"Maeve hurry up! Or we're going to miss the carriage!" Victor whined.
"It's our carriage dear, it won't leave without us" Vera said "stop fussing with your tie"
She swatted the boy's hand away from his neck.
"I don't want to be late to the party, Mother"
he complained. While once again trying to adjust his neck tie. "Stop that" Vera demanded.
Maeve Everly came bolting down the imperial staircase of her grand family home.
"I'm coming Mother!" She yelled.
"We'll it's about time, I thought we were going to have to wait all night" the boy said.
"Hush child!" Vera exclaimed.
The family quickly made their way through the front door of their house.
"Now Maeve, I want you on your best behavior. Mr. Smith is a very well known man, and him wanting to marry you is a great honor." Vera said
"Stop Mother, he hasn't even courted me yet" Maeve sighed.
"That very well may be, but you're 19 years old and you must be married off soon" she explained.
"Yes, you don't want to be a spinster, do you sister?" Victor teased.
Maeve whacked her little brother on the butt with her hand fan in retaliation, while he was climbing into the carriage.
Victor glared daggers at Maeve from his seat across from her in their carriage.
"You see this is exactly what I don't want to happen at the party." Vera said.
"All will be well Mother, I promise you that" Maeve declared. Vera looked at her only daughter skeptically "Hmm, we'll see what the night will bring" she said.
"You should practice what your going to say!" Victor suggested.
"What a wonderful idea, dear" Vera answered.
Just then one of the horses neighed in fright, and the carriage stopped abruptly.
"Hendricks! What in heavens is going on?" Vera yelled. "Sorry miss, a wolf crossed the road and spooked the horses" the footman answered.
Maeve pulled down the window, and popped her head out of it. She saw the wolf retreating into the woods, it's fur was a lovely auburn color.
"I wonder what its doing out and about" Victor pondered. "It's probably looking for naughty little boys to eat" Maeve responded.
At that, Victor slammed the window shut, and scooted over a little more towards his Mother.
"Oh my, what am I going to do with you two" Vera sighed "Behave now, we're nearly there"
The Everly's carriage approached the Smith's grand estate. Maeve's Mother Audibly gasped when she saw how impressive it was.
"Oh yes, he will be a fine husband" she said pleased. "We haven't even met him yet! Don't get too excited" Maeve added.
"He is so very interested in you, because of your beauty and talents. I'm sure you'll be the perfect match!" she exclaimed.
The house and grounds were truly beautiful. There was a long drive way that rounded in the front of the house. The house was 3 stories high and had a few towers. There were arched pathways leading to the garden on the side. When there weren't windows, there was ivy that sprawled across the vast stone.
"It's too bad your Father and older brothers couldn't join us" Vera said "I so would have loved for them to see this."
"Oh look, look! There's a peacock" Victor shouted.
Maeve looked out the window once again and saw that peacocks were being released onto the front lawn.
Their carriage slowed and came to a stop, Hendrick the footman helped the ladies of the family exit the carriage.
The guests piled into a line, waiting to get into the main house. Maeve looked up at the door and saw the man that must be her suitor, Nigel Smith. He was a tall man, probably 6'0, he had light brown hair, and blue eyes. He was very handsome, and had a strong jawline. Maeve thought that it was a face, that she could learn to love.
~
"Oh the Everlys! Welcome to my home." Nigel Smith said excitedly. He reached for Maeve's hand "You must be Maeve, it is a pleasure to meet you" he said before kissing her hand.
"The pleasure is all mine Mr. Smith" Maeve said.
"I have to go talk business with a few of my colleagues, but please save me a dance" he said.
"What type of business?" Maeve asked.
"Oh, it's nothing you'd understand, now please enjoy the party" he said before walking off.
They entered the ball room, it was a decent size. The ceiling had paintings of angels and demons. There was a gorgeous chandelier, that put theirs to shame. The dance floor was surrounded by circular tables with white table cloths. The windows on the right side of the room reached from the floor to nearly the ceiling, and they had an intricate design on them. And there was oh so many people.
"He is so handsome isn't he" Vera gushed.
"Nigel seems to be very charming" Maeve agreed.
Maeve looked over at the dance floor and could barely see across it. All she saw was the mass of ball gowns twirling around, dancing the night away. She couldn't believe that there were so many people, and no one was bumping into each other.
"Remember the rules; you have to say yes to every man that asks you to dance. Because once you say no to one man, you aren't allowed to dance with anyone for the rest of the night" Vera said. "Even if the man is horrifyingly boring?" Maeve asked.
"Yes dear, I don't make the rules" she said.
Maeve and her Mother joined Victor at the refreshments table. She popped a grape into her mouth, and noticed that a servant that was attending the table had two small puncture wounds on the right side of his neck. How strange she thought, Maeve hadn't had the slightest idea of how those marks could have gotten there. Perhaps Nigel was a cruel employer, and getting stabbed in the neck was a torturous punishment for those out of line. She hoped that wasn't the case.
Victor was already bored with what he as doing, so he went off with some other young boys "be a good boy!" Vera called after him.
A squat looking man approached the pair. He had red hair, and a plump figure. He bowed dramatically and asked
"May I have this dance, M'lady?"
"Of course" Maeve reluctantly agreed, with a fake smile.
The man led Maeve away from her Mother, he twirled her around quickly and pushed her into the middle of dance floor.
"My name is Watson, James Watson" he announced "and you are?"
"Maeve Everly" she said.
"You know, I think I've heard Mr. Smith speak of you" James said "But I think I'd like to keep you all to myself" he snickered. Maeve let out a self deprecating laugh. Then Mr. Smith came to interrupt.
"May I cut in?" Nigel asked with a smirk.
"No Smith, we've only just started dancing" James laughed.
"She is my fiancé" Nigel said with a warning glance. James glared back at him before passing Maeve off to him, and taking leave.
"Fiancé? You haven't even courted me yet" Maeve laughed.
"I've already made arrangements with your Father, we are to be wed next week" he said.
Maeve's mood quickly plummeted.
"But we've only met for the first time this eve!" She said.
"That may be so, but your father and I have been discussing our marriage for quite some time" Nigel answered.
"He never mentioned it to me, Father said that you just had a slight interest in me" Maeve said. She didn't understand why her Father had already agreed to marry her off to a man she didn't even know for one night.
"I've wanted you since you were 12, but I was called away because of the war" he said while they danced "now that I'm back, your Father and I can join our companies together, and I get you."
Maeve could not believe what she was hearing, this man wanted her since she was 12!?
She had a duty to her family, to secure future financial stability through marriage. And sure legally girls could get married at 12, and 14 for boys. But that doesn't mean that it's anywhere near ethical.
"Why don't we take a walk through the garden?" Nigel asked.
"Actually I'm feeling quite faint, I think I should sit down for a while" she lied.
"Oh of course! You should sit down and have some wine, to calm your nerves" he said.
Nigel led Maeve back to her Mother, and they sat down at one of the tables that surrounded the dance floor. Then Nigel left to get some wine from the cellar, for Maeve.
"Mother, are you aware that Father and Nigel have our wedding planned for next week!?" Maeve whisper shouted at her Mother "Or that Father promised me to him when I was 12!?"
Vera stayed surprisingly composed while hearing the shocking news "I know that your Father has been wanting to become business partners with the Smith family for many years. And I was confused when he rejected so many men for your hand in marriage" she stated calmly. Vera took a deep breath before continuing "It was not that unexpected, and I trust your Fathers judgment, Nigel is a very fine man. I'm sure everything will work out." she said happily.
"I knew that I couldn't marry for love! And that I might end up marrying Nigel, But I thought at the very least, I'd know the man for more than a week before marrying him" Maeve whispered.
"I'm sorry darling, you know it's not either of our choices" Vera said, she placed a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. "it's probably best if you feigned an illness, so we can go home early"
"Yes, mother" Maeve said right before dramatically fainting out of her chair.
"That isn't quite what I meant" Vera sighed.
People came rushing over to their table to check on Maeve "ooh... ohh" she moaned while holding her head in her hands.
Vera rolled her eyes at her daughter "I'm going to go collect Victor" she said.
Nigel rushed over to the table, pushing people to the side "what happened?" he exclaimed.
"She fainted sire!" a servant answered.
Vera walked back over, with Victor in tow "We must be returning home, so our dear Maeve can rest" she said.
"I must say! She was far to excited to hear of our engagement!" Nigel said proudly.
"Yes I'm sure that's it" Vera said sarcastically.
Victor pulled his sister up onto her feet, with all of his strength.
"It was so lovely to meet you Nigel, I'm sorry we're heading home so early" Vera said.
"It's alright it's for Maeve's health. Besides we're going to be seeing a lot of each other after the wedding" he said.
"Right you are" Vera responded.
~
The next morning the Everly's butler decided that Maeve had to get fitted for her wedding gown. Because her wedding was only a week away, so she was sent into town.
Maeve was almost to the tailor shop when one of her lifelong friends, Eloise Brown, approached her. Eloise pulled Maeve off to the side of the pathway.
"I heard about your engagement to Nigel Smith! Why didn't you mention him to me? she asked.
"I met the man for the first time yesterday, I didn't know that we were to be wed in a week" Maeve sighed.
"You don't seem very pleased, do you not like him?" Eloise asked.
"I hardly know the man, so I cannot answer that" Maeve was flustered and rushed off towards the tailor before Eloise could ask her anymore questions.
Maeve arrived to the dress tailor flushed, because she ran away from her friend. The seamstress at the front of the store thought she was ill, and almost denied her service because of it. Until she heard who Maeve was to be married to.
"What color would you like?" The woman asked.
"I think a light cream would be best" Maeve answered.
Maeve wanted her dress to be far more simple than what most Nobel women would go for. Even though she was marrying a flashy man, she herself was not. The dress had a square neckline, that had little ruffles on the border. Her sleeves came down to her elbow and their was some more ruffles. The dress went over top of a large hoop skirt, that went about half a foot from her hips. Maeve had also picked out a pearl chocker necklace to pair with her wedding dress.
Maeve may not have been happy about marrying Nigel, but at least she would like great doing it.
~
Author's Note:
I imagine Nigel to be like Armie Hammer, but like 4 inches shorter. I've always found Armie to be unsettlingly handsome. He's a suspected cannibal, so it made me think "hmm yes evil husband." Also the legal age for marriage in the 1700s, is very concerning. Anyways... I hope you liked the first chapter.