Aria's POV
I usually like wearing dresses, but today it's the last thing in the world I want to do. Kind of like how my house is the last place in the world I want to be. My father invited the Fitzgeralds over for dinner tonight, and I couldn't be more anxious.
In a few short moments, I'm going to meet Ezra Fitzgerald. The man I'm being forced to marry. Part of me knows that I can't go through with this. If I marry a general, Momma's worst nightmare will come true. I'll have to spend the rest of my life with a man who will disrespect and beat me, and eventually it will kill me just like how it killed Mamma. I don't want to do this, but I have no other choice. I'm stuck.
"Mrs. Aria, are you almost done?" My nanny Charlotte asks as she enters my bedchamber.
Charlotte has been with my family for years. Momma hired Charlotte to cook and clean for my family when she first married Daddy, but when I was born she became my primary caretaker. Even though I was close to Momma growing up, Charlotte was the one who dressed me, and made sure I behaved at parties.
She was also the one who punished me, and gave me "tough love." Ultimately, that's what distinguished Charlotte from Momma in my mind. While Charlotte gave me tough love, Momma just gave me love. Charlotte had the more difficult job, but I was too foolish to realize that as a young girl.
"I'm done." I mutter as I avoid looking into the old lady's eyes.
"You're beautiful, Mrs. Aria." Charlotte mutters as tears begin to spill out of her blue eyes.
I know she's right. I've always been a beauty, and I've never doubted my looks. Unfortunately, I've doubted literally everything else about myself. This morning, Daddy told me to wear my fancy green dress from Paris. Of course I obliged, and now I'm all dressed up to meet my fiancée.
"Mr. Byron told me to make you supper. Eat it carefully so that you don't spill." Charlotte says as she hands me a full plate of food.
"Why should I eat now? Dinner will be served when the Fitzgeralds get here. Is my waist not small enough?" I mutter in annoyance.
"Mrs. Aria, you know very well why you cannot eat at the dinner party. It's unladylike for a woman of your age to eat in front of guests." Charlotte reminds me.
"But I don't care about being ladylike. I just want to enjoy my evening." I say as I shove the plate of food into her hands.
"Your momma would be ashamed. She raised you better, Mrs. Aria." Charlotte says as she shakes her head slowly.
Something about her words infuriate me. I grab the food, and begin to shove it down my throat impulsively. If she wants me to be ladylike tonight, I'll be ladylike. I'll prove that I can be whoever I want to be.
"You must slow down. We cannot have you get sick..." Charlotte starts to ramble.
"Charlotte, do hush up. You're putting me in a rather sour mood. I don't think Mr. Ezra would find that very appealing in a woman. Do you?" I ask, hoping she'll back down.
Charlotte sighs before walking out of my bed chamber, and closing the door behind her. Finally.
Line Break
I sit with Daddy in the dining room, while we wait for the Fitzgerald's to arrive. He looks almost as nervous as I do, and that's a statement in itself.
"You know to be on your best behavior, right?" Daddy asks as his tone turns serious.
"Yes. Of course, Daddy." I mutter as I avoid looking into his eyes.
"Good. You better not mess this up. If you do, you won't be getting married anytime soon. Oh no. I'll lock you in the cellar with all the rats and the squirrels." Daddy growls before taking a long sip of his wine.
His words cause me to shutter involuntarily. As much as I don't want to marry Ezra, staying home with Daddy seems even worse. I know Momma said all generals are awful, but Ezra couldn't possibly be as bad as Daddy. Not yet at least. Maybe after I pop out a few children, but certainly not yet.
"They're here!" Daddy shouts as he springs to his feet.
I hear the Fitzgerald's carriage pull into our estate, and I let out a nervous breath. This is it. The moment of truth. I follow Daddy out to the porch, where three men and one woman are waiting.
"Byron! It's so nice to see you!" The oldest man says as he throws his arms around my father.
"Likewise, Brian. It feels just like the good old days at West Point. This must be your lovely family." Daddy says as he gestures towards the other folks.
"Yes. This is my wife Dianne, and our boys Ezra and Wes." Brian says with a proud smile.
I take a good look at the family, and try to determine whether or not they'll be as bad as my own. Dianne, the mother, seems as cold as a Winter's day. She isn't smiling, and she won't even look at me. Maybe she wants Ezra to marry someone else. I don't know why else she'd be in such a sour mood.
And then there's Wes. He has a smirk on his face, and he won't take his eyes off my bosom. I want to slap him, but that would definitely ruin the engagement. Daddy would probably shoot me on the spot.
Lastly, there is Ezra. At first glance, he seems like the perfect husband. The young man is tall and muscular with beautiful blue eyes and dark curly locks. He's educated, and comes from a well to do family in New York. Any other girl in Rosewood would kill to be in my shoes. But then again, they don't know the truth about men of war. They're as foolish as my Mamma was when she agreed to marry Daddy,
"This is my girl, Aria." Daddy says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.
"Aria. It's so nice to finally meet you, darling." Ezra says before grabbing my hand, and kissing it softly.
For minute, the tender kiss is enough to make me want to marry Ezra right there on the porch. Before I fall head over heals in love, I remember Mamma's warning. Men like Ezra might be charming, but their kindness is all an act. After a few months, he won't be the polite man I first encountered. He'll be a drunken maniac. I can't let myself get attached. Oh no. I'd be setting myself up for heartbreak and devastation.
"Likewise." I mutter as I avoid looking into his eyes.
"How about the six of us go to the dinning room and eat? Our Charlotte makes the finest food in Pennsylvania, doesn't she dear?" Daddy asks as his eyes dart over to me.
"Oh yes. Charlotte's food is delicious." I say as I force a smile.
"What are we waiting for? Lead the way, Mrs. Aria." Mr. Fitzgerald says with a warm smile.
Ezra's POV
Supper is a rather awkward affair. I sit next to my future bride ,Aria, who refuses to look at me. My father and Byron talk about their days at West Point, while my mom sits there with a board expression on her face. The worst is probably Wes. He's staring at Aria like she's a piece of meat, and I can tell it's making her uncomfortable. No wonder she doesn't want to talk to me. Aria probably thinks I'm as disrespectful as my brother.
I don't blame Wes for staring at her though. Aria is undeniably beautiful. She has a remarkable figure, with a small waist and two large breasts. Her face is just as lovely as the rest of her body. Aria has long dark hair, and mesmerizing hazel eyes. Byron wasn't lying about his daughter's good looks.
As a steal another glance at Aria, I realize that she's shaking rather vigorously. It's a wonder she hasn't dropped her cup of tea. For the first time, it occurs to me that she's as nervous about this whole ordeal as I am. Without thinking about it, I rest my hand over her's, and she lets out a startled gasp.
"I didn't mean to frighten you, Aria. I was just wondering if you'd like to go for a walk." I whisper through my father's loud chatter.
"A-A walk?" Aria asks as her eyes grow wide with shock.
"Yes. Just a short stroll around town. I'd like to get to know you." I tell her truthfully.
"W-Without a chaperone?" Aria asks me nervously.
"You don't have to worry, Mrs. Aria. I'll behave myself." I say as my tone turns serious.
Aria nods, and I take it as a sign of approval. Without warning, I spring to my feet, and my father and Byron immediately stop talking.
"Mr. Montgomery, would you mind if I accompanied your daughter on a walk around town? It's a lovely afternoon, and it seems a waste to spend it indoors." I as I stare into the man's hazel eyes.
"No. If course I wouldn't mind. Feel free to take my daughter wherever you'd like." Byron says with a warm smile.
"Make you have her back before it gets cold. We wouldn't want Mrs. Aria to fall ill before the big day." My mother says as her tone turns serious.
"Don't worry, mother. Aria is in good hands." I say, trying to convince her and myself.
Line Break
Aria doesn't speak much. We've been walking for about half an hour, and she has yet to engage in a meaningful conversation. Not to mention, she refuses to look into my eyes. Is this what the rest of my life will be like? Wasting my energy on a woman who refuses to give me the time of day?
"Rosewood sure is a lovely town." I say, trying to break the awkward silence.
"Yes. It is." Aria says as she nods her head in agreement.
More silence. What do I say next?
"My father mentioned that you worked in the hospital during the war. That was very generous of you, Mrs. Aria." I say, paying her a compliment.
"Sir, I would rather not talk about the war." Aria grumbles.
Not talk about the war? What else is there to talk about? It's been the only topic of conversation for the past six years! Does this woman live under a rock or something?
"Why not?" I ask her curiously.
"Because I hate war. I think it's both barbaric and foolish." Aria says as she crosses her arms over her chest.
Oh. My. God. If any father or husband heard their woman speak in such a way, they'd slap her silly. Women aren't supposed to criticize men and their ways, and I'm surprised Aria doesn't know unspoken rule. Maybe Aria does know, but she's too stubborn to care.
Strangely enough, my admiration for Aria just grew immensely. She isn't the boring and agreeable girl who I met in the parlor. Aria has an opinion, and she isn't afraid to voice it. This quality would repulse most men, but not me. I don't want to marry a beautiful fool.
"You best not say that in front of my father." I say as I try to contain a smile.
"Don't worry, Mr. Ezra. I don't intend to." Aria mutters, before picking up her walking pace.
I speed up, and try to stay within reach of the eighteen year old girl. I don't want her to get lost, or fall and hurt herself. I would feel awful if something happened to Aria while I was chaperoning her.
"Slow down, darling. I don't want you to fall." I call out to her.
"Don't worry. I've been walking by myself for years." Aria says in annoyance.
Oh no. I've upset her. I have to put Aria in a good mood, so she doesn't develop a poor opinion of me.
"I earned a lot of money in the war, and my family has plenty of money too. I know your father is covering the cost of the wedding, but I already offered to pay for our honeymoon. Where would you like to go?" I ask her curiously.
"Wherever you'd like to go, Sir. You're the boss, remember?" Aria asks with an ounce of bitterness in her voice.
I don't know what to say, so I ignore Aria's remark. Instead of addressing it, I begin to ramble about pointless nonsense, just as I have been doing all evening.
"Have you been to Europe? I could take you to the finest hotel in Paris, or maybe even London." I offer.
"I'm afraid I'd get rather boat sick." Aria grumbles.
"Oh. Well there are plenty of places in the North that are only a carriage ride away. We'll have a lovely time." I say as I force a smile.
"I presume we will." Aria says, with no emotion in her voice.
"By the time we return from our honeymoon I'll have found an estate for us to live in. Like I said before, I'm very comfortable. I'll make sure that our estate is one of the finest in New York." I say, hoping to excite Aria.
Unfortunately my plan to please Aria doesn't work because she seems just as annoyed as she was moments before. All the woman I know love to talk about trips and estates. Then again, Aria isn't like the woman I've encountered in my lifetime.
"Of course you'll have a say in the furniture and decorations. The estate will be your home too, Mrs. Aria. I'll see to that." I say as I stare into her hazel eyes.
Aria doesn't respond. She just begins to walk even faster, if that's humanly possible.
"I'll make sure that the estate has plenty of extra bedrooms. Our children will be rather spoiled. Would you like children, Mrs. Aria?" I ask her curiously.
To my surprise, Aria's facial features begin to soften. I think I finally got through to her. Why didn't I mention children sooner? It's every woman's dream to become a mother.
"Of course I'd like children." Aria tells me softly.
"Well, don't fret. We'll have plenty of little boys and girls running around our home." I say with a slight smile.
"Plenty of little boys. No little girls, Mr. Ezra." Aria says as her tone turns serious.
No little girls? How strange. I thought woman wanted daughters to dress up and spoil. Why doesn't Aria want that?
"I don't think we get much of a say in the gender." I mutter.
"That's because if we did, there would only be little boys. No one wants daughters, Sir." Aria says as she shakes her head slowly.
"That is not true. I would like a daughter very much." I tell her truthfully.
"Well, you're rather unusual." Aria grumbles.
Wait, what? I'm the unusual one here?
"Mrs. Aria, if you only knew how you sound..." I start to ramble.
"I'm no fool, Mr. Ezra. I'm perfectly aware of how I sound." Aria says, with anger in her voice.
I don't want to do this anymore. I'm sick of bending over backwards try and please this woman, when she isn't even making an effort.
"It's starting to get cold. Shall I escort you home now?" I ask as I offer her my forearm.
"Please do." Aria says before refusing my arm, and storming ahead of me.
Line Break
As soon as we arrive at the Montgomery estate, Aria says goodbye to my family and storms upstairs to her bedchamber for the night. My mother and Wes are also tired, so the maids lead them to their designated rooms, and leave me alone with my father and Byron.
Byron pours three glasses of his finest wine, and leads us to the sitting room. I take a seat across from the two older men, and slowly sip my drink. This is going to be an interesting evening.
"What do you think of Aria?" Byron asks me suddenly.
Stuck up. Spoiled. Cold. Stubborn. Negative.
I obviously can't say those things to Byron, so I think of something nice to say. It takes a while, but I finally figure it out.
"She's one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen." I tell the man truthfully.
"Yes. Aria is a lovely girl. She gets that from her grandmother." Byron says with a proud smile.
"You're lucky, Ezra. Two boys in town have already asked Byron for Aria's hand, but he refused them. She really is a treasure." My dad says happily.
Wow. Two men wanted to marry Aria? Maybe they've never spent the evening with her before. I bet those men only admired her from afar.
"Just so you know, we're a very Christian family. Aria is still a virgin, and I expect her to remain one until her wedding night. I presume you're experienced, Ezra?" Byron asks as he stares directly at me.
The truth is, I'm very experienced. During the war, prostitutes would always follow our troops, and officer their "services" to the unmarried men. I took advantage of the opportunity on more than one occasion, but I'm not proud of it.
"Yes, sir." I mutter as I avoid looking into my father's eyes.
"One of the best parts of war. There are always plenty of whores around." Byron says as he begins to laugh hysterically.
My father looks absolutely appalled, and I don't blame him. Byron was married and widowed for the majority of the war. He's implying that he slept around, and broke his vows. That's not very Christian-like behavior if you ask me.
"This good, Ezra. Very good. You'll know exactly what to do when you sleep with Aria, and she'll be pregnant in no time." Byron says before refilling his wine glass.
"You two will make beautiful babies." My father mutters.
"Hopefully little boys. I wasn't as lucky as you were, Brian. I got stuck with a girl." Byron says as he shakes his head slowly.
"What is wrong with a girl? I wanted Wes to be a girl..." My dad starts to ramble.
"You wouldn't understand. Daughters are just like wives. Neither of them are good for anything other than spending your money and making babies. Sons are much better." Byron says, before gulping down the rest of the wine.
Does he say this to Aria? She must feel so badly about herself. No wonder she doesn't want daughters.
"I presume you miss your wife very much, Byron?" My father asks him gently.
"I feel sad for Ella, but I cannot say I miss her. She didn't know her place. Ella liked to talk back, and go against my wishes. I'm glad Aria didn't inherit that trait from her mother. She's as obedient as a house dog..." Byron rambles.
I've had enough. I don't want to sit here and listen to this drunken maniac for another minute. Is he really one of my father's best friends?
"Byron, I'm feeling rather tired. Would you mind if I finished this wine in my bedroom?" I ask, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"No. No, of course not. I'll have Charlotte escort you." Byron says before standing up, and calling for the family servant.
AN: What did you think of this chapter? Did you love or hate the interactions between Aria and Ezra? Will Aria open up to Ezra, or will she keep her distance from him? What about Byron's behavior? Is Ezra starting to pick up on the kind of man Byron is? Please review and tell me what you liked and didn't like so I can make this this story better. Thanks for reading.