Chapter 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 18 years later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne stood up anxiously as the door to the sitting room swung open. Her face was beaming as she gazed upon her future son-in-law. What a fine match for her daughter. To think a man of his status placed his attention on her daughter out of all the eligible women in the town. Certainly, he wasn't of as high a class as that of the governor, but being one of the few physicians gave him higher standings then that of a seamstress.
"Mr. Ackworth-"
"I apologize Madame, but I must take my leave." The man said, quickly placing his tricorn on his wig covered head, and grabbing his cane.
The smile fell immediately from her face. "Mr. Ackworth, please do not leave in such a state."
"I am afraid I must." He said, striding quickly to the door. Just as he was about to pull it open, he paused. "Your daughter turned rejected my proposal. I shall not trouble either of you again."
"There must be some mistake. Let me go talk with her. We'll straighten this all out." Anne pleaded.
"There was no mistaking her response." He replied, before quickly exiting the house. Anne helplessly watched as the doctor briskly walked down the street. She closed the door gently, then spun around.
"Catherine!!!"
Anne burst through the sitting room door, through the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the small bedroom on the left. It was empty. The curtains were blown wildly around by the wind coming through the open window, accompanied by the few leaves which happened to be blown in from the tree right outside. She marched over and stuck her head out, staring up through the branches.
"Catherine, come down her this instant!"
Catherine Byrde glanced down towards the sound of her mother's voice.
"Cat, mother. It's Cat." She said in exasperation. Cat made a move to get up, but hesitated. She would rather stay straddling the roof of their tiny house, then face the inevitable row with her mother.
"Catherine, I know you're up there."
The sharp tone made her wince. She was certainly going to get the loudest lecture of her life today. With a sigh, she began to make her way down.
Anne stood in the center of the room, arms crossed as she watched first one leg, then the other appear through the window. The rest of her daughter quickly followed. She felt like groaning aloud at the sight of the girl. Her blonde hair was a mess, frizzed from the wind and barely being kept back with the piece of cloth that kept her hair tied back. Her face was tan from the many hours she sat on the roof. While her clothes were surprisingly not covered in grime, she had stuffed her skirts up into her waistband, revealing her legs and chemise. It was hardly the look for a respectable woman.
Catherine stood there a moment, then suddenly glanced down. She quickly let her skirts loose and attempted to smooth her hair. She meekly looked back up with an unsure half smile, her eyes wide and innocent, almost with a puppy like quality. Her father had used that same look so many times…. Anne frowned at the unwanted memory. Catherine was too much like him at times.
"Mother." Cat began.
Anne cut her off before she could continue. "Do not mother me, Catherine. Why did you turn down Mr. Ackworth?"
Cat's look changed from one of innocence to one of stubbornness. "Mother, I could not possibly become his wife!"
"And why not?" Anne demanded. "It was a good match. Catherine, this is the second time you've turned down a suitor. You are almost nineteen years of age. It is about time you were married."
"Mother-"
"Catherine, do not contradict me. With no dowry to speak of, there is little chance another man of good society with make you an offer of marriage again."
"I'd rather be an old maid then marry that horrid Mr. Ackworth."
"Catherine Byrde!" Anne exclaimed. "Mr. Ackworth is a well respected physician and an upstanding gentleman."
"He is also almost as old as dirt and twice as dull." Cat muttered.
*****
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 18 years later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne stood up anxiously as the door to the sitting room swung open. Her face was beaming as she gazed upon her future son-in-law. What a fine match for her daughter. To think a man of his status placed his attention on her daughter out of all the eligible women in the town. Certainly, he wasn't of as high a class as that of the governor, but being one of the few physicians gave him higher standings then that of a seamstress.
"Mr. Ackworth-"
"I apologize Madame, but I must take my leave." The man said, quickly placing his tricorn on his wig covered head, and grabbing his cane.
The smile fell immediately from her face. "Mr. Ackworth, please do not leave in such a state."
"I am afraid I must." He said, striding quickly to the door. Just as he was about to pull it open, he paused. "Your daughter turned rejected my proposal. I shall not trouble either of you again."
"There must be some mistake. Let me go talk with her. We'll straighten this all out." Anne pleaded.
"There was no mistaking her response." He replied, before quickly exiting the house. Anne helplessly watched as the doctor briskly walked down the street. She closed the door gently, then spun around.
"Catherine!!!"
Anne burst through the sitting room door, through the kitchen, up the stairs, and into the small bedroom on the left. It was empty. The curtains were blown wildly around by the wind coming through the open window, accompanied by the few leaves which happened to be blown in from the tree right outside. She marched over and stuck her head out, staring up through the branches.
"Catherine, come down her this instant!"
Catherine Byrde glanced down towards the sound of her mother's voice.
"Cat, mother. It's Cat." She said in exasperation. Cat made a move to get up, but hesitated. She would rather stay straddling the roof of their tiny house, then face the inevitable row with her mother.
"Catherine, I know you're up there."
The sharp tone made her wince. She was certainly going to get the loudest lecture of her life today. With a sigh, she began to make her way down.
Anne stood in the center of the room, arms crossed as she watched first one leg, then the other appear through the window. The rest of her daughter quickly followed. She felt like groaning aloud at the sight of the girl. Her blonde hair was a mess, frizzed from the wind and barely being kept back with the piece of cloth that kept her hair tied back. Her face was tan from the many hours she sat on the roof. While her clothes were surprisingly not covered in grime, she had stuffed her skirts up into her waistband, revealing her legs and chemise. It was hardly the look for a respectable woman.
Catherine stood there a moment, then suddenly glanced down. She quickly let her skirts loose and attempted to smooth her hair. She meekly looked back up with an unsure half smile, her eyes wide and innocent, almost with a puppy like quality. Her father had used that same look so many times…. Anne frowned at the unwanted memory. Catherine was too much like him at times.
"Mother." Cat began.
Anne cut her off before she could continue. "Do not mother me, Catherine. Why did you turn down Mr. Ackworth?"
Cat's look changed from one of innocence to one of stubbornness. "Mother, I could not possibly become his wife!"
"And why not?" Anne demanded. "It was a good match. Catherine, this is the second time you've turned down a suitor. You are almost nineteen years of age. It is about time you were married."
"Mother-"
"Catherine, do not contradict me. With no dowry to speak of, there is little chance another man of good society with make you an offer of marriage again."
"I'd rather be an old maid then marry that horrid Mr. Ackworth."
"Catherine Byrde!" Anne exclaimed. "Mr. Ackworth is a well respected physician and an upstanding gentleman."
"He is also almost as old as dirt and twice as dull." Cat muttered.
*****
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