(Highest ranking #1 in historical)
"I volunteer. I will be your wife..." When he rose a brow, she covered the distance between them, her jaw set. "In name only."
He seemed to consider her words for a few seconds. "No," He finally said.
"What?!" Her...
Nestling further against the firm, solid surface, her eyelids flickered shut.
“You better pray to God she doesn't die, you animal!” The unfamiliar voice sounded upset. Who was he? Her mind scrambled for answers, but came up with none. “Or I won't just have you arrested for theft but I will also have you arrested for murder! Get off of my property, and never come back!”
Unable to fight the darkness any longer, Sharon gave into it.
~*~
Matthew stared at the blonde head asleep on the bed. Not only was she frail, she was bruised as well. There was no doubt in his mind that Jenkins had been abusive toward her, and if he doubted his decision to marry her in the past, now he was certain he made the right decision. He should have known Jenkins would hurt her! He should have known, and he should have gone along with the fool to bring her home with him, rather than subjecting her to his cruel treatment.
Frowning, he stared at her swollen face and blood stained dress. She certainly needed a change of outfit and perhaps even a warm bath? He knew the bath could wait, but he did not think the change of dress could. Unfortunately for him however, he had given Nana Lois had taken time off to spend time with her new grandson. Therefore, he would have to take her clothes off himself, and help her into another one.
Would she be upset by the time she wakes up to find herself clad in something other than this ripped, ugly gray dress? And where was he going to get a dress her size? Jenkins delivered her over to him without a dress, and the mere thought of helping her out of this one without her permission, caused heat to climb up the side of his neck and set his entire face on fire. He would hate for her to wake up and catch him in the middle of taking her clothes off. Worst still, he would hate to catch a glimpse of her unclad body without her permission.
Running a finger through his hair, he let out a soft sigh. He would indeed see her unclad, sooner or later. Once they were married they would certainly need to spend time together, wouldn't they? They would live as man and wife, wouldn't they? Sure, their meeting was unconventional, but he indeed hoped to have a real marriage with her.
Still, the thought of catching a glimpse of her unclad body made him nervous. She certainly had a lovely face —malnourished, yet he knew once she ate the right diet, then her beauty would become even more pronounced. Her thin, pale lips would become fuller and perhaps even gain some color. Her pale skin, stained with bruises, would heal and regain life. Her messy, tangled blonde hair would appear lush once it had been exposed to some oil, and a brush. She was indeed lovely; it would only be a matter of time before that fact becomes even more pronounced.
If her face was lovely, then he had no doubt in him that the rest of her was lovely as well. His eyes drifted down to her neck, where the neckline of her dress fell short on her collarbone. Slowly, he reached out and ran the tip of his index finger over her neck, mentally willing his touch to awaken her; it didn't.
After several minutes of debating with himself, Matthew soon made his way out of his room —where his new soon-to-be bride laid asleep— and down the stairs to Nana Lois' room. He knew it was an invasion of her privacy to search her trunk for clothes, but he also knew she would not have minded if she was around.
Finding a long sleeves white nightdress in the trunk, he carried it back up the stairs and to his room.
Releasing a soft sigh, he leaned over her, hefting her frail form into his arms.
A soft moan escaped her lips at his action, causing him to freeze for a second. Once he realized she was still asleep, he took off the buttons around her neck behind, and peeled the dress off of her body, revealing an old, worn out shift underneath.
A small frown tugged on his brows at the sight of the old garment that clung to her body. It seemed several years old and undersized.
“The innocent girl you're forcing to marry you in exchange for the cancellation of her father's debts.”
He suddenly remembered Stanley's words the morning before and immediately felt sorry for her. She was certainly from a less than modest home, and was most likely unable to afford new undergarments.
After contemplating whether or not it was appropriate to take off her undergarment, Matthew decided it was; she was going to be his wife anyway, and he hated seeing the rag on her. He would buy her new undergarments once they were married.
With a small smile creasing his face at the very thought of being married to the sleeping beauty before him, he began taking off the rag that was in no way befitting of her. And for a second, after he had succeeded in taking off all her clothes, he let himself catch a glimpse of her, before helping her into Nana Lois' nightdress, deciding in his head that the rest of her was indeed lovely.
