Courtship, River Oaks Style

She wants custody of her children, but said she is picking her legal fights one at a time -- and her first target is Lilly.

In spite of the legal fight with Lowe, love also has crept back into Lilly's life. He is engaged again, to a wonderful woman, he said. She is real estate agent Cathy Cagle.

Romance for the participants in this suit has not softened the fury, it seems. Lowe had been scheduled to continue her deposition on June 1, but Lilly asked to postpone it so he could attend the funeral of his mother, Evelyn, who died May 28.

Lowe objected to the request. She was overruled, and Lilly buried his mother that day.

Lowe's wedding dress, for the Lilly nuptials that were not to be, now displays an evidence exhibit sticker instead of a $10,000 Neiman Marcus sales tag. Cupid, a jewelry pin given by Lilly to Lowe, has joined the dress and other gifts in the wait for a trial tentatively scheduled to begin April 19, 1999.

As for the Mercedes, the divorce lawyer who drives the hard bargains is still in the soft leather driver's seat -- at least for now.

E-mail George Flynn at george_flynn@houstonpress.com