Pinnacle (ONGOING)

Chapter Thirteen

     I saw red. My anger was unrivaled in that precise moment.

     "But do you not think it is the most ridiculous thing?!" I demanded, smacking the letter I received from The Royal College of Art with the back of my hand. William was handsomely mussed as he sat bone-weary on the stool opposite as we sat in the stables. The one place mama would not catch William and I.

     "Sophie, you did not tell me that pupils would be drawing other men in the nude..." He unhelpfully pointed out.

     "Is that shocking? If I have seen one naked male, I have seen them all, have I not? Besides, the pupils draw women in the nude. Is that not the shocking equivalent?"

     He frowned, his brows set lowly on his forehead, shading his brown eyes, black. "Your lying to me is what I am trying to emphasize, Sophie."

     "Withheld the truth, but I forgive you for your error." I corrected, in clipped tones. Well aware that I was already on thin ice.

      He sent me a speaking glance and bathed the room in silence. I paused for a moment, attempting to stand my ground as I met his reprimanding stare, and immediately broke.

     "Agh! Very well, I am in the wrong. But are you not as hurt as I am, that because of my gender, I am prohibited from attending a school that doubtless is filled with peers, both my superior, and inferior?" I sat. William closed his eyes granting himself a moment of thoughtful introspection as he lit his cigar and took a deep puff.

     "It is unquestionable that I trust you, Sophie. But what would your gallivanting into the realm of male nudity get us in society? We would be ruined if anyone found out. And less than three weeks before our wedding at that! Shouldn't you be planning this whole ordeal like every normal bride?"

     It wasn't said with condescension, but exhaustion of my antics. Regardless, it was the wrong words at the wrong time.

     "Do you think I care a lick about the banns being read, the little church being decorated, flowers in my hair?"

     William deflated at that.

     "I just want to marry you without the fluff is all..." I added, hurriedly. "You know how I am with parties, balls, I despise the attention and the pressure. I want to be in a place that lets my _soul_ shine. That is all."

     William stood and considered me a moment, then dragged me up to embraced. "I know bird bones, it's not fair." He allowed, closing his eyes. I buried my head into his cravat and sighed in turn. His personal scent put me at ease, all alfalfa and warmth, with just a hint of salt. William was a sober man who did not meddle with such trivialities like cologne, and it was one of the many things I loved most about him. 

     "But this is the world we live in. We must do as we are told." He added. I frowned like a child at that and struggled out of his grasp to pace again.

"Nothing changes when nothing is done to change, William." I countered. William grumbled, crossing his arms over his big chest. It was hard to be mad at him and not want to kiss him silly when nerves were this high. He looked so damnably attractive when mad, after all. 

"God will make change for those in the position to sacrifice themselves..." He said. "Let's just get through this precarious period where we are required to behave in the public eye, and then we will talk..."

     I paused and nodded with thinly veiled indignance. "I understand."

--

     I did not understand. I affirmed, cringing as the first strand of the beautiful chestnut locks, I'd come to know and love for the past 21 years came floating down into my vision, gliding to the polished wood beneath my boot. It was the following week, just after I'd received my acceptance letter addressed to a "James Cardew".