Real love, harsh commitment

Chapter 12

Delilah sits in her fathers study looking over various expenses and taxes. "My dowry..." She mumbles. She begins to dig through the different drawers when she pulls out a new document. Or rather, a letter. But, what makes it even weirder is that it is addressed to Delilah.

"What.." She whispers into the empty room. She opens the letter, her fathers handwriting.

Dear Little Lily,

I would never know the blessing of hearing your laugh, mainly  because I made a mistake. When you turn the age that a boy would take over finances, you will be there instead of in the drawing room playing piano and singing heavenly. I am so sorry. Your mother, although our perfect little family was starting, didn't want me living with you after what I had done. But, if you find this piece of writing it's time you learn.

I created your life before you had the chance of living it. I established your marriage and arranged it for you blindly. And when you make your debut, if you do not marry after your first season, then by the end of your second season you will have been wed.

But do not be in vain, for you're to be wed to a handsome and stable man. Lord Benjamin Aevery has kindly put himself up to be your husband. Granted by the time you shall make your debut he shall be older. But he shall be stable, and you shall be taken care of. Your mother was angry, so you might too. I plead you to see reason however.

I love you very much Little Lily,

Papa.

Her breath caught in her mouth. She was practically already engaged to a man of at least Fifty by the time he would come. She had to find a proper husband soon, or else she was destined for a marriage with an old lord, and her children would be ruined.

But why would her father do this? What was the point of doing this? Before she was even a year old her fate was decided and she was given practically no time to rid herself of it. Her only hope was to speed the process of marriage up, and that didn't sound appealing to her either. But there was no other option.

"Delilah?" She panicked, it was Anthony. "Anthony! Anthony please-" But he was already in the room, she jumped, the note dropped. And it landed right by his polished black boot. She groaned. Anthony picked up the letter and looked at it, but as he kept reading, his eyes widened.

"Delilah? When did you find this?" His voice rang as he finished reading the letter. She looked down at her hands, all hope of partially being with him diminished. "Just now, before you walked in.." tears began welling in her eyes, "Anthony I don't want to marry him, I don't - I don't want to be stuck with someone like that..".

He dropped the letter and scooped her up into his arms. Caged in his chest, Delilah sobbed. Everything came out, Her mother's declining help, her father's letter, the bills, the social season, the knowledge that Anthony would never want her, the man she was bound to marry.

"I'm going to help you." He whispered in her ear, "You can't Anthony. I am bound to marry this man because no one will marry me once this gets out. The marriage will have been set and Lady Whistledown will make haste writing her belittling words out for all of the ton to hear. And I will be left to shame, my children will be left to shame." Her sobs came out once again. Anthony hugged her tighter.

"No, no, I am here now, my family is here now. And I will see to it that everything sorts itself out." He whispered. "Come on now, let's sort through everything, then we shall go have lunch." He cupped her face in his hands.

Delilah stifled another sob and nodded. Anthony nodded as well and started putting papers in their rightful places. He looked over them all, finding notes and concerns in Delilah's handwriting. But for now, Delilah was his major concern.

After removing her shaking self from the study he brought her to the dining room and sat her in a chair. In the back of his mind however, he was concerned about the marriage her father had already planned out. "Delilah.." He said softly.

"Hm.." She quietly responded. "This marriage...what exactly are the terms?" He treaded slowly with this topic. Delilah was still in shambles. "If I'm not married by the end of the social season, i'll be married to Lord Benjamin Aevery. .Anthony I don't know who that is." Her sobs racked through her body again.

Anthony was furious. He needed to do something. He needed Delilah, he wanted Delilah. So what could he do in this situation? Possibly the most stupid, immature, rushed thing he could do. But it would have to work, it would have to follow through, or there was no other option.

"Let me court you."

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HELLO!

I am so sorry for the long wait, I wanted to give you guys something to ponder over because at this point I am totally improvising with a little idea of what I want to happen for the story. I hope y'all enjoy it. Thank you all!

-Fluffycow54