

'She won't be the only one. Wait until Gordon realised you upset Kayo.'

'Gee, thanks so much, John.'

John laughed and pulled Scott out of the water and the two headed back to the house to their rooms. Changing was first on the list before returning to the party. Scott dreaded what had happened between Penny and his bride-to-be while they were gone. He knew how persuasive the aristocrat could be.

When they re-entered the drawing room the woman were laughing. It made Scott smile – he got the impression that Marion was not usually the shy woman he'd talked to in the garden, and he sat down beside her rather than on the other couch.

Marion blushed faintly and looked to Hanneli for help as John took his seat next to Penny. But Hanni knocked shoulders with her and she recovered herself quickly.

'Penny was kind enough to volunteer to be our wedding planner.'

'Oh.'

'Oh? Is that all you have to say, Scott?'

'Sorry, Penny. This is a little beyond me.'

'Don't worry. All I need is a date. Have the two of you decided yet?'

'Um…'

'No. I, er, I think that our fathers are sorting all that out now with your father and Mr Tracy's lawyer.'

'Ok. What about your engagement notice.'

'Engagement notice?'

'Captain Scott Tracy, you must announce your engagement! It is expected of someone of your standing, and it is most definitely expected of Miss Van Arkel. Leave it to me, I shall have an announcement out in the Times by the end of the day.'

'Thank you, Penny.'

'You are most welcome. Now, Scott. All we need from you is a colour scheme.'

'You want my imput?'

'Of course!'

'Well, um, I guess my favourite colour is blue…'

'Excellent! It's July now, if we aim for a winter wedding you could wear the most gorgeous blue fur trim…'

Scott tuned Penny out as she posited several ideas and he sat back, angling himself slightly so that he could watch Marion's expressions without openly staring at her. As the three women exchanged ideas – ideas Scott was sure he shouldn't be party to – Marion's posture began to relax.

John had tuned the chatter out much earlier, just as unsure of why he was there as Scott was and equally as unwilling to be the one to leave first. But as the talk moved from 'blue fur' to blue flowers he knew he couldn't take much more of this.

Thankfully they were rescued by their Fathers returning.

Or…they should have been, but Penny folded the four men into the tea party, pulling the bell and summoning Parker who appeared moments later with a tray full of fresh tea and coffee. Once drinks were served Penny did what Penny did best. She held court, safe in the knowledge that her father and Jeff – and by extension Mr Breitenbach – knew better than to even attempt to stop her and that Mr Van Arkel would revel in the attention.

'Well now isn't this nice!'

She smiled brightly at them all and took a sip.

'I have offered to help with the wedding in any way I can. Is there a date you have in mind?'

The three older men looked at each other. To no one's surprise it was Pieter who answered first.

'How quickly can we organise it?'

'Quickly? Mr Van Arkel, if nothing else, rushing into a marriage between two such families as yourselves will only cause vicious gossip. I will happily put out the engagement notice today, but anything less than three months you are asking for trouble.'

Penny paused and took another sip as her news sank in. The Tracys were very good friends and she would do anything to prevent harmful gossip. It would affect Jeff as much as Scott. And while she knew the Van Arkels by reputation, she knew that this could potentially ruin the woman for life. She waited for the optimum time before starting again.

'Right then. October is a lovely month for a wedding. Have you decided where you will have it? I mean, traditionally it is held where the bride lives, and Johannesburg will be lovely at that time of year, nice and warm. Or if that is not to your liking I know October is mild in Kansas and can be a bit…blustery, shall we say, here in England.'

'Penelope…'

'Yes, Father?'

'Don't get ahead of yourself, my girl. I'm sure that Mr Tracy and Mr Van Arkel have much to discuss still about the wedding.'

'Of course, Father. I was merely offering.'

'Thank you, Penny. Pieter and I still have the finer points to discuss with Scott and Marion, but your offer is very kind and welcome.'

'You are most welcome, Mr Tracy. Would you like me to put the engagement notice out?'

Jeff looked at his son. It had not escaped his notice that Scott and Marion were seated together, nor that the boy was angled so that he could observe discreetly. Inwardly he sighed. Lester was right, of course, but now that Scott had made his mind up Jeff found he couldn't bring himself to pull out now, sure that if he had Scott would have gone ahead and married Marion anyway. He'd not missed that protective note in Scott's voice that he'd heard several times as the boys were growing up.

'Hugh, is there a room that the four of us' – he indicated himself, Van Arkel and their two children – 'can have a moment?'

'Of course, Jeff. Parker, can you show Mr Tracy to the Yellow Room?'

'Yes, Sir.'

The party of four left, leaving Hanneli feeling a little awkward since she didn't know anyone here, but Penny engaged her in small talk, asking questions to get to know Marion better, while Lord Hugh and John discussed the latest developments in space exploration and the time passed pleasantly enough.

In the Yellow Room Van Arkel and Marion stood by the window while Jeff spoke to Scott quietly outside the door.

'Son, I know that this is not what you wanted, and Lester is right, I should have discussed this better with you and he. Van Arkel was a surprise and he railroaded me, something I am not used to. But I say this now, as your Father. If you say no now, I will not be disappointed and I shall back you up one hundred percent.'

'No. I gave my word. I will not go back on it.'

'I thought you would say that.'

He handed Scott a ring box. Scott stared at it for a moment, lost for words. The fact that being engaged meant giving Marion a ring had not even crossed his mind. For a wild moment he didn't want to open it, didn't want to see his Mother's engagement ring staring back at him.

But open it he did and was surprised.

There were three rings in the box. One was his Mom's. One was his Grandma's and the other looked new. Scott looked at his father with a question he couldn't quite put into words.

'Your Mom would have wanted you to use her ring, but this is not the most normal of arrangements so I thought you would like a choice. Grandma Evans' ring is equally your right to choose, but I thought you might like a ring that had no connotations to it. Scott – pick whichever ring you would like, just know that I am proud of you, whichever you choose.'

Giving his shoulder a squeeze, Jeff left him standing outside while he entered and pulled Van Arkel to one side.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Scott picked his ring and pocketed the other two to return later. He didn't know why he did it, but he knocked and waited for a response before entering.

Marion, hearing the knock, called for Scott to enter when it became apparent that whatever was about to happen was between her and Scott alone. She watched, more nervous than ever, as Scott came straight to her.

Flashing her a small smile, Scott stopped before Marion. He took her left hand and kissed it gently before getting down on one knee.

'Marion Aleta Van Arkel, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?'

'Yes. Yes, I will.'

Scott slid his Mother's ring onto her finger before standing and tenderly wiping away the tear on Marion's cheek.