Him and Her

The Wallflower's Rebellion (Prose)

I valued Olivia's friendship more than to jeopardize it with being infatuated by her brother the Baron of the Blackwood manor. It was another one of those torturous week of watching him dancing with the wildly popular Susan Weikfield. She was the daughter of the Viscount, Richard Weikfield. It seemed to be a serious affair. They were inseparable. He had sacrificed a dance with his sister which left her fuming.

"I'm going to kill him with my bare hands," Olivia whisper hissed.

I chuckled and looked around the ball. There were a lot of new season's posh society women and men dancing in synchronised movements. Every one of them had a partner except us the wallflowers.

"That's bloodthirsty. I'm sure he had a good reason."

Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Of course, the reason of getting that nasty cunning Susan into his bed. I'm so livid. I'm going to pull him out of the ball but you know how the dowager hates drama."

Shocked and a little red faced I looked around and thankfully not a person was close by to hear her bitter loathing.

"Olivia! I'm baffled you speak out loud like that."

She groaned instead.

"And now you sound like my mother."

I sighed and shook my head watching the many mercurial moods of Olivia's anger.

"Look, let's leave from here and go get some fresh air. Maybe we could strategize what to do next." I tried cajoling instead.

I knew she acquired the same impulsive traits of her brother. Both were headstrong and adamantly sticking to their obstinate egos. Lord knew how I was going to handle the pressure of remaining calm and composed when Olivia was at her best behaviour. She seemed no less than an angry cat hissing and scratching at people who dared cross her path.

Being vexed with her would only lead to a pointless argument.

Baron Andrew Blackwood knew for certain that Susan would do well of being the Baroness to the outstretched farmland of the family. She was a noblewoman and a Viscount's daughter. Her father had promised of good business to him. To bring a new collection of harvesting seeds and produce. More than that Andrew was sure of getting into the city market with the connections of his father in law's name in the popular society. Susan being the season's most charming hostess would be a lovely addition to the Blackwood manor. Andrew would be benefiting with his betrothed dowry as well as he had made sure of Olivia having another season with Susan being her companion. He presumed she was going to get married by the end of the year. It was all a win-win situation.

"My lady, you wound me. I wasn't jesting when I speak about your beauty."

He leaned down and was about secure her lips and seal their week long courtship to a pleasant fruitful end. He would propose to her tonight. The succeeding thoughts though came to a jarring end.

Because he all but was pulled back and rudely interrupted by a rough tap at the study door.

"What is it now?" Susan huffed.

This was the fourth time they were abruptly hindered when trying to be intimate. She seemed frustrated more than he was and the restlessness coming off from her at once was suffocating to him. He frowned and cut the insecure thoughts that stemmed indifferences between them. She was going to be his wife and to adjust and embrace to each other's faults was going to be the basis of their arranged marriage.

"Oh, all these people have not an ounce of shame to walk about the mansion as if their own."

And he thought she loved being a hostess and genuinely cared about inviting people to his mansion. Most of the crowd was from his appointed peerage and were humble souls except the men and women her father brought here. They were royalty. There was a duke and a prince downstairs somewhere socializing.

Andrew stared down at her bemused. For someone who behaved so elegantly around the crowd in the ball, the woman changed spectacularly. It opened a facet making her look like a petulant child. It seemed all too unpleasant. He hated clingy women and there were signs that Andrew ignored about Susan. He had only brushed it off thinking that it might be the vanity of the woman being all beautiful and the centre of the attention she received always.

He untangled her arms from around his neck and smiled.

"Just a bit, darling. We are after all hosts of this party. It would be rude to ignore our guests."

He tried to calm her ruffled feathers. A bit patronisingly though and she seemed to pout some more. Frowning and a bit worried he closed the study door and got out in the bustling hallway.

His eyes collided with two pair of defiant angry eyes. Surprised he looked from one to another. His sister and her best friend. Both looking and wanting to be anywhere but at the party.

"What is wrong?"

His sister was the first to make him aware of her anger. She was quite a fierce personality and would not back down even in a gathering crowd.

"You are what is wrong happening to me tonight!" She exclaimed.

His eyes widened at the ample display of despise in Olivia's voice and manner. He caught Charlotte's trouble gaze.

"She is angry that you missed dancing with both us. You seemed to have forgotten about promising her."

Olivia reddened and glared at him.

"I'm so embarrassed that even my brother finds it abhorrent to dance with us."

Damnation. He had forgotten about them since being busy with inviting in the viscount to his house. It was important and foremost that he had to make sure of this proposal getting a grand welcome in the upper society.

"It escaped my mind. I had other most important things to do." He defended himself.

His tone broached no arguments and he expected her to be certain of things beyond her understanding.

He sighed when she seemed to have the rebellious streak in her eyes.

"Most important things like going mad about the woman Susan and ignoring your blood? Is it not? What wonderful useful thing you have engaged to tonight."

He knew Olivia did not like Susan and she hated her guts but this much of disrespect was uncalled for.

"Olivia, I wish you find your manners while speaking about Lady Weikfield."

Olivia only narrowed her eyes at him.

"I do not care about her. She is manipulative and her pretentious too sweet of a voice is jarring to my nerves. I cannot stand a short conversation with her."

Andrew thought of drawing a line to where this was going.

"Look, Olivia, you should thank her since you are going to have another season in Bath this year. You are to have another chance because of Susan. I will be proposing to her tonight and the Blackwood manor is going to get good benefit from marrying into her influential family."

Olivia and Charlotte both let out startled gasps.

"Another season? In Bath?" She asked incredulous.

Andrew nodded his head.

"Most certainly." He emphasized.

Olivia blinked like an owl and her upper lip curled instead.

"But Susan? As my sister-in-law?"

Andrew drew a line there.

"You ought to respect her now. She is going to be my wife."

Olivia only stared at him through shrewd eyes.

"You could do better. She is not good for you. I do not need a season. If you are doing this and sacrificing your life..." She said concernedly.

Andrew's jaw hardened.

"You know how father had laundered all the money. We have nothing but the farm, the city mansion and this house. Through the betrothed dowry I'm going to secure this place, Livie. I hope you understand what is at stake."

His voice turned grave and a steady determination straightened his spine. He loved this place. It was where he grew up and his mother's memories were deeply embedded here. He would do anything and a minor sacrifice of his freedom was nothing in comparison of what he would be benefitted with.

With growing apprehension and with heart feeling like it had been stampeded upon by a thousand elephants I felt a sudden urge to find corner and cry my eyes out. When Andrew confessed about the dire situation of the Blackwood manor, an instant shame coloured my face. It was my father who had lead Andrew's father into gambling. He was a bad company and had made use of the mourning man's vulnerability into using it for his own selfish means. Andrew lost his mother three years ago to brain aneurysm. She collapsed in the morning and died the same night. The most affected was his father whose vulnerability was taken advantage by my father for years. He had cunningly manipulated and drained Andrew's father of a lot of wealth.