Take Me Forever (2 page)

 
She had been well
educated and was well trained in the skills that it took to run a
household.
 
She was especially adept in
sewing and in art.
 
She may have been
considered a little old to be in the hunt for a husband, but her parents had
hoped that her formal years of education would make up for her age.
 
Now that they saw her they knew she would be
a catch for any man.

A month after finally settling
back in at home, Mercy got to go shopping for her dresses for the upcoming
season.
 
It was the happiest time of the
year for so many young ladies.
 
It was
time to find husbands.
 
Mercy was excited
about attending her first formal ball.
 
She picked out several different dresses and matching shoes.
 
The seamstress told her that her new wardrobe
would be ready in time for the first party and Mercy could not wait.

“Mother, what color dress do you
think I should wear to the opening ball,” Mercy asked as they left the shop and
walked down the street toward the park.

“I think the light blue.
 
It will bring out your eyes.”

“That sounds like a good choice
and I will wear my hair up with the sapphire pins,” Mercy said as they climbed
into the carriage to take them home.

Later that evening Michael
McMillan summoned his daughter to his study.
 
Mercy walked into the study and found both her mother and father seated
on the brown leather sofa.

“Have a seat.
 
We would like to talk to you about your
future,” Michael said as he poured himself another scotch.

“What is it father?
 
This sounds serious.”

“As you know, this will be your first season and it is time
to find you a suitable husband.
 
I am
ashamed to admit, but I have had some financial troubles while you were away
and I only have a small dowry for you,” Michael said as his eyes looked at the
floor.

“We hope your age will not be a factor but we do not want
you to be disappointed if you do not catch a husband right away,” Melany said
as she patted her daughter’s hand.

“You make it sound like I’m an old maid,” Mercy exclaimed.

“We do not think that, but we wanted to warn you about what
others may think,” replied Melany.

“I don’t care if I find a husband at all.
 
I can take care of myself,” Mercy cried.

“Don’t be silly.
 
It
is your obligation to find a husband and hopefully one that has money,” Michael
stated.

“Honey, your father and I will do all we can to help find
you one, but you have to be extra charming.
 
Can you do that for us?”

“Of course Mother,” Mercy stated politely hoping this was
the end of the conversation.

As the day of the ball finally came, Mercy was anxious and
excited as she put on her light blue satin dress and fixed her hair up in loose
curls with the sapphire pins.
 
She could
hardly breathe.
 
The new style dresses
fit so tight and exposed more flesh than she would have liked.
 
Her perky breasts were slightly exposed and
she felt self conscious about it.

 
Her mother had
discussed the issues of men and informed her of the types of behavior that
should be avoided.
 
She had heard talk
from the girls at school who had older sisters so she pretty much already knew
about what to expect and what to look out for.
 
She had promised her mother that she would be extra charming tonight in
hopes of finding a suitable husband, but frankly she did not care a thing about
that.
 
She wanted to dance and be merry
all evening.
 
She did not want to have to
smile and pretend to be interested in suitable men.
 

When she got ready to find a husband, she hoped he would
find her and they would fall instantly in love and that would be that.
 
Her mother and father were fortunate and were
infatuated with one another when their marriage was arranged.
 
Mercy hoped it would be the case with her no
matter how old she was.
 
She certainly
didn’t consider herself to be a spinster.

Mercy descended the staircase into the ballroom at the home
of Monsieur Edward Dubois.
 
His home was
always the opening place for the season to begin.
 
His wife had outdone herself this year with
the festivities.
 
The marble columns had
greenery draped all around them and there were candles everywhere.
 
The musicians were warming up and it was time
to take her place beside all the other first time girls.

These girls look like
they are babies let alone be ready to have them,
Mercy thought as she stood
beside a girl that was three years her younger.
 
They were announced by Monsieur Dubois as parents stared in delight and
men stared like they were looking at a prized horse.
 
Mercy almost tripped over her own feet as her
name was called.
 
She made it through the
introduction and not a moment too soon as she realized that she felt
faint.
 
Mercy went in search of a drink
and some air when a gentleman walked up to her.

 
“Hello, I am pleased
to make your acquaintance.
 
I would like
to fill a spot on your dance card tonight,” the man said as he bowed to Mercy.

“Alright,” Mercy answered timidly suddenly regaining her
composure, “You may have the first dance if you like.”

Mercy’s parents were thrilled that so many men were asking
her to dance.
 
They thought for sure that
she would find a husband until they heard later through gossip that men were
feeling sorry for her since she was so old.
 
They could not tell Mercy because it would crush her.
 
This was just the first ball and she was
already being cast as an old maid unsuitable for marriage.
 
Michael was determined to help find Mercy a
husband.
 
He began networking the room
and talked to every man in the place.

“How did it go?”
 
Melany asked when Michael returned to her side later in the evening.

“Not well I’m afraid,” he answered.

“Whatever shall we do?”
 
Melany asked.

“Let’s hope the next ball will bring in some eligible men
that were not here tonight.
 
I did hear
that there were three newcomers to the city that were not able to be here
tonight.”

They watched as their daughter danced and danced as if she
did not have a care in the world.
 
She
must have danced with every man there and not one of them led on that they were
interested in anything other than dancing.
 
She found one or two of them to be handsome but she did not see them as
potential husband material.

Later, in the powder room Mercy overheard something
unsettling.

“Did you see how she was flaunting herself at all the men,” Caroline
said.

“I know.
 
How pitiful
someone her age has not married yet,” replied Rebecca.

“I sure hope I don’t end up like her,” said Charlotte as the
three young girls left the room.

Mercy began to cry.
 
She didn’t think she deserved to be pitied.
 
She didn’t think she was throwing herself at
the men she was dancing with.
 
She was
ready for this night to be over.
 
Quickly, she found her mother and told her she had developed a dreadful
headache and wanted to go home.

Once safely home, Mercy told her mother what she had
overheard.

“Don’t let it upset you honey,” Melany stated as she
comforted her daughter.
 
“Your father
will find you a match.
 
Just wait and
see.”

Sobbing, Mercy lay down and tried to sleep.
 
She had not set out to find a husband but
after the way she was being talked about, she was determined to not let her
family reputation become tarnished by her.
 
It seemed it did not matter what her circumstances were that prevented
her from entering the husband hunt when she should have.
 
The crowd had labeled her as a spinster.
 
She should have realized by the conversations
she had with some of the women at the ball that they pitied her.

During the next week, Michael McMillan was doing his best to
correspond and visit all potential suitors for his daughter.
 
He was about to run out of luck when he rang
the last doorbell.

“Hello Mr. McMillan,” Cole Massey greeted him with a handshake.

“Good day Mr. Massey,” Michael replied as they walked toward
the library.

“What can I do for you today?” asked Cole as he offered a
shot of whiskey to Michael.

“Well,” Michael said as he cleared his throat.
 
“As you may have heard I have a daughter that
debuted this season.
 
She just turned
18.”

“18,” said Cole astounded.

“That is correct but you have to understand her
circumstances,” Michael said as he told Cole all about Mercy.

“She does sound fascinating, but 18.
 
I don’t know if I would want a wife that old
or not.
 
I want plenty of heirs for my
estate.”

“Just come for a visit before you make your mind up.
 
I think you will be pleasantly surprised by
my daughter.”

“Alright.
 
How about 6
o’clock tomorrow evening?
 
I can come by
for dinner and we will discuss things further if she is to my liking,” stated
Cole as he showed Mr. McMillan to the door.

The following day Melany McMillan was in a tizzy trying to
get the house ready for their guest.
 
She
ordered the servants to polish the best china and the cook to prepare a feast
fit for a king.
 
Mercy’s parents told her
that this could be her only chance to get a husband and she had better show off
her abilities to catch him.
 
Her mother
laid out an ivory colored dress and instructed the servant girl how to do
Mercy’s hair for the evening.

“Mother, I don’t think we should be going to so much trouble
for this man.
 
If he likes me, he likes
me and if he doesn’t who cares?”
 
Mercy
argued while she was being helped into her evening dress.

“Mercy, you don’t want to end up with no husband do
you.
 
I remember when you were a little
girl how you used to dream of a big wedding and all you talked about was
getting married one day.”

“That was when I was a child.
 
I am no longer a child.
 
I can take care of myself.”

“Oh
 
Mercy, be
sensible,” Melany stated as she hurried off to get herself ready for the
evening’s festivities.

An hour later the doorbell rang and Cole Massey was escorted
into the parlor.
 
Michael McMillan stood
at the foot of the long stairway and called to his wife and daughter to come
down.
 
Melany came down first and greeted
Cole as he took her hand and kissed it.
 
His eyes averted quickly to the top of the stairs as Mercy began her
descent.
 
She was a vision.
 
She gracefully came down and curtsied before
Cole.

“It is a pleasure to meet you sir,” Mercy stated.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Cole said as he took her hand
and kissed it a little too long.

Cole offered Mercy his arm as they went to the dining room
for dinner.
 
All throughout dinner the
McMillan family drilled Cole about his business and his likes and
dislikes.
 
Mercy was getting dizzy from
all the badgering her parents were giving him.
 
Finally, dinner was over and her parents urged her to show Cole their
small garden for an evening stroll.

Mercy escorted Cole to the garden and they stopped at a
concrete bench in the center and sat down.
 
Without warning, Cole put his arms around her and kissed her.

“My, aren’t you a bit forward,” Mercy stated as she was
stunned by his actions.

“I just want to sample the goods before I commit to
anything,” Cole said as he dipped his hand down her dress to touch her bosom.

Shocked, Mercy slapped him.

“What was that for?”
 
Cole said angrily.

“I am not that kind of girl,” Mercy stated coldly.

“You are 18 and you expect me to believe you have not had
the pleasure of a gentleman.”

“You sir are no gentleman and for your information I have
not,” Mercy stated hotly.

“I don’t believe you,” Cole said as he stood up.
 
“I don’t know why I would consider marrying
someone of your age even if you are extremely beautiful.”

“I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth,”
Mercy yelled as she ran back toward the house leaving Cole alone in the garden.

Well now, she is
spunky,
thought Cole as he casually strolled back to the house after
enjoying a cigar.

“Michael, I have come to a decision,” Cole said as he
rejoined Mr. McMillan in the library.

“And,” stated Michael anxiously.

“I think I would like to accept your dowry and marry your
daughter.
 
I think she could be a
wonderful wife,” Cole said as he thought about how much this would upset Mercy
and how much fun it would be to toy with her.