"Live like there is no midnight."
***
For Antoinette Gertrude, life is perfect. A little ball of bliss, a dream which came true. But one day, it all comes crashing down.
The death of her mother, makes her father distant. It was like all of her life...
"Give her back," I ordered the wet nurse, taking the recently three-year-old Red from her. I looked at her adorable chubby face.
The wet nurse walked away, closing the door behind her. I looked at the carriage clock, and my eyes widened when I realised that Father would be coming soon.
I looked at Red and said, "Today was your last day of drinking milk from the nurse. Tomorrow, you will drink it from a bottle."
"Dada," she said. I firmly shook my head, taking a final look at the clock.
I quickly put Red on the bed and covered her with a blanket, before moving downstairs.
"Did you clean my room?" He uttered, as he stepped into the household. I sighed and nodded, keeping my eyes downcast.
It was when I heard another pair of footsteps that I raised my head. There stood a lady, wearing a blue gown, her shoulders stiff, wearing dark eyeshadow and a red reticule in her hand, contrasting her blue dress, but very much matching my red gown. She looked like a royal, although I knew she wasn't one. She nodded at me and went to father's bedroom.
Two months after my mother's death, he brought a lady home everyday. The first few times, I thought maybe he will marry one of those women. But he didn't, and soon I lost hope. I guess father found his own way of coping with it.
But it is his first time bringing a woman, who seemed rich, home. Maybe he will marry her. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. I went up the stairs and dismissed the servants, sleeping next to Red.
"Red, I may have no one to solve my problems, but I promise, I will solve all of yours."
. *** .
I woke up as the bright rays of sun kissed my face. I woke up and went to bath, immediately two servants followed me. I stopped them, knowing I needed some tie to collect myself, before I met father.
Today, I would do again, what was a weekly occurrence now. Keep the prospect of a second marriage in front of my father.
The maid tightened the strings of the corset, another one tying my necklace. As they pampered over me, I went over the various courses today's conversation could take. Maybe father will get tired of repeating the same sentence again and again, maybe he will say no again, maybe he will consider it, maybe he will say that he will adopt someone, maybe he will shout at me. So many maybe's.
I sighed and walked out of the dressing room, my appearance finalized. I sat on the dining table and waited for father to come and take a seat before I begin eating. There was ham, bread, eggs for both of us and then fish for just my father. There were multiple servings, although we usually ate only two-three. There was fresh and hot rice-milk for father, which he usually never drank, but it was there to serve as a memory of my mother, who like to buy it from the local vendors. There was coffee for me, and bottled and boiled milk for Red, as I had ordered the previous day.
Father came and sat, nodding at me to begin eating.
"Sir Francis-"
"Call me father at meals," he interrupted, which was against the etiquette, but I didn't point it out.
"Father, I want you to consider mother's last wish and marry again to find a suitable heir for this estate," I said.
"I wanted to talk to you about that. Did you notice the young woman yesterday? I have been courting her for quite some time and think it would be good to marry her. We talked about it last night. She is a widow, with two daughters of her own, but I think they would be good companions for you and Red. She is slightly less prosperous than us, but I don't think that should matter," he said, ordering a servant to give him a second serving of bacon.
"That does not matter, father. All that matters is your happiness and mother's satisfaction. I think wherever she is, she would be happy with your decision."
"Good. I have talked to her father and he was content with our marriage. Everything has been arranged for. I will announce an engagement today itself, for it to take place after 17 days. Invitations will be sent. There will be a masquerade ball in the honour of my engagement after five days, so that I can get the King's permission and all the dances can be filled."
I knew the conversation had ended, therefore I continued eating my eggs, briefly stopping to ask for coffee. Red had been a good child and stayed silent the whole conversation, knowing that it would be rude to interrupt, although she would be excused on the account of her being a child.
After finishing my breakfast, I went upstairs after sending Red with the servants for the schooling, preparing for a visit to the market to buy a gown for the masquerade. Although I could have sent the servants, I preferred going myself and finishing the work in one trip. I also had to buy a dress for Red.
My chaperon was usually my father, but since he had gone to make the preparations, I went with my cousin brother, Adam, who was here to spend a week, while his parents were on a trip.
~~~~
912 words.
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