An Arranged Marriage

by C. M. Bryden

  ‘Are you busy tonight?’ she’d asked. ‘If not, I’ve got an outing arranged for us to have our fortunes told!’

  Usually sceptical of such things, Jane had laughed, but agreed to go, convincing herself it was for Jessie’s benefit, rather than her own, as her friend was recovering from a broken romance and needed cheering up.

  ‘I need to phone my father first. It’s about time I went to see him. He probably thinks I’ve deserted him.’

  And so it was, that later that evening, the two young women travelled across the city to learn what the future held in store for them both.

  It was Jessie who had the first sitting. Shuffling the tarot cards as instructed, she then placed them in position on the small table in front of her.

  Her reading began with the cards showing a failed past relationship. But to her surprise, a new one was in the offing, a relationship the reader interpreted as possibly leading to marriage. At this revelation, Jessie looked quite shocked and amazed. The cards then spelt out something else; that this new relationship might lead her to becoming a mother! That was more than she could bear, it couldn’t possibly be true! It was at that point her previous faith in the tarot cards plummeted. She couldn’t believe what she’d heard and from a stranger at that, one who knew nothing of her, or her past, or of what had happened a few months ago.

  After living with a man she’d loved deeply for fifteen years, but one who’d been afraid of making a commitment to marry her and have children, her partner had suddenly confessed he’d fallen in love with another much younger woman and was going to leave her and marry his much younger new love!

  Jessie thought at the time he would soon tire of being with a much younger woman but she’d been wrong; and then shocked, when, within a few weeks he did indeed get married, leaving her broken hearted and sceptical about the male species in general.

  Sitting with the tarot cards spread out in front of her, predicting a new and lasting relationship and one, which might possibly lead to marriage was more than Jessie could really believe. And neither did the pronouncement exactly thrill her: her trust in men well was truly dented, especially since she’d loved being part of, as she thought, a loving partnership. She’d loved being a homemaker and had longed for marriage and children, but it wasn’t to be. She’d been devastated by her loss and now, as she sat in this stranger’s front room, with its well-worn furniture and outdated and old fashioned knickknacks, she suddenly began to feel more optimistic; perhaps the card’s predictions would come true and she would meet a wonderful man, trying to convince herself that maybe one day, she would become a wife and mother?

  There was just one big problem, she was nearly thirty-eight years old and her childbearing years were coming to an end. If it didn’t happen soon she would die a childless old maid, something she didn’t want to happen!

  The evening proved to be a great success, at least in part for Jessie, with the predictions from her cards making her happy. At last it seemed as though her dark clouds really did have silver linings. She couldn’t wait to find out what the cards foretold for Jane!

  Jane had sat impassively throughout Jessie’s session, deep in her own thoughts, until it came to her turn.

  Her cards showed two men in her life, with one in particular that would have a profound effect on her future happiness. She’d sat up straight as the reader suddenly caught her interest, well and truly captured, as the tarot cards went on to predict her making a life changing decision.

  She’d laughed out loud. It was too preposterous for words to believe that two men and a life changing decision would be her destiny! She didn’t think so! Not for one minute! She didn’t even have a steady boyfriend, let alone one she liked well enough to want to marry. She’d had a couple of relationships in the past, but both had fizzled out, mainly because she’d put her career first. She hadn’t been ready at the time to settle down to being a housewife. As far as she was concerned, she was already married, to her career! The tarot cards might predict marriage but it certainly wasn’t on her agenda but then, how many of us really do believe what’s been foretold until afterwards, when we look back with hindsight?

  Much to Jane’s amusement, Jessie was really upbeat at her predictions when they discussed their evening whilst travelling home, absolutely certain her “Mister Right” might possibly be waiting around the next corner, and all she had to do was to make sure she didn’t close the door on any eligible young men!

  As for Jane, she promptly dismissed her predictions as nonsense, not convinced that a pack of cards could foretell the future for anyone, let alone her! Yet, there’d been something about the card’s predictions that brought to mind a troublesome dream she’d been having for some weeks.

  It was always the same dream and usually took place in olden times, when pirates and vagabonds sailed the seven seas in galleons. She would dream of being captured and then held prisoner for a ransom. Kept in a dark and spooky old house she couldn’t identify, but knew to be by the sea, as she could hear it pounding against what she thought to be rocks. No doubt it really was the sound of her blood rushing through her veins that had triggered her bizarre thoughts.

  Her dreams always ended with her being tied up and unable to release herself from her bindings.

  Night after night her dream had the same outcome; a dark haired man, dressed as a pirate and brandishing a cutlass, would burst into the room and cut her free, before sweeping her up into his arms, then carrying her off into a misty future, kissing her passionately before he vanished to where she knew not, but always leaving her body wanting more. If only the mist would clear and she could see his face?

  Jane never did get to see the face of her rescuer, but his arms had felt so wonderful wrapped around her she’d wanted to stay locked in his embrace forever. She could hear his heart beating as furiously as her own as he’d held her close, and then, she would suddenly wake up: her heart beating twenty to the dozen, with the bed sheets wrapped around her heated body holding her captive. Every night she asked herself why she had such dreams. And what did they mean? Was it her subconscious telling her she needed to find someone she could fall in love with? Even so, she managed to convince herself she didn’t have time to look for that one special man who would make her forget her career. Love, she’d long ago decided would have to wait. For her, second best wasn’t on her agenda when it came to finding a husband. It had to be the real thing, or nothing; she had to be truly in love with the man she was to marry!

  As the cross-country train drew into the country station the next morning, Jane could see her father waiting for her. Even from a distance she was shocked and disturbed by what she saw. He looked dishevelled and unkempt, which was unlike him. So different from the elegant man she’d known all her life. He appeared to have aged considerably as well, even though it had only been a few months since she’d last seen him. He no longer looked like the forty-eight-year-old he really was, but at least twenty years older. Even from a distance, she could see his complexion looked grey and haggard with deep worry lines etched on his face. Seeing him in the flesh, Jane wondered what could possibly have happened to bring about the changes she was witnessing. He appeared to be one-step away from looking like a “down and out”. She felt angry, although she tried not to show her feelings as she greeted him with a hug. She was angry, not with him, but with herself. How could she have been so selfish and self-centred, putting her own life and career before him? Suddenly, she was racked with guilt, knowing her mother would never have forgiven her for neglecting him. Perhaps he was ill, after all? But when she stepped away from him she could see that wasn’t the answer to what was wrong. It was something much deeper that he was trying to hide from her.

  Taking his arm as they walked out of the station yard, Jane asked him how he was. Quite a normal question, for a concerned and loving daughter to ask, except, that Andrew was trying valiantly to be jovial with his answers. Jane could see his heart wasn’t in it to be light hearted. Unlike other homecomings, w
hen he would have swooped her up into his arms and twirled her around as he’d welcomed her home, this time he was holding onto her like an old man as they walked to where his car was parked.

  The journey home down the country lanes seemed endless. They sat more or less in silence, her father neatly sidestepping her questions about his social life and the business. Curt and short answers were all she received from her gentle probing. His answers telling her nothing, except that by his very reticence she knew he was hiding something from her. She could sense that he definitely did have problems, but what were they? Did he have a life threatening illness? Was that his problem? She knew prying wasn’t going to give her the answers she needed; she would have to be patient and give him time. Perhaps it was after all, her mother’s death that was at the root of his problems and his depression. Losing her the cause of his downtrodden look, especially knowing how her parents had lived for each other, ever since they’d fallen in love as teenagers. This was the only explanation Jane could think of. But she was a determined young woman, and would make it her business to find out what was wrong, and then do something about it before she returned to London.

  That first evening at home had seemed as endless as the journey from the station had been. After a light supper prepared and cooked by Jane, which in itself was unusual, as her father usually liked to show off his prowess in the kitchen; he’d finally escaped her quizzical glances by going into his study as soon as the meal was over, purposefully ignoring her as he closed the door behind him.

  With her head full of questions she needed answering, Jane finally gave up and went to her old room where, after she’d mulled over her father’s reluctance to talk, she fell asleep and where, yet again, and unbidden, she’d dreamt of the handsome and dashing pirate, saving her once more from some calamity, waking just as he’d been about to kiss her passionately. Oh, how she wanted her dream to continue, wanting him to go further and make love to her, her throbbing body leaving her desperately wanting fulfilment.

  The next morning, as she waited in the kitchen for her father to appear for breakfast, she made a decision as to how best to proceed. She would try over the weekend to find out what it was that ailed him, even if it meant asking their family doctor, who was a personal friend of her father, to visit and examine him, to see if he was having a mental, or physical, breakdown, which is what Jane most feared might be about to happen!

  Andrew kissed her lightly on the cheek in greeting, before sitting down at the table to eat what was put before him in silence. It wasn’t until he’d finished, and had pushed his plate aside that he finally spoke, pre-empting Jane from her prepared line of questioning.

  ‘Darling, I’ve tried hard not to bother you, but it’s come to the point where I can’t solve my problems on my own and, as it’s to do with your inheritance, I think you need to know, as together we might find a solution?’

  ‘What do you mean it’s to do with my inheritance? And what,’ she asked him calmly, even though she felt anything but calm, her stomach full of jittery butterflies, ‘is it that I need to know?’

  Pouring them both more coffee, she sat down opposite him determined not to get angry or upset. There was no point in getting uptight or aggressive knowing either emotion wouldn’t solve her father’s problem, whatever it was.

  But surely, between them they could find a solution to anything untoward. Wasn’t that something her mother had always instilled in her? A problem shared was a problem halved?

  ‘It’s the business! That’s the problem!’ Her father said slowly, spelling out his dilemma. ‘Your inheritance! Financially the business is on its knees!’

  Unable to fully comprehend what her father was saying, Jane asked him to explain. ‘It’s one of the best engineering factories in the country. It’s always been the best, and certainly the most profitable! So what is it that has suddenly happened to change all of that?’

  ‘It’s entirely all my fault.’ Andrew said, in a voice that was hardly audible.

  ’I failed to keep a tight rein on the finances. It didn’t suddenly happen but I suppose I made an intrinsic mistake and should have known better! I trusted someone implicitly, believing him to be honourable and trustworthy. It was Tom Grainger! Do you remember him? He used to be my office manager. He’d always been honest and responsible for the day-to-day running of the factory and the accounts, but in just a few months, when I was at my lowest ebb and unfortunately not paying attention he systematically stole thousands and thousands of pounds from the company. It was so much money I doubt that the firm will ever recover!

  ’I was in such despair when I lost your mother I couldn’t think straight: it was then he took advantage of my poor state of mind and fleeced the company. I didn’t know it was happening, or even to what extent, until a few weeks ago. He’d kept it well hidden until, one Monday, he didn’t turn up for work and I answered a call from a supplier asking when their outstanding accounts would be paid! It was then I checked the bank statements. It was all such a terrible shock and then the bank manager called me that same morning, confirming my worst fears. He told me they weren’t going to extend my overdraft any longer as no payments had been made into the account! I couldn’t believe what was happening.

  ’I’d never had an overdraft in my life! I’ve always had a dread of borrowing money. When I called in the auditors that same day they confirmed the company was virtually bankrupt. It was then I nearly died of shock! All this has happened within the last couple of months.

  ‘The police are involved now, as I’ve had to press charges against Tom, not that they can do much about it as he’s disappeared out of the country, along with the company’s money. By the time the law catches up with him he will no doubt have spent it all and the business will probably have folded!’

  Jane couldn’t believe what she was hearing, or seeing, as she looked at her father, by now holding his head in his hands as he silently wept. She was looking at a broken man. The only other time she’d ever seen her father cry had been at the death of her mother. He’d always been the strong one in the family; competent in business and not given to panicking, he’d always been the rock on which she and her mother had relied.

  His engineering company had been, and still was, one of the most respected in the country, making high quality products for the aero industry, all much in demand, but even that knowledge didn’t help. If the suppliers weren’t being paid, the company wouldn’t be able to buy the materials it needed and getting credit while bankrupt would definitely not be an option. To add insult to injury, an unsympathetic bank manager had withdrawn its facilities from the company for the time being.

  Jane could see what the problem was, but understanding what should be done now was an altogether different matter!

  At least her degree in business studies had helped her to see the whole picture, and now she knew what they were up against she was going to be the one to come up with ideas on how the business could be saved.

  ‘So what can I do to get us out of this mess?’ she asked.

  ‘There’s nothing you can do, unless you’ve got hundreds of thousands of pounds sitting in your bank account you don’t mind lending the company! The bank’s already pulled the plug on us, so the company will have to go into liquidation any day soon. I can’t see what else I can do. No one’s very keen to loan money at the moment and no doubt the bank will insist on the business being sold so they can get some of their money back. It will then be broken up and sold piecemeal, unless there’s someone out there willing to take it on; it’s the ongoing finance that’s the biggest problem. It’s just a vicious circle.’

  ‘I can’t lay my hands on the huge amount of money you need,’ Jane said, quietly, ‘but there is one person who might be able to help!’

  ‘And who,’ her father asked, his eyebrows raised, ‘might I ask is that?’

  ‘My godfather, of course, that’s who. Your old friend, Sir Ernest Miles! Go and see him and ask him for his advice. Also, don’t forget he i
s a multimillionaire. He probably has more than you need in his piggy bank!’

  ‘I’m not going to ask him for his personal money, that wouldn’t be fair, but maybe you’re right. I can always get his advice. I hadn’t thought of him.’

  It only took a few moments for Andrew to ring his friend and, for the rest of the weekend, Jane took advantage of having her father to herself and, once they’d discussed their options and exhausted all the angles and the why and wherefores of the company’s problems, they began the task of sorting out some of her mother’s treasures, a painful task they’d delayed doing for months.

  But life has to go on and Andrew knew it was time for him to move on. Jane was right in getting him to make decisions that, until then, he’d been unable to even think about, let alone face.

  Chapter Two

  On the Monday morning Andrew went to see Sir Ernest Miles. The two men were old friends, their friendship going back to the early sixties, when they’d been growing up together in Yorkshire.

  Sir Ernest’s wife, Leah, and Isabel, Andrew’s wife, had lived in the same Yorkshire town, in the same street of back-to-back houses near the mill where most of the people in the town worked. The women too had grown up together and were good friends; when they left school, they went to work in the mill and it was there, quite by chance at a social evening with friends that the two girls just happened to meet up with Andrew and Ernest and fall in love.

  After a respectable three-year courtship, the two couples were quietly married on the same day, but in different churches. After the ceremonies, and a day trip to Ilkley moor for their honeymoons, they moved into rented rooms in the same old stone house in the city, sharing a minute kitchen and a newly installed bathroom.

  Neither couple had anything very much in the way of worldly goods at this time, but what they did have was a deep and abiding love for each other and a burning ambition to do better than anyone else they’d grown up with.