Escaping Betrayal’s Pain (Preview)

Chapter One

Virginia City, Nevada

July 2, 1877

Talia Montgomery was sitting at a table on the portico, looking out at Letitia Grant’s rose garden. As she sipped her tea from the bone china teacup, she tried to hide her boredom from the other young women.

Joining in the afternoon social hours with these women of the same social status was not her favorite pastime, as evidenced by the thin smile she put on her face between sips of tea. But, her best friend, Rebekah, insisted Talia accompany her to all of the summer party invitations. It wasn’t in Talia’s nature to do what she was expected of her, but she considered it her duty, as a best friend, to keep Rebekah from falling further under the spell of the yapping, posturing gossips of their social set. Fifteen women, all daughters, nieces, or granddaughters from the wealthiest families in Virginia City made it their societal mission to gather together every month.

Rebekah’s chair was between Talia and Letitia’s cousin from Carson City, Janine.

“It’s good to see you, Janine, and you’ve arrived just in time for the July Fourth celebration!” said Rebekah. “You must work with Letitia and me at the Young Ladies Society of Virginia City booth selling rose lemonade and shortbread cookies. I’m president of the Society this year, you know.”

Talia was trying hard not to choke on the teacake she was eating from giggling at Rebekah’s smug attitude. “Remind me again, Rebekah, when is it that a young lady can no longer be a member of the Society?”

“You know perfectly well, Talia, that when a member of the group gets married or reaches twenty-three years of age, she must resign.” Rebekah glared at Talia, aware of her sarcasm, but Talia smiled innocently. Rebekah was one year older than Talia, and at twenty-one years, she was sensitive about her age and unmarried state.

“Oh, you know me, I find it difficult to remember such details,” sighed Talia exaggeratedly before she took another bit of teacake, but her green eyes gleamed with mischief. Rebekah narrowed her glaring eyes to let Talia know she didn’t appreciate being mocked and turned away from Talia and continued talking with Janine.

Talia shrugged her shoulders. Two other ladies that made up their table of five sat to her left. From what she could gather, their conversation was about the latest fabrics that had arrived from San Francisco and were available at the dressmaker’s shop. If I recall, those two were carrying on about hats at the last tea party! Talia rolled her eyes and doubted any of the fourteen women around her ever dreamed of going to San Francisco or anywhere else outside of the Virginia Range mountains. She knew she was going to go to San Francisco first, then on to other parts of the world because Benjamin Warner promised he would take her to every place she could ever want to go.

Although there were servants to refill the teapots and savory trays, Talia politely excused herself from the table to request another pot of the white jasmine tea she preferred. No one acknowledged her leaving, so engrossed as they were in talking of gowns and the best July Fourth parties to attend. After she made her request to one of the maids hurrying by, she ventured into the rose garden that Letitia’s mother insisted on tending herself—or so Talia heard. The rich colors and heady perfume of the roses filled her senses. She walked further into the garden, admiring the landscape, and took a seat on a scroll iron kissing bench, and next to the bench was a bush with white roses tinged with yellow.

A broad smile appeared on Talia’s face as she thought how the rose reminded her of Benjamin’s white-blond hair. “I’m sure Mrs. Grant would not miss one bloom if I were to pick this rose to place in Benjamin’s lapel.”

“But where would you hide it when we leave?”

Talia looked up to see Rebekah walking toward her and laughed at the dilemma her friend presented. “You know better, Talia, than to be sitting out in the sun with your pearly-white complexion. You’ll burn, and then the freckles will appear.” Rebekah sat in the other seat.

“You’re right,” retorted Talia. “I should have torn Letitia away from the fascinating conversation she was having with Marianne Billings about the musicale Marianne is planning for us next month and ask if I could borrow a parasol.”

Rebekah clicked her tongue at her friend. “Tally, you’re never going to let yourself enjoy these get-togethers, are you?” Talia knew that Rebekah wasn’t seriously angry with her if she used her nickname.

“Rebekah, it’s not a matter of letting myself, but more that nothing is being talked about that’s of interest to me! As you know, I can’t abide the gossip and all the talk of frivolous things, and I don’t see why we can’t discuss books and news and travel.”

“May I make a suggestion?”

“Of course.”

“You might find it more to your liking if you participated in the planning of the monthly socials. You play the piano beautifully, and the musicale is planned for next month. Why don’t you offer to play one of your favorite pieces? If you got more involved, you could add conversation topics that interest you.” Rebekah bit her lip before continuing. “And, the other ladies might like you better if they see you’re trying to be one of us.”

“Rebekah Ballard, I don’t care if they like me!” Talia stood up, hands on her hips with aggravation written across her wrinkled brow. She sighed and reached her hands out to pull Rebekah up from her seat. “Let’s not talk about this any longer. I don’t want to argue with you over something like the Young Ladies Society of Virginia City.”

Rebekah took Talia’s hands and stood. “Fine, but promise me you’ll think about performing at the musicale.”

“I will consider it, but you promise me you won’t include yourself as one of the prim and proper young ladies of Virginia City again.” Talia linked her arm in her oldest and dearest friend’s arm as they walked along the path back to the tea party. “You’re not theirs, your mine; you try too hard sometimes to make the others think you’re one of them, but you’re still my friend who painted maps with me of all the places we would see and didn’t care if paint splashed on her best dress.”

“I haven’t thought about those maps in a long time,” laughed Rebekah. “Are they still hidden in one of your father’s atlases?”

Talia nodded and giggled. “Yes, they are. Father doesn’t stay home long enough to spend any amount of time in the library, so it’s not likely he’d ever find them.”

The two friends returned to the tea party with several ladies eyeing them suspiciously and twittering in low voices.

“We were wondering where y’all had gone off to,” drawled Letitia. She had been born in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father brought the family to Virginia City several years after her grandfather made his fortune from the Comstock Lode silver strike.  “I knew you wouldn’t leave, Rebekah, without a fond farewell.” She made a point of not looking at Talia.

“I…I…of course, I wouldn’t.” Rebekah was stunned at Letitia’s rudeness to Talia and even more surprised when Talia left her side without a word and returned to their table to gather her reticule and hat. “We were admiring your mother’s lovely roses.” Her brow wrinkled as she spied Talia walking toward the open French doors behind Letitia. “Talia, where are you going?”

“Rebekah, you know I’m not one for fond farewells, and I’m already a bit late to meet my dearest love, Benjamin Warner,” she answered loud enough for the curious eyes and ears of Letitia and the others. “Oh, and as president of the Society, please my strike my name from the membership list. Benjamin and I will be married soon and off on an around-the-world adventure.”

Talia continued through the parlor and out the front door of the Grant mansion, leaving the gasps and buzzing of fourteen ladies in her wake. It only took a short time for her to hear Rebekah shouting after her, “Talia, wait for me! We both arrived in your carriage!”

Four hours later, Talia was checking her sandy brown hair in the hallway mirror for the second time in an hour.  She had restyled it from the chignon she had worn for the tea party to long waves falling over her back—Benjamin preferred it that way. Benjamin! He was an hour late for dinner. While his tardiness wasn’t unusual, he’d never been more than half an hour late when a specific time had been set.

“Talia, dear, should I tell Jenkins to continue to delay serving dinner?” asked Aunt Eleanora. Eleanora was her father’s sister and had lived with them since Susannah Montgomery died three days after giving birth to Talia. Eleanora had sacrificed the possibility of marriage and children to devote herself to her motherless niece. In her eyes, Talia was a blessing to be cherished and protected. It disturbed her at times that it seemed her brother didn’t feel the same about his only child.

“No, Auntie,” replied Talia, facing her aunt, “let Jenkins begin serving, and you and I will eat. I don’t know what’s keeping Benjamin, but I know he wouldn’t want us to starve waiting for him.”

“I do hope nothing has happened to the poor boy! He’s always so entertaining at dinner.”

“I’m sure he’s caught up in one of his business meetings. I’ll probably be receiving a note any minute from him explaining and apologizing.”

All Talia had ever gleaned from Benjamin about his business interests since meeting him in April was that they mainly concerned investments in a silver mine and some real estate in San Francisco. He didn’t like to talk about money, but he seemed always to have enough to spend on elegant dinners at the newly built International Hotel.

Just as Talia and Eleanora entered the dining room, the sound of the cast iron eagle door knocker could be heard.

“That must Benjamin now! Jenkins, please continue serving Aunt Eleanor, and I’ll answer the door,” insisted Talia as she rushed out of the room and hurried to the door.

She opened the door to a large bouquet of pink and white peonies. “Am I forgiven?” inquired a forlorn masculine voice behind the flowers.

“Benjamin, of course you are!” exclaimed Talia as she took the bouquet from him and grabbed his arm to pull him in through the door. “You worried us half to death! You’ve never been this late before.”

Benjamin Warner, tall and slender with blond hair and sea-blue eyes, smiled warmly at the woman who adored him. “I apologize for not getting word to you that I wouldn’t be able to join you and Miss Montgomery for dinner. But I didn’t think it would be too late to bring you these and a small token of my apology for your aunt. Has she retired for the evening?”

“You will be happy to know you are not late for dinner,” happily informed Talia. “We were about to sit down when you knocked at the door. Aunt Eleanora will gladly welcome you to join us. These flowers are beautiful, Benjamin—you are so thoughtful!”

As they walked toward the dining room, Talia stopped one of the housemaids going up the staircase and asked her to put the peonies in a vase. “And, Emma, please place them in my room.” She looked up at Benjamin. “I wish to be reminded of you first thing in the morning.”

“Talia, Talia, was that Benjamin at the door?” called out Aunt Eleanora from the dining room.

“Indeed, it was, Miss Montgomery,” answered Benjamin for Talia as he went straight to her aunt. He bowed as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Aunt Eleanor laughed. “You are too charming for words, young man, but that mustache of yours always tickles my hand. Sit, sit, and let’s enjoy dinner now that you’re here.”

“Ah, but first, a little surprise for you as I beg your forgiveness for my late arrival.” Benjamin’s broad smile was intoxicating to the attention-starved maiden aunt. Talia stood beside him and beamed with gratitude for his efforts in bewitching her aunt.

Eleanora blushed with pleasure as she untied the red ribbon on the small black velvet gift box he placed beside her dinner plate. “Oh, my! Look, Talia, at what this dear boy has gifted me.” Laying in the velvet interior was a mother-of-pearl brooch set in gold filigree.

“It is lovely, Auntie. Let me pin it on for you.” Benjamin escorted Talia to her seat after she pinned the brooch to her aunt’s bodice. Her face was radiant with love for him as she looked up at him.

Benjamin grinned down at Talia as he pushed her chair in, but neither she nor Eleanora noticed that the grin didn’t reach his eyes.

Chapter Two

Benjamin Warner was not as profitable as he wished to be at the Faro Bank Table in the Delta Saloon. The table owner was cleaning up from everyone and keeping a watchful eye on each bet and player to ensure no underhanded tricks were costing him money. Benjamin heard the owner was from Reno and was well-known for owning winning faro tables.

He took out his pocket watch and noted he was due to dine with Talia and her aunt in forty-five minutes. Benjamin nodded to the Faro dealer and left the table. He figured his losses at two hundred dollars, which left him not much more than one hundred to try his luck at a poker table before leaving for the Montgomery house.

Montgomery house, ha! More like Montgomery castle! Benjamin snorted as he thought of the money wasted on such a grand house where two women lived with only a handful of servants. He had yet to meet Paul Ethan Montgomery, but what he had gathered from Talia, her father rarely spent time at home. According to Talia, he spent a great deal of time in Reno or Carson City looking after his banking concerns.

Benjamin was headed toward the poker room when a comely black-haired woman blocked his path.

“Benjamin, where do you think you’re going? Certainly not to play poker with the money you owe me from staking you last week!”

“Naomi, I have to say I’ve missed those magnificent black eyes of yours!” exclaimed Benjamin with a broad smile. “I’d thought you had forsaken us for the greener pastures of Reno.” He was used to getting by on his charm and handsome face, but Benjamin could see he wouldn’t be faring well with Naomi by the way her narrowed, piercing eyes were turned on him.

“Yes, I was in Reno, but now I’m back and ready to collect the one hundred dollars you managed to sweet-talk me into giving you,” said Naomi, eyeing the gold coins Benjamin held in his hand. “How much do you have there, Benji? The fifty dollars you owe me?” Naomi held out her hand. She knew Benjamin’s habit of tempting fortune by gambling all he had in hopes of increasing his winnings and wasn’t about to let him sit at a poker table and lose her fifty dollars.

Their conversation was not private, and Benjamin felt the stares of the regulars who respected Naomi as a generous and fair gaming manager. He knew they wouldn’t take kindly to anyone who refused to pay a debt owed to her, and he didn’t want to show up on Talia’s doorstep with a black eye, or worse, to explain.

Benjamin figured he could still play poker with the fifty dollars left over, so he counted out what he owed Naomi into her hand. “My darling, Naomi, I hadn’t forgotten the money I owe you. If I’d known you were back here at the Delta, I would have immediately seen to it that I repaid what I borrowed.” He gave her the repentant little boy look he had learned years before would get him back in any lady’s good graces.

Naomi skeptically glanced up at him as she put the coins in the coin purse she kept in her pocket. She insisted that her dressmaker always make one pocket deeper in a skirt than average; that way, it was more difficult for pickpockets to ply their larcenous trade.

“Uh-huh—I’m sure you would have, Benjamin,” she chuckled. “Go on to your poker game, but there will be no borrowing tonight. Oh, and none of your usual desperate tricks to manipulate the cards, or I’ll have you thrown out and barred from ever setting foot in here again.”

“Naomi, I’m wounded that you would accuse me of such a deplorable act,” protested Benjamin.

You’re not ‘wounded.’ You’re surprised I’ve found you out, Benji.”

Benjamin took a quick look around him then bent down from his six feet two-inch height to whisper in her ear. “I’ll make you a deal, Naomi. None of my tricks tonight if you promise never to call me ‘Benji’ again.” He gave her a wink and a dazzling smile as he continued to the poker tables.

As it turned out, Benjamin didn’t need to reach into the special pocket he had the tailor sew inside his sleeve to where he kept extra aces—just in case he had a losing hand. He added three hundred dollars to the fifty before realizing he was an hour late for dinner.

When Benjamin stood to leave, the other players complained that he should stay and give them a chance to win their money back. He explained a beautiful lady was waiting for him, and having to choose between her and possibly losing, he was choosing the lady. Benjamin graciously bowed and left the table.

“Talia isn’t going to be happy with me,” he thought aloud as he walked down the street toward her house. He saw that the mercantile was still open, and he knew they often stocked fresh bouquets. Benjamin quickly ran in and purchased his peace-making tokens—a peony bouquet for Talia and a piece of jewelry for her Aunt Eleanora.

Benjamin thought about his relationship with Talia as he continued to make his way to her home. Virginia City was filled with quite a few daughters of wealthy men, but it was her statuesque beauty that caught his attention when he saw her mingling among the stands at the spring festival. She looked vibrant with her rosy cheeks and green eyes, but he had no idea of her social status until he saw her talking with Chadwick Pierce, the son of a local real estate baron. Benjamin had played at the Faro table several times with Pierce,  and the man seemed friendly enough. So, he cleverly orchestrated an introduction to Talia by pretending to shop the wares at the booth next to them, and Pierce recognized Benjamin and called him over to join them.

Since that day, Benjamin and Talia had seen each other several times each week, and he’d endeared himself to Aunt Eleanora and had begun to care for Talia. Of course, once he found out who her father was and his position as director of several banks, Benjamin increased his attention to Talia, intending to make her fall in love with him, and he knew he had succeeded. He had yet to meet Paul Montgomery but was planning to ask for her hand in marriage when they did meet.

“Warner! Warner, stop!” Benjamin’s recollections were interrupted by the rough, deep voice of a man he didn’t want to see or be seen with in Virginia City. He saw he was nearing the courthouse and took a sharp turn into the alley next to the building, and he was confident the man would follow him.

“What do you think you’re doing, Cooper? I told you never to approach me in town,” hissed Benjamin as Lee Cooper lazily leaned against the red brick of the courthouse.

Cooper looked Benjamin up and down. “Were those fancy clothes you’re wearin’ bought with my money? I reckon they’d be a good investment if that fancy lady of yours would agree to marry, and you got the money to pay what you owe us. When’s that goin’ to happen exactly?” The steely look in Lee Cooper’s dark brown eyes said he’d brook nothing more than the date and time for payment.

Benjamin tried to look confident instead of fearful of what would happen if he gave the wrong answer. “I’ve told when I meet her father, we’ll get his permission to marry, and you’ll have your money if I don’t win it before then.”

“Then I suggest you hightail it to Carson City to meet Mr. Montgomery because the boys are gettin’ suspicious that you’re playing us for fools. We staked you based on your cheatin’ reputation and only have five hundred of the one thousand dollars you promised us,” countered Lee. “You wouldn’t want us to bother the pretty lady about the money, would you?” He pushed himself away from the wall to stand at his full height to glare into Benjamin’s eyes.

“Stay away from Talia, Cooper. I’ll get the money.” Benjamin didn’t take the veiled threat lightly. “I’ll send word to you when I have it. Coming into town and threatening me will only attract attention to our association, and that won’t do either one of us any good. I’ve worked for you for a while now and done pretty good lining both of our coffers.”

“You see, Benjamin, that’s what you should be keeping in mind—you work for us, and I’ll be expectin’ that money by the first of next month. You go on and have yourself a fine evening with Miss Talia Montgomery. Those flowers are beauteeful!” Lee chortled as he walked away.

Benjamin took a deep breath to compose himself before leaving the alley. Lee Cooper was right about one thing—he had to marry Talia soon. He cared for her but cared more for her money and the freedom it would bring.

Chapter Three

One Week Later

“According to Janine, you and Benjamin Warner were the talk of the July Fourth festivities, especially after you practically announced you two are engaged,” remarked Rebekah. She was sitting on a settee in Mrs. Collins’ dress shop, watching as Talia was fitted for a new lavender day dress with a mass of cream lace ruffles along the hem up to the bustle. It had a square neckline and sleeves trimmed in cream lace. “That’s a beautiful color on you, and it makes your green eyes almost pop out of their sockets.”

Talia giggled. “That’s a lovely image, Rebekah!” She twisted in front of the mirror. “Mrs. Collins, I’d like the sleeves to stop before my elbow with the length of lace covering and falling below the elbow.”

“Of course, Miss Montgomery,” amiably agreed the dressmaker. “I’ll pin up the sleeves another inch before I attach the lace.”

“Thank you. As usual, your stitching is perfect.”

Talia was one of Mrs. Collins’ best customers, and she knew how particular Talia could be about both design and workmanship. “You have a good eye for fashion, Miss Montgomery, and I pride myself on giving my customers what they want and appreciate.” She stood from where she was kneeling on the floor to pin the dress hem. “I’ll be right back, ladies. I want to get the lace to pin on the sleeves.”

Rebekah waited until Mrs. Collins had left for the workroom before speaking again. “Tally, I know you heard what I said. Aren’t you worried about all the talk about you and Benjamin getting back to your father before he’s met him?”

“I have no use for what Janine reports, and I’m not concerned at all about Father hearing gossip because he doesn’t pay mind to it any more than I do. Besides, when we’re out in public, Aunt Eleanora is always nearby, so all is as proper as it should be until Father returns and meets Benjamin. We had an excellent July Fourth! He bought two delicate handkerchiefs at one of the booths—he’s always so considerate—one for me and one for my aunt.”

Talia’s head was lost in the clouds thinking of their picnic before the fireworks show. Benjamin had thought of everything for the picnic basket. He even packed a bottle of sherry because he knew how much her aunt enjoyed it. Benjamin’s going to be a wonderful husband and father! She couldn’t wait to be married to him!

When Talia’s fitting was done, she and Rebekah stopped at the mercantile to do some shopping. Rebekah wanted to buy a birthday present for her mother and had seen a small navy blue hat with a veil in the window.

“I’ll be looking at hair combs while you decide on a hat,” said Talia. “I’d like to find one to match the new lavender dress. Benjamin notices anytime I wear something new, and he is always so complimentary!”

Rebekah sighed wistfully. “I hope someday a man will compliment me when I wear new clothes. All I get now is my father asking ‘how much did that cost’ whenever he sees me in something he hasn’t seen before.”

“Oh, Rebekah, there is no doubt someone will come along who sees how extraordinary you are in old or new clothes!” Talia placed her arm around her best friend’s shoulder to give her a supportive embrace. “I thought I spied you and Jacob Ellis talking together on July Fourth. Is it possible he could be that ‘someone’?”

“I doubt it,” laughed Rebekah. “He was asking about Janine! Apparently, she caught his eye when she served him some rose lemonade.”

The ladies paid for their purchases and were leaving the store when Rebekah stopped and held back Talia. “Isn’t that Benjamin walking on the other side of the street?”

Talia turned her head in the direction Rebekah was pointing. “Yes, it is! Let’s cross the street—oh, he just walked into the Delta Saloon.” Talia frowned, wondering if Benjamin often frequented the place.

“Does he drink, or is he gambling, I wonder?” asked Rebekah.

“He drinks wine with dinner, but I’m sure he doesn’t gamble. At least, he’s never mentioned it. He must be meeting one of his business associates.”

“You’re probably right, and you can ask him about it later. I’m getting hungry, Tally, so let’s go to the Piccadilly Tea Room and have a fresh pot of tea and some of those little sandwiches.” Rebekah noticed Talia eyeing the saloon with a curious furrowed brow, and she didn’t want her overly bothered by whatever Benajmin Warner was up to in the mid-afternoon.

Talia made an effort to shrug off her concerns until she could ask Benjamin about his business in the saloon and smiled at Rebekah’s suggestion. “I’d enjoy that. I asked Peters to bring the carriage back to the dress shop in two hours, so we have plenty of time for a tea party for two.”

* * *

Paul Montgomery was sitting in the lobby of Carson City’s Ormsby House hotel, waiting for his friend, William Jeffries. He had known William before the Panic of ’73 and found him an astute businessman, and in 1874, he’d been elected to the state legislature on the platform of economic recovery. Paul had no control over the collapse of most of his banking investments due to the economic downturn, made worse by the Virginia City Great Fire of 1875, but William had given sound advice on an investment opportunity for a new bank establishing itself in Carson City.

Paul stood to stretch his long legs. He was an imposing man, standing over six feet tall with a large belly from eating rich food and drinking Scotch whisky. He kept a well-trimmed beard and found it surprising that it was grayer every time he looked in the mirror. Another casualty of the economic mess Jay Cooke and Company brought down on the country in 1873, considered Paul with a wry chuckle.

“Paul!” called William. “It’s good to see you, my friend!”

Paul extended his hand for a handshake. “Likewise, William. I appreciate you taking time from the legislature to meet with me before I return to Virginia City.”

“Please don’t give it a second thought. There’s not much going on this time of year, and because of that, I thought we could lunch at the Legislature Club. We can enjoy an uninterrupted meal as few members are in town for the next few weeks.”

Twenty minutes later, the two men were settled at a table overlooking Carson Street, each drinking a mug of steam beer from the local Carson Brewery. The dining room was occupied by only them and four men seated at another window table. Paul was satisfied that he and William could have a private conversation.

“Is the investment you made in the Carson City Savings Bank making a profit, Paul?” inquired William. “I hope I didn’t advise you in the wrong direction.”

“The bank is starting to become profitable, yes. As you know, I had only a token amount to invest two years ago, but I’m making a small dividend. I’m thinking of buying more shares with that money in the hope of building at least a small dowry for Talia. She’s twenty years old, and it’s time for her to marry, but I don’t want to disappoint her or a prospective husband by offering little or no dowry.” Paul shook his head as he took another drink from his mug.

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“Escaping Betrayal’s Pain” is an Amazon Best-Selling novel, check it out here!

Talia Montgomery is determined to follow her heart and run off with the love of her life, Benjamin. Her dreams are destroyed though, upon her father’s decision to marry her to Caleb Tomlison, a railroad magnate, to ease his debts. However, sharing the dreadful news with Benjamin, makes him reveal his true intentions, leaving her with no option but to travel West and meet Caleb. Could a dashing stranger hold the key to her happiness?

If only there was a glimmer of hope in the distant horizon…

Caleb Tomlinson’s greatest wish is to make his ailing father smile again, even if he has to accept an arranged marriage. To his surprise, his new fiancée, Talia Montgomery captures his heart, sweeping away his doubts at once. Yet, an embarrassing secret that Caleb hides out of fear of losing her, stands like a threatening shadow between them. Will the truth set him free or will it ruin his chance at bliss?

He will have to deal with emotions, unlike anything he had expected…

Talia and Caleb’s love will be tested when they fall prey to a vicious revenge plan. Is their tale destined to blossom into a lasting romance, or will their hopes perish in flames?

“Escaping Betrayal’s Pain” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

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