Daisy lay in her bed, tossing and turning, her mind still reeling from her encounter with Lord Blackthorne. The image of his gray skin and golden eyes haunted her thoughts, making it impossible for her to find sleep. Her heart raced as she remembered the feel of his skin under her fingers, the fear of contagion lingering in her mind.
As she lay there, a faint sound drifted up from downstairs, breaking her reverie. Curious and unable to sleep, Daisy cautiously rose from her bed, her bare feet making no sound on the wooden floorboards as she tiptoed toward the door. She opened it a crack and peered out into the dark hallway, straining her ears to identify the source of the noise.
The sound was coming from downstairs - voices, raised in argument. Daisy hesitated for a moment before deciding to investigate. She quietly descended the staircase, her heart pounding in her chest as the voices grew louder and more distinct.
She arrived in front of her father's office and peeked through the small opening in the door, where she found her mother, Helena, standing face to face with her father, Thomas. Their expressions were tense and their voices strained, but the pain in Helena's eyes was unmistakable.
"You should be protecting her, Thomas!" Helena protested, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. "She is your daughter!"
Thomas sighed, his face twisting into a mask of despair. "I am. Why do you think I married Katherine?" He asked between clenched teeth. "I am trying to do what is best for this family. Especially for Daisy. Don't you wish for her to have a feature? Get married."
"I do, but I can't see her like this anymore. I see her bright spirit being broken each day."
"It is only until she gets married, and with Katherine, that will be possible. We need money for her dowry."
"That woman won't pay for her dowry. She already has two daughters to pay for."
"Then behave. Get on her good side," Thomas told her.
Helena looked baffled. "Do you hear yourself, Thomas?"
"What do you want me to do then?" He raised his voice.
"Stand up for your daughter! I don't want anything from you. I can handle myself. I can endure anything, but she is still a child. Your child!"
Daisy's jaw clenched, and her eyes teared up. All this was because of her. Her marriage, her future, and her dowry were all a burden and the reason her mother was enduring this.
"You are not being rational, Helena. Small fights with Katherine won't serve either of us well. Just endure a bit more for your daughter, and I am sure Daisy is smart enough to know what is in her best interest."
Helena shook her head, her tears streaming down. "You have changed so much." She croaked. "You are not the man I fell in love with."
Daisy placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a sob, her chest heaving with pain.
"Love won't feed us, Helena." He said.
Daisy shook her head, unable to listen to their conversation any longer. She snuck back upstairs, her tears falling freely now. She could hardly see through her blurred vision, but she managed to stumble back to her room and close the door behind her.
She sank onto her bed, her sobs wracking her body. She didn't want a marriage, she didn't need a dowry, she didn't want anything. She just wanted to leave with her mother and take her far away from here.
As she cried silently, the door to her room opened. "Daisy?" Her mother called gently in the darkness. Daisy stopped breathing altogether so that her mother would think she was sleeping. If she spoke, her voice would betray her.
Her mother entered the room and closed the door behind her. Often she would sleep with her in the same room, and Daisy could hear how she lay out a mattress while speaking to her.
"Daisy, sweetheart," Helena said. "I know you have had it tough."
Daisy choked again and used the pillow to keep her sobs from being heard in the darkness.
"Your mother is stronger than you think, so worry not about me. I want you to lean on me and let me be your shield, alright?"
Daisy shook her head, even if her mother couldn't see her. She could hear Helena settle into the mattress. "You are not alone," she continued. "I love you."
Daisy's heart shattered. She could barely breathe. She wanted to tell her mother that she loved her too, but instead, all she could do was cry into her pillow.
"And I am so proud of you. I know one day you will live the life you dream of. I feel it." She said, and Daisy could hear the smile in her voice.
Daisy's dreams shrank. Now she didn't even want vengeance. She just prayed to God to take her away from this hell.
The next day, Daisy woke up with swollen eyes from all the crying. She tried to depuff them with cold water, and then her day proceeded as usual. She tried to block everything away, pretending that she didn't care about Katherine or her daughter's remarks or orders.
Days passed pretending like nothing was wrong, but her feelings caught up to her and she couldn't bear it anymore. So she went to her father.
"Father. Marry me off." She told him.
He looked up from his desk.
"Marry me off to any man. One that doesn't want much in dowry. I am sure you can find one."
He frowned. "Why would I do that? You are a beautiful lady."
She clenched her jaw and swallowed her anger. "I can't stay here anymore."
He sighed. "Daisy? You are a smart young woman. Did your mother get into your head?"
"Mother doesn't know," she said, her fists clenching harder. "It is me. I can't take this anymore."
"Trust me Daisy. You wouldn't want me to just marry you off to any man. You think such a life would be easier?"
She stared at him for a long moment. "Easier than living with a father who doesn't care."
He rose hastily from his seat, his eyes blazing. "Listen, young lady! You might think you are the only one enduring, but you don't know how much I went through for this family. For you."
She shook her head. "I never asked you to do this for me. I would rather we struggled and stayed together than live like this. What about the vows you took when marrying mother? In sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer. For better or worse. What happened to those vows?"
His face twisted, looking pained for a moment.
She took a deep breath. "I once wished to marry a man who would keep his vows. It doesn't matter anymore. Just find me someone to live with so I can leave this place." She said, and then turned around and left.
A week passed, and her father had still not come back to her with any news of finding a suitable spouse. Daisy tried to remain patient and give him some more time. Perhaps he was looking and it took time or maybe he wasn't. If not, then she wanted to give him time to change his mind.
One day, as she was sweeping the floor outside the entrance, a carriage arrived.
As it pulled up to the house, Daisy frowned. It was unlike any carriage she had ever seen. It was a magnificent, intricately designed vehicle with polished wood and glistening brass fittings. The deep blue velvet curtains and the ornate gold trim suggested that it belonged to someone of great importance. The horses that pulled the carriage were elegant and well-groomed, their manes braided with delicate golden ribbons.
A distinguished-looking man stepped out of the carriage, his attire impeccable and befitting someone in the service of royalty. In his hands, he held a small, beautifully crafted chest and a sealed letter. He approached Daisy as she just stared confused.
"My Lady," he bowed. "I am looking for Sir Thomas."
Just as Daisy was about to respond, her father appeared at the entrance of the house, curiosity evident on his face.
"It is me," he announced.
The man gave him a slight bow before handing him the letter and the chest. "It is from the Marquess of Blackthorne."
Daisy's heart skipped a beat. Lord Blackthorne? A sudden rush of mixed emotions washed over her – anticipation, fear, and curiosity all battled for dominance. She discreetly watched her father's reaction as he took the letter and chest from the man.
Thomas thanked the messenger looking confused and then went back inside. Daisy dropped what she was doing and followed him.
"Who was that?" Katherine came to the hall after watching the carriage leave through the window.
Thomas ignored her and went to sit down on his couch. Katherine took notice of the chest and came to him looking excited. "Was it some nobility?" She asked. "Are we invited to some big party."
"Party?" Lila called from the breakfast table and her and Cassandra came to gather around their father as he opened the envelope. They tried to take a look as he read with a frown.
"What is it, Father?" Lila wondered.
Daisy wondered too, recalling touching him. She didn't get sick, she suddenly remembered.
"It is a letter from the Marquess. He has expressed an interest in our family, specifically in discussing a potential marriage with one of our daughters."
Daisy shivered. Marriage?
Thomas looked up from the letter, his gaze shifting to one of his daughters. "Cassandra. You caught the eye of the Marquess."