<div style="text-align: justify;">Catherine also laughed when Thad said he might be born as a proper gentleman in a next incarnation. That would probably be the only thing able to correct them both. Even living in such a world, full of rules of behavior, they still managed to be their own people. And that was probably not about to change. <br/><br/>Sure, a lot had changed. When they were children, Cat and Thad had been allowed to play together as equals. As they grew, though, Cat's parents did their best to drill into her mind that there were differences. Those differences, for Mr. and Mrs. Alberts, the differences were deep and irreconcilable. For Cat, they were merely superficial ones.<br/><br/>Of course, Catherine knew that despite the fact that the differences didn't matter to her, they would affect her life. She knew she would never be allowed to spend the rest of her life with Thad as anything other than a servant. Her sensitive heart hated the idea, but she was intent on being with him in any possible way.<br/><br/>And now that she was coming of age, there were decisions to be made. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"I could never hurt your feelings"</span>, Catherine murmured softly. One of her hands slipped into Thad's and held it tight. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"You know I am yours, and that I love you more than I could ever love anyone else"</span>, she assured him softly. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"But... I don't... own myself, in that way"</span>.<br/><br/>The girl sighed and looked down, a few tears starting to well up in her eyes. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"I... I am old enough to marry, and... you know. I must"</span>. The girl sighed softly, the tip of her nose turning red, as it did every time she was about to cry. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"God help me, I do not wish to, but I must. I... I"</span>. She stopped for a moment to try and collect herself. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"My parents have invited <span style="font-style: italic">'him'</span> over for dinner. Not today, for Sunday dinner. I... I must meet him and talk to him, and we must see if we are a good match"</span>.<br/><br/>Catherine's gaze went up to her friend's and lover's. <span style="color: #00FFFF">"Would you think poorly of me if I married him and took you with us, to wherever we go? I will never, ever belong to any man other than you, Thad. But society... requires, demands, that I marry someone of my own class. Cursed be society!"</span>, the girl sobbed, finally giving in to tears.</div>