First an interruption before the dinner.

"Hello James." Marna said walking the last steps towards the Caruthers' house. She hoped it was a nice and easy hello, but in her current state of worry she wasn't entirely sure.

James stopped his pacing, and turned to his love. "Marna...I"m sure what Julien stated to you was worrying. And I apologize. He's not as tactful as myself."

Marna smirked, more at ease. "Tactful? You? Why I remember our first outing where you basically stared at me for a whole half hour. It was flattering at first. Got a little uncomfortable afterwords."

"Well...I was still a little stunned that you had accepted my invitation and had shown up. Quite honestly I thought first you wouldn't accept, then second when you had, that you'd think better of it after a bit and not show up. So...I was a little flabbergasted that you arrived at the concert hall."

"Why wouldn't I go out with you?"

"Figured you'd be more into a rough and tumble guy like my brother, to be honest."

"A woman needs a bit of tenderness. With Julien we'd always be in a competition. You and I...I'd like to think we complement each other. I saw that a long time ago. And we'd have been together longer if you brother wasn't so dense!"

"My brother?!"

"He never got why I kept asking questions about where you were, what you were doing, what you like, what you don't like." Marna giggled. "He answered them all, of course, but I could tell he wouldn't tell you I liked you because I don't think he figured it out."

James laughed, tugging Marna into a hug which she melted into. He ran his hands up and down her back, feeling the muscles under her dress. Her dress. James blinked, "You're wearing a dress!"

"Julien said it would be a dinner with your grandmother and the cat was out of the bag..." Marna answered, a blush forming. She had borrowed it from her older sister, and it didn't fit exactly right. "Is it not fitting right? I don't want to scandalize your grandmother."

"No. It fits right, even if you have a bit more muscle than your sister." James' breathing picked up a bit as he held her out at arm's length. Her breasts were perhaps a bit bigger than her sister's, and so the upper portion was definitely straining a bit more than on her older sister Laura. It looked fine from James' standpoint.

"Uh...James. We have a dinner to get to and I want to look my best for your grandmother. After however... Laura said it would be fine for at least a couple of more weeks."

James shook himself and looked up into her green eyes, "Couple more weeks?"

"Look...I'm horny." She said with a wink.

"OH! Okay. Suddenly I am too."

"Excuse me!" A voice said from the walk.

James looked over to see an older man walking up the the path. "Yes, may I help you?"

"There's a good lad." The man said, then glanced at Marna. "And a fine young lady. As to if you can help me, my answer is it's possible. Is this the home of Gemma Sorens? Or rather, Gemma Caruthers now I gather."

James glanced at Marna, "Yes it is. Who are you?"

The old man smiled, "An old friend and colleague. If you would be so kind to let her know that Commander Horatio John-sen is here."

James' eyebrows shot up, "Commander? Yes, you may sit here while we go inform her of your arrival, sir."

The old man smiled, "That's just fine."

James guided a confused Marna into the house. "Seems it wasn't just Grandpa Wilhelm that had his past life at sea." James muttered as they walked through the hallway to the sitting room.

"What do you mean?" Marna asked.

"Commander there...he's a Chevalier."

Marna's eyes went wide. "They're still around? Why would he want to talk to your grandmother?"

"I don't know and I don't think she's just going to tell us right now. He said colleague. Hidden depths to us all it would seem."