"Who is he, Richard?" Anne asked, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. Her dark eyebrows raised at her father in judgment. Anne was more than curious to know who her eldest brother had gone and had her betrothed too. "Is he even anyone important? You know, I am descendant of Edward III himself, a direct descendant! I will not marry some nameless nobody!"
Anne's eldest brother, Richard Stanhope, sighed, crossing his arms in almost the same manner as his sister. Their stubbornness was a trait they had both inherited from their late father, Sir Edward Stanhope. He looked down at her as she stood before him. He thought to himself that she looked much like her mother, his stepmother. "I am well aware of your mother's privileged bloodline, Anne, and no matter the man's title, surname or bloodline, you will marry him. You have no say or choice."
Anne retained her anger at her brother's words, and continued to hold her eyebrows up at him. "Tell me his name, Rich. I will not be even the least bit pleased until I hear his name."
Richard rolled his eyes at his sister, and uncrossed his arms, resting his hands on his hips. "Edward Seymour, Anne. The son of Sir John Seymour, of Wiltshire."
Her mouth dropped open in complete shock and disgust. "A Seymour? Really? You've gotten me betrothed to a damned Seymour boy? Father would have wanted better than that, Rich!"
Richard found himself crossing his arms once more in frustration. He hated Anne for bringing up his father in this scenario, so he ignored her comment. "Yes, Anne and you will marry the damned Seymour boy whether you like it or not. You know you have no choice, so don't get yourself in a huff over it. He will be coming by later today…" Richard turned away from Anne before he could get in a fight with her. She was so demanding and hard to please, but since they had no father, he had to have her married off. She couldn't live at home without a husband for the rest of her life! Even marriage to a Seymour boy was better then that.
"But Rich!" Anne protested as he began to walk away. She followed after him quickly and stood in front of the door, blocking it with her arms spread out, her back pressed against it. "How could you marry me, your most beautiful and only sister, off to a stupid, useless, no name, Seymour! Surely there are much greater suitors out there? Like a Howard or something a little bit better than a Seymour?"
Richard sighed and looked at Anne, in her dark eyes. "I am not budging on my decision. Papers have been signed, and the deal is done! You're marrying Edward Seymour and that's that! Now will you let me pass?"
She did not move from the door, not yet. She wanted to get all she had to say out before her brother could force her to marry the wretched man. "He probably isn't even well known at court! He probably doesn't have money, either! Are you really going to willingly send me to live on the streets with this man?" She looked at him with wide and falsely innocent eyes.
He sighed once more and nodded his head once firmly at her. "He will have enough to provide for you, I'm sure. We've paid the dowry; certainly that money will be put to some use for the two of you. Now, I've had enough of your if's, and's and but's, move out of my way, Anne. We're done speaking now. You must get ready for Edward's visit."
Anne accepted defeat, there was nothing she could say or do that would convince her brother to call of the marriage now, for some strange reason he seemed to have his mind set on marrying his only sister, a direct descendant of Edward III of England, to a meager, useless Seymour boy, who probably could not even call himself a courtier. She could see it now; they would have no money, and he would be some sort of disgusting pig that would treat her with no respect. She had always dreamed of being married off to a Howard boy, or even a Percy. She would have been showered in gifts every day, as if it were Christmas all year around. That had been her ideal marriage, her ideal future, her ideal life, but instead she was stuck being wed to Edward Seymour, Earl of Nowhere.