“Yes,” he replies shortly.

"Ah- Miss Kreel, this is my eldest son, Altan -" she's still a little flustered, it's all so sudden. "Your brother is engaged to be married!"

At that her mind finally lurches back into life. 

She reads through the situation with Ambrose and his brother immediately. Perhaps there is more she can do here, to bind Ambrose more tightly to her -

She smiles blandly and bows her head to the elder brother. "It's a pleasure to meet the man who will be my brother. Ambrose has told me so many stories about you, some of them so fascinating-" her smile is getting wider, like a shark's, "but of course I am sure your mother and father have heard them all many times."

He’s beaming, his hand on her back.

Eat that, Altan.

Alright, she’s scary. Beautiful – seriously, how the hell did Ambrose pull this one out of the bag? – but scary. He supposes it just runs in the family, all the Kreel children are a little strange, but–

He’ll bite. He likes her already.

“In that case, I look forward to making a… proper introduction.”

She tilts her head and smiles. "I'm sure it will all be made clear, sooner or later."

She cuts back in quickly. Her eldest always did have a bad habit of being himself around important people. "Altan, dearest, we were just discussing plans for the wedding."

"Indeed!" His youngest son has finally discovered women and managed to get the Kreel girl and this needs to be handled properly. "We will seek Her Majesty's permission for the use of the cathedral - it will take time, of course, but these things must be observed-"

“Actually,” he manages to cut in at last. “We were hoping for something smaller. Something…” he shifts. “Sooner.”

He stares at his brother and guffaws.

Oh, you knocked her up, didn’t you? I didn’t know you had it in you.

Met with a disapproving glare from his mother, he exiles himself to the back of the room.

He wouldn't have thought the boy capable. 

He thought he was going to have to explain some things on the wedding night, frankly. 

She gasps. 

"Son - what have you done-" The girl's family won't forgive them for this - 

She can blush and look down perfectly. 

Ambrose is a second too slow to protest. Love has made him stupid.

…Galora seems to be going along with it. She knows full well – he has barely touched her. 

Should he play along?

…

When would they have even gotten a chance to do such a thing? They have not been alone together once. Ambrose could have sneaked into her chambers at night, but that would be such a grave insult to her family that they would have the right to call off the marriage for good.

This is bad. There has to be a better way to do this, without lying.

“No,” he says firmly. “Nothing of the sort happened. You raised me, you know that I am a gentleman.”

A breath.

“Miss Kreel is a guest in our home. I understand that this is sudden, but try to not to overwhelm her. We are simply so in love that we do not wish to wait. That is all.”

Gods damn it don't choose now to stop doing whatever she says. 

"Nonsense!" he says airily. "You can contain yourself for the time it takes to arrange a proper wedding."

...She takes a risk and casts a helpless glance at Ambrose - please -

“Father, you do not choose.”

He flushes an ugly colour. "You are of my house and my line! You will not be married in some barn somewhere! I forbid it! Come to your senses, boy!"

She has gone very still and very small, as if she could fade into the wall behind her. 

The anger flares in his chest, but he masters it.

“You think so little of me, Father? My bride will have the wedding she wishes for.”

He shakes his head and holds out his hand to Galora. “Come. Let me give you a tour of the house, while this excitement dies down.”