An Ageless love

Chapter 9

Annette's PoV

Marry someone else? But how could this be! Surely there was no one else before I left. I was so terrible shocked a had no words to say and when the realization hit me that there would be no Laurence in my life I did the only thing I could do, I cried.

“Oh my sweet darling! We’re so sorry.” My mother took my head in her hands again and held me to her chest. If they were sorry they could change it and make it right.

“But why can it not be Laurence? I Love him!” I let out a sob into her dress and she smoothed my hair shushing me.

“Anne, my precious daughter.” My father began. “We should have told you, you’ve been promised since the day you were born.”

“To whom?” I sniffed slowly controlling myself.

“His name is Alexander, he’s Lord Gerald’s son. He’s a good boy Annette, I wouldn’t give you to any man who wasn’t.”

“But Laurence is a good man too Papa. Why can it not be him?"

“Because Annette… Come sit here while I explain.” He took me next to him on the sofa and held me shoulders while he told me why it could not be changed. With every word he spoke my heart broke into hundreds of pieces.

“We signed an agreement Annette. And besides I think he will good to you and will take care of you better than Laurence can. He’s older and much more mature. Laurence is practically still a boy. He has no experience compared to Alexander.” He tried to explain to me. But all I could think of was marrying a strange man and not the man I loved.

“They’re to be arriving within but a few more days so that you may meet him before you are to be married.”

“Then why did you allow me to go to visit Jonathan if I was to be married?” I was upset but I tired to hide it as I had been taught to all these years, so far I was doing a terrible job and right now I really didn’t care.

“Your mother wanted you to. Don’t ask me why.”

“Mama?” why had she not told me before I left at least?

“Yes Sweets. I wanted you to have fun, that’s all. If I had known this would happen I would have changed some of my decisions though. Forgive me Annette.” She really did look sad but still was upset at both of my parents. So without saying anything more to either of them I purposefully stomped out of the room and ran to my own where I locked my door and cried into my pillow.

“Miss Annette? Is something wrong?” I lifted my head to see who was there since I’d locked my room. It was Nina who had been putting away my things.

“OH Nina! They’ve already promised me to another man! I cannot marry Laurence anymore!” I cried as she sat next to me on the bed.

“I’m so sorry to hear you’re upset Miss. is there anything I can do? How about help you out of those and into a hot bath? Maybe it will help you feel better.” She suggested. At the moment I feel like dying but I got up anyways and she helped me out of my dress and helped me into that hot bath she’d promised. Truth be told it did stop my hurt feelings and helped me to realize more of what was happening to me. Slowly my hurt feelings were turned to hatred that I know is wrong. Hatred towards my parents and towards Lord Gerald. And most of all hatred towards Alexander of Thornesdale.

They did arrive three days later and by then I had calmed down enough so that my parents thought I had accepted the idea of marriage. Well I hadn’t, in fact I had come up with a plan against marriage. Even if I had to run around completely naked and ruin my reputation to stop this wedding.

My mother tried to cheer me up and encourage me that this would turn out well in the end but she didn’t help much. When Lord Gerald and his son arrived I was ‘summoned’ to meet them in the dining hall for tea. Everyone was smiling except me, oh and Alexander.

“Alex this is Annette. Annette, my dear, this is my son Alexander. He’s been very excited to meet you. Oh and this is my wife.” Lord Gerald introduced his son when I arrived.

“Nice to meet you.” I said giving my hand and rolling my eyes slightly as he bent to kiss my fingers. I didn’t look at him as I sat down and tea was brought in for us at the table. They had us sit together on one side while two separate conversations wound around us the entire two hours we were sitting there. First there were our mothers talking about the wedding parties and dresses while our father spoke us where we would live and what great things they expected out of this marriage. Meanwhile Alexander and I said nothing to each other and simply sat and drank our tea while listening to our parents.

We got through the entire day without speaking to one another directly except to say good night. I turned a cold shoulder to everyone, including my mother whom I’ve always loved so much. Our fathers’ ignored everything and I could care less what Alexander thought about me. But my mother, however, noticed my attitude and came to talk to me that evening late after we’d all supposedly gone to our rooms. I was sitting on my bed while I watched Nina finish putting my things away in the closet.

“Annette, I want to talk with you. Nina, step outside please.” She said leaving the door open so Nina could leave and close the door behind her.

“What do you want mother?” I asked as she sat on a chair nearby.

“I want you to stop your atrocious behavior. Your father and I are both disgusted with the way you acted this evening.” She sounded mad, very mad. I’d never sound so when she spoke with me or anyone before.

“What are you talking about?”

“You and your attitude towards Alexander and his family. They’ve traveled a very long way to be here, for your sake I might add, and you were nothing but rude and cold towards them. They are a very respectable family and Lord Gerald is perhaps your father’s best friend in this whole world. The least you could have done is be polite to your father’s friend and his family. I am ashamed to have to present you as my daughter. Your actions reflect not only my teachings but your father’s and you’ve embarrassed the both of us. What do you have to say for yourself?” she stared at me with her lips pressed tightly together. Her face was stern and suddenly I did feel sorry, if only for making my parents look bad.

“I’m sorry mama, but I hate them, and father, for doing this to me.” I spat out the last part which made my mother give me an even worse look.

“Oh and that’s an excuse is it? I taught you to be polite and do as you were told until you knew better how to do things on your own. Well obviously you aren’t old enough yet so you will continue to take orders from me, you father, and soon Alex. Did you ever stop to think and ask me about this whole affair rather than coming to your own conclusions? You father and I had an arranged marriage and I had never met him until two days before we were married. I know how it feels but if you continue on this path you’re taking you’ll only make it harder on yourself.”

She’d never told me that. I’d known all these years that my mother and father had a loving respect for each other but nothing else. Did she not love him because of their marital situation?

“I’m sorry Mama.”

“Don’t be sorry.” She sighed leaning back into the chair as though exhausted.

“Do you love Papa? How could you?” I asked.

“I do love him Annette, that’s what I’ve been waiting to tell you since you got home. Just because you don’t know the person before you’re married doesn’t mean that you can’t love them. Your father is a good man and we both love each other. When Jonathan was born you father was so happy… you should have seen him dance. And he did the very same with you. He really wanted a daughter more than a son but he knew we needed one. He was very happy when he had both. But listen to me Annette, and I mean really listen to me now. Marriage does not equal love it equals a place in this world. Without Alexander you may not be worth anything. I have no doubt in my mind that your Laurence may be a perfect gentleman and that you truly love him but Annette you will suffer with him. He will not be able to afford the life you’ve been raised in and I fear you may not be able to adjust. And not only that but no one would accept you any longer. To have a woman marry beneath her station is simply not done. Do you hear me?”

“Yes mama. But does love not matter? You always told be about love and not you tell me it’s not available to me.”

“Sweetheart. That is not what I said at all. I said that marriage does not equal love. That in no way means that there cannot be love in marriage. And besides you are only fifteen and you are not yet capable of fully understanding love. When you are older perhaps you will understand me better.”

I am no simpleton! Fifteen is not young! She always used to call me a lady and said that I was growing up so quickly why now does she change what she said? Now I’m even more confused. She must see it on my face too because she’s sighing.

“Annette, just do as you’re told for now and everything will work out. I will talk to you later I promise.” She patted me as she stood up and headed for the door. “You will be perfectly mannered at dinner tonight and I except you to continue on your best behavior as long as you are in the presence of others.” She said to me just as she was opening the door. I nodded and as she left Nina came back into the room.

“Is everything all right Miss? You don’t look so good.” Nina asked me. I flopped back on my bed messing up the clean clothes I just put on.

“Yes Nina, go ahead and finish what you were doing than take out one of my good dresses for dinner.”

“Yes Miss.” She said going back to my clothes.

“Oh father you cannot possibly intend for me to marry that…baby! Surely you have a better heart in you than all that.” Alex huffed in the private parlor he shared with his parents’ rooms.

“Listen to you Alex.” my mother interrupted. “You are twenty-four years old now start acting like it. To think that you would argue with your father as if you were a schoolboy. For shame.”

“Mother please. Surely you did not know of this arrangement before I did. Did you?”

“Of course I did. Why do you think I don’t introduce you to nice young ladies when we go out all time? Your father told me when you were very young to made sure I didn’t set you up with someone else. And no that does not mean I agreed to the whole thing but your father had already signed the contract. Besides it wasn’t like you were planning on getting married to anyone else. At least I hope not.” She gave me a good hard look before taking another sip of her drink.

“No, but that doesn’t mean anything. I am in the prime of my life and now I will be bogged down by her! Can it not be at least postponed a few years until I am ready?”

“No! And stop asking me!” Father said standing up from his seat. He looked out the window that over looked the well-tended garden. “Alexander, don’t think for a minute that you are going to convince me that you’re life is so magnificent that you need more time. There is not a thing you will miss from your old life once you are married I promise you. And is she not pretty? I told you she was pretty and I did not lie.” He looked back at me.

“Yes she is pretty, like a child she is pretty. If we waited just three more years she would be much better.”

“Alex…” my father nearly growled. As headstrong as I may be even I know when my father has heard enough.

“Fine have it your way. But I sure hope you aren’t expecting anything magnificent out of this marriage. If all you want is the two of us together in one house on one piece of paper have it your way. I hope you’re satisfied.” I would have the last say no matter what. I decided to leave then. I figured a good walk outside would do me good right about now. The fresh air would help clear my brain and the fact that I would be the only one out there meant I could huff and fume all I liked without anyone hearing me. I found my way to the garden farthest away from the mansion and paced my heart out.

I’m a grown man. Why would they have me marry this girl now of all times? If all they wanted was for me to marry her I’d do that. In fact I’d been half expected some sort of arranged marriage all my life. It had gotten to me that so far neither of my parents had mentioned anything so far. Now I knew why. Surely they could have at least told me about all this before. And even more surely they could wait a few more years! It wasn’t like the girl was going to get old and decayed in two or three years.

At least she hadn’t seems to be in love with me or anything of the sort. She seemed quite on my side of table in this deal. Most likely she would also benefit from waiting a few more years before marrying me.

“Why God have you cursed me with this burden? I know have not been your greatest follower but surely I have not been all that bad either. What reason have you to do this to me? I repent! I repent!” I yelled up to heaven. Apparently God must be taking a nap, however, because not long after a servant called me into dinner and I had to sit and listen to my mother talking about the new Duchess of Transburg’s wedding dress and something similar would look on her new daughter-in-law.

A/N: Sorry I’ve been out of this world for so long folks. I’m slowly trying to find more time to write between classes and studying. Hopefully you guys haven’t grown old and decrepit while waiting for this.