“And then you married him?”
“Not quite,” she chuckles. “There was a small complication.”
I lift my head, my interest piqued. “A complication?”
“I was betrothed to another man,” she confesses with a shrug. “His father was a family friend, and my parents had been pushing me to agree to the match the moment I reached womanhood.”
An arranged marriage?!
Eee!
This is better than a romance novel.
“Was he awful?” I envision a villain reminiscent of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. That would make Thane the beast. My lips twitch at the idea.
“No. Jacque was handsome enough and incredibly kind,” Bella says, ruining my comparison. “I resented my parents forpushing me to choose him, but Jacque would have made a decent husband.”
“So… how did you get out of the engagement?” I think about the historical romance movies I’ve seen and how they emphasize the importance of maintaining a good reputation. Bella might not have been a noblewoman, but breaking off an engagement still wouldn’t have been accepted by her parents or the society she grew up in.
“The day after I ran into Thane, he showed up at my father’s bakery.” She shakes her head, her eyes taking on a faraway look. “I didn’t know how he’d found it. I had no idea that our connection would lead him right to my front door. I just thought it was fate. Which, I suppose, it was.”
A romantic scene forms in my head. I choose to ignore the fact Bella was only sixteen and focus on the grand gesture I imagine is coming.
“Did Thane ask you to marry him right then?” I ask.
“Not quite.” Her focus returns as she looks back at me, and her eyes sparkle. “He ordered bread and spoke with my father about his business. He barely looked at me at all. I was so hurt when he walked out without saying a word.
“But he came back the next day.” She grins. “And the next day. And the next day. Thane came by for an entire week, ordered bread, spoke with my parents, and then left. Until finally, on the seventh day, he asked my father to marry me.”
My jaw drops.
Bella laughs. “I’d never seen my father so stunned. He couldn’t believe it. He’d never seen Thane speak to me. He didn’t know what to make of the well-dressed stranger asking for his daughter’s hand.”
At this point, I’m completely absorbed in this love story. “Did you know he was going to ask?”
"No! I was helping my mother bake muffins when I overheard Thane tell my father he wanted to marry me. I dropped the entire pan on the floor."
Ilovethat.
“How did your father react?”
Her amusement dims. “Father kept his composure, but the moment Thane left the bakery, he accused me of entertaining Thane’s attention. He was sure I was unfaithful to my promise to wed Jacque.”
I frown. That sounds pretty harsh. I want to think my dad would give me the benefit of the doubt in a situation like that… not that I’d ever be in such a situation.
“What about your mom?” I ask. “Was she mad?”
“No, but she wasn’t thrilled either.” Sadness laces her words.
“Well… things must have worked out.” I muster a reassuring smile. “After all, you’re married to Thane.”
“Yes.” She spins the modest emerald ring around her left ring finger. A band of small diamonds rests beside the beautiful stone. “Thane returned the following day with this ring and asked me to marry him. We barely knew each other, but there was no denying the visceral pull I felt towards him. I couldn’t imagine saying no to him.”
“How did Jacque take it?”
“He was disappointed, but he married my younger sister, Rosie.” Bella leans back in her chair with a soft chuckle. “The two of them had a big family and shared a very nice life.”
I hug my knees.