Roaring Hearts

Chapter 9

“Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own: in pain and sickness it would still be dear.” Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë.

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She stared at the door before her, the only thing that shielded her from the wrath of the Williams household, her anxiety skyrocketed to its maximum and her heart rate tripled in speed as she heard her husband's family bickering because of her. Her heart sinking at the weight of their words.

"Hasnaa!" She had James' breathless voice accompanied by the loud sound of the door slamming against the wall. "The family requests your presence."

She sat still, her gaze fixed solely on the man that stood before her.

"Hasnaa!" James half screeched at her, anger clear in his tone.

Sighing softly, her gaze traveled to the entrance of the study. she stood up and followed James into the room. Suddenly, her heartbeat quickened as she entered the study once more, gathering what little courage she had in her, she forced herself to stand before the Williams family and listen to the conclusion they had arrived at, regarding her and their son.

She had come to a verdict of her own, she would not let James be separated from his family, if they needed them gone, she would take it upon her and she would detach herself from him and would go.

"Miss Hasnaa." Lady Magdalena was the first to speak.

Hasnaa nodded acknowledging her before turning her gaze and attention to her. Hasnaa averted her gaze at Lord Williams, who now sat at a brown davenport at the side of the study, his long leg crossed over the other, the other furiously tapping on the floor. Next to him, sat the other man who had earlier been in the room, he did not appear as infuriated as the other family members.

Lord Williams had an angry frown tugged at the edges of his brows and his blue eyes glared fiercely at her. His stare intimidated Hasnaa but she could not afford to become weak now. Staring at Lord Williams, she realized one could easily mistake Lord Williams with James, he looked like an older version of James. James possessed his father's features but not his heart. Lord Williams's gaze traveled the full length of Hasnaa with contempt.

"I understand my brother, fell for you and you're now his wife." The man seated next to Lord Spencer Williams's deep voice boomed in the room and send a shiver down Hasnaa's spine. He looked like a man demanding respect and Hasnaa would only give him respect if he reciprocated it.

"Never understood my younger brother but for the first time, I understand why he married you," the man took a pause and walked towards Hasnaa. "I intend to keep my brother close to me this time around, welcome to the family." said the man as he stood before Hasnaa.

His height intimidating Hasnaa. Hasnaa forced a smile, "Thank you." She managed to swallow the lump that had clogged her throat and tried her best to keep her gaze on the man before him.

"I'm Henry Williams, the first son of Lord Spencer Williams the third and Lady Magdalena Williams." The man said as he extended his hand at Hasnaa. She wiped her sweaty hands with her dress and extended it and shook Lord Henry's hand. For a while there, her heart relaxed, for one member of the Williams family had accepted her.

Lord Williams leaned against the davenport and continued to look at Hasnaa and his son with contempt. Henry took his seat next to his father.

"My son, James is a very bizarre man... And he is the only Williams, who has devoted his entire being to dragging the Williams name through the mad along with him, a man who chooses to marry a woman..." he paused, fuming with anger, "...a woman of color." he finished, his words were unfamiliar to her but coming to London she knew, her color would stand between her and her pursuit of happiness. Never in her existence had she ever felt an ounce of shame for who she was, her skin color was a part of who she was; it was her pride.

"My biggest pleasure would be to make you a servant; a servant who would serve me until her last breath. But Mrs. Williams my dearest wife wishes to honor the demands of her worthless son, despite her resentment towards you." Lord Williams said while giving her a condescending gaze.

"You are not an ideal wife for my son... But I would be willing to bear with you, for it's not in my wishlist to loose another son to love." Lady Magdalena confessed.

Seems it had been a ritual for the Williams family to repudiate any family member who refused to follow their injunctions. Giving an ultimatum to their children happened to be a family culture.
Lord Williams rose to his feet and stared at everyone in the room, "I shall talk to Mr.John  in a few, he shall make sure the preparation and everything regarding the wedding are taken care of properly."

"The wedding?" Hasnaa asked with raised eyebrows. That's the first time she had spoken to the bigger part of the Williams folk.

"I do not have it in me anymore to hang around this disappointment of a son." He said before exiting the room.

He sighed and muttered something under his breath that none of the people could comprehend.

"Back to what I was saying, we have decided to hold a grand wedding procession for my son and you. We do not wish this upon ourselves but we have no other option, you shall be introduced to our friends and business associates but only when you have been groomed to a proper lady. This doesn't necessarily mean I prefer you." Lady Magdalena's words somehow gave hope to Hasnaa; they had accepted to marry her off to James, precisely as James had promised her a better wedding.

"For now, we do not accept your marriage to our son and you shall reside in a separate room as him until the third Monday of the coming month, which shall be your betrothal ceremony. Lady Eliza shall be responsible for your grooming."

And soon after Lady Magdalena made it very evident that she did not wish to stay in the study any longer, she and the other older woman in the room took their leave. Hasnaa released a breath she did not realize she was holding the minute she saw Lady Magdalena disappear, it was no secret that Lady Magdalena intimidated Hasnaa.

Hasnaa stared at the now almost empty room and thanked the heavens she had survived the wrath of Lord Williams and his wife. Lord Henry slowly rose to his feet, walked over to the other side of the room, and extended his hand to one of the much younger ladies who were left behind. A stunning brunette with green beautiful eyes extended her hand to Lord Henry and they both left without saying a word. Hasnaa deduced she was Lord Henry's wife and that she did not like Hasnaa. Her silence made it clear.

The other lady left in the room walked towards Hasnaa with a smile. Her smile was a clear indication she liked Hasnaa.

"I'm Lady Eliza, your sister-in-law," said she while wrapping her hands all over Hasnaa giving her a warm hug.
Her bold action caught Hasnaa by surprise, for she never expected such from any Williams.

Soon after she released Hasnaa.
"You have a very beautiful wife, James." She whispered to James but Hasnaa heard her, and she found herself smiling. Lady Eliza left the room after. James immediately hugged Hasnaa. He comprehended what Hasnaa had felt at the hands of his family, but he had done all he could to ascertain her stay at the Williams house.

"I will make sure they accord you with the preferential treatment and respect you deserve as my wife," James whispered in her ear as he stroked her back.

"The worst is over, my dear," James added. So they reckoned.