Lincoln looked at the mountain of pork chops on his plate. Then he looked at the sincere expression on Olivia's face.

He was stumped. He couldn't tell if she didn't know or if she was just pretending. Her eyes were clear.

There was not a speck of pretense in them.

He thought about her age and thought it was understandable to be unclear about the rules of the dinner table.

Sophia was bewildered. So that was what Olivia meant when she said she understood?

She thought the negotiations were done off. Lincoln would surely be severing ties with her.

But the truth was that men were exceptionally patient and accommodating to pretty women.

Sophia glanced at Lincoln warily. But she saw him smiling.

He was not angry at all.

He said, "It must be great to be young. Such youthfulness."

Sophia rolled her eyes at Olivia. Olivia pretended not to see and went back to her seat.

"As long as you're okay with it, Mr. Lincoln."

"Of course, how could I hate that a pretty girl brought me foo