The Red Wing Mansion

Chapter Fifteen

When the initial adrenaline subsides from being asked to marry Claudius, I gather myself up and run. I hide in the stables, to contain my growing nerves. I was anxious. I was excited. But also... hmm... I was a little frightful at the heart of it, I'll admit that much. From maid, off the side and out of the way, to wife, full centre? Fuck. That was a leap. What would my day look like if I wasn't cleaning?

I can't believe 4 weeks into my time here, I'm already worried about that and thinking such thoughts. I just had nothing else to hold onto.

Just as I think I've found privacy, I hear two familiar young girls calling out for me and laughing.

"She went in here!" Isela calls out.

Pearly joins in, "Alix! Why are you with the horses? Are you hiding from our big brother?"

Fontaine's little sisters were as sassy and bold as him, and they barge through the stable doors, finding me sitting on a bench, by a bunch of straw and the barn cat sleeping on top.

"I'm not hiding," I answer too quickly, "I'm resting – after I rolled my ankle," I lie again, "Oh you know, clumsy me?"

"You're a terrible fib teller," Pearly, the older of the two at 13, walks over and crosses her arms over her chest, looking me up and down, "Did you say YES?"

"To what?" I ask, taken aback by her ferocity, while pretending to be oblivious.

"To marry our brother," Isela stamps her foot and looks at me like I'm an idiot, "He asked you before – so what did you say?"

"I said no," I whisper my answer, "Sorry? I kind of meant yes, though – he knows what I meant," I try to explain myself, and Isela and Pearly share a knowing look.

"He did say you were a bit dumb when it came to men," Pearly thinks hard about it, "He must be right. Who would say no to marrying a Fontaine? Isela and I are not of marriable age and men still line up to beg for approval to a betrothal from Claudius. If you don't marry Claudius, you'll be childless forever, and you're getting rather old," Pearly sounds worried.

"I'm 18, I'm not old," I gasp, "Are you kidding me?"

"You're already an old maid," Isela teases, "Looky, Pearly, I see a grey hair!"

"Shut up!" I jump to my feet before they both approach to inspect my head of hair, "I'm not going grey."

"So you said no, but you 'kind of' said yes," Pearly looks me up and down, "...are you trying to insult him? He has been through enough heartache with the last bitch."

"Don't talk like that," I scold.

"Why? You're the one who refers to Aelia as the bitch who left him," Isela argues. Damn these children and their logic!

"Wait. Did he send you two out here to persuade me to say yes? I still refuse outright if that's the case, I'll teach you girls how to be independent by setting an example," I wag my finger, "I swear, if he –"

"Please. Alexandra. We're both going away to boarding school soon," Pearly interrupts me, "We just want to know you'll be here when we come back on break. We don't want you to go anywhere else," her eyes immediately swell to fight back tears. Aww. Damn it.

"You remind us of our mother, please stay," Isela adds, crunching up her dress.

Oh, they were good. My heart was melting.

"I'll stay," I tell them, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Make sure you're a good wife!" Pearly says it just to tease me, grinning, "Good and obedient! Isela and I have to start packing. We leave tomorrow night, after the wedding is over. And also today a lot of family will be arriving and you have to introduce yourself, by Fontaine's side."