Romancing Rose

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The license had been signed quickly, soullessly even.

Rose was toured through the premise as the new lady of the house. Though the servants were quite generous but she could feel the judgement from their eyes. She burned with shame, she hung her head in disgrace and felt misery like it was air. The emotions surrounded her. She did her best to avoid William, busying herself with her own exploration. Charlotte and Jonathan were nowhere to be around to accompany her and well, William's grandmother had taken a vacation with them too - be it much to the couples disgrace but done so nevertheless. And so in this large house, she was left to her own devices.

It was in the garden did she find the most comfort. On sunny days like today, she'd usually find a book or two to read or even to draw. Her aunt and uncle had always been ones to encourage intellectual advancements - calling a poor education rubbish and inadequate for a lady. Though she was well aware of the opinions of the other ladies in the ton who believed far more in vanity and vapidness than knowledge.

She put down her book and looked at the vast greenery before her. She hadn't ever wished for a future like this. She was a damned wretch. She sighed, hands resting on her stomach as she wondered how motherhood would change her. If William couldn't love the child, she'd shower the babe with two times the amount of love. Her own upbringing had been difficult enough and she'd never wish upon those challenges with her own child.

When evening had come, it was expected for the couple to share the night together. But what did it even matter at this point? Rose was already with child and such matrimonial duties were fulfilled.

Since singing the marriage documents, William had not been himself. The ring that rested on his finger felt more like a chain than a vow. He was a selfish man and he had only cared about his freedom and no amount of wealth could buy it back at this point. He watched Rose wordlessly prepare herself for the evening. Even in the dim flickering of the candle lights she looked pretty. God how he hated himself for being such a fool. If he hadn't had so much pride he would've never slept with her in hindsight. But as his sister and grandmother had already pointed out, it was all quite too late to back out of his rather large error. There was no other way but to live with his consequences.

He watched her approach the bed and began to fluff the pillows, moving them into a line which divided the bed. A scowl graced his features as he looked at her. When their eyes met, his mouth snapped shut as she spoke her part.

"You will stay on that side of the bed and I shall stay on mine. Nothing more, nothing less, understood?" She arched an eyebrow.

"You are my wife now, I have every right to dictate what I chose and such negotiations are preposterous." He remarked as he began to move the pillows away, blatantly making a show of tossing some on the ground.

"Preposterous?" Her voice was already climbing to yet another higher octave. "Do you have any idea what hell I've been through thanks to your graciousness?!"

She threw the closest pillow she could reach in his face sending him falling back on the bed.

"I never wanted this, you've never wanted this but what else can we do?!" William argued at this point, his temper starting to flare. "Mistakes were made and now we bare the consequences."

The grey eyed girl said nothing as she turned her back to him, face hidden as he could only view her back.

"If you shall treat me like this then I suppose you are indifferent toward my continuing hobbies." He muttered almost in some like a threat.

"I do not care." She replied flatly. But that was a lie. She did care. And she swallowed the bitterness without speaking the truth.

And there was a part of William that did flinch. There was a part of him that wished she had something else but her response was everything he deserved. And there was still a childishness within him that made him want to deflect his own pain.

"I'll never love you." And then he too, turned his back.

Rose was left alone with her thoughts as she stifled the urge to cry. She had wanted to come to at least an agreement with him in terms of respect. But perhaps it had been correct to expect nothing from William. They were never friends in the first place and had only been playing a game of cat and mouse. And she had lost. She felt like the future she had once hoped, where she could read her books and live alone in peace had evaporated quite completely.

She couldn't find it in her heart to forgive such a despicable man. If he were to make her miserable, then perhaps she'd return the favor. After all, misery thrived in pairs.

A/N: Finally updated! Feel free to comment, vote etc! School will be starting for me in a couple weeks so things will get a bit busier on my end. But for sure, the story with Rose and William will continues!