Summer In February: Lacey

The months that followed

Warnings: violence and physical abuse
Months after Florence passed away. Lacey sat
in her fathers work shop, looking at AJ's sketches of Florence. AJ sat in a chair with his eyes shut, Lacey assumed he was asleep. "She was beautiful" AJ spoke and opened his eyes. Lacey looked at him "May I ask you something?" She questioned "of course" he responded "when you were sketching her, you often sit there for hours, so different to other artists" an unfamiliar look crossed AJ's face, Lacey couldn't read it "I was just wondering.." but AJ cut her off "Just wondering" he echoed sharply "just wondering were you.." he continued and the unfamiliar look melted into one she knew too well he came towards her and and placed a hand round her chin, his thumb on one cheek, his index finger on the other and the rest off his fingers under her chin forcing her to look up at him "you better just take bloody good look!Look at me! Look at me do you see!" He said "I'm looking" she answered "the reason for this my dear girl, Is I'm all you have left in the world, I am in control of you, who you marry, where you go, who you speak to. You'd do best to remember that. The reason for that my Dear Miss Lacey-Mae Munnings is that you are mine. And that is why this taps into that, that is why I teach you manners!" He finished and let go of her face.
Her hair fell across her face and he moved it, "so little Miss Lacey that is why you are going to upkeep your manners, airs and graces. Do you understand" he asked Lacey nodded
"I can't hear you!" He shouted "Yes Sir" Lacey spoke and got up to go, when she got to the door AJ spoke "dress up, we have a dinner party tonight and you need to impress."
With the slam of the door Lacey was away with the wind, stuff manners, stuff airs and graces, stuff control. Lacey walked to the beech and stood in the beginning of the sea, feeling the salty air against her skin, the wind whispered to her, like her mother Lacey was a child of the coast. Lacey just stood listening for what must have been hours, for the next thing she knew she was being called "Miss Lacey! Miss Lacey!" The voice called she looked up at the rocks "Miss Lacey, your father is looking for you! He's been Hollaring for the last 20 minutes Miss!" Lacey went up to the boy on the rocks "Miss Lacey I suggested you go now he doesn't half look angry, something about a party" then it hit her the party she'd forgotten all about it! She ran up the path towards the house her hair blowing in the wind.
She entered the yard where her father was standing and she went past him towards the house "Lacey come here" he spoke Lacey went and stood in front of him "you Disobeyed me, and your late, where were you?" He asked sternly "I'm sorry sir I lost track of time I-" she was cut off by the harsh sound of a Slap tears glazed her eyes. "Now go make yourself look presentable." He responded.
10 minutes later Lacey emerged in a dress, hair hair immaculately done "that's more like it" there was a carriage waiting, one that Lacey didn't recognise. "Where are we going?" She asked "to a dinner party in Devonshire." And with that the carriage went off.
At the dinner party AJ drank with many wealthy men. There were quite a few girls there all Lacey's senior. The Cornish Lord and his son were there, Lacey smiled at a friendly face. Lacey danced with both the lord of Cornish and devonshires sons. Her father took her hand and they went to speak to guests. The lord of Cornwall spoke "you are quite a beauty my dear." Lacey smiled accepting the compliment "thank you sir, I'm told I look like my mother." Lacey replied "may I ask where your mother is on such an occasion" he responded "my mother is dead and gone sir" Lacey retorted a puzzled look crossed the Lord's face . AJ spoke "My dear Wife passed away a few months ago" the lord understood and took Lacey's hands "my dear Child I'm so sorry" they continued to speak until it got late the Cornish lord addressed his son "my dear boy please Escort Miss Lacey to her Carriage her father will be out shortly.
They rode home in silence. Lacey went to get ready for bed. She brushed out her hair and wore a white night gown- it had been her mothers. There was a knock at the door, it was her fathers art assistant. "Miss Lacey your father wishes to see you in his studio." Lacey nodded and headed down.
Lacey headed into the dark studio where the back room was lit she entered Lacey's father stroked her cheek "you did very well tonight Lacey, I'm proud of you my darling." AJ smiled something Lacey hadn't seen in a while. "What did you think of the Lords son" AJ questioned "he's nice enough I suppose." She replied
"well I've promised your hand to his father" AJ spoke. Lacey looked stunned "but he's 12 years my senior!" Lacey gaped "I'm only 15" she said "you may be 15 but I control you you do what I say!" AJ growled. "You look tired my darling" AJ continued backing her into a corner "I am, I'm going to go now" she said trying to edge around him but he gripped her arm and she winched "going where" he asked "to Bed Papa" he looked at her, her dark hair cascading past her waist she prayed to god that he wasn't in a mood but she knew him all too well. "Stand up straight- let me see you." He began "Papa Please" she began he gripped her shoulders "chin up shoulders back" he replied she looked into his eyes and was taken back to that time when she hide at the door, that time with her mother at age 5. She was snapped out of it. "You need to look your best for the Lords son" he spoke "I'm not doing it, I won't Marry him I won't!" She replied he looked at her "yes you Will, you'll do as I say wether that be this week or next week or in months to come" he replied "I won't not now!" She retorted "Yes Now!" He responded taking her by surprise and pinning her shoulders down on the bed on the sheets where her mother used to lay. She started to fight back hitting him "go on try that again!" He said restraining her "try that again!" She tried to keep fighting him, but this was his way of showing her he was in control and she was powerless "why don't you do what your bloody well told!" He asked her. He got up slightly and she tried to escape but he grabbed her, placing one arm
Across her neck the other across her chest. The air was burning her lungs. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she kept fighting his grip "Stop fighting me!" He yelled he changed his grip by turning her to face him and just gripping her wrists restraining her from hitting him. Tears still rolling down her face "Papa please..." she pleaded " this is the way it's going to go- you will marry the lords son, you will do exactly what I tell you And you will sit there with a smile on your face." Lacey's tear stained face looked at his eyes "I will never stop fighting you!" She retorted. She tried to hit him. So he slapped her, she fell to floor, she tried to get away but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back towards him and placed her against a wall "Last Chance Lacey! Make this easy for yourself and don't disobey" he spoke softly "I'm fifteen" she whispered through sobs "mum wouldn't have let you do this and you know that!" She sobbed.
"Last Chance Lacey! My way or yours" he said. She spat at him "fine have it your way!" He threw her over his shoulder and carried her towards the house.
He placed her down in her room and held her tear stained cheek wiping her tears "this is for your own good my darling." And with that he went and shut the door, Lacey heard the turning of a key she tried to open the door and banged on it "PLEASE PAPA PLEASE DONT LOCK ME IN PLEASE!" She cried "I will come for you in the morning , when you've chosen to be my daughter." And with that he walked away. Lacey held her mothers locket close, tears laced her pillow, she knew her father loved her but he was a controlling man.