• tab Life was alright until he came along, he being a no-good, scrawny, greasy git of a man. The way that he took over my family, the way they were enchanted by this man; it made me sick. I mean, sure, he was courteous, dignified and all that suave stuff, but I’ve been alone with the man and he is not natural.
    tab Mother had been looking for someone to marry me to, said I was getting to old to please any man. Like this was the 19th century. I’m 23 for Christ’s sake! Anyway, she was looking for someone for me to marry, right, and she found this guy in a bookstore. A bookstore! Like I really want to marry a bookworm. Sure, I love to read, but do I want to spend the rest of my life discussing Poe and Dickens and Frost? Hell no! But what could I say to Mother? ‘I’m sorry, mum, but I really can’t let you ruin my life.’ Yeah, that would work.
    tab Right, so this man, Evan Degali, came over for dinner the first night I met him. I remember it was a Friday, probably the 13th considering what a disaster it was. At first glance, I could tell that he was no-good. Oh, sure, he’s the stereotypical Englishman type: neatly combed hair, tweed jacket, glasses and all, but there was something about his eyes that made me shiver. I felt like I was looking at the Sphinx as she prepared a question for her next victim. I don’t even think he blinked when he looked at me, examining every detail of me. I don’t think he liked what he saw. There wasn’t much of me to see, with my short red hair, brown eyes and small frame, but I liked the way I looked, so he could just go screw himself.
    tab Anyway, the night that I met Degali, Mother all but gushed about me the entire night. “Evan, did you know that Aeryn does this and that” and “Aeryn was so sweet as an infant.” All that baloney that makes a person sound better than they really are. Degali smiles and nods at the right pauses, compliments my mother on her cooking, my father on the house and never looks at me during the whole meal. Not once. And I’m supposed to marry this guy? Yeah, I don’t think so.
    tab It wasn’t until after dinner that Degali spoke to me at all.
    tab “Your mother must be desperate for grandchildren.” His voice was silky smooth, the kind of voice that lies roll easily out of. “Is there a reason for her desperation?” His eyes glittered at me and his smirk made me shiver.
    tab “I’m not a lesbian, if that’s what you’re asking. Mother is old-fashioned and thinks that I should have been married several years ago. I’m taking my time a little too slowly apparently.”
    tab Which was true, I guess. I didn’t really want to get married yet and there hadn’t been any guys in my life that made me feel the marital urge. Hell, if you could have seen the guys that I’ve dated, you’d understand why Mother decided to pick her son-in-law. She had never liked the guys I dated, mostly because I told her that I wouldn’t marry them.
    tab So, Degali just kind of looked at me like he was trying to decide if I was worth whatever amount Mother had promised him. Did I mention that Mother had decided that the only way I would get married would be if she bribed whichever poor bloke she came across first? Yeah. Good ol’ mum.
    tab "So, Mr. Degali…”
    tab “Please call me Evan.”
    tab “So, Mr. Degali, how much is Mother paying you to marry me?” He smirked at me again and chuckled. Yeah, he laughed! b*****d.
    tab “What your mother has offered is none of your business, my dear. Now, your darling mother has suggested that the two of us, yes, you included, should spend some time getting acquainted. So, let’s sit down and begin.” He gestured for me to lead, but I just stood there, staring. My dear? My darling mother? Please. But instead of saying anything, I just led him to the den.
    tab I stood in the doorway until he sat down at the loveseat before I sat down in the Lazyboy across from him. He cocked an eyebrow at me and patted the cushion next to him. I ignored him and draped my legs over the arm of the chair. Hey, if I was going to be stuck here, I might as well be comfortable, right?
    tab “Whaddya wanna know about me, then? I think Mother did a good job describing my positive attributes. You should know everything that you would want to know about your future wife.”
    tab Now, when I said the “w”-word, Degali looked at me kind of weird. Like he was surprised, but not unpleasantly so. I asked him why he was staring.
    tab “I apologise, Aeryn, but I was under the impression that this was just a first meeting, that nothing was definite. You make it sound as if you have no choice but to marry me.”
    :tab biggrin uh. “Yeah, Mother told me that I would have to marry whichever guy she chose or she would disown me, which means that I wouldn’t be able to graduate from university next semester because she’s paying for it. So I kinda don’t have a choice.” I had looked away from him. It was kind of embarrassing talking about Mother’s ultimatum, but he had every right to know that I was not a willing partner in all of this.
    tab Since I was looking at the ground, I didn’t see him stand until he had knelt next to me. I looked up at him and I got the shivers again. It was creepy seeing him this close. His eyes were creepy, not all one colour; part blue, part green with little flecks of gold. I was being hypnotised by his weird eyes!
    tab “Aeryn, do you wish to marry? Not me necessarily, but anyone?”
    tab “Huh? Oh, I want to marry someday, but I don’t want Mother fixing me up with someone I don’t like and who is only wanting to marry me because Mother is paying him! It’s not fair to either of us!” Balls! I was crying. How dare she do this to me? Making me cry in front of a complete stranger and then make me marry him!
    tab I felt him wrap his arms around me. The tweed scratched my face, but I didn’t care. I was crying too hard and too angry at Mother to do anything about this imposed familiarity. This is exactly what she wanted! She wanted me to push him away and refuse to marry the man that she chose for me! Hell, I’ll show her! I’ll do the exact opposite of what she expects me to. Then what? She’ll probably die of a heart attack.
    tab Sniffling, I pulled away from him and wiped my eyes on his proffered handkerchief. “Thank you, Mr…Evan. Thank you Evan.” He shook his head at me.
    tab “There is nothing to thank me for, Aeryn. I am to blame I suppose. I accepted your mother’s proposal, thus enabling her desperation.” He stood up and made to leave but I stopped him.
    tab “Don’t go. Look, this is exactly what she wants. She wants me to refuse to do what she wants. I’ve disappointed her for so long, so why change?” Evan nodded at me and I walked with him out to the parlour where Mother was waiting. Just before we walked in, I turned to him.
    tab “Just a question, how much did she offer you?”
    tab “She offered to pay me ₤12000, but I don’t think I’ll be accepting it now. I can’t buy you from her; that’s slavery.” I smiled and we walked in to break the news to Mother. You should have seen her face! It was beautiful!
    tab “Aeryn, dear, you’re sure?” Her eyes were big as teacups. She hadn’t been expecting that at all.
    tab “Why, Mother! Isn’t this what you wanted?” A big grin from me and that was that, as they say.