by Audrey Storm
Mary stood silently thinking about those that would be there and the one that stood out most in her mind was the Duke Henry.
He was a man that had tried to court Mary Elizabeth several times and she had denied him because she simply could not stand his behavior. Mary Elizabeth may not have agreed with all of the customs concerning women of her time, but she knew the difference between proper and improper behavior and what she witnessed from the Duke was improper.
His behavior was disgusting to Mary Elizabeth and it was even worse that he did not try to hide it. It was well known that the Duke would often go to the underclass women and pay them for sexual favors. It was not to be denied that the underclass women often turned to prostitution because they had no formal education and no skills, they were not courted by the wealthy men but often times wealthy men turned to them.
Unlike the Duke, most of these men at least tried to hide what they were doing, but he seemed to have no problem letting everyone know what he was up to. Mary Elizabeth cringed at the thought of being courted by him. She imagined how embarrassing it would be for the entire community to look upon her as they did those prostitutes. She imagined that the woman he would marry would have to have no self-respect at all or be completely unaware of his behaviors.
He was also a drunk, Mary had no idea how he kept up with his responsibilities and no matter how much her parents pushed her to give him a chance just the thought of it made her sick to her stomach.
Mary’s mother had come to her several times wanting her to allow the Duke to simply speak to her, telling Mary that he was a very wealthy man and that marrying him would do well for the family name but Mary still refused.
Her mother explained to her that she should not judge the man when she did not know the circumstances that he was living under and that had caused Mary to feel quite bad. She never wanted to be known as someone who judged others, she often went into the streets and did her best to help those that were less fortunate, taking them leftovers from the meals of the previous day and giving away her old clothing without her parent’s knowledge of course.
She was always taught to help those that were less fortunate than she but her parents did not go out of their way to help anyone. Instead, they focused on their lives and what needed to be done. Often times Mary Elizabeth thought of them as cold hearted, but she knew that they had lived hard lives and had a lot of responsibility.
The seamstress left Mary alone talking to herself about the dress she was going to make and how she had to get to work right away. Mary smiled to herself, knowing that even if she was not looking forward to the ball, she would be the one in the best looking gown.
Mary headed out wanting to take a walk down the street. She loved to get away and let her mind wonder as she took in all of the sights.
She had not walked half of a mile across the large town when she noticed Duke Henry sitting inside the local brothel. He had both of his arms wrapped around two different females and a drink in one hand. She watched as he splashed the drink as he laughed at something he had said. She shook her head in disgust, but couldn’t help staring.
He was a handsome looking man, short blonde hair with a dark tan and he was very muscular. No one would dare to challenge him not only because of the power he had being Duke, but because of the shear strength he possessed.
Mary could not help but think about how much he had wasted. He had everything anyone could ever dream of, power, looks and money, but he seemed happiest in a brothel with the lowest class people in the community.
She snickered to herself as she thought about how he fit right in with them, but quickly scolded herself for her thoughts. She reminded herself that even if they were lower class she should not have thought of them in that way.
Henry had seen Mary watching him out of the corner of his eye and as she was lost in thought, staring at nothing, she had not noticed him get up from the bar and walk towards her.
“Lady Mary,” she heard, immediately knowing it was the Duke.
Mary spun almost slamming right into the Dukes chest, but he reached out to help her balance herself.
“Remove your hands from me,” she stated loudly.
Henry quickly pulled his hands away from her, shaking his head.
“Did you want something,” he asked her nodding toward the brothel.
“Of course I did not,” she huffed.
Henry smirked. “I saw you looking at me. You cannot deny it,” he replied in a way that made her feel as if she were a child being teased.
“I was not,” she shook her head and pushed her shoulders back. “I was lost in thought.”
“About me,” the Duke was still smiling.
“As a matter of fact,” Mary began. “Yes, it was about you.” She could see his eyes light up but Mary was not finished.
“I was thinking about how you have wasted your life,” she continued. “And how much of an embarrassment you are to your title. I was wondering if you had any class at all.”
His smile immediately turned to a frown. “Do you know who you speak to woman,” he said as his voice rose.
“That I do,” Mary said, cocking her head to the side, showing she did not care. “What will you do? Have me locked away in a dungeon somewhere or maybe hang me.” She laughed as she spoke. She knew he would do nothing. There was something about angering him that always caused her pleasure and she had done it before.
Henry snorted at her. “Far worse than you can imagine,” he said as he turned and walked back to the brothel.
Mary lowered her brow as she wondered what he had meant by that, but decided to ignore his comment and went about her business.
It was a nice sunny day and as the days were growing shorter she knew that there would be few left to enjoy this year.
The days continued to drag on for Mary as she listened to her mother talk about how important the ball was and how many wealthy respectable men would be there and how she had to be on her best behavior.
It was the day of the ball and Mary Elizabeth tried everything she could think of to get her mother to allow her to stay home. There was no part of her that was excited about the event and she felt as if she were nothing more than an animal dressed in fancy clothes and put on display.
She loathed the idea of going to the ball and having to converse with all of the other girls in women that were there, each of them becoming giddy when a man paid the slightest bit of attention to them. Talking about weddings and children was not something that Mary enjoyed.
No matter what Mary said, her mother refused to budge and had even gotten her father involved forcing Mary to the ball. She dressed and her mother did her hair, making sure that not a single strand was out of place. As she pulled her gloves up her arms she looked at herself in the mirror.
She looked just like all of the other ladies that would be at the ball. She knew all of their hair would be the same, the corsets made their bodies look the same but there was one difference. It was obvious that Mary was not happy to be going whereas the others would be all smiles.
Her father took her to the ball and told her he would wait outside for her when it was time for her to go but not to worry about time. She knew that he wanted her to really try and get to know someone. Her mother had talked all week about the importance of her getting married and not bringing disgrace to herself nor her father’s name.
Mary had listened to what her mother had to say, but she could not bring herself to agree. She wanted to be free. Free to live life the way she wanted, free to spend her own money and own her own property and for that matter free to own herself.
Mary walked slowly into the ball taking everything in. There were people everywhere talking and smiling. She felt like they all looked at her as she entered. She knew that no one expected her to be there. Many had begun to talk about her and how she would never marry and she had not cared up until this moment.
Mary wanted to run for the door, but she knew her father had already left. She closed he
r eyes and took a deep breath as she walked into the room.
Across the room stood Henry watching her every move. He, unlike the others had expected her to be there and had actually spoken to her father about the event. He intended on marrying her and it did not matter to him if he had to go around her to do it. Something inside of him wanted to make her understand that she was a woman and that she was going to show him respect.
It had all begun when he had saw her outside the brothel. She laughed at the idea of being thrown in a dungeon, but he knew even a harsher punishment for her and that was marriage.
“That will never be,” Henry heard a voice behind him. He turned to find one of the other men he had talked to on occasion. His name was William and he was looking at Mary as well.
“And why is that,” Henry asked.
“She will not even talk to you,” William laughed. “She is doomed to be alone forever. I don’t even know why you would be looking at her. Don’t you know who she is?”
“Aye,” Henry replied with a smile. “I know very well and I intend to know even better.”
William laughed as he listened to Henry. “I will bet you one month of wages that you can’t even get her to talk to you by the end of the night,” he said.
Henry’s eyes lit up. He had already intended for ensuring that she spoke to him and only him that evening, but this wager made it even better.
“You’re on,” Henry replied, to William’s surprise. “A month’s wages if she spends the evening with me. You should get your purse ready.”
Henry had noticed that another man he did not know had walked up to Mary and had begun talking. She was not focused on the man, her eyes wandered all around as she looked from person to person, but when she spotted Henry the wandering stopped.
Mary tried to focus on what the man in front of her was saying, talking about battle or something, she could not remember. She found nothing that he had to say interesting and had spotted the Duke. Her heart pounded when she realized that he had caught her once again looking at him and she watched as he approached.
“Hating me from a distance again,” he interrupted the other man. “Excuse me, my good friend, but I must speak to the Lady alone.”
The man looked at Mary unsure of how to respond, but knowing who the Duke was he quickly walked away. “Must you bother me tonight,” she said with a sigh and turned to walk away.
“You know most women would be honored to have me speaking to them, especially at an event such as this,” he said following her.
Mary turned and looked him right in the eyes. “Then maybe you should go speak to those women,” she snapped at him.
She realized that it had come out louder than she had wanted and knew that embarrassing Henry in public would not turn out well for her no matter what she was able to get away with in private.
Mary lowered her head. “I am sorry,” she apologized, knowing that she had angered him. “I forgot where I was.”
Henry stepped closer to Mary Elizabeth. “That seems to be a problem for you,” he whispered. “You should never forget where you are or where you belong.”
Her head shot up and he could see the anger in her eyes, but this time she did not yell she simply whispered back, “So should you.”
Henry cocked his head to the side pondering what she had said and searching her eyes for an answer. He could see the anger, but deeper than that it was if she was looking at him with pity.
“Do not pity me woman,” he said as he puffed his chest out.
“Then what would you have me do,” she sighed, knowing that her mother was right. If she did not behave properly at the ball not only would people think badly of her, but she could see a far worse punishment.
“Respect,” Henry replied, looking at her as if she had half a brain. “This is what all of those books have done to you. They have made you forget how the world works.”
“Respect,” she repeated. “I suppose this is what all of those drinks and prostitutes have done to you. They have made you forget how real life works.”
“Must you challenge everything I say,” he replied, realizing that he was not only losing the battle, but he was losing his bet very quickly.
“Tell me, Henry,” she replied as she looked out at the crowd. “What would you rather me do? Would you rather I listen to what you have to say and agree with you no matter what? Would you rather I be happy that you want to own me as if I am some animal or your property? The things that you have done in life have made me feel the way I do about you. You are supposed to be a man that can be relied upon to take care of the kingdom, but no one respects you, they fear you that is all.”
She was almost out of breath when she finished speaking, her heart was pounding and she knew that what she had said to him would anger him but it needed to be said.
“Better fear than nothing,” he replied solemnly.
“Is your opinion of yourself really that low,” she questioned him almost feeling sorry for him.
Henry shook his head and placed his arm around her waist. “Your books can’t teach you everything,” he began, speaking more gently. “There is more to me than you know about.”
Mary wiggled, trying to get loose from his grip without causing a scene, but he did not let go. He pulled her to his side and the two of them walked across the floor. Many people had already begun to dance slowly to the music and others were pairing off. Mary felt as if she had no choice but to walk with him and join him on the dance floor.
Henry winked at William as he and Mary walked past, but even knowing that he had won the bed did not bring any peace to him.
“Why do you behave the way you do,” Mary asked him, as the two began dancing slowly.
“What do you mean,” he asked, and she could tell that he had no idea what she was talking about.
“Why must you go about drinking and acting like one of the lower class, why do you purchase prostitutes and not even care that people know,” she questioned him.
“My, you are curious now, aren’t you,” he began. “This is why you read so many books?”
“My reading has nothing to do with you,” she replied. “Stop trying to change the subject.”
Henry looked down at her and she was surprised by the fact that it was no longer anger that she saw in his eyes. There was something deep and hidden behind them and that peaked her interest.
“Do you think that I am the only one who behaves in this manner?” he tried to laugh it off. “The only difference between me and any other man in this room is that I do not hide what I do.”
“You have no shame,” Mary said, shaking her head and beginning to pull away from him.
“No,” he said, pulling her back. “I have no shame for the things that I do. Unlike the men who hide it, I do not care what anyone thinks of the things that I do.”
He spoke quieter as he finished his sentence and Mary could tell that what he was saying was not true.
“You care what no one thinks of you,” she hissed. “I do not believe a word that comes out of your mouth.”
“I care what you think,” he lied, trying to win her over. “but how was I to know you would disapprove.”
Mary rolled her eyes, nothing that he said made any sense to her, the way he behaved made no sense to her and now he was being nice and it made no sense to her.
“What do you want of me, Duke,” she asked, sighing.
The Duke looked as if she had slapped him. He stood still in the middle of the dance floor staring down at her as if she were deformed. “What I want,” he began and then paused. “What I want is for you to stop thinking that you know everything. I want you to realize the world that you live in is not accepting of the way you behave just in the same way you do not approve of the things that I do.”
Mary looked at him, and with tears in her eyes, she turned and walked away. This time he allowed her to go, knowing that she had finally realized that people respected her no more than she did him. He knew how she felt about h
im, but what angered him more than her remarks was the fact that she had really never given him the chance he deserved.
Others had told him that he was only interested in her because as the Duke all of the women fell at his feet and any of them would have gladly given themselves to him. They knew the power that he held and they craved that power, but she didn’t care anything about his title or his money and for that reason she was nothing more to him than something he needed to conquer.
He knew deep inside that was not the case. The truth was that she reminded him of someone he had once loved and lost. He was attracted to the fact that she was smarter than most women and although she was uptight he knew she would make the perfect wife.
He was not the only man that had been interested in her, in fact, she was the first pick of most men, but she had rejected so many that they had all given up claiming that she would die alone but he refused to let that happen.
Henry began walking after Mary as he saw her leave the ball, he did not want her walking out in the dark alone it simply was not safe. The kingdom was a safe one and people knew that any transgression would be swiftly punished, but that did not stop the occasional outsider from coming in and causing harm.
When Henry finally caught sight of Mary again, she was walking in the garden, still alone and something about the way she walked had changed. Mary always walked with her shoulders back and her head held high, but now her shoulders were slumped and her head lowered. Henry watched as her shoulders moved and realized that she was crying.
He quickly ran to her not willing to accept that he had hurt her. He was not the kind of man who wanted to hurt someone undeservedly but he believed women should understand their place in the world.
As he reached her he stretched out his arm and touched her back causing her to jump. Mary turned to face him and he could see in her eyes that she had really understood what he was saying.
Mary looked up at Henry, her dark hair falling and the strands were sticking to the side of her pace face. Her blue eyes were filled with tears and sadness. “I am sorry,” was all that she could say.
