I tried not to flinch as a hand brushed against my thigh from under the table. The slightly rough texture of my cotton dress felt wrong as it was pressed against my skin. It was not right for him to be doing such a thing when our families were together in such an intimate setting.
Tonight marks one week until my impending nuptials to the man seated beside me, staring at me like I was already his. His mother was seated besides me, serving food to her younger ones, the other five Schwarz children, Mr. Schwartz and my parents all around us. How could he think doing something like that was even remotely appropriate for such a setting?
As much as the impropriety bothered me about my betrothed, it scared me even more. If this was the way he was behaving now, with family present, how would he treat me when I was legally his property? Even though my father was no help to me now when he had no idea what was happening under his very nose, he surely would not be able to help me once I'm married, even if he did know what might happen to me.
I tried to take a drink of water to soothe my frayed nerves, but as the glass touched my lips I felt my dress start to bunch up, and his hot, calloused fingers begin to stroke my leg above my stocking. The feeling was a shock to my system, and I could not help but inhale the water I was meant to drink.
"Are you alright Isabella?" my intended asked me, looking concerned as I coughed away, and handed me a napkin, that I might cover my mouth. I grabbed it quickly to appease him.
As soon as I got my breathing back under control, I pulled the napkin away and nodded my head curtly, "Thank you James, I appreciate your concern for me..." The words did not feel right as they left my mouth, but I did not want to test whether or not he had a temper by not being polite.
In that moment, I decided I would do whatever I had to do to keep myself safe, since now I was the only one who could do it. I would never do a thing to make him raise his voice to me, or God forbid, raise his hand. I would be the picture of the perfect Amish wife, and keep his home clean, and dinner on the table when he came in each night. He would never get a reason to hurt me, at least not from me.
This would be the one thing in my control.
A/N: Well I was able to post another chapter so yay! I'm really liking that I've decided to write each chapter as a drabble because so far it has really kept my motivated to keep writing since it's all in such little chunks.
So how are y'all enjoying the story so far? Is Bella going to end up getting married to James? We'll see in the next chapter I think ;)
~V21M
