Marry

Maria rushed over to me as soon as I stepped into the house. 

 "My word, I've been looking all over for you. We all have. Your parents are very furious right now," she said, taking my cloak with her. 

 "It is not the first time…" I snapped. 

 "But it is your wedding day," she reminded me. 

 "Maria, I will need a great warm bath, please see to it." I walked away. When I attempted to climb the wooden stairs, I felt my parents' gaze on me as I halted. They had been in their study, discussing. 

 "There you are, a child so despicable and foolish." Mother began to scold me. 

 "Where have you been?" Father's gruff voice asked. 

 "I… I was on the outskirts of the city… to catch some air," I lied, chinning up. 

 "Of course, you did. But, but Derek saw you at his pub, is that also catching some air?" he asked. 

 "No."

 "I expected that," he snapped angrily at me. 

 "A tavern? A lady like you should not be found in such places. Do you wish to drag the prestige of this family into your ugly mess?" Mother scolded. 

 "I do not wish for that," I countered. 

 "What else do you want, Ava Rosette?" she asked as her gaze turned sharp. "Your honor, is it lost? I mean… you've often visited the tavern and wined with vicious and shameless middle-class men," she stated. 

 "Not that I care if your honor has been taken by some men out there, because you are not different from them. But I care about this wedding that your father and I have invested our time and energy into, and you must not destroy it with your wild hands. Is that clear?" my father barked at me. 

 "Yes, father."

 "Lisa, see that she is dressed and made-up. Sir Thompson will be here to get his bride," Father said to Mother. 

 "Of course, my love," Mother said as father left. She sized me up with her mocked gaze as I asked. 

 "There isn't a wedding like that of… Mia, Daphne, and Elise?" I asked.

Would they not at least give me the privilege of having a normal wedding like my younger sisters? I wondered. 

She chuckled mockingly. 

 "Ask yourself, after what has happened, do you deserve it? We did a very great favor by providing a husband, and you dream of a lavish wedding?" her voice was sharp and pissed. 

 "Not lavish, at least a—"

 "A gathering?" she scoffed. "What is your problem, Ava? Do you deserve a wedding? After all the ball dresses we have provided every season, good tutors, a handmaid, and several introductions to noble people that you cast off with deadly impressions? You think that you deserve a wedding ceremony?" she asked as her brows tilted.

 "Now tell me, who impresses a man by eating carrots and drinking alcohol? That, you did. You could at least say thank you for such a privilege that you have been given. The wedding you seek will not be held. Your father and I are in more debt and your expenses should not add to it. Now, for peace to reign, let Maria fix you up in one piece," she said as I turned to leave. 

 "And one more thing, Maria has packed your luggage. She will go with you to your husband's house. At least you have a maid, a gift from me for you." she left. 

I didn't think that I would ever see such a day filled with intense grief and pain. From doing my virginity to a faceless stranger to no wedding gathering at all. What is my crime? 

…

I was in the tub while Maria added some warm water to it. I was lost in my thoughts. A picture of what the rest of my life would be like was haunting me.

 "I bet you will look beautiful in your wedding dress." she began scrubbing my arm. 

 "Do I have a wedding dress?"

 "Yes, Miss Ava. The dressmaker gifted you one of her old pieces, which hasn't been worn since its production," she explained. 

 "I'm… happy," I said, but my face depicted the opposite. I didn't ask my mother to get me a dress either. 

After my bath, she helped me get dressed. It was a less expensive dress with very cheap fabric compared to the ones my sisters wore on their wedding days. 

 "Shall I add the silver pins to your hair?" she asked. 

 "No Maria, there is no wedding party, but I am to wed." I forced a smile. "Tie my hair into a bun. No pins. No ribbons. Nothing." I said. Although she was skeptical, but she obeyed. 

I wore another cloak and hat over my head. I grabbed the pocket watch from my bag. I couldn't stop seeing the stranger's face in the reflection. 

 "Please, put this into the box and the satchel too," I said to her, and kept looking in the mirror. I saw no one but myself contemplating a meaningless life that I would start with an old man as a third wife. 

 "It is beautiful. Did you find a suitor last night? Is it a gift?" Maria teased with curiosity as I chuckled dryly. 

 "I met a ghost." I snapped, but her eyes narrowed with confusion. "Just… hide it away." I said. 

 "A ghost? Who sees a ghost in this era?" she complained. "Do you plan on scaring me?"

 "I did," I said as I took her hands. 

 "Umm… Miss Ava, I'm a little scared now. Nothing diabolical as that is real, folklore isn't true," she said. We have been more like friends over the years—she was like a sister to me. I was only a year older than she was. I took her hands into mine. 

 "I swear, I met a ghost last night. He had golden hair, golden eyes—"

 "Ava stop," she interrupted. 

A knock interjected as I gently pulled away. 

 "I will get it," she said, as our conversation hung, then I looked away. 

It was one of the servants, they shared a few words, and then she turned to me. 

 "They are here. Your in-laws," she specified. 

 "Let's marry." I sarcastically stated and walked out. She instructed the other servant to take the luggage downstairs. 

As soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't pretend to not see them. Two elderly military men and one woman. They were all between the ages of forty and fifty if my guess was correct. 

I went over to them and bent a little like I was taught. 

The woman examined me by looking at my eyes, checking my arms and my legs. Then she touched my hips and said, 

 "I see. She's capable of making babies. Sir Thompson will be pleased," she said as she walked back to the others and sat down. They were sipping tea as well as my parents while I stood. Maria was some paces away. 

 "Has she had any man before?" the woman, who seemed like a detective, asked. 

 "No way, she hasn't. She couldn't," Mother said. 

 "I have." I blurted out without regret. 

 "No, you have not," Father stated firmly, shooting me a death stare. 

 "Is she always this... hard and wild?" the woman asked. 

 "Quite. A few times, but she is bendable," Mother explained. 

Am I now a worn-out single person? Really? And my parents said nothing about it. 

 "Tyrion? Hand them the parcel," she said to one of the men as he handed my father a fat envelope. Was that money? I understand the whole thing now. I was a collateral. 

 "Are you bothered that your in-law's presence was unavoidably absent?" she asked my parents. 

 "No. She can cope, she is strong. Three weeks of waiting is nothing compared to ten years of her waiting." Mother chuckled, and the lady smiled a little too. 

 "Sir Thompson should not bother, we understand..." Dad added. 

 "I do not understand. Is this a dealbreaker for you all?" I asked angrily. 

 "Your brother, Marvin, wouldn't have gotten an entry if it weren't for your… new husband. So, keep it shut." Father scolded. 

 "I see. I've never meant a thing to you both. After all, I hope you find what you've been looking for all these years of waiting to sell me out," I said. I was clearly angry and pissed. 

 "Is she always like this? Bitter?" the lady asked, and my parents were silent. "Well… Tyrion, the ring…" she ordered. "Wear the ring on his third wife," she instructed. 

Was I dreaming or completely shocked?

He grabbed my hand forcefully and put the ring on my finger. 

 "Prayers. Admonition. I believe that has been done. We shall take our wife now, Mr. Philips, thanks for your assistance in such a dire moment as this," she said, and they exchanged handshakes. 

 "Good luck, Ava Rosette, you'll need it…" Mother said to me. "No more ruins," she added. 

 "You need luck the most, mother, I can't promise that there will be no ruins," I firmly said to her.

The hate she had for me. 

Maria scurried over to me and held my arm. 

 "It will pass," she whispered to me under her breath, and I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 

The lady cleared her throat as we turned to her. 

 "Let's go home," she said, wearing a sinister smirk.