Capítulo 24: Tearing away
Madeline who heard what the King said, felt everything tumbling down around her. She looked at the King and then at her parents with worry in her eyes. She didn't want to stay here; she didn't want to live here. They had come here in the intention of her sister, Beth to meet and possibly marry the King.
"You have only given your word of promise. They haven't married and consummated their marriage. I don't think it should be difficult to break it," said the King, not caring if Madeline was promised to marry another man.
Though Mr. and Mrs. Harris had decided to lie to the King, they hadn't expected him to ask them to break their word.
Beth was still in shock that the King had asked for her sister and not her. She was the eldest daughter; she was supposed to be given the first preference and not her sister, who was younger to her. It was her who was interested in living here while clearly, her sister was someone who wanted to live a simple life back in the village.
She had been the one thriving to move forward in her life. There were times when she had worked harder in teaching the children to earn an extra penny of a coin which she had used to buy the dress for the ball. She had been the one to pick up the etiquettes and have her sister learn; she didn't understand how this could happen that the King had chosen Madeline over her.
Both the sisters had their troubles right now.
Calhoun stood up from his seat, and the servant who had been standing behind went quickly to pull out the chair for the King.
"Milord," Mrs. Harris bowed her head this time, "Madeline shares affections with the man and we promised to marry her to him. They have liked each other for some time now," Madeline had told her that the man wanted to spend time with her daughter; therefore, she didn't hold back in mentioning it to the King. The woman then raised her head in the hope that he would reconsider his demand, "It would be miserable if they-"
"It would be more miserable if only his head ends up on the spear," his words were cold, not pleased with the way the woman had spoken about the girl sharing her affections with another man. But that was alright, in time it could be fixed.
Calhoun looked at Madeline whose eyes had turned wide in shock and fear, "She might not like it now, but she will eventually come to like the life that is present here. I am sure her sister Beth, can put great insights into why she should choose life here. Right, Miss Beth?" he turned his head to look at Beth, who managed to smile at him.
Beth's hands had turned to fist as she nodded, her nails digging into the palms of her hands.
"Lovely," praised Calhoun, "It is not every day a person gets to share the same table with the King. You should thank your stars that my eyes fell on your daughter, and I am willing to ignore your family's poverty and take her as my woman."
Madeline and her parents didn't agree with this. Madeline felt like she had ended up with unlucky stars that she had caught the King's attention.
"I don't want to stay here," Madeline vocalized her thoughts, her eyes moving back and forth in between her parents and the King.
Mr. Harris hoped the King would listen to Madeline's words. The man must have a soft corner for his daughter if he had taken an interest in her.
In the meantime, Madeline gave her mother a pleading look because she didn't want to be left here in the castle. This wasn't a place she belonged to. She liked Mr. Heathcliff because he wasn't an overbearing man. He respected her wishes, and it was something that she valued. They had decided to meet each other this Saturday, which was only two days away from today. If she was going to be here, she would not be able to meet him.
In comparison to Mr. Heathcliff, the King was forcibly tearing her away from her family and wanted to keep her here against her will.
Her father took the courage to speak and said, "My King, we would like to spend more time with our daughter. We would like to take her home today and bring her-"
"No," Calhoun's words of refusal was quick. When his eyes met Madeline's brown innocent one's, he saw her plead at him without words, "Madeline stays here," he declared, not wanting anymore argument on it.
To let her would mean sending her in the arms of the lover to be consoled which he would not allow. He would give her all the comfort and care she needed.
He then said, "You can stay here for ten more minutes to say your goodbyes to Madeline. It would be wise to follow my word unless you would want to lessen the number of people in your family," he gave them a polite smile to diffuse the dangerous atmosphere which instead of turning calm turned eerie. Calhoun looked at her father to say, "You will be taken back in the carriage to your home. And as promised, you will be showered with the favours of the King. Theo," the King called to leave the dining room with Theodore.
When it was just the Harris' family in the room, Madeline could feel the blood rushing through her veins in panic, and she went around to her parents,
"Please don't leave me here, papa," Madeline begged her father, but the King had given his word. Madeline could see the helplessness in their eyes. Her parents appeared to be in a dilemma as they didn't want to leave her here all alone. She was the child they had protected, "Mama, please!"
Madeline felt as if she were caught, and there was no way out.
Capítulo 25: Stealing what is mine
She couldn't believe that this was happening. She didn't want to stay here in the castle, and she wanted to go back home, which was where she rightfully belonged. Madeline could feel her anxiousness bubbling up in her throat, which didn't settle down and could be seen in her eyes.
Her father was unable to go against the King as he was just a man who cut woods and sold it, with no higher authority nor connections like other men who belonged to the higher society where he could try to haggle his time enough to hide his young daughter.
"Mama, please don't listen to him. Please don't leave me here," Madeline said with her eyes turning moist. Her mother shook her head sadly. Mrs. Harris had tried to pursuade the King to agree to bring her home for some more days before she would come to live here, but he had refused it right away.
"Oh, my child," her mother raised both her hands to hold Madeline's face, sorrow in the woman's eyes because she knew it was not what Madeline wanted, "Be strong. We will try to appeal to him again," he didn't listen to them now, why would he listen later?
She shook her head, "I don't want to stay here."
"I know, dear," her mother hugged her, patting her back, "We will speak to your uncle and see what can be done. Do not lose hope. It's only for now, it will turn better," her mother said, pulling away to look at Madeline and she kissed her forehead.
Her father looked defeated, and she didn't want to impose on him, knowing how helpless he was feeling.
She then turned to her sister, Beth, who was quiet since the King had spoken about keeping her here in the castle. She moved herself to stand in front of her sister, holding both Beth's hands in hers,
"Beth, please tell the King that I don't want to live here," said Madeline. She saw her father go console her mother who was troubled, and Madeline looked at Beth who was not looking at her, "He might listen to you, I-"
Beth turned to look at her, annoyed; her eyes brows were crookedly raised. Taking Madeline's hands off her arms, "Isn't this what you wanted?" asked Beth and Madeline looked at her confused, "I know deep down you want to live in a castle, a place where you will not have to work and will be dotted. What are you crying about?"
"What?" Madeline frowned, "You know those things do not matter to me. You know I don't wish for these things, and it is you who-"
"Finally, the truth comes out, isn't it?" Beth accused, her green eyes looking at Madeline with resentfulness, "Aren't you happy that you have earned his favour and interest?"
"Beth!" their mother scolded.
Beth took a step away from Madeline, "If you weren't interested you wouldn't have dolled yourself up for the Hallow here. If you weren't interested you would have refused to go, you would not have spent money on the dress," her words were hurtful to hear, "What are you crying about now?"
"I dressed because I wanted to go along with you. I had no interest to pay dress-"
"Then you should have picked a cheaper dress instead of trying to match others. Do not act innocent with me, Maddie," Beth looked in the eye of her sister, "We are sisters. When I told you that I was trying to persuade the King, you went and did something behind my back. You must have got tired standing behind me, wanting the attention which I would have understood if you didn't take away things like this."
Madeline couldn't believe that her sister thought she was trying to take away what belonged to her, "I would never do something like that to you. You are my sister."
"Why don't you tell how you charmed the King then? He seems more than interested when he could have someone better."
"You're crossing the decency of not understanding that it was never my intention to catch his attention," Madeline responded not liking the way her sister was blaming that it was her fault when she had done nothing.
"Her mother supported her, "Madeline is right, Beth. She would never do anything like that. She didn't have the intention to marry the King. Her interest lies in Mr. Heathcliff."
A dry, empty laugh passed through Beth's lips, "Is that so? Do you know Madeline was away from the ballroom for several minutes? Why don't you ask her where and what she was doing during that time?" Beth had her doubts the moment she had seen her sister missing from the room. She had looked all around but Madeline was nowhere to be seen.
But when her sister did arrive back in the room, she had noticed how flushed her face looked even though she had her mask on.
Mr. and Mrs. Harris turned to look at their two daughters. Madeline clenched her hands which was resting on her sides. Did Beth know what happened?
"She must have gone to look at the castle," said Mr. Harris, "Stop blaming her just because the King didn't shower you with the same attention as her. Do you know how difficult this is for your sister?"
The door of the dining room was knocked to have everyone go silent, and Theodore entered the room, "Your carriage is waiting for you, Mr. and Mrs. Harris, and Miss Beth."
Madeline had to swallow the distress she felt from not only having to stay here, but the sister she loved and cared for had accused her of taking the King's attention for her own.
Beth was the first one to leave who didn't care to say bye to her sister as she was more than upset right now. She had barely slept last night at the thought that the King wanted to meet them because of her but who knew that her little sister had gone behind her back to snatch her happiness.
She was in shock and anger to speak more. Something that was almost promised and was near had been taken away from her, and her sister dared to behave innocent and sad that she was supposed to stay here.
Madeline saw her sister pass through the doors. Her mother and father looked at her, her mother saying,
"We will write you letters, write us back," said her mother placing her hand on Madeline's shoulder and squeezing it gently. Her father only gave her a sad nod before they made through the doors to step out of the dining room, leaving her alone in this golden cage.
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