𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, ʲᵒʰⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

𝟎𝟎𝟑

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

Madeline lay in her bed, staring up at the dark ceiling. It was early morning and she could tell because the sun hadn't rose yet.

She didn't want to move, the warmth of her bed consuming her.

"Come on, up," Esmeralda appeared out of nowhere, waking both Esme and Madeline up. Esme groaned loudly, covering her eyes. "Madeline, up now."

"Esmerelda!" Madeline groaned, pulling the sheets up to her face "Madeline I won't ask you again. You've got stuff to do, let's go."

"What stuff? I cleaned the horses yesterday." She whispered. She kept her eyes closed and Esmerelda huffed. "Not the bloody horses— for crying out loud! Ya getting married. Now come on or i'll send Johnny in." She threatened.

Madeline shot up, her lips
parted.

"Ya fucking what!"

"Yes. You're getting married, it was agreed late last night. You'll be doing us all a favour," the dark haired woman leaned against the side of the wagon. Madeline looked at Esme. "Why can't she do it? She's older!"

"Because you're younger," Esmerelda said, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her to her feet.

"What? How does that-"

Esme frowned, still confused as to what was going on. Madeline was younger, which meant it would give her more time to enjoy the married life. Although Madeline thought it was absolutely absurd that it was her being married off instead of Esme.

Esmerelda forced Madeline into a chair, roughly running a brush through the younger girls hair. She threw her head back dramatically and earned a smack on the back of the head with the wooden brush.

"Sit still will ya?"

Madeline rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You've woken me up at seven in the morning and now ya ragging me about."

"Don't be dramatic."

"Why do I have to get married. An who the fuck am I marrying?" Maddie sighed. "Because you're young and pretty," Esmerelda replied.

"So is Esme!" She argued.

"Well, you're younger. And for your information, it's supposed to be one of them peaky blinder devils,"

"Are you takin the piss?" Maddie turned around in her seat, staring Esmerelda dead in the eye. "You know i've never wanted to get married. And now you're marrying me off to one of them diddicoy bastards?"

"Do you want a war?"

"No! Of course I don't want a war-"

"Then you'll marry the boy." Esmerelda spoke plainly, forcing Maddie's head back around and beginning to braid it loosely.

Hundreds of thoughts passed through Madeline's head as Esmerelda got her ready for the 'wedding.' She didn't want to get married, especially not to a Peaky Blinder. And especially not against her own fucking will. She sat with an awful expression on her face as Esmeralda pinned a white veil into her hair.