Alessandra Read online

  "Edward, you know that it will be your duty to marry and carry on the family line and business," he said, and Edward nodded in response before his father continued. "Your mother has found someone who she considers suitable for you to take as a wife."

  Edward looked at his father, and at his mother, and then back again, somewhat perplexed at this rather unusual conversation.

  "And you do not consider her suitable?"

  "She is a nobody, with no land or social status," his father said, with a sound of almost disgust in his voice.

  "She has money! Exactly what we need! And how can you call that nothing?" his mother said, forcefully.

  "Oh, mother," Edward began to ask, "How has she come to have money if her family have no social status?"

  "She is descended from a well known family in Italy, with connection to Italian royalty, so she is hardly a 'nobody'."

  At this point his father jumped back into the conversation, and Edward started to see why they were disagreeing so much.

  "They aren't known or respected! No-one has even heard of them!"

  Edward looked at both of his parents, seeing their individual levels of stubbornness that he had seen on many occasion, and knowing that they could have a stand-off for days, even weeks, if they both felt so strongly about their own points of view.

  "Mother, tell me how you have learned about this young lady, and why you see her as a good match for me."

  His mother took a moment to consider her words.

  "I know that they are a family who do not live in society and they have very little land. They live as though they are common people, but in this girl's heritage there is history and honour. They have contacts who are the equivalent of dukes and duchesses, even if they don't live like that themselves. And it is known that she is to inherit a very large dowry now that she has turned 18."

  Edward could see his mother's point of view. She was a romantic soul, and would prefer a marriage be more than just an exchange of money or land, even though in this instance the money appeared to be a major contributor to her enthusiasm.

  "And father? What is your argument against this young lady?"

  His father looked worn down. "I don't really have any argument against her - I have never even met her, or her family. But your mother's argument that her ancestors had some kind of standing in Italy, makes no sense to me. And although she would bring a cash injection to the estate, she will not bring land or social status to you. What real purpose would she be?"

  Edward looked at his father, and could see stress on his face, which worried him.

  "Would her real purpose not be to be my wife and to give me children? I do not think that she needs land or a title for that. All I could wish for is someone who I can get on well enough with, and who will work with me to keep our home together and running smoothly."

  His parents looked at each other, and he saw softening on their faces as they started to relax.

  "I know that you have tried to leave it to me to find someone I want to marry, but I am simply not in any position to meet new people, and to be honest, I would be happy to marry anyone who can think and speak, and is as eager to make a go of a marriage as I will be. So if, Mother, you think you have found someone suitable, even if just for the purpose of securing more money for the estate, can we at least meet her? What harm could there be in inviting her and her family to stay here for a few weeks, so we can all just simply meet?"

  Chapter Three: The Journey

  Alessandra spent the next two weeks relishing possibly the last time she would be home. Although they lived so simply, this was the house and township that she had grown up in and had deep sentimental appreciation for. Of course she had known that one day she would have to leave, but knowing that did not make it any easier for her as she packed up her small belongings into trunks, ready for the journey she would soon make with her parents.

  Over this final time in her home, Alessandra leaned on her mother, appreciating that now her mother was talking to her as a wife, sharing with her the last of information she felt her daughter would need to know. Of the intimacy between husband and wife, all she would say was that it was a wife's duty to do as her husband wished for, without argument, regardless of how uneasy she may feel about it.

  Alessandra pondered her mother's wording, which made it sound like the marriage act was, for some, a completely unenjoyable thing to experience. And yet, when she watched her mother and father together, she had only ever seen affection between them. They had never been overly intimate in front of her, but she remembered seeing small moments when they would look at each other in such a way that would make her mother blush. And the moments when her father would touch her mother - straightening up a small area of hair that was determined to not stay tidy, or taking her hand and holding it while looking into her eyes. It was difficult for Alessandra to align their level of affection to something horrible being done to her mother, night after night.

  She knew that thinking about that aspect of marriage was not something that she should be focusing on - it was wicked to think such thoughts so often. But until she met the young man who would be her husband - Edward was his name, she had been told - she found she could not think of any other aspect of it. Her role would be, after all, to have children - to provide an heir for that family.

  * * * * *

  Finally the time came when she and her parents were on their way to the estate of Alessandra's possible betrothal. Alessandra could see tension on both of her parents' faces, each in their own thoughts about it all.

  Looking at her father as they travelled, she wondered what he was thinking, but he had said nothing. He wasn't a man who was completely cold to his children, but he was less inclined to speak to her than her mother was. And the days of her being able to enchant him with a hug or a smile seemed to have ended long ago, as he had become more and more withdrawn from her in recent years as she evolved into a young woman.

  * * * * *

  Having never left her home town before, Alessandra became excited as she saw the landscape change, and noticed views she had never even visualised in her dreams and imagination. And for one night, mid-journey, they stayed in an inn - something else that was also new to her. The inn owners were a married couple who not only appreciated the custom so much in what appeared to be very quiet times for them, but also enjoyed viewing the excitement Alessandra exhibited in being able to eat and stay overnight in the establishment. To Alessandra it all was starting to feel like such an adventure - so much so that she almost forgot where they were heading, and why.

  Chapter Four: The Manor

  In a manor house near Bath, staff were instructed to clean everything excessively, at the instruction of Edward's mother, almost as if royalty were visiting.

  Edward's father, Charles, found himself exasperated at her, while also finding it within him to fondly tease her about her excitement.

  "They aren't of society, my love. They really won't find anything wrong with our home, I am sure," he said to her, over and over, but still she flitted around like a little bird, issuing orders and trying to get everything just right for her upcoming guests.

  Edward watched it all with amusement and fondness for his mother. He found inside of him a calmness about the prospect of possibly meeting a woman who would become his wife. He knew that if he was very unhappy with her, his parents would not force the marriage, but he had also been raised with the understanding of duty, and just knowing how much it would mean to his mother was enough for him to be resolved that no matter who she was or what she was like, he would go through with the marriage and make the most of it. To him, his mother was the utmost example of womanhood, and he knew it was possible that no other woman would ever match up to her.

  Early in the evening on the night before the guests were to arrive, Edward was sitting in the last of the sun before it would disappear, and his mother came and sat next to him. He turned to look at her and noticed that over the previous few days she seemed t
o actually have become more youthful in her looks, like she was getting excited about the possible upcoming marriage, as a bride might do.

  "Are you at peace, my son?" she asked, looking at this young man who began life inside of her. He had never been a handsome boy and would possibly never be a handsome man in the eyes of many, but she was proud of the person he was, and the nature he had.

  He looked closely at her, with sudden awareness that as he moved closer toward marriage, they all were moving older in age and one day she would not be there for him anymore.

  "I am, Mother. I am looking forward to meeting my potential wife to be, and marriage after that if that is what is meant to be."

  He saw his mother take a deep breath and consider what she wanted to say, before words came from her mouth once more.

  "Edward, be kind to her. I know you have a good heart and would never be intentionally cruel to anyone, but I remember how afraid I was when I was sent to meet your father."

  "But you love Father, do you not?"

  His mother smiled with a slight blush on her face.

  "Oh yes, but the day that we met we did not know each other at all, and it was a difficult time for me, trying to fit in with his family while trying to get to know him. It is always the way things go, but it is not easy, particularly for the young woman." She paused a moment before continuing. "Just be patient with her. Give the both of you plenty of time to relax with each other before ruling her out of being a possible partner."

  "Everything will be fine, Mother. You have taught me well in what to expect of a wife, and I am beginning to understand how things are run on the estate. I want you to now relax and not worry so much."

  "You are my son and I love you. Of course I worry - that is my job as your mother."

  Chapter Five: The Meeting

  "Isabella, Alessandra, we are nearly there," Alessandra's father said to his wife and daughter as they neared the estate that they expected to be guests in over the next three weeks.

  Already Alessandra had experienced so much excitement in previous days, and didn't think she could become any more anxious, but when she heard her father explain how close they now were, she felt a new level of nerves come on. Inside of her was so much self-doubt about what the young man would think of her, that she had not given any thought to whether she would like him. Deep inside of her she hoped that he would not expect someone beautiful or pretty - expectations that in her mind would certainly result in his disappointment when he saw her.

  "Look, Alessandra," she heard her mother say, and they both looked over to see the large home that looked as though it was getting closer. Alessandra was in awe, never having seen a home quite so big - the front façade alone looked like it would be four times the size of the small home she had grown up in, and she found herself wondering how she would ever be able to find her way around it.

  Arriving in front of the manor house they were greeted by strangers that none of them had ever laid eyes on, but with there being only three family members on the doorstep of the home, of course it was easy to identify who was who.

  The first person Alessandra noticed was the young man of course. On first sight she did not see any handsomeness at all. In fact there was something about him that was very unattractive, and that contributed to Alessandra's heart sinking. She realised now that she had been assuming that he would be the most handsome man she would have ever seen - even more handsome than Tom Missinger, who had indeed swept her heart away with his good looks - and she now cursed herself inwardly for being so silly.

  She only had a moment to think these thoughts before Edward's parents were coming forward to her own, holding out their hands and giving a customary kiss on the cheek to each other.

  "And here is our son, Edward," Edward heard his mother say, breaking him out of his thoughts. He had been looking at this young woman who was intended to be his wife, with similar thoughts to those she had just had about him.

  At the prompting from his parents, Edward stepped forward and greeted Alessandra's mother and father, and then came right up to her and gently took her hand and raised it to his lips. She was momentarily stunned before remembering her manners and giving a small curtsey to him and his parents.

  They took some time for introductions and friendly greetings, all the while subtly looking at each other and assessing each other.

  Soon they were all ushered inside the great home and Alessandra and her parents were shown to their individual rooms.

  Inside the room that would be hers for the next three weeks, Alessandra sat on the bed and looked around before going to stand at the window. As she looked out the window she felt her breath catch as she realised she was facing a view more beautiful than she had ever seen. For so far she could see green, over flat land and a tall hill that looked from this angle like it might almost reach the sky.

  When she had been standing like that for a time, she heard a light knocking at her door and went to open it. As she did so, she saw an older woman with a friendly look about her.

  "Miss, the mistress has asked me to invite you down to the drawing room, where the family is assembling before their evening meal. Is there any way I can be of assistance to you?"

  Alessandra was taken aback, wondering if there was something she was supposed to be doing, or to have done. The woman in front of her looked at her kindly and then spoke.

  "The family is relaxed this evening. You will fit right in."

  Alessandra smiled at her.

  "Thank you. I would appreciate if you could show me the way to the drawing room," she said to the woman, and they made their way downstairs.

  * * * * *

  Walking into the drawing room Alessandra felt a new set of nerves come on again. This time it wasn't to do with Edward, but rather the uncertainty of how she was supposed to act in this great house, with these grand people. She was desperately trying to remember all the rules of etiquette she had been taught growing up, wanting so much to not put her parents to shame.

  She was still deep in thought when she realised Edward was in front of her, saying something. She looked at him, flustered for not having been giving him her attention.

  "I'm sorry," she stammered. "What were you saying?"

  She could feel herself going deep into blush, knowing her face would be deep red, which compounded her flustered state.

  "Would you like to sit with me?" he asked, finding her blush in one way endearing but also a bit uncomfortable.

  "Yes," she stammered again, now feeling like she had been reduced to mumbling at a level that he probably wouldn't even understand. She felt like the blush was getting deeper and deeper, and her discomfort was growing accordingly, but she followed him and sat down near him.

  Edward looked at her, remembering his mother's words from the night before about making this young lady try and feel at ease, but also now feeling like he was uncertain what was the best way to approach her, given that she was looking so terrified.

  On the other side of the room, the two of them could both see their parents all talking amongst themselves, now and then one or more of them glancing at Edward and Alessandra, and obviously talking about them, which compounded the distress Alessandra was feeling even more.

  Edward was dumbfounded about what he should do. Should he keep trying to talk to her, to draw her out and relax her? Or would that actually make her feel even more uncomfortable? Would it be better to not speak, and let her relax instead?

  Alessandra could not raise her eyes to look at him, this man she was intended to marry. It had all seemed so easy and even a little bit romantic when she was thinking about it all in her mind before this moment, but now she could not summon one little bit of confidence in herself.

  Edward tried to ask questions about her, to show an interest in her, and she found herself answering automatically but without thinking enough to provide any additional information to her answers.

  Soon dinner was announced and both young people were relieved that they wo
uld now be separated as both families gathered around the dining table and everyone talked together.

  It wasn't an easy evening for anyone, and when Alessandra retired that night she was overwhelmed with emotion. She wasn't unhappy to be here, but she felt like she had let her mother down by not being anywhere near as eloquent as she had been taught to be.

  In another part of the house Edward also was thinking about the evening, and the young woman who could become his wife. He knew he was not a handsome man but the way she had not wanted to talk to him made him feel deeply unattractive and unwanted. But he wanted to make his mother happy so if this marriage was what she felt was best for him, he would do his best to make it work.

  Chapter Six

  After a restless night, Alessandra was woken by the older woman who had been kind to her the night before, lighting the fire in her room.

  "Oh, Miss, I am sorry to have woken you. I was hoping I could do this quietly so the room would be warm before you woke," she said quietly.

  "That is alright, I wake up at this time each day anyway. Are the family already up?" Alessandra asked and the woman nodded.

  "They have just gone down for breakfast but they do not rush meals so you have time to wash if you wish. I have put some hot water on your dresser there."

  Alessandra followed her eyes and saw the welcome sight of the warm water to wash with.

  "Thank you. I'm sorry, I don't even know your name. How should I address you?"

  The woman smiled.

  "You can call me Margaret, Miss."

  "Thank you Margaret. I will get dressed now and go down."

  "Do you need some assistance, Miss?"

  Alessandra shook her head. "No I shall be fine, thank you."

  The woman nodded and smiled, and left the room to let Alessandra have her privacy.