"From Dave and Tiny's descriptions, I may; I'll try, at least."
"I think that's my cue," Odeon said. He bowed to Betty, extending his hands. "Elizabeth, would you do us the great honor of becoming our wife?"
"I would be delighted." Betty took his hands and kissed him, repeated the gesture with the rest of her spouses-to-be. "When?"
"That," Odeon said firmly, "is the bride's prerogative. Privately, at least; publicly, not for at least ten days."
"As soon as possible, then, once the children finish." Betty looked around, defensively. "Pete taught me never to put off anything important, and this is."
"He was absolutely right," Odeon agreed. A trooper's life was too risky to procrastinate; if you did, you were like as not to get killed before you did what you'd been putting off. That didn't mean rushing into things—but once you thought something through and made your decision, you did it—even if the decision was to wait. "We've all had the same training," he told her. "When the children are done, then."
Betty smiled at him. "Thanks—civilians think I'm being impatient, or even impetuous, when it's not that at all."
The children were upset at first about not being allowed on the "grown-up" floor except for meals, but got over that quickly when they were shown their floor. And Betty was pleased with her room, though she said it would take her a while to get used to the luxury. And to the servants, and living next door to the Palace, and— "Well, right now I'm just overwhelmed. Even though Dave and Tiny described it all, that's nothing like actually seeing it." She gestured, taking in the common-room where they'd finally settled.
"You'll get used to it," Cortin assured her, smiling. "The only part of Harmony Lodge that isn't luxurious is the dungeon level, but you won't be going there. And you'll get used to high-ranking visitors, too—though aside from Dave's and my colleagues from the Center, and the rest of the Sealed ones, we haven't had many guests."