“Why don’t you go and talk with him first?” Hazel said.

“No, let’s have dinner first.” Joshua’s voice softened a little.

“Isn’t it good to keep him waiting?” she whispered. “What if there’s something urgent?”

“Don’t worry, it isn’t urgent,” Joshua said calmly, “and he was willing to wait.”

Hazel was hesitant to keep asking Joshua, knowing there were overtones in his words, she decided it was best to stop asking.

After dinner, Joshua said to the servant, ...