Cape of trouble

My handsome father has a new wife.

I was surprised to find my father married, and he was surprised to see me older than he remembered as he held me away from him in a big bear hug when we finally met up at the homestead. I thought he wanted me to help him with his work, but I was wrong, as I can see he has his helper and new wife all in place, as there seems no need for me to be there at all.

"Oh daddy, could you not have waited for me to come." I silently thought to myself. I had to think of a plan to be heard by the angry, glaring new wife, but I know from passed experience that the new wife seldom wants to share her husband's affections, as my aunt Mary, who I lived with in Britain, changed so much after her husband came along it was unbearable to live there. There was a lot to say about marriage. I was

That is also the reason I decided to come here. I had no idea what my father had planned for me. My father was intrigued by royalty, who was not in this era we are now living in. This is 1798. After all, there is so much happening in the seaways of the world. I think all the new worlds on our globe have already been discovered. The mission is to profit from endeavors in the new worlds.

The people in this household were not going to be looking at me for guidance. Instead, they will want to take advice from my father's rather younger wife. For all my father's attitude about his wanting me settled with someone with pedigree, he himself has chosen a very plain person as a wife. She comes from the area and not England as all good wives should, or so I was told in my teens.

I was given a gracious enough welcome, the room my new stepmother prepared for me had a servant show me the way, was quite big and airy. I was not impressed by my father's new wife acting aloof and full of graces. I have lived in Britain long enough to recognize a social climber. Minerva, that is her name. My surprise was the beautiful name of my new father's wife. It is an unusual name. L liked the sound of it as I said her name aloud. Make no mistake, but she has a hideous disposition. Her personality is hideous, the only problem is my father cannot see that.

After being shown my room, I sat on the bed that was surprisingly soft. I was contemplating my bags being packed out when she barged into my room without knocking. I was stunned, as I could see by her determined attitude that she was a go-getter. She did not care that she offended me or hurt my feelings.

There was no welcome from her as she climbed into her business with me very quickly. I put up my hand and told her to stop as I did not want her to carry on talking when it just was not her place to speak about my marriage.

I told her she had no right to barge into my private space and try to come there and tell me what to do, as that was my father's job not hers.

"I came here to tell you we have chosen someone who is going to become your husband. Don't look at me like that. I want you to go out of my home, ok.' Minerva said.

I could see the problems coming as I would not be told how to do things by her, but the truth is that I should listen to someone who just barged in without respect or a sense of decency.

I could have been naked as I was planning to bathe but was told I had to use the metal basin and jug that was given for bathing purposes.

There was no way I could accept this woman my father had already married and not let me know what he was planning. I was worried that the person I was told was going to marry me was going to turn out to be someone quite undesirable.

As it turned out, the gentleman in question was invited to dine with us that very same day. I was shocked at the speed my new stepmother was trying to rid of me.

The servants are rude in this house as I heard them speaking, they assumed I could not speak Afrikaans, but I had learned the language as soon as I heard my father was going to be stationed in the Cape of Goodhope. I heard them saying my husband had arrived. I only knew a few words but knowing how to speak Dutch has helped quite a lot.

They were also excited to see if I liked him or not. The gossip was unacceptable as far as I was concerned. Why do they make me feel so insecure, they were only servants after all. I knew the truth was my fear of rejection was what drove my cheeky outbreaks of verbal anger that I would sake I anger. I was a bit ashamed of my behavior but not much as I was entitled to have good parents like everyone else was I not. Why would my stepmother be given the ability to anger me to the point I know I would snap her in two practically speaking if she does not stop her crazy horrid attitude. I was without a dought the most angry at my father for letting his wife deal with me.

I have been angry for an hour now, not wanting to move a muscle to be in contact with a horrible family inside my father's houses was strange. All my confidence is gone now. I dont know what is going to happen in the new few hours.

The way I react to my new husband will determine if my husband would turn out to be a good man or not. I believe in positive relationships. I am not sure this whole day could ever be positive seeing that my anger has left me extremely frustrated at the moment. I cannot wait to speak to my father and ask him why he has allowed other people to make his decision for him. My chance comes eventually as supper time my father asks to speak to me privately in his study. I can see that he us angry and I am worried what his wife has told him, I want to tell him my version of the events earlier that day but his wife must have poisoned his mind making him paranoid and angry at me.

I am overwhelmed with anger "Father why have you asked your wife to find me a husband?" I ask my father but his answer is just point blank anger. "In this household you will do as you are told young lady!" My father shouts his anger at me. I am just so started and angry at his attitude towards me I start to cry. My father is not taken in with my attitude or my tears.

I was being held as a laughingstock of this pathetic household.