Hi guys, thanks for all your wonderful feedback, I am more than happy that you like my Mary story. As I quite like it myself :D

riverslost: Hihi, thanks. Here is the next chapter and I will add the next one right after it, because both are really short and my muse did a great job, the last couple of days. The next chapter will answer your question :D

kggirl21: OMG! REALLY? One of your favourites? *blushes* there are so many good stories out there. I feel honored, thank you very much

Avanell: Somewhat surprising? :D Oh and just for your information, Camille wasn't lying, nor expecting too much!

Now on with the newest chapter and I will add the next one right after, because they are both really short. I would be happy if you take the time to R&R both :D

Have fun

One week later everybody had heard of my upcoming marriage and they were either surprised or feeling sorry for me. Everybody knew that my soon to be husband was a lot older than I was, but that wasn't uncommon in England, but in Hertfordshire women usually married men more close to their age.

I sat in my room at the window, I had done that for the last few days, because I wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

I just wanted to be left alone, even more than before. By now I was hoping that the marriage would take place very soon, so that I could stop being afraid of what was to come. I hated the unknown and my marriage was exactly that, I didn't know what to expect from my husband, or his sons or everyone else in his household and that was scaring me.

I turned my head when I heard a knock on my door, only moments later Lizzie walked into the room. That confused me, what was she doing here?

"Lizzie, what are you doing here?" I asked and she rushed over to my spot at the window, as fast as her growing belly allowed it.

"Father paid me a surprise visit and told me everything about this Mr. Henceforth." I sighed, another one who tried to change my mind. This was hard enough without everyone trying to make me revoke my decision.

"Not you too…" I sighed but Lizzie sat down in front of me and took my hands.

"You will listen to me Mary." she said, her voice stern and I knew her good enough to know that there was no way I could escape this conversation.

"You deserve so much better than him, why can't you wait?"

"Wait for what? There is nothing or no one to wait for!" I replied but Lizzie shook her head.

"What about Mr. Howard…?" I felt a piercing pain in my chest, just thinking of him was more painful than everything I had ever felt before.

"What about him? He is an Earl, he isn't interested in me and he is engaged." That seemed to surprise Lizzie.

"He is?"

"Yes, I met his fiancé on the ball last week."

"So that's what this is about? He is engaged so you decided you need to do this too?"

"No. This is about me. I cannot afford to be like you and wait for the right one. I would love to, but I can't."

"Why not?" Lizzie asked, close to tears now.

"Don't make me say it out loud…" I whispered, my mother had said it often enough and I had thought it, but I had never been completely open, telling anyone what was in my head.

"Say it…" Lizzie demanded and took hold of my hands.

"I am plain and that is the nicest word to describe me, I am not very good with people. I like to be alone, I read too much and play too much piano. People think I am small minded and who knows maybe they are right. I am not good enough to wait for someone else. Maybe there will never be someone." I explained and felt tears running down my cheeks.

"Oh Mary, that is not true. You think too bad of yourself."

I shook my head, I knew I was right, she was just too nice to tell it to my face.

"But you won't be happy with him."

I was fully crying by now and I didn't care.

"I know that. Do you think I am that stupid? He doesn't want a wife, he wants a servant. Besides, he is so much older than me, just the thought of him touching me is making me sick, but I cannot hope that everything turns out the way it did for you, though I wish with all my heart that it would." I shouted and jumped up, with swishing skirts I ran from the room, leaving my stunned sister behind.

That's it for the first one... good, bad, in between? Tell me! :D