Evelyn

A Potential Suitor

 I woke up to a knock at my bedroom door. I hopped out of the closet and opened my bedroom door. It was my father.

"Change into this. Your mother has invited over a suitor for you. Don't embarrass yourself." He handed me a neatly folded dress and left. The dress was a faded yellow color with frills all over the skirt. I took off my dress from the day before and I slipped the dress over my drawers, chemise, petticoat, corset, and finally crinoline. I wore my horrid corset so my mother would not scold me. Facing the mirror I tied my hair back into a low braided bun with a matching yellow ribbon. Finally, I put on my white-colored leather boots and walked out into the arid living room. My mother stood up the moment she saw me.

"Evelyn Mr. Dandrill has been waiting for you in the dining room. Don't offend the young man. He is a lawyer and you could have an easy life with him."

"Yes, your highness," I said, rolling my eyes.

Arriving at the dining room I found a man at least 6 years older than me sitting at the table. He spotted me and nodded his head.

"Good morning Miss Rose, I'm John Dandrill," he said, motioning for me to sit.

"I know who you are," I said cautiously sitting down across from him.

"So Miss Rose. Should I call you by your first name?"

"No, you may not." I glared at him from the other side of the table.

"I'm sorry. I think we have gotten off on the wrong foot. What are your hobbies, Evelyn? Are you into cooking or sewing?" I blinked hard at his assumptions.

"No. I enjoy reading and exploring outside. And I said not to call me by my first name Mr. Dandrill."

He ignored my correction and continued, "Ah but a young beautiful girl like you should be inside away from nature. But it's nice to hear you like to read. I bet you enjoy reading books about accomplishments, Eve." He smirked at his utter defiance.

"I'm sorry but nature is what I enjoy. If I get dirty outside it is quite worth it. And I enjoy books that have nothing to do with your world. Thank you for asking Mr. Dandrill." I spoke spitefully.

"I doubt your mother will be happy if I tell her you were disrespectful towards me, Eve. You can make it up to me by taking a nice walk with me now that it has stopped raining."

"Fine. I will go on your walk." I pushed my hands against the table sliding my chair out. Mr. Dandrill smiled and held out his hand to lead me. I took his hand knowing we will pass my mother in the living room. Hand in hand we passed her.

"Mrs. Rose, may I take your lovely daughter out on a walk?" He said while politely bowing.

"Yes of course Mr. Dandrill, keep her for as long as you want!" She said with a big smile.

We headed out the front door, closing it behind us. I immediately tugged my hand away from his, taking a step away.

We walked down the sidewalk past my beloved dream house. I longed to run inside and never come out. I then broke the silence.

"I'm sorry if I have seemed disrespectful to you Mr. Dandrill but I have had quite the past few days and don't plan on being forced into a marriage," I said as politely as possible hoping he wouldn't tell my mother of my harsh words.

"Eve I'm quite sure your mother will be forcing you to marry me so you might as well stop trying." He tried to grab my hand again. I jumped back.

"Eve I know you say you have had some mere trifles the past few days but you needn't be emotional. I have a stable job so you will never have to worry about money and I have a maid to help you with the housework. It will be a nice life."

"Mr. Dandrill I realize you, unfortunately, believe that money means happiness. I would rather marry a poor man that I love than a rich man who I don't."

"Marriage isn't about love these days. I thought you would know this." He was smug and wouldn't take no for an answer. Back and forth I explained I wasn't to marry him but he refused. I kept my cool and was as polite as possible. We arrived back at my house and my mother was at the door to greet us. I always had dreamed of someone to fall in love with and have a wonderful life but this dream seemed to be senseless.

"How did it go Mr. Dandrill?" My mother asked expectantly.

"I'm sorry but it seems your daughter is determined to stay alone. She was disrespectful towards me and honestly violent." I stood there in disbelief.

"Violent?! I was never violent to this man." I begged my case but it was no use.

"She certainly was!" There was no point in defending myself as my mother would never take my word as truth. I stayed silent while he listed what I supposedly did to him.

"You may now leave Mr. Dandrill. I'm sorry to hear that my dreadful child wasted your time." The second the door shut my mother grabbed my wrist and threw me into my bedroom. I fell to the hard wooden floor. She locked the door with the key from the outside.

"Evelyn, I don't know what to do with you anymore. You will listen to every word I say from now on or you will have hell to pay from your father. You should thank me that I haven't told him anything about your disobedience already!" She stomped away leaving me alone.

I felt that any freedom I had was now gone. I thought that maybe I should have just agreed to marry that wretched man. I looked down to see my elbow bleeding from the fall. Splinters were pierced through my hands. It was still bright outside. I sat down on my bed and picked the wood from my palms. Looking out the window my hot tears burning my cold cheeks. I breathed frantically as my chest constricted. My hands shook as tears ran down my face.

After an hour of waiting, I tried my bedroom doorknob. Still locked. It was still midday so I had to find something to do. I heard my stomach rumble as I hadn't eaten since the morning before last. There was no way my mother was going to feed me after our fight. Burying my hunger I continued with my depressing day. There wasn't even any rain to soothe my heart. I finally looked at the "English Etiquette" book that I so dearly wished still held onto one dried plant, but no, every flower and herb had been removed and destroyed. I started to read the dreadful book. It spoke of manners I had already been taught and silly rules that I found extremely unnecessary. Despite the needlessness of the book with all my extra time, I read it in full as I had nothing else to do. Nighttime came and I fell asleep early wishing for the next day to bring something better.

I woke up to my mom shaking me violently awake.

"Get up Evelyn. You slept in your corset stupid child sit up."

I sleepily sat up and my mom harshly removed the ties of my corset.

"Your father is off of work today so if you pull anything he will be involved." She threw my corset onto the bedpost.

"I understand Mother. I won't pull anything." I shook my head standing up and walking to my closet to grab a casual day dress. My mother stood at my door before closing it she added

"You will be working on your sewing and helping me with cooking and cleaning today. I don't want to see you complain." She shut the door.

I changed into my only work clothes, an old ill-fitting navy blue dress used for housework. The sleeves were short and the skirt rode up to my knees. I walked out of my bedroom in shame and was faced by my siblings chatting to themselves. I walked to the kitchen and immediately started breakfast. My mother still refused to give me any of the food and ordered me to go study away in my room after finishing. I wondered if the rest of my life would be dictated this way.