Forced Vows

Goodnight

 Chapter 2

I hardly saw Evelyn for the next few days, he was always here and there, always talking on that wretched phone of his, always looking intimidating and extremely friendly (note the sarcasm). I spent my days in my room or having dinner with his mum, she made t quite clear that she thought I was a peasant. Well, it seemed that way to me.

“Darling, what are you wearing?” My mother in law grimaced when I walked through the door. I had hypothesised that darling was a substitute for my name which she probably didn’t know.

“Erm, clothes?” I asked slightly confused.

“Yes, I know that dear” she replied briskly “But these ...clothes”

I looked down at my oversized jumper, it had been washed only yesterday...

“Didn’t I have some clothes given to you?” she asked, narrowing her eyebrows.

“oh...erm” I coughed, yes, I had received the clothes only this morning and they weren’t my favourite to say the least. “Oh they were for me!?” I asked, looking surprised.

“Yes darling” she said, her voice a bit less friendly.

“I guess...I’ll change them after dinner” I mumbled taking my seat opposite her.

“I will have Laura do your hair” came her reply.

“It’s alright, I keep my hair in a bobble when at...home,”  I said “it’s not as uncomfortable as it looks” I reassured “it’s actually better than those wretched buns” I shuddered at the thought.

“I’m sure, darling” My mother in law said, gesturing a maid over “please make sure to do her hair after we have eaten, after all we have a big event to go to” she said gesturing at me with one manicured hand.

Curse you mother.

For a second, I felt something twist in my stomach, why was I sitting here? Why was I even here!? Oh god,

“Event?” I asked brightly

“Yes darling, I’m sure I mentioned it yesterday” My mother in law snapped, she realized that she had not used a ladylike tone and coughed into her napkin “you will wear one of the clothes I have given you” she stated.

“I....they don’t really fit” I said, squirming uncomfortably in my chair.

“Have some food darling” she replied, ignoring my comment.

“I’m vegetarian” I said bluntly “I told you a few days ago”

“Yes, I figured you could just try today’s dish and return to your...diet” she said.

“I don’t mean to be rude” I said patiently “but I can’t eat this food”

She stared at me for a while “Very well” she said, standing up. “Laura? Please start on her hair”

I wasn’t going to wear the dress. I stared at it for a while, the neck was far too low for my comfort, and if I thought the clothes I had worn a few days ago was uncomfortably tight than these clothes made the other’s look lose.

“I can’t wear that” I mumbled tugging my hair which had been tamed into yet another bun. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable in it” I said, glancing at my mother in law. She gave me a grim look as a reply and strode out.

Well, good, I was sick of her company. I know, I sound like a rude little woman but whoever said their mother in law was mean should meet mine. However nice she sounded, I could hear the disapproval beneath her sweet voice, and although the fact that she loathed me didn’t really kill me, the fact that she hid it so well so that only I noticed did. Or maybe I just thought bad of everyone.