Meeting with father

I like to say that after my time with John my life was quiet however that would be untrue.

It would seem my afternoon tea with Sir John had reached public ears.

Wherever I went I would receive the second degree, conversation would stop when I entered the room.

I had the impression I was one of those beautiful butterflies you see and I was pressed under a microscope.

Thank goodness for rose, she had become my confident throughout this ordeal.

Rose had officially been welcomed into high society at her 16th birthday party.

It had been a grand affair with most of Philadelphia's high society gathered in our ballroom all eggar to meet the newest socialite.

Unfortunately, Sir John had returned to New York and my dismay Helen to left for New York.

My time with Alice was also running short.

Alice and Ronald had announced Alice was expecting.

She had taken ill on the day of rose's birthday Gala and was unable to attend.

Ever since the news broke Her appearance at social events had become few.

That left me at the mercy of the vultures who seemed to swarm me much like a carcass, waiting to devour me.

One of the very few upsides to this whole unpleasantness, I had officially lost the interest of the male nobility.

No longer did I have to engage in small talk with arrogant pompous rich boys.

Mother of course Was displeased.

"Do you not understand the severity of this, you might as well be sent to a nunnery, you will be lucky if you were to Marry a banker."

Mother had all but given up on me, I suppose she no longer cared about what happened to me, no doubt she has already spun a story to her lady friends where I was the awful child who was disgraceful to her "sainted" mother.

Either way, she was the hero.

mother had never really cared for me, it's widely known that my mother suffered depression after my birth and never really bonded with me as she did with Rose

Unfortunately, her dismissal of me meant her full attention had turned to Rose.

Poor rose who had only just entered society was now the victim of our mother's obsession for wealth and status.

At least I still had sir John, who once again went back to New York but we continued to trade letters.

It had become the highlight of my day.

It was soon one of the only things I looked forward to.

seasons came and went until we were in November.

Father's health declined much to everyone's despair, the doctors told us it was unlikely he would recover.

It was only a matter of time.

Rose and I wept together, however, we made sure to spend as much time as we could with our father.

Mother had all but withdrawn herself from father, her actions filled me with anger.

Her husband of 20 years was gravely ill, unlikely to get better yet she didn't care.

Then again father didn't seem to upset with this arrangement, it made me wonder exactly how much of their marriage remained, I can't even remember the last time they showed any affection to each other.

One November morning I am sitting in the grand room by the warm fire reading Shakespeare's hamlet when rose comes rushing in.

"Marigold!"

She rushes to me trying to catch her breath.

"Rose! What's wrong? Is it father?"

I begin to fret.

Father had been feeling unwell yesterday had it been more serious?

"Sir John Jacob Astor has requested a meeting with Father!"

The book drops out of my hand and makes a loud thud on the floor.

Sir John is here?

"He and father have been in father office for hours now, I only just found out from Trudy."

Rose grasps my hands In hers before pulling me out of my chair and down the hall until we were outside of my father's office.

"Rose what are you doing!" I whisper to my sister who had placed her ear on the door.

"Shh"

Rose quickly back away from the door and pulls me around a corner just in the nick of time.

The double doors open and out walks father and Sir John.

"Thank you for stopping by sir John, I shall speak to marigold."

"Thank you."

Me?

Rose is quick to pull me down the hall, we don't stop running until we are in the safety of my bedroom.

Rose swirls on me.

"Marigold Sir john want you to be his wife!"

He couldn't.

I mean he wouldn't...

I know what father had said.

But I never imagined...

No there has to be something else.

There is a knock on my door.

Trudy walks in.

"You father as asked to speak to you miss Marigold."

My hands start sweating.

I exchange a glance with rose who look just as unsure as me.

Bracing myself I follow Trudy out the room, through the hallway and down the stairs.

No!

There has to be another reason.

Perhaps Sir John has come to inform my father He will no longer be contacting me, that has it be it.

It sounds just as ridiculous said out loud.

Trudy opens my father's doors.

Gathering my nerve I walk with confidence I don't currently possess into my father study.

I spot father sat behind his desk, brandy in one hand and a cigar in the other.

Father gestured for me to sit.

Once seated my father places his glass on the wooden desk and opens his mouth to inform me of the news I already knew.

"Marigold, Mr Astor visited me this morning.

"He did?" I try to act like I didn't know.

It was in vain of course father knew I already knew.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he asked for your hand in marriage."

I already knew, but hearing my suspicions confirmed seemed to take the wind from me.

"I accepted."

He did!?

To know Sir John proposed marriage To my father was one thing, but for a father to accept...

"Father I'm unsure..."

Father was quick to cut me off.

"Do you Like Sir John?"

"Yes"

He was a good man.

"Has Sir John ever been anything but respectful?"

"No"

"Do you find Sir John handsome?"

Well, he's not too bad.

"I suppose so."

"Then there is no reason not to marry him." My father finalises.

"But father marriage."

"You are a young woman of 17 nearly 18 many of your peers have already wedded, your fried lady Alice is expecting, it's time you thought about your future, sir John is a respectable gentleman who will treat you well."

"Father I always dreamed I would marry for love."

"Marigold that is the reason why I chose to accept sir Johns proposal."

"Excuse me."

"My dear girl, sir John is smitten with you."

He is?

"Am I Correct when I say you have feelings for him as well."

"Well yes, but it's not love."

Not yet, a tiny voice appears in my mind.

"You will grow to love him"

My father lets out a tired sigh.

His skin is pale.

"Marigold I don't have long left in this world, and it would ease my pain knowing you would be taken care of after I pass."

"But what about rose?"

"We both already know your mother is already searching for a suitor for rose and considering she has told me she cares little for you I have personally taken it amongst myself to find you a husband."

"Father he is 29 years my senior."

"I am aware of the scandal and it pains me to know what you will have to face but I wouldn't do this to you unless I knew you would be happy."

I know it's no use fighting my father.

So I throw in the towel.

I don't have a choice and it could be worse.

"Very well."

My father offers me a smile.

"I know you don't believe me but you will be happy, I know it."

With those parting words, my father dismisses me.

I amble back to my room, there is no use in crying.

Rose is waiting for me.

As soon as I walk in she hounds me for information.

It's only after I am seated on my bed for I finally speak.

"I am to become Mrs John Jacob Astor IV."

Rose doesn't say a word.

What can she say?

Dinner was a quiet affair that night, no one dared to speak.

Mother looked like she had just consumed the foulest lemon, father was tired and could barely keep hold of his cutlery, rose was silent most likely lost in thought and I was in shock.

I don't think it had truly sunk in yet.

That night I couldn't sleep, my skin felt like ants were crawling over me, the sheets were too warm, my nightdress too hot.

To the surprise of no one the very next morning, sir John arrived at our house asking to speak to me.

Dressed in my prettiest Light pink dress sir John and I was taking a stroll around my less impressive garden.

For one we were unaccompanied.

Just sir John and i.

"You look enchanting today Miss DeWitt Bukater."

I offer him a smile.

Unsure if he means It or is simply attempting small talk.

"Thank you."

Sir John halts us when we are sheltered underneath the white pergola that is encompassed by vines of ivy and Virginia creepers giving the illusion of privacy to whoever using the Pergola.

There is a bench inside the structure that sir John has us both sit on.

"Miss DeWitt Bukater, I'm positive your father informed you of my visit yesterday, if he explained my reason's for my visit I'm still unsure, Marigold yesterday I asked your father permission for your hand in marriage and he accepted."

Dare I say a bead of sweat drips down on Sir Johns forehead.

"Yes, my father did tell me."

"Well I have your fathers permission however I would not force your hand, so I will ask you, Marigold DeWitt Bukater will be some the honour of becoming my wife?"

There is something I need to know first if I to become his wife.

"Sir John, I ask for your true honesty with my next question."

Sir John nods.

"I'm well aware of your divorce from your first wife, I've heard the rumours but I want to hear it from your mouth."

Sir John clears his throat.

"Yes they were true, Mine and Ava's Marriage was over, in fact, it never really was a marriage, there was never any love or even affection between us from the start, we only slept together twice in our marriage, we have never even shared the same bed. It was a lonely existence, one particularly dreadful evening I was in the company of a young woman named Madeline, we both were intoxicated and the way she spoke to me and looked at me it was desire... Ava had never looked at me like that? My loneliness and need for physical touch from someone else overwhelmed my common sense, and I took Madeline to bed that evening. I instantly regretted it in the morning but it was too late, one of the maids had informed Ava who used this as an excuse to file for divorce."

"Sir John I'm sure you can understand how this affects me, if I were to become your wife would you ever do that to me."

Sir John's face was awash with horror.

"No! Ava and I had no chemistry or even friendship between us, we were forced into Marriage. Unlike her I've gotten to know you, I've begun to love you to desire to spend the rest of my life with you, our marriage would be different, however, if you still wish to say no, I shall not hold it against you, I know I'm asking you to trust me when you have no reason to except that of my promise to be a loving and supportive husband to you."

Unlike my father, Sir John is giving me the choice.

Already that tells me the type of man he is.

Sir John was a good man and there were many worse men to be married to.

"I accept your proposal."

Sir John let out a sigh before reaching into his coat pocket to retrieve a familiar velvet box.

He open the lid to reveal A pretty looking ring, the band was made of platinum it boasted 3 stones, an emerald cut into the shape of well... an emerald set in between two diamonds.

It was nothing extravagant yet still stunning.

"I brought this back in New York, I hope I got the right ring measurement."

I look at him.

"Do I have to put it on myself?"

"No no, I can do that."

John took the ring out of the box and carefully slides it onto my left ring finger.

There was no turning back now