When the coachman stopped with the carriage, it was already dinnertime. The men were seated at the table, waiting only for Nanny and Sofia.
"You shouldn't have waited for us," Nanny said.
"Good evening," Sofia simply said and went to sit next to her brother.
Sofia was furious as she suspected that he had begged for a job. It was written all over his face. He was too satisfied with himself.
"Did you play a trick on me?" Sofia asked as the first course was about to be served.
"Not at all," the young man said.
"Your brother told us about his situation," Mr. Scott said.
"What did he tell you?" the girl immediately asked.
"I said I'm looking for a wife," Johnny replied irritably.
"And that he's looking for a job as a coachman," added Edgar.
"A coachman?"
"Actually," Edgar said, "we offered him this job. You know, our coachman is quite old now. It's time for him to enjoy a well-deserved rest."
"Johnny doesn't know how to drive a carriage," Sofia said, shaking her head.
"These are things you learn," Johnny said.
"If you can understand medicine, why can't Johnny learn to drive a carriage?" Edgar said between bites.
"You don't know my brother..."
"He seems like a good man to me," Mr. Scott said in his defense. The second course arrived, and Sofia decided to focus on it instead of engaging in conversation. The men, however, continued with their discussions. Over and over again.
"You're strangely quiet, Miss Swan," Edgar noticed. "How was your trip to the milliner? Did you find something you like?"
"Yes," the girl nodded. "They'll bring it here tomorrow. I hope it's not a problem that I gave them your address."
"No problem."
"And what about you? Have you already chosen what to wear?" Mr. Scott asked Johnny.
"Me?" the young man smiled.
"Of course, you're invited as well," Mr. Scott added.
"Thank you very much. It will be a great opportunity to find a wife."
"You're still so young," Mr. Scott said. "How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"And your sister?"
"Twenty-one."
Edgar almost choked on his food.
"You're twenty-one and you've never been to a ball?" he asked, shocked.
"If you haven't noticed, we're not from your world," Sofia said.
"Yes, I know, and yet it sounds strange to me."
"There's nothing strange about it. She had to work to support the family," Nanny explained.
"After our parents died, she took care of me and my other siblings," Johnny said. "I'll be infinitely grateful to her."
"And how do you plan to pay for university, Miss Swan, since your parents are dead?"
"I'm hoping for a scholarship."
"Only the best win scholarships," Edgar pointed out.
"Who told you I'm not one of them?"
"Because we've never talked about medicine. How do you cure smallpox?"
"It's incurable and often deadly," Sofia said.
"Our parents died of smallpox," Johnny explained.
"I know," Edgar nodded.
"If you knew that, then why did you mention this disease, out of the thousands of diseases in this world? Why this one? Aren't you a cruel man?"
Sofia stood up and left the table. Edgar tried to follow her, but she ran straight to her room.