Sequel: Everlasting ›
Evermore
xvi.
Mary sat looking out at the busy street as if she was seeing the world anew for the first time. It was as if she was no longer the same person she had once been; Mary Lynn Suters was sensible, composed and always did as she was instructed.
She did not run out of a full chapel in her wedding gown to escape her nuptials. She did disobey her father’s orders or dishonor her family and she certainly did not sit upon the filthy ground like a lost urchin child.
“Missus are ya lost?" A kind passerby asked; she was an older woman, closer to her father's age and dirty from whatever hard labor she did for work. Her clothes were just as filthy; the dress she wore stained and torn, threadbare in several places.
Mary looked up at the kind woman, her chest still heaving in panted breaths as she tried to catch her breath from her frantic dash, "No, no I am not."
"Do ya need help? If ya have been harmed I can fetch a constable..." she trailed off and seemed to finally take in the sight of Mary, her big gown surrounding her in tuffs of white silk and lace, the skirt bent awkwardly to allow her to sit on the ground without exposing her inappropriately. "Yer gettin' married?"
For the first time in weeks Mary found a small smile gracing her lips, a new found sense of relief overcoming her, "No. Not any longer."
The woman gave her a puzzled looked before saying, "Yer dress is gettin' all scuffed up on the ground missus. It is mighty fine, please let me help you to yer feet."
Mary accepted his hand and allowed her to assist; the task of getting Mary to her feet more daunting than initially thought. "Thank you for your kindness," Mary told her genuinely, wishing she had a coin to give the woman but she had nothing save the clothes on her body. "I have to be going though."
Mary set off once more, this time she did not run. Walking in happy and confident strides, she ignored the odd looks others in the street sent her. Whatever punishment she was outfitted for her outburst would be worth the freedom she felt wandering the street, her soul at peace now that it was not torn over what her family demanded and her heart’s desire.
Even as a carriage pulled up alongside her, Mary did not give it a glance as her father jumped out while it was still moving; a nimble move for a man of his age. "Mary Lynn, I swear to you before God himself that if you do not get into this carriage this very instant I will make good on your mother's threat! We can still go back to the church and have you married. Harold has been gracious enough to overlook your disrespectful behavior."
Mary stopped and turned on him, aware that every stray wanderer and shopkeeper now looked upon their public display that would no doubt also be news by morning, "No." Mary said firmly, wondering where her sudden bravado hailed from. "I would rather you lock me away in a dungeon filled with diseased rats than spend even a minute married to Harold."
William stepped forward and grabbed Mary’s arm roughly, his face stained an unflattering hue of red, “You swore to me that you would not ruin this family and that is just what you are doing! Now get in this carriage.”
“I will not marry him!” Mary shouted hysterically, resisting her father’s grasp, trying to break herself free. “I will not and you cannot force me. No man of God would condone a forcible marriage. I will not stand before God and lie and say that I will honor and care for a man who will not do the same for me. I will no longer go against my own desires to please you and mother and if that means Catherine will never be wed, that our family will be ruined then so be it!”
“You miserably selfish girl!” William cursed loudly as he glanced about the crowd surrounding them, to the people calling for the constable. Mary was prepared to feel the back of his hand against her face but he did not raise his hand to her, even as she lifted her chin defiantly, “Then you will get in that carriage and I will have you sent off in the morning. You will not continue to make a scene and farther ruin this family.”
Mary felt her father’s grip slacken and she forcibly removed her arm from his rough grasp before striding towards the carriage with her head held high even as she heard the whispers all around her.
She did not run out of a full chapel in her wedding gown to escape her nuptials. She did disobey her father’s orders or dishonor her family and she certainly did not sit upon the filthy ground like a lost urchin child.
“Missus are ya lost?" A kind passerby asked; she was an older woman, closer to her father's age and dirty from whatever hard labor she did for work. Her clothes were just as filthy; the dress she wore stained and torn, threadbare in several places.
Mary looked up at the kind woman, her chest still heaving in panted breaths as she tried to catch her breath from her frantic dash, "No, no I am not."
"Do ya need help? If ya have been harmed I can fetch a constable..." she trailed off and seemed to finally take in the sight of Mary, her big gown surrounding her in tuffs of white silk and lace, the skirt bent awkwardly to allow her to sit on the ground without exposing her inappropriately. "Yer gettin' married?"
For the first time in weeks Mary found a small smile gracing her lips, a new found sense of relief overcoming her, "No. Not any longer."
The woman gave her a puzzled looked before saying, "Yer dress is gettin' all scuffed up on the ground missus. It is mighty fine, please let me help you to yer feet."
Mary accepted his hand and allowed her to assist; the task of getting Mary to her feet more daunting than initially thought. "Thank you for your kindness," Mary told her genuinely, wishing she had a coin to give the woman but she had nothing save the clothes on her body. "I have to be going though."
Mary set off once more, this time she did not run. Walking in happy and confident strides, she ignored the odd looks others in the street sent her. Whatever punishment she was outfitted for her outburst would be worth the freedom she felt wandering the street, her soul at peace now that it was not torn over what her family demanded and her heart’s desire.
Even as a carriage pulled up alongside her, Mary did not give it a glance as her father jumped out while it was still moving; a nimble move for a man of his age. "Mary Lynn, I swear to you before God himself that if you do not get into this carriage this very instant I will make good on your mother's threat! We can still go back to the church and have you married. Harold has been gracious enough to overlook your disrespectful behavior."
Mary stopped and turned on him, aware that every stray wanderer and shopkeeper now looked upon their public display that would no doubt also be news by morning, "No." Mary said firmly, wondering where her sudden bravado hailed from. "I would rather you lock me away in a dungeon filled with diseased rats than spend even a minute married to Harold."
William stepped forward and grabbed Mary’s arm roughly, his face stained an unflattering hue of red, “You swore to me that you would not ruin this family and that is just what you are doing! Now get in this carriage.”
“I will not marry him!” Mary shouted hysterically, resisting her father’s grasp, trying to break herself free. “I will not and you cannot force me. No man of God would condone a forcible marriage. I will not stand before God and lie and say that I will honor and care for a man who will not do the same for me. I will no longer go against my own desires to please you and mother and if that means Catherine will never be wed, that our family will be ruined then so be it!”
“You miserably selfish girl!” William cursed loudly as he glanced about the crowd surrounding them, to the people calling for the constable. Mary was prepared to feel the back of his hand against her face but he did not raise his hand to her, even as she lifted her chin defiantly, “Then you will get in that carriage and I will have you sent off in the morning. You will not continue to make a scene and farther ruin this family.”
Mary felt her father’s grip slacken and she forcibly removed her arm from his rough grasp before striding towards the carriage with her head held high even as she heard the whispers all around her.