I Will Love You

Chapter 6

Some days passed, I used these days to adapt, get to know the house better, leave my room to my face and mainly enjoy this summer end. I spent a lot of time reading in the back of the house, sitting on the lawn watching the coachman take care of the beautiful horses the Schimidts own. As much as it is late summer there are still some flowers scattered around the countryside, but already very threatened by autumn. Every end of August at the farm we would gather to have a picnic on a lake near the house, the boys running and getting dirty and me and my sisters having to stay quiet on the sheet to make Mom proud.

I close "Emma" and raise my head with a smile on my face. I can barely describe what that book made me feel, Jane Austen described and showed so well everything that happens in the book, I feel like I could run forever through all the most beautiful places in the world and still not get anywhere near the adventure that I feel I witnessed in this book.

I get up from the lawn anxious to get to the library and try to find a book as good as it is. I wave to the coachman who was pulling out of the stable the white horse I love so much.

- Where is he going? -I ask loud enough for him to understand.

- Sir Nicholas asked us to prepare, go for a walk. - The middle-aged man explains. - Do you want one too?

I have a bad laugh. So much time taking care of my family, I barely had seconds to hone any hobbies, like riding.

- No, I’m going in. - I hold the book with both hands. - Wish Nicholas a good walk for me.

The coachman takes his hand off the beret by nodding. I turn around and start to go around the house, which so far I can’t understand there’s no way out the back. As soon as I enter the mansion I hear the talk...

I recently met some of Diana’s closest friends, who at this time are in the house, with their full dresses and their diamonds in their left hand proving that they have not become spinsters, as I am destined to be.

We have Mary, a woman just over twenty, black hair and black eyes like the night, an angelic face and a diction of envy, but justifiable considering that she is the leader of Spiez’s elite women’s group and the best person to look for when she wants to give an event, she and Diana take turns at the annual festivals, usually the thanksgiving is held here and the winter dance at Mary’s beautiful house.

Katelin, I believe she is nineteen, was lucky to marry a Duke, unlike Mary and Diana, she has twins, two beautiful and educated girls, Evelyn and Annabeth. Blond hair with beautiful curls at the tips, skin with a natural flush, reddish lips and honey-colored eyes, plus good education, dedication, kindness and affection prove that she didn’t marry a duke out of luck, but because she really gets anyone’s attention, even from an unreachable duke.

And last but not least, Shirley, a teacher of very strict etiquette, also a mother but a boy named Keeley. Shirley is probably just over 25, dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and incredibly beautiful tan skin. 

- There she is... - Katelin says when she sees me. - Girls, say hello to Aunt Lily.

The two little girls sitting with impeccable posture, blond hair and honey-colored eyes like Katelin’s, open a shy smile looking at me and then say in unison:

- Hi, Aunt Lily, how are you?

- Great girls, and you? - I look at the women sitting with a cup in their hands. - I’ll just leave the book in the library and I’ll be right back to join you.

- No hurry dear. - Shirley says.

I smile at them all and drive to the library, find Maddie dusting off the books and talking to someone, I just sit back and listen to my sister’s friends flutter about herself or maybe the books. I take a few steps to the middle of the room waiting for her to notice me. Suddenly I feel a big hand touching my shoulder scaring me.

- Look Maddie, we have visitors.. - I hear Nicholas’s thunderous voice.- No telling your sister.

- I wasn’t going to, but I think they are mistaken! - I say quietly by going to one of the shelves. - They are lovely women.

- Excuse Miss Lily, I take back everything I said. - She shrinks staring at Nicholas.

- Don’t take anything away, Maddie.

I laugh as I fit the book between the others and then turn to them.

- Do not worry Maddie, do not need to withdraw, is your opinion. - Walk quietly to the door. - Even if I think it’s a mistake, now if you’ll excuse me, I have a cup of tea to drink.

Nicholas laughs and I turn to him, facing him against the bookcase of mahogany.

- I’m disappointed, I thought it was different from them. - He says sarcastically. - I thought it killed dragons Miss Meyer.

I give the man a smug smile a few feet away from me.

- That’s who you’re wrong Mr Schmidt.- I cross my arms. - The friendships I make do not dictate my character or my personality.

- Sir, she’s right. - Maddie agrees. - If you hear one of them complaining, please don’t tell me!

- If I hear any of them complaining, I promise to lose my decorum Maddie.- I give a smile of complicity to her. - And you did, I’m sure!

I note Nicholas' expression of dissatisfaction. He did not like being thwarted by Maddie, let alone by me.

I take a deep breath by turning to the door, to go to my tedious appointment, but before I touch the doorknob my bedroom neighbor’s voice echoes across the room.

- If you’re so different from them, then why don’t you come with me to the city to pick up your dress?

- Because I can’t ride Nicholas.- I assume.- Enjoy the ride, tell Abigail I said hello!

And I leave before he refutes it with some mockery or other questioning. In the few encounters I had with Nicholas around the rooms of the house, I noticed that he is a very stubborn being, who does not like to be contradicted And much less getting a no for an answer, his ego is so big that it will do anything until you say yes, only to inflate a little more. 

I pour myself a cup of tea listening to the women in the room talking about their dresses, about Spiez’s gossip, about their husbands, home renovations, event planning, futile things. A sigh averting to look at Evelyn and Annabeth who conversed between themselves, probably on a subject far more interesting than the hideous hem of Catherine’s skirt.

Nicholas' voice begins to echo in my mind saying that I am like them. I know I am not, but what if I ever become? And if I ever join them to talk about how ugly someone’s coke was, or how the color of the dress didn’t match or devalue any woman, that doesn’t seem right, using someone for entertainment...

- Are you listening to Lily? - Diana says taking me out of my thoughts. - Someone told Shirley that there is a very handsome marquis in town, he is French, she has already tried to ask him to her ball, who knows you don’t know each other...

I smile nicely, as I mentally prepare to act the way they expect...

- That’s great. - I put my cup on the plate on the table. - It will be great to meet you...

- Ah Lily, with those green eyes he will melt for you! - Mary tells me staring. - I hope your dress is attractive, someone has to get that man’s attention.

- He is very...

Dad gave up hope that I would get married before I was 18, and now my sister’s posh, gossiping friends are gonna push me to a marquis I don’t even know, just because he’s handsome and he’s a marquis. Why is the only thing expected of me a wedding?