CHAPTER SIX
“Livvie! Wake up; there is some one here to see you. For Heaven’s sake, wake up already, when did you start sleeping like a log?” Anna’s impatient voice rang through my ear. I opened my eyes slowly, my room was so bright. Goodness! What was the time? I never wake up this late? I sprang up from the bed and rushed to the door. “You can’t go looking like that” Anna said sounding as if she was having a heart attack. I looked down at my night dress. Oh! I changed into my morning dress, washed my face and brushed my hair. Thankfully, I wasn’t blessed with swollen eyes after a long night of sleeping. I did not have the faintest idea of who it will be. I just rushed ungracefully to the blue room.
“Olivia” a familiar voice called. I turned and I was shocked to the very marrow of my bone.
“Mother, to what do I owe this visit?” I asked, sarcasm dripping from my every word. An emotion crossed her face but was hidden quickly behind her unsmiling face. “I did not come here to argue with you, I came here to discuss your upcoming nuptials” she said briskly waving away my gasp of alarm. My mother was a very fine woman indeed, she never minced words. I felt a wave of dislike for this woman I called mother. “Nuptials” I said calmly. “What nuptials mother, who is getting married? You?” I asked quietly trying so hard not to let my anger show. “don’t be stupid girl, you know very well it is your nuptials I have come to discuss or I would not have bothered even coming such a long distance” she retorted sharply. “Well, I am sorry to announce that I shall not be getting married to anyone” I said calmly keeping a tight leash on my anger. “Don’t be silly girl, you have no choice, I am your mother and your sole guardian, you cannot disobey me, it is either this or I send you to your uncle Ian in Scotland, and he is not as kind as I am” she said triumphantly. She was right. I will do anything not to go to Scotland to live with Uncle Ian. He scares me with the way he always smiles at me and licks his lips. “I haven’t seen you for three years, t-h-r-e-e years” I shrieked. I could not hold on to my anger any longer. “You show up now from out of the blues and tell me I will be getting married and you also threaten me! What kind of a mother are you? What have I ever done to deserve this from you? Even while father was alive, you never liked me. I am your daughter! After he died, you hated me as if I had something to do with his death. I was alone all my life till I got here, now you want to ruin the little happiness I have managed to build here? My voice broke. Tears were threatening. I will rather die than cry in front of her. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?” I asked her half-pleading. She sighed. You should be grateful I found you a good husband-one you don’t deserve…” she smirked. “That’s enough from you Madame” I heard the last person I wanted to see right now say. My mother promptly held her reprimands. What on earth is he doing here?! I thought frantically. How much had he heard? I’ll say everything from the look on his face. I whimpered. Oh! This isn’t happening. My whimpering was about to break into a sob. Greenleigh of all people had seen my disgrace! The lowliest position in my life. “Olivia, meet your groom” my mother said dropping a bombshell into the already awkward silence. Greenleigh sent her a dark look which confirmed my suspicions. I was stricken. To complete my disgrace, I broke into a sob. I ran from the room, from them, from everything. I ran past a confused Anna who started after me but was held back by Greenleigh…probably.
In the space of thirty minutes, my whole world had been removed from under me…again.
