Young Writers Society

My eyes slowly opened allowing me to see nothing but darkness. I turned my head, and found that the red curtains of the canopy bed were closed around me. How long I had been lying there was unknown, but it felt as though I had not moved for days. My head ached.

Suddenly, the curtains came open revealing Jessie standing there with a candle in one hand. “Well, good morning, Susannah,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

“A little sick,” I answered, starting to sit up as he began to open the curtains the rest of the way. “What is the time?”

“Just before sun up…you sure you are okay?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well, you passed out around three o’ clock,” he answered. It was then that I noticed that he was staring at my bodice. Following his gaze, I looked down and gasped, pulling the blankets up to me. He had removed all but my undergarments. “I wanted you to be comfortable,” he exclaimed, setting the candle down on the nightstand. “You were still in that torn wedding dress.”

“I do not care, you had no right to….” I let my voice fade away for he did have the right, and the events of the day before had rushed into my mind. “I am glad that you were so thoughtful of me, but you should have known that I would not have liked it.”

Jessie just kind of stood there staring at me without saying a word.

“Jessie?”

He still did not look up or say anything. So, I waved my hand in front of his face hoping that it would cause him to look away. Instead, he grabbed my wrist roughly, and jerked me towards him.

I fell into him hard, and he went to kiss me, when out of the blue, the doorbell rang. Angrily, my husband muttered a curse and pushed me away from him saying, “Get dressed.”

I landed on my side at the edge of the bed, and lay there watching as he left the room. Once I was alone, I slipped into one of my blue silk gowns, and put my hair up into a chignon at the crown.

I had just gotten my hair up when Jessie re-entered the room. “There are some people here for you to meet,” he said, walking towards me. I took a couple of steps back trying to get away, but he was too fast. My husband grabbed my wrists and pulled me into his arms.

“Jessie, please do not do this,” I begged turning my head away. With one arm wrapped around me, he cupped one side of my face with the hand on the other arm saying, “You agreed that I could kiss you when ever I wanted to, and you would not put up a fight.”

“I know, but what about the people downstairs?”

“They can wait.”

“But, Jessie….”

“But nothing, Susannah. Now shush up so I can kiss you,” he ordered before he placed a kiss on my lips.

He dropped his hand from my face, but wrapped the other arm around me. It felt as if Jessie were trying to crush my ribs. Then, he pulled his head away angrily saying, “Kiss me.”

“No, Jessie.”

“Now.”

“I can not.”

“Yes, you can. I am your husband…now kiss me.”

“I do not want too.”

“Either kiss me or I will allow my friends to see you without clothing.”

I gasped, not believing he was threatening me so. I knew he was serious so when he kissed me again for a second time, I joined in. After several minutes, he released me saying, “That is more like it.”

I stood there breathless, not daring to move an inch. There was the sound of male voices talking from down the hall. They were echoing into the room. It sounded like three men, but I could not be sure.

“Susannah, I would like it very much if our kisses were like that from now on,” Jessie said, taking me in his arms for a second time. I did not move in fear of what would happen if I did.

“Jessie, what is taking you?” I masculine voice asked from the distance. The voices were getting closer, or louder.

“I am coming,” my husband called to them, still not moving. He then, whispered to me, “Try not to be introverted.”

Without warning, he swooped me off my feet, and carried me out of the room. He went down the hall, stairs, another hall, and then into the dining area.

Sitting there on one of the couches were three young looking men. All dressed nicely, and sitting with their legs crossed. Only problem was that their eyes were locked on me. Jessie set me back on my feet again, saying, “This is my wife, Susannah.” Paused. “Susannah, this is Rolf Cadorson, Benjamin White, and Peter Smith.” He pointed each one out to me.

Smith? Peter Smith. Could it be possible that he was related to Joshua and Sarah Smith? I could not take my eyes off of him, for he looked somewhat familiar. The events of the day before were once again lingering in my mind. Including everything that was in the room behind the library wall.

“Very nice to meet you,” he said followed by a nod from the other two.

“The pleasure is all mine,” I replied, showing my husband that I was not in fact introverted. I sat on the couch across from them, just as the man I shared the manor with did.

“Well, how did the two of you get acquainted?” Rolf asked, finally taking his eyes off of me.

“At my cousin’s wedding-”

“I was not talking to you madam,” Rolf interrupted, rudely.

Jessie unexpectedly stood up aggressively while yelling, “Do not talk to my bride so, or I will remove you from my home.”

There was a silence that followed, as he sat back down, and took my hand in his own. “Continue.”

I swallowed, and stated, “We met at my cousin’s wedding. Jessie’s carriage got stuck in the mud outside of the reception.”

“When was that?” Peter asked with a curious tone.

“March twelfth.”

“What did you do Jessie, force her parents to pick you as her betroth?” Benjamin bantered.

“As a matter of fact, I did,” my husband answered. “I held a dagger to her throat, and demanded that they end her betroth to the man she was to marry.”

“Only, us getting engaged was not part of the plan I had agreed to,” I added in.

Peter and Benjamin nodded; amused. Rolf did not do anything.