I glanced at my mother. She sat back, listening as if she was seated in front of the president of the United States. My father was looking down at his coffee cup. I sat forward like someone poised to rush out of the room.

“But I am someone who knows he has benefited from his good fortune. Business and travel have educated me enough to confidentially read the hearts of other people. I flatter myself by saying that I have therefore accumulated the wisdom of a man years older than I am. I leave it to others to praise my accomplishments normally, but I’m here now to win your confidence.” He turned to my father. “Win the confidence of you both.

“In short, whether it was divine purpose or simple good fortune, I was placed close enough to meet your beautiful daughter. Others will be quick to tell you that we have not spent enough time together even to be merely friends, but they have not experienced what I have, we have. Everything I know and all that I have seen has assured me that I will never do better, that I will never find another woman who can stand as confidently at my side and continue my good fortune, my family’s reputation, and complete my life as wonderfully as your daughter will. I believe she feels the same way.

“So, I would formally ask your permission to ask your daughter for her hand in marriage.”

He took a breath, and my mother, who was simply sitting there mesmerized, also took a breath but left her mouth wide open.

“Marriage?” she finally said.

“Precisely, and very, very soon. I am involved in many international business ventures and have much of the year planned and scheduled. If you will give me permission to ask for your daughter’s hand, and if she should accept as I hope, I would like to propose that you permit me to stage our wedding affair at Foxworth Hall. When you visit, which I hope will be soon, you will see a property unlike most you’ve seen. Besides the mansion itself, the grounds, the lake, the views will be what most people would think belong in dreams.”

He smiled.

“Our marriage ceremony and celebration will be the social event of the year, not only for people from Charlottesville but for people all over Virginia and elsewhere. If I have your permission and Corrine agrees, I will contract a major artist and company to draw up the invitations immediately, all of which will be hand-delivered to each and every guest. It will seem fast, but I do have friends who will come from faraway places and ordinarily schedule their calendars almost a year in advance. Exceptions will be made and postponements issued once they receive the invitations, I assure you.