Confronting Papa

"Tell Sir Amos to hand this letter to Gerim himself and tell him it's urgent," Annabel said stiffly as she gave the already wrapped-up letter to Eunice, who nodded frantically as she took it.

"Also, send some servant upstairs to help me. I need to speak to the father myself and see if I can change his mind." Annabel said solemnly that she seemed to have become calmer since she heard the news that morning.

"My lady, not to worry, I will help you dress up before delivering the letter," Eunice said with enthusiastic eyes.

"No. I need that letter to arrive at Gerim's place as soon as possible. "Deliver it now, Eunice," Annabel said as she went to stand before the window beside her bed and stared out, staring at nothing in particular.

Eunice knew her mistress was in distress, so she didn't argue with her any further; "Yes, my lady, I will do just that." she said and immediately left the room.

A few minutes later, a few female servants walked into the room, smiling brightly as they carried large wooden buckets containing warm water.

"Good morning, my lady!" They chorused, but the usual smile they received from Annabel wasn't there. She only glanced at them, faking a smile before resuming her stare out the window.

The servants shared worried glances before they calmly went about filling the small bath behind the wooden screen with water.

"My lady, the bath water is ready." One of the three maids said courageously again as they looked at the unusually quiet Annabel, who stared out the window like a caged bed.

Annabel forced another smile and quietly followed them, letting them help her wash her hair while she bathed. When she was done, they chose a floral purple dress for her and helped her put it on, before helping her dry out and style her damp hair.

When they were done, Annabel muttered a "thank you" and walked out of the room steadily, heading for her father's study.

Just as she had predicted, the visitor was gone and her father was seated there alone, busily settling accounts.

"Papa," she called with more meekness than she had shown all her life.

Sir Thomas looked up from the pile of paperwork on his worn-out desk when he heard the small squeak-like voice. Realizing who it was, a beautiful smile blossomed on his face, one that eased Annabel's, troubled heart.

Certainly, she hadn't been abandoned by her father, she thought.

"My darling daughter!" Sir Thomas exclaimed, as he stood up and rounded the table, walking to his daughter with an open hand. He kissed her hair when he got to her, but she only stood there with her head bowed.

"Am I not your angel anymore, papa?" Annabel gently asked.

"Why would you say that? Of course, you are. Are you mad at Papa for traveling for so long? Papa would make it up to you..."

"No!" Annabel looked up at him as her heart clenched.

Why was her father feigning ignorance? Why was he acting as if he hadn't just made a decision that would change her life forever?

"What do you mean no? Oh, darling, I have never seen you this mad. Did you feel lonely staying here all by yourself?" Thomas asked as he began to lead her to the sofa in the small seating area he had created in the study.

This was a place he had created with his design to accept visitors and talk business. The women could do their talking in the living room; that was his way of thinking.

"Stop lying to me, papa. I heard everything." Annabel gently attacked again as she pulled her hands away from her father's.

Sir Thomas' brow furrowed in confusion at her actions and words. He narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what exactly she meant by 'everything'.

"What do you mean, my dear child?" He asked when he realized he didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

"You are sending me away! "You are marrying me off to a total stranger!" Annabel declared as the long-awaited tears spilled.

Sir Thomas sighed and smiled nervously as he went to sit on the sofa alone.

"Annabel, what did I tell you about eavesdropping on people's conversations? It's very unladylike. "If your fiancé had caught you, it would have been an embarrassing scene for you," Sir Thomas said, making light of the whole situation.

This was not how he wanted to break this news to her, but fate was a cruel thing.

"I won't marry him, papa. You can't force me to marry a man I don't love." Annabel argued.

"Oh! My little angel." Sir Thomas said as he walked to her and placed both hands on her shoulders, a pleasant smile on his face. "Not every lovely marriage starts with love. Many didn't even love their wives at first. Take, for example, your mother and I," Sir Thomas began, and his eyes became moist as he seemed to recall a memory.

"When I first met your mother, I thought she was annoying and unbearable. We couldn't even stand each other, but soon it blossomed into love. Look at me now. It's been twelve years since your mother passed away and there is still no room for another woman in my heart. That is what love is. Love blossoms, my dear child." Sir Thomas cajoled. Since his wife had died from the flu, he had raised his daughter himself.

Though the world may say he pampered her a bit too much for her good, what could he do? She was the spitting image of her mother, the love of his life.

"You and your mother's situation are different!" Annabel exploded, and Sir Thomas furrowed his brow.

"How is that? Our marriage was arranged just as yours is."

"Neither of you had someone you loved!" Annabel stated, and Sir Thomas' eyes darkened, but she continued anyway, "You didn't have anyone in your heart. "I have someone I love, papa," Annabel gave her best explanation.

"So, you want me to refuse the wedding because of a mere infatuation that you seem to have?" Sir Thomas asked, his face flushed with frustration.

"No papa, why do you act as if you do not know Sir Gerim? I am engaged to Sir Gerim, and you certainly cannot marry off a woman who is already betrothed to another." Annabel said impatiently, oblivious to her father's mood.

"And can you tell this father of yours when exactly you became engaged?" I do not remember sitting with this so-called Sir Gerim to discuss his intentions of marrying you, and I am not going to let you stupidly wait for a man who has no intentions of doing what is right by you!" He argued.

"It's not that he doesn't want to ask for my hand, he's just busy. It's not an easy task to be the king's personal guard, you know." Annabel tried to explain gently.

"And he's not the first to get that position either. Many men have sat in that position before him, and none of them took advantage of any young lady by delaying her in the prime of her life. They are all married and have families. Sir Thomas scolded, and Annabel bowed her head.

"How many years has it been, three years? You met this man at the time that you had just entered society, at the time when you should be attending social functions, mixing with your peers, and arousing the interest of worthy suitors, but you isolated yourself! You stayed cooped up in this house over a mad phenomenon called "loyalty" for this man. This man, who has done nothing but waste three years of your flower years, this man who doesn't even acknowledge or treat me, your father, as a man whose daughter he would be marrying!"

"He loves me, papa!" Annabel shouted.

"You know nothing about love! Do you not know how old you are this year? You are nineteen! Next year you would have passed your prime and won't be amongst the women suitors seek as a wife. You have already given your best years to that foolish and ignorant man who doesn't even act noble!"

"Please papa, it's not as if the person you are choosing for me treats me nobly. I heard everything, papa, all of your conversations, I heard him demand my hand as if I was some commodity waiting to be sold!" Annabel argued as she cried. In her tears, anger, and frustration, she didn't even realize she had started shouting back at her father.

"Duke Christopher Blakemore is a more honorable man than the brute you want to marry!" Sir Thomas roared in anger, and Annabel's eyes widened as she gasped.

Tears fell from her eyes.

Christopher Blakemore? The one who had asked for her hand was Christopher Blakemore. That was yet another reason she couldn't marry him. How can she marry Christopher Blakemore, of all men?

"Papa! How could you send your only child to a man like the Duke? You are aware of his reputation: he is a proud and selfish man who believes he is superior to everyone; no woman in Berkshire or London dares to approach him! He's harsh and cruel!" Annabel lamented as tears blurred her eyesight.

Now that she thought of it, her future had never seemed gloomier than it did now.

"Duke Christopher is a very honorable man, who understands what is called honor above all things. "He is hardworking, goal-oriented, and can provide for you and all your unborn children. He doesn't go about frolicking with all sorts of women, which means he would be very faithful to you in the future," Sir Thomas explained. He didn't know why his daughter, who had always been very reasonable, was acting unreasonably.

"You don't care about my happiness. You promised me, you promised mother that you would make me happy, remember?" Annabel said as she looked at her father's stubborn gaze.

She felt hopeless. She knew her fate was sealed and she would be amongst the thousand women in the kingdom who were in loveless marriages.

"I do care about your happiness more than you know. Everything I do is for your good. The wedding will be held in two weeks." Thomas solemnly declared.

Annabel broke into another fit of crying and ran out of the study.