A Rational Arrangement

“But these are vital aspects of marriage. If one cannot discuss them, what's the use in meeting at all? It's like trying to decide what you'll have for dinner without mentioning food."

Wisteria Vasilver does wish to marry. Truly. But though she lives in Paradise, arranging a match is full of traps and pitfalls for the unwary ... or perhaps just for her.

Nikola Striker, Lord of Fireholt, expects he'll wed -- someday. But not now, and never to a rich icicle of a woman like Miss Vasilver. No matter how much his parents might want the match, or his house might need her dowry. Besides, he has his own problems -- most of them people who need his help as a mind-healer.

Lord Justin Comfrey, Viscount of Comfrey, would be more than happy to help Striker with his financial troubles, and not just to ensure that Miss Vasilver's dowry doesn't tempt Striker into marriage. If only he could find some way to make his proud, stubborn friend accept the money!

Can three people of such different temperaments ever find their way to a more perfect Paradise?

L. Rowyn is the penname the author chose because it was too much work to change all of her existing social media to use a different name.

She lives in the midwestern U.S. with one of her significant others, and sees her other SOs not nearly often enough, because teleporters have inconveniently not been invented yet. If you would like far, far too much information on her, she has been keeping a LiveJournal for over ten years, and never did learn how to write briefly. Her obligatory Author's Cat is named Kali. Kali doesn't know she's not a greatcat. Shhh.