An Arranged Union (2)

Throughout the night he couldn't sleep.His eyes were wide awake as he caught himself in the nightmare. "The lady sticking her finger into her nose."

The thought of it made him uncomfortable and he was to be wed,with her. That was something he would never want to do.

"Brother,why are you still awake?Are you waiting to see your woman?" Nigel tapped the table with the fruit knife, trying to get his brother's attention.He could see he was lost in thought.

"Would you marry such an unclean woman?" A tear dropped from his eyes when the words escaped his lips.

"Wow"' Nigel exclaimed as he walked over to him, standing with his own face closer to his brother's to check if he was crying.

"Who would've thought the Duke of Britannia would shed a tear? She mustn't be that bad." He cut an apple into two,handing some to his brother.

"I am not crying. The thought of it breaks my heart and she is to bear my heirs.What if my heirs are like her? I wish I had married earlier."

"You are indeed surprising.I didn't expect you to make such a wish.That is why you deserve her." He wiggled his eyebrows."I hope she would be Duchess whatever Knights by tomorrow.You never know what mother is planning."

'Hmm' he smacked his face with his palm.

He thought he knew his mother,but she was able to defeat him today.

Standing up and bidding his brother goodnight,he dragged his feet to his room to find sleep, but it never came.The nightmare was haunting him.

The sun came by quickly the next morning as Edward had expected.His mother was the first to wake up.She had already began choosing the flowers for the wedding and the gifts to be given to the soon-to-be bride she had already accepted.

In her dreams,she had already attended the wedding.

"Edward,do not waste my time.You must go to the Dynevor's Estate and appear yourself to show her mother you are interested.I made her keep her daughter for you.If you do not go, it'll be an insult."Lady Beatrice said,waking him up from his bed as soon as she rose and fetched for him his shoes.

He had protested,of course,but his mother was determined to see him wed and have his house teeming with children.

He had nothing to say but to oblige.To go against his mother meant disrespecting his late father and he didn't want that to happen.

He had to make the best of the situation, no matter how unpleasant it was.

*

**

***

As the carriage halted in front of the grand Dynevor's Estate ,he steeled himself,straightening his cravat and smoothing down his waist coat. He had to look presentable if he were to meet his in-laws.

A second look at the estate kept him wondering why the daughter of a rich man would be in town dressing as a hobo.

Esmeralda's mother was the first to notice his presence.She had been waiting for him by the window since the sun rose and was waiting for him to take her daughter away.

The more time she spent with her daughter,she could feel her daughter was growing too old for her to handle and she had to send her to a man who would spoil her.

Before he could enter, Esmeralda's mother roughly cupped her daughter's cheeks in her palm.Her grip tight and unyielding,staring into her eyes.

"Now,you listen to me." She said,her voice low and commanding."The Duke has arrived.Make sure you behave today."

Esmeralda winced as her mother's polished nails dug into her skin."Why must I wed someone I do not love? We are already wealthy.We do not need him to save us from a financial burden."

Lady Georgina's grip tightened the more."You do as I say.Do not get me angered after the scandal you managed to pull."She hissed.

Her unruly daughter decided to get herself out of the marriage proposals from her coming suitors by getting intimate with their house boy. To keep his mouth shut,Sir Dynevor had to pay him a huge sum and whisk him to a different city.

The loss of such huge amount pained no one else but her mother.The money could have purchased thousands of boutiques and salons to increase the wealth of the family.

"This is a chance to elevate our family status beyond mere wealth.The Duke of Britannia is a very powerful man ,and an alliance with him will open doors money alone cannot.Take this as a way of repaying the money we had to feed the simp with."

"But what if I do not marry him? Surely there are other ways for us to---"

"Silence!" Her mother snapped,cutting her along the line."Just do as I say." Her grip becoming tighter the more she spoke."You will smile,laugh at his jests and make him fall for you,else I won't be pleased." A dangerous glint in her eyes.

"And you know what happens when I am not pleased??"

"Y-yes mother."She said,her voice trembling.

She was not her stepmother,but behaved like it sometimes.Her only duty was to be the lady of the house and increase her husband's earnings.

That was who her mother was.She was not after money, jeweleries or mere clothes...she considered them something that wouldn't satisfy her.

She wanted more of it and she would make more.

"Good girl!" A satisfied look spread across her face as she let go of her cheeks."Go and make us proud!"

Esmeralda nodded,bracing herself for the Duke's arrival.