Opensesame54321
Lost in Limbo
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Posts
- 4,754
Opinionated. Difficult to be with. Too smart for her own good.
Clarissa Fay Fernwood had heard it all. Heavens, she herself knew it to be true. Even as a child she had caused her father trouble. It was not that she wanted to be difficult. It was just that she knew herself to be right. And she knew what she wanted.
Now at 5'6", she had a slender but feminine build. Her hair, blonde and long enough to hit the middle of her back, hung in graceful waves when worn loose. Blue eyes were set in a face blessed with freckles. Even though she was missing that peaches and cream complexion desired by many young English ladies, she still managed to obtain her fair share of young men interested in her. Some even desired matrimony.
Yet, over and over, as her father had brought a possible suitor or a future husband before her, she would send the young man off with a flea in his ear. Time and time again, the sharp edge of her tongue would quickly cool any ardor the young man might have felt.
"Daughters are meant to marry, to leave their parents and provide their husband with heirs. Why do you not understand that?"
"I understand it, Father. I just refuse to accept it. I need not a man nor a husband to justify my existence. I am perfectly happy with life the way it is. I have my interests. So, leave me be, Father, for I plan on never marrying."
"Daughter, there will come the day when you will have no choice."
And so the argument would go, back and forth while yet another young man would leave, looking for a young lady less likely to give him a hard time.
Not long after her 21st birthday, there came a day came when she was no longer given the option of saying yea or nay. Father called her in and introduced her to Richard White, Duke of Orange. She watched warily as the man greeted her, a person comfortable in his own skin. A Duke, no less. She would get rid of him fast enough.
"We have an agreement, Daughter. A fortnight from now you will be married."
"No!" She was adamant.
"There is no discussion, Clarissa. The deal has been made. You have prolonged things long enough."
"And I no longer any choice in the matter?"
"You lost that when you became unreasonable!" Father and daughter fought as if the future bridegroom were not even in the room.
Clarissa glanced at him briefly. He looked fine, but she was not in the market for a husband. Granted, he was seated and as such, she could not be sure of his height, but he appeared about as tall as her father. That would put him around six foot. He had jet black hair, and blue eyes. If she had been in the market for a husband, he would have worked just as well as anyone else. She could tell by the raised eyebrow that he was not impressed with her reaction.
And so the wedding went ahead as scheduled. The bride was sullen and quiet, and only her maid knew of her plans. An alternate bag had been packed, and once the vows said, Clarissa went upstairs with the pretense of changing into her going away clothes. Going away was right. Patsy was to delay the discovery of her flight while Clarissa had taken her favorite horse and absconded. The young lady had anticipated that it might come to this, and therefore had been setting aside money. Enough to purchase a berth on The Mary Louise, a ship setting sail for the Americas.
Dressed up as a man using the clothes that previously belonged to one of the stable lads. With her long blonde hair tied up inside her hat, and just enough dirt smeared on her face to disguise her freckles in case anyone were to trail her, she headed in the opposite direction from where she intended to head before cutting back towards where The Mary Louise was berthed. And once he didn't catch her, that Duke would give up and have the whole thing annulled, and they would both be free
Clarissa Fay Fernwood had heard it all. Heavens, she herself knew it to be true. Even as a child she had caused her father trouble. It was not that she wanted to be difficult. It was just that she knew herself to be right. And she knew what she wanted.
Now at 5'6", she had a slender but feminine build. Her hair, blonde and long enough to hit the middle of her back, hung in graceful waves when worn loose. Blue eyes were set in a face blessed with freckles. Even though she was missing that peaches and cream complexion desired by many young English ladies, she still managed to obtain her fair share of young men interested in her. Some even desired matrimony.
Yet, over and over, as her father had brought a possible suitor or a future husband before her, she would send the young man off with a flea in his ear. Time and time again, the sharp edge of her tongue would quickly cool any ardor the young man might have felt.
"Daughters are meant to marry, to leave their parents and provide their husband with heirs. Why do you not understand that?"
"I understand it, Father. I just refuse to accept it. I need not a man nor a husband to justify my existence. I am perfectly happy with life the way it is. I have my interests. So, leave me be, Father, for I plan on never marrying."
"Daughter, there will come the day when you will have no choice."
And so the argument would go, back and forth while yet another young man would leave, looking for a young lady less likely to give him a hard time.
Not long after her 21st birthday, there came a day came when she was no longer given the option of saying yea or nay. Father called her in and introduced her to Richard White, Duke of Orange. She watched warily as the man greeted her, a person comfortable in his own skin. A Duke, no less. She would get rid of him fast enough.
"We have an agreement, Daughter. A fortnight from now you will be married."
"No!" She was adamant.
"There is no discussion, Clarissa. The deal has been made. You have prolonged things long enough."
"And I no longer any choice in the matter?"
"You lost that when you became unreasonable!" Father and daughter fought as if the future bridegroom were not even in the room.
Clarissa glanced at him briefly. He looked fine, but she was not in the market for a husband. Granted, he was seated and as such, she could not be sure of his height, but he appeared about as tall as her father. That would put him around six foot. He had jet black hair, and blue eyes. If she had been in the market for a husband, he would have worked just as well as anyone else. She could tell by the raised eyebrow that he was not impressed with her reaction.
And so the wedding went ahead as scheduled. The bride was sullen and quiet, and only her maid knew of her plans. An alternate bag had been packed, and once the vows said, Clarissa went upstairs with the pretense of changing into her going away clothes. Going away was right. Patsy was to delay the discovery of her flight while Clarissa had taken her favorite horse and absconded. The young lady had anticipated that it might come to this, and therefore had been setting aside money. Enough to purchase a berth on The Mary Louise, a ship setting sail for the Americas.
Dressed up as a man using the clothes that previously belonged to one of the stable lads. With her long blonde hair tied up inside her hat, and just enough dirt smeared on her face to disguise her freckles in case anyone were to trail her, she headed in the opposite direction from where she intended to head before cutting back towards where The Mary Louise was berthed. And once he didn't catch her, that Duke would give up and have the whole thing annulled, and they would both be free