Chapter 1 - A summer plan
Hayley peered up from the book she was reading to watch the scene in front of her play out. She usually preferred being lost in a novel in the corner of the room, allowing the attention to be on the one's that commanded it, and this wasn't the first time she had heard this disagreement between her father and sister. It wasn't even the words she had heard; it was the conviction of which they were spoken with. The malice in her sister's words are what caught her attention and turned her focus from the words on the page to the ones being spoken in the room she was sat in.
"But papa how can you expect me to?" Taylor screamed out in anguish as she paced the room.
Although she had directly asked a question and his attention was on Taylor, their father remained silent at his desk. Haley knew he was taking a moment to compose himself before answering. That he needed to find the right words that would allow him to explain this in a way that would allow Taylor to understand that this wasn't a decision that he made, but society had. Rules meant that although their papa, Jim James, held a title and was Lord of an estate he had been unable to do what society had expected him to do – create an heir. Instead, his wife had birthed three girls: Taylor James, Quinn James and Hayley James.
They were born out of a loving relationship. Not from one seeking an heir. Jim had never held any resentment towards his wife that they had three beautiful daughters and that's the way they had always made them feel – that they were a blessing. In fact, Jim had always hoped that society would progress, not too much but, enough to allow his daughters to inherit his family's estate or there would have been another solution to the problem they were facing. He himself had already broken societal norms when he married his wife, Lydia James. From the moment she came crashing into his life he could not imagine himself loving another but his mother and society couldn't accept that even though Lydia came from money she did not hold her own title. She came from new money, something that long-standing, well bread families in England could not understand. They would rather families keep their lines by marrying family rather than marrying new money. He had done it once, ignored what his family had expected of him as the first-born son, the one that took the role of Lord James and the estate that had been passed down through generations of his family.
He still was unable to know how to respond to his daughter. He could see the pain inside her. He did not appreciate the way she was speaking to him before his family, but he could see the same fire inside of her that he had when his mother and father presented to him that tradition meant that he would be marrying another. What he was unable to tell her is that he hadn't just accepted it either. They all knew he hadn't accepted when it was his future and he fought in private in the same way for his daughter too. He had sought legal counsel, had tried to understand the legalities of the issue so he could find some way to have them overturned but he couldn't. And in this moment, he couldn't admit that he had failed. Failed to change societies' perceptions on who they considered to be heir of his family's estate. It wasn't just his family's estate either, as stipulated in the law, was his cousin would also inherit his wife's money too. Not even this could be put in a trust to ensure his daughters would receive what they had been born into. The only solution to their problem was to either allow the uncertainty of what would happen if he wasn't around or invite his cousin to stay with them in the hopes that his first-born's hand in marriage would be enough to secure their future.
"Mama how could you allow this to happen?" Taylor turned her attention to their mother in the room in hopes this would make someone here see reason. As first-born she had always felt the pressures of how she should be expected to act as it was her responsibility to lead the way for the rest of her sisters. But she refused to be told who she should marry. Title and wealth meant more to her than her sisters. She understood and respected the traditions families like hers followed but this was one step too far. She only kept the best company so why could she not marry one of them and her father's estate and her mother's money be passed to her through that union. Not have to marry a cousin. Why could that responsibility not fall to Quinn?
Hayley watched as her sister decided to sit down next to their mother trying to appeal to the part of this arrangement that was unfair – their mother was about to watch what was rightfully hers be given to someone they hardly knew all because they were born a male. She could see the softness in her mother's eyes, understanding that it was unfair. Taylor was head-strong and smart and they could all see she possessed what was needed to be head of the family. But these traits also made Taylor question the world she was born into and push boundaries that society put there to ensure the norms stayed the way they were. It meant that at some point, her own downfall would be here own. And it was exactly what was happening now. Instead of allowing pappa to find a solution, she wanted one that she had suggested and created. She hadn't even met their cousin, well not since becoming of age, but she hadn't given the idea of a union a chance.
Hayley tried to understand this part of her sister. She was curious of the world too. She watched as her mama took her sister's hand and tried to silently comfort her. Knowing neither her papa or mama knew what to say, Hayley thought it was time to try and use her words. "Taylor, we have not seen cousin Nathan for years, you do not know if he is the one you wish to marry." It was true, although they had spent some time with their cousin as children, it had been years since they had spent the summer running around the James Estate conjuring up some imaginary game where they could all play together. Haley remembers there were a few times her cousin Nathan and her sister had found some way to hide from the rest of them, as they grew older and they were the eldest, they made out that the games were now childish. But Haley knew the truth. Often, they would want to spend some time alone but would always be found together.
Instantly, as all eyes fell on her and her sister jumped up, she knew she had made a mistake in judgement. "How dare you, you sit there with your romantic novels and you have some idealist notion about what a woman's place is. You cannot tell me that I should just try when you have never tried. You have no reason to worry about your fate when you have been promised to Lord Lucas. The two of you have been friends forever. You would not know what this feels like."
Before Hayley could respond, Taylor left the room. Hayley felt silly, she had only tried to make her sister see reason and remember there once was a time she wanted to spend time with cousin Nathan. That this union may not be such a bad idea. Taylor would inherit their father's title and estate, yes through marriage, but hold her rightful place nevertheless. What did it matter how she had to secure it and what did she know of her relationship with Lucas.
Yes, it was true that her and Lucas were the best of friends, the basis of any great love, but the truth was that was where their feelings started and ended. Lucas's heart belonged to another but their duty to please their families allowed them to accept that one day they would be married. They never needed to openly admit their inevitable union, while on the outside looked like a perfect one, terrified both of them. Hayley turned her attention back to her novel, it was better to be lost in the words of another than face the reality, that just like her sister she did not hold the future to her own heart. While they were very different in character, this was one thing they were connected by, their futures were bound by what society expected of them.
The silence in the room was deafening. Haley kept rereading the same words knowing that she owed her parents an apology. She had tried to helped Taylor see reason but had only added to her upset. She sighed, "papa I'm sorry."
Jim looked at her in surprise. It was not Haley that owed him an apology, she had only stepped in when no one else could find the words to say to Taylor, even if they hadn't helped. She had been the only one brave enough to say something.
"I should have known she would be angry and upset and I shouldn't have caused her more anguish." Haley continued.
"Enough." Jim responded to his youngest daughter as softly as he could. He no longer wanted her to feel that pain that she always felt on behalf of others. He wanted to reason with her that she had done nothing wrong. "This was not on you, but please can you give me and your mama the room?"
Haley nodded, stood and clutched the book close to her chest. She knew he was not angry or disappointed with how she had behaved but felt those emotions towards her anyway. She placed a soft kiss on her papa's cheek as she passed, he and mirrored one on her mama's cheek before she left the room. As she closed the door, she heard her father painfully cry, "what else was I supposed to do? This was the only solution, the only one I could ensure that our daughters would be safe, she would be expected to marry soon anyway."
Haley didn't want to intrude on her parent's conversation so closed her eyes to acknowledge her papa's pain and then continued on her way to the only place she could be alone.
"You had to know that would be her reaction." Lydia refused to meet Jim's eyes; she knew would she would be faced with if she did. They had had this same conversation many times since they had learnt that even her inheritance was now tied into the estate with no way of it rightfully being their daughter's. In some ways she was stuck in the middle. Feeling both her husband's and her daughter's pain. They had raised their children in a way that they knew they while they were privileged, they were also loved. They were not merely seen as an heir, even if it was clear to the society, they were born into that as a female they could never be, but they were the continuation of the love they were created out of.
"Of course, I knew that would be her reaction. I'm fully aware of who my daughter is but she never helps herself." Jim had tried to keep his emotions in check but could feel them boiling over and his wife receiving the brunt of them. There was not a single person that could win from this situation – other than his cousin Nathan.
"Sorry, to interrupt my Lord."
"What is it Smith?" Jim turned his eyes that were fixed on his wife, who he was aware would still not look at him, telling him everything that he needed to know. She too was disappointed that he was unable to fix their problems. He turned to see their trusted butler, Mr Smith, holding a letter.
"You asked me to bring this to you as soon as it arrived." Mr Smith stepped closer to Jim waiting for his signal of whether he wanted him to proceed with handing him the letter or leave and allow him to continue with the conversation he had interrupted.
"Of course." Jim waved him closer. The letter contained information that he was awaiting. One that would allow him to know if Nathan had at least accepted his offer to come and stay. To spend the summer at the James Estate, he was hoping he could persuade him that during that time that a union between his eldest daughter and Nathan was one they could all accept. He took the letter from Mr Smith and tried his best to show his appreciation, despite his apprehension to interrupt the conversation, he had only been following his duty. Jim had ordered him to bring the letter as soon as it arrived, knowing the Mr Smith was the one of the only people outside of his family that would keep their predicament to themselves and offer objective advice in turn.
Jim removed the letter from the envelope, he would not admit it to anyone else, but if the words he was hoping for were not displayed on the paper in front of him he did not have another plan. He released a breath he had not realised he was holding, and smiled to the only two in the room. "He has agreed to join us this summer."