31st July 1835
Robert Gardens knew he had been acting strange lately. Even his father was curious now. He had asked him if it was a woman, and when Robert objected his father replied it must be. Robert was showing all the signs on being "infatuated by another woman". Robert just ignored his father.
Everyone was so desperate for him to be married quickly, have a son, keep the family name going...
Was there any room for what he wanted anymore?
Was there any room in the first place?
Groaning, Robert hid his head in his hands. He was not "in love" - strictly speaking - with Azure, but rather...very curious about her. She was an odd one. Of course he found her very attractive, but for a man of his class he could chose one of the other beautiful girls of whom he could have his pick. But there was no denying Azure seemed the most beautiful of them all, in a surreal way. The way her skin fell so perfect upon a slenderly shaped skull, so pale yet luminous. They way her hair was so white and perfect on her scalp. Then her eyes - oh her eyes! So bright and popping right out of that creamy sea like a dolphin. They enraptured him. Enthralled him. She was so...perfect. There was no word for it.
But that sheer perfect picture seemed flawed somehow. He couldn't figure it out. She seemed so distant like her head was in the clouds but yet so down-to-earth. Shy but yet so open. She didn't seem embarrassed just slightly fearful. No...not fearful. Something else...misunderstanding? Maybe she didn't understand what he said sometimes. But yet she seemed very well spoken, although she couldn't read. But that was also odd...in the higher class of people, most girls learnt a basic reading skill. Some went as far as being very fluent in the language of books.
That raised another question.
Of which family did Azure belong to?
She never said. While he stated his full name, she only gave him a single first. Another strange thing. Was she deliberately keeping it form him? And why the hesitating of telling him in the first place?
He realised just how desperately he wanted to see this strange character once more. He hoped Sir Michael Douglas would be hosting yet another party soon....he was very fond of them. Mostly because it meant he could ship his children one by one off to a new home or mansion if they were girls, and boast about his sons' children or how well the girls had married.
But that was the same for everyone...even himself.
Especially himself.
He hated it. He felt suppressed by his father's desires yet he wished to follow them.
But who with?
One thing was for sure, he was going to find out about Azure.
And he would not marry anyone until he did.
YOU ARE READING
The Runt of the Litter
Historical Fiction"The Runt of the Litter" is a historical fiction novel about the mentally retarded in 1800s England. The large manor owned by controlling Sir Douglas Michaels is at breaking point, and all due to the shaming secret their attic holds. The one no one...
