The tales of bartered brides have spanned the centuries. Though each region has its own version to pass down the premise is always the same. A greedy man with a title seeks to fulfill his selfish desires and finds himself with an enormous dowry and a new wife to do with as he pleases. He gets what he want's, and she has to learn to live happily ever after.
This is not one of those tales. There will be no happily ever afters. Not for Catalynn.
"Tighter Marta! Lace it tighter!" Catalynn cried.
"Sorry Miss. I'm trying honest I am!"
"My waist must be smaller than it has ever been! My mother may have sold me "for the assurance of our survival" but I won't be rid of so easily! The selfish old cow, she only wants to make sure she can remain living the life of a queen, inopulence as she always has. She thinks of no one but herself!" At that moment Catalynn's mother, Ruth walked in.
"Marta go into my room and fetch me the box that is sitting on my bed."
"Yes Ma'm." replied Marta obediently as she left the room. Ruth shut and locked the door behind her.
"I have recently found out that you are displeased with my choices, but you must remember, this is for your own good." She walked over to Catalynn and began pulling on the laces of her corset.
"My own good? What about you. Don't pretend you're not benefiting from this. Father's death left you with an enormous gambling debt, you know that. Selling me is just you're way of paying it off, and getting rid of me at the same time!"
"My own benefit. Good Lord Mother." Ruth was now viciously heaving on the corset laces.
"How dare you be so selfish Catalynn!"
"I'm being selfish!?" Catalynn retorted. In that instant her mother spun her around and slapped her violently across the face. Catalynn's cheek flamed a brilliant red and a tear rolled down its burning surface as Ruth turned and left the room. Marta had heard the whole thing from the other side of the door and rushed to Catalynn's side just as soon as she had put the box down on the bed.
"Are you alright Miss?" she asked worriedly. Catalynn turned back to face the bedpost and grabbed on to it.
"Yes, just lace me up. Pull it tight Marta. It needs to be tight."
"Yes Miss."
Yes her corset needed to be tight indeed. It was all part of her plan. God only knew what insidious sum this Count Alward had paid to her mother for the privilege of having her daughter. She was to meet him in less than an hour's time. Catalynn had spared no expense that morning. She had bathed in rosewater and brushed her hair for more than an hour, transforming her rich auburn locks into luxurious wavy tresses. She had planned to impress the Count, but not now. Now she had other plans in mind. "There Miss. That's as tight as your corset will go." Marta said as she yanked the strings once more and tied the knot.
"Very good Marta. Now let's see my dress." Marta walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled off the lid of the box. Catalynn clung to the bedpost for a moment to allow her body to get accustomed to the corset.
"Here it is Miss." Marta said, holding up a navy velvet and white lace confection. The white lace cap sleeves flitted a little as Marta brought the dress over. Catalynn took it from Marta's hands and held it up to herself.
"Perfect." thought Catalynn. She handed the dress back to Marta and, like every other day Marta dressed her.
An hour passed and in that time Catalynn thought out every detail of her plan."Just as I first glimpse Count Alward I will faint in the doorway of my bedroom, and knock my head on the wall perhaps. Yes that will do. Alward will be flattered (as fainting is a delicate gesture) and race to my aid along with, Mother and Marta. They will lie me on my
bed." She speculated.
"They'll assume I fainted because my corset is too tight and they'll rip it off. Yes, and I'll pretend to have lost my memory…" She knew exactly what she would do. Now she had only to wait. She paced about her room (of course she couldn't sit in her corset) and read a rather unladylike book for a quarter of and hour. Then there was a knock at the door. It was time. She placed the book back where it belonged and peered out the door. Alward had just stepped in and their eyes met. Then faultlessly she carried out her plan. She fainted daintily and knocked her head on the doorframe. She lay sprawled on the floor most ridiculously.
"Miss!" Alward yelled, startledly. He raced up the stairs (just as Catalynn predicted) and her mother followed.
"Miss, Miss are you alright?" At that moment Marta arrived. Ruth started belting out orders, as was her usual self.
"Marta! Help Count Alward get this mess up off the floor and lie her on the bed."
"Yes Ma'm." Marta replied as she grabbed hold of Catalynn's legs.
"That's not necessary Ma'm. I can carry her myself." Alward retorted, trying to look like a
hero.
"Don't be such a fool. Marta will help." Count Alward reluctantly grasped her under the arms and the two of them carried her like a sack of potatoes over to the bed and laid her down on her back. Alward couldn't tell if she was breathing. He checked her pulse. Nothing.
"I don't believe she's breathing Ma'm." Alward said, not knowing what to do.
"You are a daft thing aren't you Count Alward?"
"It's her corset Ma'm. It's too tight." Marta asserted.
"Yes Marta. I know. Roll her onto her stomach. That bloody thing needs to come off."
"Yes Ma'm." Alward, now quite frightened of Ruth, and Marta replied in unison. Together they gently rolled her over. Marta undid Catalynn's dress hurriedly. Alward began fumbling with the laces of her corset.
"I believe you can do this better than I." he said to Marta. She blushed and almost immediately found the knot she had tied only an hour before. The lacing slipped and released the instant the knot was loose. Catalynn gasped for air, eyes wide eyed and somewhat surprised. Then she came to her senses. She smiled inwardly. Her plan had worked so far. Alward rolled her onto her back again and she let out a faint moan. "Oh thank goodness! She's awake!" Said her mother anxiously "Miss, Miss, what happened? Do you remember?" asked Alward worriedly. She opened her mouth, but stopped herself as she remembered her plan. "Where am I? Who is he?" she inquired, facing her mother. "Good gracious! You stupid wench, you don't remember a thing I've tried to do for you!?" her mother said angrily. She had just wanted Catalynn to be gone and to have her bank account nice and full, now everything was going horribly wrong! She began to worry, what if Alward didn't want to have Catalynn now? What would she do?
"Don't worry sir. I'll have this all straightened out in a few moments." She assured Alward.
"Come now Catalynn, don't you even remember why Count Alward is here? You must remember?"
Meanwhile Count Alward stood by the window pacing. He couldn't see how having a wife with no memory could do him any good. Why she couldn't even bear children for him. No she would not do. He fingered the sack of coins in his pocket, thinking that he could do much better with them. He had made up his mind.
"Ruth, may I have a word with you, away from Catalynn?" Ruth signaled Marta, who had been standing in the corner of the room, to come and tend to Catalynn. Count Alward and Ruth met in the corner of the room with their backs turned to Marta and Catalynn. "Ruth I regret to inform you," Ruth knew what was coming, but she also knew that she would do anything to make him have her "that I cannot marry your daughter." "Oh I'm sure it's only temporary sir. Tis most like she'll be back to her usual self by morning. Should you like to come back for her then?" "No Ma'm I will not take your daughter." "But!... You detestable sham of a man!" she screamed as she watched him walk toward the door. He turned for a moment and took a last sorry looking glance at Catalynn then continued out the door.
Catalynn smiled to herself, knowing that she had achieved her goal. Ruth stomped about the room in a fit of rage. Catalynn waited till her mother had settled her nerves and then said in a calm innocent voice "It's not all my fault you know. " Her mother stopped and glared at her. "What in heavens name are you talking about?" "well" began Catalynn "You could have been a little less uncouth to Count Alward." "Hold your tongue you little wench!" "And you should learn to hold yours mother…"