"Sister, do you really mean to wed Uncle Horace," groaned Sarika with a look of disbelief on her face.
The six year old held onto Kaoma's wedding dress tightly with her small fists as if to stop her from walking down the wedding aisle.
Instead of getting upset Kaoma just gently patted her hand lovingly before removing its clutch from her mother's wedding gown.
Kaoma said gently, "do not worry about me Sarika. Haven't I always taken care of the both of us."
They hugged each other with tears in their eyes.
Kaoma wiped away the tears cascading from Sarika's tear streaked face.
Even as it left a wet spot on Helen's frilly lace dress that was much out of style to current fashion trends.
Her mother had been larger in size than Kaoma who was very slender and petite so the old wedding gown had to be cut down to fit her small size.
There was simply no time to order a new outfit for the wedding since Uncle Horace was keen to quickly marry her so that there would be no contesting the union.
The atmosphere in the church felt like she was attending her own funeral, not a wedding.
Since she had no parents it was Horrible Herbert who walked her down the aisle and handed her over to his father.
Other than the groom's side of the family who was already partially drunk before the festivities began there was not a happy face in the remainder of the crowd.
In fact, even the servants pitied her for marrying an old man who was a brute in his younger days.
As the clock struck twelve Lady Kaoma Amaya Swift exchanged vows with Lord Horace Gulliver Mayberry of Lancaster.
She nearly gagged when he lifted her veil and she stared into the eyes of a lusty, decrepit old man who forced his lips upon hers.
He tried to nudge her mouth open with his but she bit down on his sorry excuse for lips.
She saw the fire in his eyes that promised retribution on their wedding night.
Especially since he couldn't harm her in front of the priests and wedding guests.
Kaoma was sure that flies were following him as his breath was rancid and his body odour was high.
Her husband escorted her to the center table prepared specially for the bride and groom but before doing so, he stopped at the gifting table.
Just to check that all the guests he had invited had brought money or gifts.
Seeing the table piled high with presents lifted his spirits.
Lord Horace started imbibing even more heavily on liquor as the hours passed and the wedding guests exchanged toasts.
Soon it was time for their first dance, Kaoma felt annoyed by how many times he stepped on her toes in the tight glass slippers.
Her husband also tried to make drunk conversation with her while occasionally rubbing her derriere with his sweaty palms.
His men, filled to the brim with liquor, lost all sense of propriety as they shouted their heartfelt wishes and lusty jests about what their Lord should do in the bedroom that night.
Kaoma occasionally wished the dance floor would just open up and swallow her whole.
After her ears turned red from all the disturbing leers that came from his men envisioning her naked.
She was so relieved when it was announced that she would be retiring for the evening to the wedding chamber but it was only for a short while.
As it fully dawned on her just what performing the duties of a wife entailed as Lady Hilda briefly tried to explain how babies were made.
There was none of the laughter and merriment that normally followed on the eve of the bedding.
Instead the servants quickly performed their duties before trying to exit the bridal chamber.
Their coldness and pitying looks made her even more uncomfortable and she just wanted them gone.
For a while she anxiously sat on the edge of her bed awaiting her husband before blowing out most of the candles until the room was almost dim.
Since she couldn't bear to see him, she tucked her naked self under the heavy covers.
Lord Horace came into the room with his men.
Bawdy laughter echoed around the chamber, he was so feeble he could barely pull the cover off his wife.
Horrible Herbert had to do it for him and he felt such envy and jealousy when they all stared at Lady Kaoma resplendent in her naked glory.
The more they ogled her nude body the more her eyes widened with fear.
Lady Gertrude shouted from the doorway, "that's enough you lusty goats, you all had your fill and seen enough, now leave the newlyweds alone to get down to producing the heir."
Within less than a deep breath she was left alone with her husband when everything in her body was telling her to flee the room.
Lord Horace couldn't deny that he was eager to touch his wife.
Nevermind that she was his brother's daughter through marriage, she was now his fifth wife.
By far the prettiest of the lot and Lord Horace didn't have to spend a dime to claim her.
Kaoma now regretted wanting to keep a clear head and not to get stupid drunk.
Just the thought of his wrinkly fingers creeping closer to her body had her on edge.
Her husband wore a dark maroon robe that made his skin appear even paler.
Parts of his skin that was uncovered were splotchy and had dark patches.
That made it look as he suffered from a rash or worse some kind of fungus since the skin was peeling.
His toe nails were overgrown and rough looking and matched his teeth that were equally rotting from eating too many sweets.
Then her husband dropped the robe in its entirety.
Giving her a bird's eye view of his nude body and Kaoma couldn't stop herself as her mouth opened wide with shock.