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All three of my sisters sat on the bed while Marta, my dresser, worked on pinning my hair up for tonight’s dinner. I had on a full face of makeup and a proper dress in hopes that I wouldn’t completely frighten Rick off. He left our meeting a bit odd. I didn’t blame him.
“It is as if she is on offer for dinner,” Astrid said. “You don’t want that.”
“What do you mean?” Odette asked.
“Oh, run along will you?” Astrid swatted at them. “Shoo! Find something to do.”
The little girls left, annoyed they were being left out. Astrid was, as usual, glad to be left out of whatever this society nonsense was. She wanted to be free but not free to attend dinners solely for the interest of eligible men. I wasn’t much for this, either. I knew in some backward sort of way that this was a last-ditch effort—my lone shot. I was born into this hell, and I would have to dig myself out on my own, too.
“He’s not hard on the eyes,” Astrid said. “You could do far worse.”
“Do you know what his nickname is? Per him?” I asked.
I watched her shrug in the mirror.
“Rick the Prick.”
She burst out laughing. “Oh my God! That’s brilliant. Can we call him Prickard?”
I snickered. “He’s been up to some trouble. I dunno. I can suffer through it?—”
“Why not wear her down?” Astrid asked. “You find another man?—”
“Because she wants a man she thinks will control me as best as he can. The thing is, that man doesn’t have his life together. I am more organised than he is. And for that, I am grateful. Because I will be fine.”
“Don’t you want to fall in love, though?”
“I want to eat, swim, ride my horses, make friends, and play tennis. I don’t want to be sequestered here for the rest of my life! I can give up falling in love if I can make the rest of it work. We can coexist. We can make it work. If it was good enough for Mamma?—”
“I am not telling you not to do it, Alex. I am just telling you that you don’t need to settle on our behalf. We will all be okay. You being miserable isn’t the takeaway the little girls need.”
“I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”
“And you think some random man is going to be a better person to answer to?”
“You assume I would answer to any man?” I scoffed. “No. He’s not the brightest bulb, I can assure you. I’ve got this. I might puff up his ego a bit, but really, I will be in control.”
My sister quieted.
“Fine,” Astrid said. “Know that I love and support you, but that I also think a woman should stand on her own.”
“I agree with that. However, right now, we’re all stuck in this place. I will have my day but I would never be able to live with myself if I didn’t ensure you all were happy. The little girls still have a chance to have a few normal years before adulthood. I could give them that.”
I was frightened of what might be next. Without my sisters, I would be much more alone. When I looked at them, the choice was easy. I had been on the other side. I wanted them to be there, too. Of us four, I’d had the most time outside these walls.
“You look lovely, ma’am,” Marta said.
I did. Marta gleefully altered my dress, pulling it in at the waist and slightly bringing down the neckline. I finally looked youthful. She promised to continue making nips and tucks here and there to ensure I looked more age-appropriate. Her assessment of my wardrobe was not positive. She was also the nicest person, so she wasn’t about to say it was all rubbish even if she felt it.
“Thank you.” I stood, giving myself one last look in the mirror. “And I’m off.”
I teetered in heels down to the main dining room where I found my grandmother and Rick. Rick stood to greet me, bowing deeply, and waiting for me to sit. Grand-Mama didn’t bother to acknowledge me beyond a simple hello.
I took a seat and we all stared awkwardly at the first course as it arrived.
“Do you like Neandia, then?” I tried my hardest to make conversation.
“Oh, well, it is different than I recalled,” Rick replied. “The gardens here are lovely. I ran into your sisters.”
