Things were once different. Language wasn't to communicate but to allow social interactions to proceed smoothly. It was often to conceal the reality of how one felt in favor of how one was supposed to feel. People often talked about nothing, just to pass the time or get along.

This meant that one had to have sufficient sensibility to know how people really felt and even then, it could be difficult to know. Often, this sensibility left one vulnerable to the feelings and schemes of others.

Travel took a long time. There were no phones. Music had to be performed live. Relationships were different too. Sex was something married people did. Engagements were a serious thing. There was no online dating.

Class and wealth were important because there weren't corporations or venture capitalists or Kickstarter. Whole lives could be made or broken because of incomes and inheritances real estate and only males were educated and in charge of things. Women were relied on to marry well or else were burdens on their families, unless their families disowned or were neglected them.

If one were sensible, one would let the economics of the culture be one's guide as to whom to marry, but things didn't always work out that way in practice. People would fall in love, though without the super power of sensibility, you might never know of it until they chose to declare it and, if it was economically and socially feasible, get engaged.

The main plot line in this story, is about that fine distinction between love and engagement. What if you appeared to be in love, but there was no engagement? And what if, given the lack of straightforward communication, no one could tell for sure what the actuality of the situation was?