Pinnacle (ONGOING)

Chapter Ten

     The scene around me spun as I came to in a mess of orange and black. It was at least sunrise, I judged, given the shade of day. I stirred and let slip a groan when a voice spoke up near my ear.

     "Mark me, if you do not fight, I shan't put you to sleep again." I swung around, and it hurt my head with the motion, but my memory came flooding back.

     "Where are you taking me? How long have I been asleep?" My voice came out as more of a croak than something intelligible. My vision focused slowly at first and then I wished it would have reversed as looking upon Michael was offensive. He looked like hell, and there was a spark in his eye that made me deeply afraid to thwart him. 

     "Gretna green." He pronounced without any further explanation. "You have been out for 2 days. You kept getting violent."

     I blinked. Were I outside of the situation, I would have rolled my eyes at this unoriginal plot, but the confusion and fear were decidedly in control of my emotions at that present moment and I fought for composure.

     "To?" I said dumbly, wiping the drool from my mouth. My stomach was in knots, and I wanted to vomit but I figured that would most likely earn me a slap, so I bit my lip. The pain was a welcome distraction.

     "To marry, you stupid girl." No longer present was the easy smile nor roguish charm. I had wondered at the extent of Michael's acting ability, but this was beyond anything I had ever imagined.

     "Me?" I choked, scooting as far back into the corner as I could manage. I had dreamed of a marriage proposal from him for years, but now I could not think of anything more repulsive. It was not that I did not know exactly what he was planning when he mentioned the Scottish village that was famous for performing marriages without parental consent, but I had hoped to the Lord above that I was making assumptions. 

     My brain took a second to sort out motives and found the product readily available and terribly obvious. 

     Money.

     "But you are an upstanding member of the community..." I frowned. "You have enough money to host charity balls, y-" The realization hit me mid-sentence as the look on his face told me that I looked like an idiot. "I see... None of that saw the poor... Stupid Sophie..." I whispered, and he laughed gleefully at this, eyes dancing with mockery.

     "The funds from the charity events suited me when Whites had rid themselves of me, sure, but it is not enough for a man to thrive on. Besides, if I had your father's business in the future, I would be a very wealthy man." He explained reasonably. "Plain and simple."

     "So, it was not enough." I breathed. "That is your great reason for this heinous assault on my person?"

     "Take it as a compliment." He said laughing, "Who else would marry you? You should be thanking me." 

     I had never wanted to hit someone in all my life, and were I a man of strength, I would have busted the pretty little nose he constantly shoved in the air. After a few minutes of imagining all of the ways I could disfigure Michael's beautiful face, I stopped. Lacking control of my emotions would get me nowhere, I had to be creative.

     I turned to him with renewed grace, and he was sucking his teeth after a mouth full of brandy had been taken.

     "Michael..." I said, and he turned and blinked. 

     "This is not you..." I continued, being so bold as to touch his shoulder as I looked deeply into his eyes. "If you would take me back, none of the mess that will ensue will have ever happened."