“Absolutely not!” barked General Marcum. “Last night you did not even know what a prime courtship was, and now you are ready to enter into one? Well, I know you did not know,” he said to Frisha, “but he knows much more than he wishes us to believe.”

The three friends, the general, and Lady Adelina were gathered in the study. Rezkin and Frisha had planned to discuss the matter with her family after dinner, but the general returned home early, and Frisha just could not wait. Rezkin had approached the general and his wife asking for a word. Tam and Frisha, refusing to be left out, had joined them.

“You are up to something, Rezkin, and I will not let you dupe me or my family,” the general continued as he paced angrily across the floor. Rezkin stood stoically watching the man stomp back and forth. Everyone else was seated observing with wide eyes. Even the Lady Adelina did not seem inclined to interrupt her husband’s tirade.

“I assure you, general, I have no ulterior motives,” Rezkin asserted.

“Ha! Like I would believe you,” the general remarked.

Rezkin considered the situation objectively. Besides Marcum’s general dislike of him, to what aspect was the general most opposed? He seemed most concerned that someone was trying to swindle him out of his estate.

Making a quick decision, Rezkin offered a concession, “General Marcum, if your greatest concern is that I am attempting to claim your estate against your wishes, then I will gladly remove it from the terms of the agreement. In fact, I do not require that Frisha come to the agreement with any kind of dowry at all. My only desire is to retain Frisha.”

General Marcum stopped pacing and stared at Rezkin like he was some fantastical creature. Lady Adelina gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes darted to her young niece. Frisha had tears in her eyes and was grasping Tam’s hand. Tam simply wore the biggest grin he had ever seen.

“You do not want the dowry?” the general asked uncertainly. After a moment, he collected himself, and his anger returned. “Oh, you are good. You are bluffing, though. You do not really believe I would consider sending my niece into the world without a dowry. Her father would disembowel me. Besides, I have already named her my heir. You know I will not retract that for your sake.”

Rezkin restrained his frustration before the audience, and for all appearances, he looked steadfast and earnest with a hint of boredom. He asked, “What exactly would convince you of my sincerity, General?”

“To start with, a name!” the general barked.

“A name?” Rezkin asked with confusion.

“Yes, your name. Your family name to be specific. I do not believe for one minute that you were raised as some commoner orphan,” he stated.