Forced to Love
Chapter 5
Nathaniel gasped when Miss Barlow entered the room. It had been a long time since he had seen anyone in such poor state. The poor girl was only bones.
She was so thin, he suspected he could count every bone in her body. Her dark brown, almost black hair was falling lifeless down to her waist. She was all-in-all a very sad sight, but as Nathaniel studied her face, he saw two huge eyes, with the most intense blue colour.
They struck him as the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
“Heavens sake, have you not been feed?” he said before he had the time to think, and he almost at once regretted the words when he saw her blush in embarrassment.
He sent the servant out, and locked the door before he turned to her.
“Well.. Miss Barlow, I do not know how much you know about me.” His voice was suddenly stern. “But I am a man of great influence and power. You may dislike the fact, but the truth is that I do now own you.” This was maybe a bit harsh, but he had to say what was on his mind.
“You see, I control 75 percent of all trade in and out of this country which makes me almost as powerful as the king himself. I will not go in to the details now, but some events have made it necessary for me to marry to retain this empire of mine. And I have decided to marry you.” He could see that this confused her. He turned towards a window and looked outside as he continued.
“There will be no objections. It is also important that we maintain a good facade. People have to believe we are married because we love each other. So you will be living in my wing, and you will also share my bedroom. No one of importance knows that I won you in a card game, and I have parted with a rather large amount of money to keep it this way. Therefore you must play your part of the play persuasive. If you under any circumstance tell anyone about the fact that I bought you, you will spend the rest of your days as a servant or a slave. Do you understand?” He knew this was a bit harsh, but it was important that she understood the gravity.
As he turned to look at her again, he saw that she had backed up towards the wall and her face was paler than ever. The poor girl was terrified of him, and with good reason he thought cynical. Buying a living girl like that, it was repulsing. He would never forgive himself.
“Now girl, follow me!” He said with friendlier voice. “Let’s get married!”
She followed him without a sound as he led her to a parlour. There was a priest already waiting for the bride and groom. “Now let us get started.” The priest said impatient.
“Wait, I need a moment with my bride first. Leave us a moment.” Lord Darshia ordered.
“I am so sorry for this.” He said as he turned towards Annabell once again. “But I do not know your Christian name.”
“Oh!” :he answered surprised. “It is Annabell.”
“Annabell.” He repeated. “My name is Lord Darshia, the Duke of Tabitha. But you may call me Nathaniel.”
The ceremony was short and soon they were man and wife. Nathaniel had watched Annabell during the ceremony, and he could see she was not feeling well. The travel had probably been hard on her. In the distance he could hear the priest say, “You can kiss the bride.”
When he bent down to kiss her, he grabbed her right shoulder lightly. With this, Annabell let out a low whimper and felled to the floor unconscious.
It took Nathaniel several seconds to understand what had happened. Then he quickly picked her up bridal style. “She is a little bit overwhelmed!” He smiled to the priest before he carried her out to the hall.
In the stairs he passed a servant. “Send for Mrs Brown, quickly!” He carried Annabell all the way to his bedroom on the third floor. There he started to open her dress, to let her breathe
properly. Halfway down her back, he stopped.
What he saw was so terrible, he had to pull himself together. Her back was completely covered in wounds and half healed wounds. There was hardly a centimetre of unharmed skin on her back. Her dress was stuck in some of the wounds and they started bleeding when he moved the dress. He also noticed that her shoulder was badly swelled up.
“Good Lord!” He whispered when his old nanny, Mrs Brown, entered the room, “Who would do such a thing?”
She was so thin, he suspected he could count every bone in her body. Her dark brown, almost black hair was falling lifeless down to her waist. She was all-in-all a very sad sight, but as Nathaniel studied her face, he saw two huge eyes, with the most intense blue colour.
They struck him as the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.
“Heavens sake, have you not been feed?” he said before he had the time to think, and he almost at once regretted the words when he saw her blush in embarrassment.
He sent the servant out, and locked the door before he turned to her.
“Well.. Miss Barlow, I do not know how much you know about me.” His voice was suddenly stern. “But I am a man of great influence and power. You may dislike the fact, but the truth is that I do now own you.” This was maybe a bit harsh, but he had to say what was on his mind.
“You see, I control 75 percent of all trade in and out of this country which makes me almost as powerful as the king himself. I will not go in to the details now, but some events have made it necessary for me to marry to retain this empire of mine. And I have decided to marry you.” He could see that this confused her. He turned towards a window and looked outside as he continued.
“There will be no objections. It is also important that we maintain a good facade. People have to believe we are married because we love each other. So you will be living in my wing, and you will also share my bedroom. No one of importance knows that I won you in a card game, and I have parted with a rather large amount of money to keep it this way. Therefore you must play your part of the play persuasive. If you under any circumstance tell anyone about the fact that I bought you, you will spend the rest of your days as a servant or a slave. Do you understand?” He knew this was a bit harsh, but it was important that she understood the gravity.
As he turned to look at her again, he saw that she had backed up towards the wall and her face was paler than ever. The poor girl was terrified of him, and with good reason he thought cynical. Buying a living girl like that, it was repulsing. He would never forgive himself.
“Now girl, follow me!” He said with friendlier voice. “Let’s get married!”
She followed him without a sound as he led her to a parlour. There was a priest already waiting for the bride and groom. “Now let us get started.” The priest said impatient.
“Wait, I need a moment with my bride first. Leave us a moment.” Lord Darshia ordered.
“I am so sorry for this.” He said as he turned towards Annabell once again. “But I do not know your Christian name.”
“Oh!” :he answered surprised. “It is Annabell.”
“Annabell.” He repeated. “My name is Lord Darshia, the Duke of Tabitha. But you may call me Nathaniel.”
The ceremony was short and soon they were man and wife. Nathaniel had watched Annabell during the ceremony, and he could see she was not feeling well. The travel had probably been hard on her. In the distance he could hear the priest say, “You can kiss the bride.”
When he bent down to kiss her, he grabbed her right shoulder lightly. With this, Annabell let out a low whimper and felled to the floor unconscious.
It took Nathaniel several seconds to understand what had happened. Then he quickly picked her up bridal style. “She is a little bit overwhelmed!” He smiled to the priest before he carried her out to the hall.
In the stairs he passed a servant. “Send for Mrs Brown, quickly!” He carried Annabell all the way to his bedroom on the third floor. There he started to open her dress, to let her breathe
properly. Halfway down her back, he stopped.
What he saw was so terrible, he had to pull himself together. Her back was completely covered in wounds and half healed wounds. There was hardly a centimetre of unharmed skin on her back. Her dress was stuck in some of the wounds and they started bleeding when he moved the dress. He also noticed that her shoulder was badly swelled up.
“Good Lord!” He whispered when his old nanny, Mrs Brown, entered the room, “Who would do such a thing?”
♠ ♠ ♠
OK, it is not a very good chapter, but I’m in a bit of a hurry.Does anyone have any ideas for the next chapters? I can’t come up with a good idea to the continuing.