An Arranged Marriage

by C. M. Bryden

  Ignoring the coffee, Jane picked up a glass of water that was on the table in front of her that she sipped instead, relishing its coolness. The cool water going some way to calming the inner turmoil raging within her. Then, with no comment to either man, she stood up, a trifle unsteadily, as she gathered up her handbag and made to leave the room in as dignified manner as she could.

  Jake suddenly realised she was about to flee and hurried to the door, reaching it just a shade before her, blocking her exit and then, taking hold of her arm, he spoke quietly, out of earshot of her father, his voice low and tender. ‘I’d like to marry you very much,’ he said, ‘and it wouldn’t be a marriage of convenience. I’d want us to have a “proper” marriage!’

  Jane was dumbfounded. Whatever did this madman think he was saying? He must be even madder than she’d first thought to even think she would listen to what he was saying, let alone agree to it, or even be willing to accept him as her husband, just to save her father from financial ruin. It was an outlandish suggestion and one she didn’t intend taking seriously!

  She shrugged his arm away, making no comment at his words, not even giving him a backward glance as she opened the door and stormed out of the room, leaving Jake to return to her father, making the cryptic comment. ‘Well, that went well, I think!’

  By the time she reached her flat, Jane had managed to calm down a little. Instead of being really angry, now she just seethed, at both men, but at one in particular, her father, sure in her own mind he’d colluded with Jake in persuading her to marry him; done not for her benefit, but to save his business and, no matter what he said or did, this wasn’t the time when fathers made decisions as to whom their daughters should marry. This was the twenty-first century for goodness sake, not the Dark ages, and she would choose her own husband, thank you very much!

  Chapter Four

  Jake reluctantly watched as Jane walked away from him. All he wanted was to take her in his arms and kiss her, for he really was a man in love. Jane wasn’t like any woman he’d ever known before and he knew he needed her in his life to become complete as a person. He needed her love. Her leaving had only increased his determination to have her as his wife, stubbornly refusing to believe he couldn’t teach her how to love him. As he turned back into the room he could tell from Andrew’s expression he was just as upset at Jane’s outright refusal to consider his marriage proposal as he was. But what Andrew could really see, was his backer vanishing into the mist and his company folding, especially if Jane didn’t change her mind and agree to become Jake’s wife. He also knew her well; she was high-spirited and feisty, as well as being fiercely independent, a fact Jake obviously hadn’t yet fully realised and neither was she a woman easily impressed with the trappings of wealth; nor would she be enamoured by a marriage proposal that had strings attached, such as the one Jake had given her. Andrew knew her independent streak came from her mother, as did the romantic notions of wanting to be wooded and courted.

  If Jake had really fallen in love, the sooner he approached her in a more loving way the better. Perhaps, Andrew thought to himself, he should have a few words with his prospective son-in-law and put him on the right track! But before he could even begin to formulate such a speech in his mind, Jake had gathered up the remaining papers and, after shuffling them into some semblance of order, he stowed them quickly into his briefcase and snapped it shut. The next minute, with his hand outstretched, he faced Andrew and bade him farewell, a wry grimace on his face.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, as he walked towards the door with Andrew. ‘I didn’t handle that very well, did I?’

  Andrew patted the young man on the arm in a fatherly manner, for he liked Jake. He seriously thought he would make Jane a good husband, even though he did have a few rough edges that needed smoothing. In the meantime, Jake had to improve his courtship technique if he was to win his fair lady, but at that moment, Andrew didn’t quite know how to advise him in that department!

  ‘Don’t worry,’ he told Jake, ‘I’m going to see her later, I’ll put in a good word for you, I’ll even go so far as to tell her she could no better than to accept your offer!’

  Jake laughed, rather cynically. ‘Fine, I’ll leave it with you then?’ Knowing full well if Andrew knew which side his bread was buttered he had to get Jane to agree to his marriage proposal, regardless of whether she loved him or not if the business was to survive and, with that, Jake left the room leaving Andrew with his mind in a turmoil and full of anxiety. As for the fates, they didn’t care. They had other things to do.

  As much as he wanted Jane to be his wife, Jake knew he’d have to wait and see what happened over the next day or two. First of all, though, he would send her flowers. He remembered his mother saying years ago most women could be wooed by flowers, perhaps, Jake suddenly thought, he ought to call his mother and ask her advice but, as soon as the thought came into his mind he dismissed it; his courtship of Jane Reynolds was one subject not open for discussion with anyone, other than the lady in question. And, until they were safely married, he didn’t intend for his family to even know she existed!

  How to not only catch a woman, but then to keep her, was going to be a whole new learning experience for Jake. He’d never been in love before, neither had he done any serious chasing, as all his past conquests had been with women more flattered by his wealth and power, than by his looks or charm; learning how to convince the one woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with was certainly going to be a new challenge; a learning curve for Jake Adams that was long overdue.

  Although Jane might have gained the impression Jake was experienced in the ways of women and love, it was untrue. He also knew he had a lot to change, and quickly, if he was ever going to win her heart and hand, finally knowing there was much more to bedding a woman like Jane than he could ever have imagined. But Jake was an intelligent young man, having graduated with a top economics degree from the best university in America, to which he’d won a full scholarship at the age of eighteen. Then afterwards, when he’d spent a couple of years working on Wall Street, gaining practical experience, before returning to England where he’d been head-hunted by one of the “big five” companies.

  In his enthusiasm to succeed in business, he’d sadly neglected to learn the skills needed to become a good husband and father, consequently, he knew very little, in fact practically nothing, about the art of courtship. Oh! Yes! He knew how to get a woman into his bed and make love to her, or least have sex, which is quite different and, in the past, there had been many women who would have loved to have married him; unfortunately, Jake never met one he’d had the slightest inclination to marry, and neither did he have to pursue a woman, married or single to get her into his bed; it was his wealth that was his main attraction to women, exactly as bees are attracted to nectar!

  Jake was now aware in the past that he’d been selfish, toying with a woman’s emotions and at last his conscience troubled him; pricking him into being ashamed at how he’d used women as mere sexual objects and then, once they’d satisfied him, discarding them without a seconds thought. He knew he had to change, or he would lose the one woman he desperately wanted.

  Once he’d amassed the first of his many millions, Jake started in earnest to invest serious money in enterprises others wouldn’t look at, until suddenly, he found he could do no wrong; he had the magical “Midas” touch where money was concerned and, as the money poured in, with such apparent ease his fellow professionals became envious. It was at this point he saw his future lay in buying businesses that were failing. He would then inject them with money and any new technical help available and turn them around and then, when they were profitable again, he would sell them and make even more money. Sometimes he even bought businesses that were beyond his help, it was then he fell easily into “asset stripping”, which earned him the nickname “that bloody pirate” by those in the city; businessmen who were disgruntled by his cut throat methods, but Jake didn’t care what his colleagues, or his
enemies had to say.

  Being a law unto himself, he enjoyed the power having money gave him, even though he knew something was lacking in his life and then, when he first saw Jane, he’d stopped, long enough to think about it, and knew what it was he lacked; it was a proper home life, something he hadn’t had as a youngster and that was probably at the root of his driving ambition and his selfishness. It was his parents divorcing when he’d been very young that had had an adverse effect on his view on marriage and family life, even though both his mother and father had happily remarried and had other children he was quite close to them but he still blamed his parents for sending him away to boarding school, thus depriving him of a family life of his own. (A fact even they acknowledged years later to be a truism.)

  Jake’s new siblings, a half-sister, Sara, from his mother’s new marriage and a half brother, Daniel, from his father’s were, of course, many years younger and while they were small children, he saw little of them, as he was either away at school or in college, or abroad. It wasn’t until he was in his late twenties, and they were teenagers, he’d got to know them, by which time he’d become the attractive much older brother, with his own flat in Chelsea that had easy access to all the theatres and museums in the city. They visited him as often as his work commitments would allow, and soon he became a convenient minder when his parents wanted time alone. It was then the two youngsters came to know and admire their older brother.

  It didn’t particularly bother Jake having them to stay for they were an interesting pair and he liked them both. Daniel was definitely the smart one out of his two siblings and even Jake could see traits in the boy that reminded him perhaps a little of himself at the same age. Sara was different though, being the beauty of the family, taking after his mother for looks.

  It had been Sara, the attractive young lady Jane had seen hanging onto Jake’s arm, the night she’d been at the hotel with her father and Leo, the night when Jake had looked at her in such a scathing manner and Leo knew he’d seen a man disappointed in love!

  Jake loved living in the city and especially his Chelsea apartment, more for the convenience of where it was in relation to the capital’s nightlife, but after falling in love with Jane, his thoughts suddenly changed. He’d decided they would have to have the sort of home suitable to raise the children in, because he knew he wanted to have children with Jane. It would have to be somewhere peaceful though, in a small village, yet not too distant from the city. All he had to do was to convince Jane to marry him!

  Until his first meeting with her, Jake had been a man-about-town, with absolutely no inclination to smell country air, let alone live there, him being a committed city dweller, but all that changed the morning she walked into her father’s office in her sassy business suit and her sexy high heeled shoes and, for the first time in his life, Jake had been completely bowled over. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He was so completely smitten he no longer cared what it would cost him to bankroll her father’s ailing company, just as long as he could have her! Unfortunately for Jake, Jane Reynolds wasn’t going to be the easy pushover his other conquests had been. This was one lady he wasn’t going to find it easy to get into his bed! His wealth made no impression on her at all.

  What he needed he knew, was a plan of action if he was to win her over, a business plan and, the first item on the plan would be how to woo her if he was to win his fair lady!

  The first salvo in his campaign of wooing Jane took the form of a bouquet of long stemmed red roses, all beautifully wrapped in fancy cellophane and tied with a huge red bow, delivered to her door within an hour of her returning home. The card attached might have begged her forgiveness for his crass behaviour, but the underlying message was still quite clear, he was determined to pursue her and persuade her to marry him, leaving her in no doubt this was just the first round of fire in the battle, but who would win?

  Now Jane had a dilemma? She wasn’t used to receiving such large and lavish bouquets, the perfume of which filled her small flat until suddenly, she started to mellow, just a little, as she buried her face in the lush blooms.

  Although she thought Jake to be the most arrogant and abrasive man she’d ever met, to her discomfort, her heart lurched every time she thought of him. She’d started to feel her mind set and resolve weakening the more her physical desire for him took over from her common sense.

  ‘Please,’ she’d prayed to her unseen God, ‘don’t let me fall too much in love with him!’ But it was too late, the deed was done, her God, and the fates, had merely smiled, ignoring her request, for they had plans for her and Jake Adams.

  Back in his apartment, Jake poured himself a stiff whisky and sat, deep in thought, as he idly sipped his drink, his mind filled with images of Jane the first time he’d seen her. His loins began to ache as he recalled her walking into the room. He hadn’t thought a business suit could have turned him on as much as hers had. It was after all just a working outfit any career woman would wear, but to him, her suit was so sexy he’d wanted to divest her of it! As well as all the other articles of clothing she’d been wearing, until she was standing before him as naked as the day she’d been born. Then, once they were both undressed, he would make passionate love to her on top of the desk, having already sent her father packing. As the alcohol burned its way down his throat, he sighed, he had a long way to go before he would be able to fulfil any of his fantasies, which I suppose could well have been the same thoughts Jane was having about him!

  Andrew arrived at Jane’s flat that same evening just a little nervous at the thought of the reception he was likely to receive; deeply ashamed at his deceit in trying to set up his only daughter in marriage with a man she didn’t know, brokering her marriage to an unknown man purely for his own gain. He knew he was selling her to the highest bidder but that wasn’t true of course, as Jake was the only bidder! He was also ashamed at what his late wife would have said, although he knew had she still been alive none of this would have happened.

  Jane answered the door to his tentative knock. By the aroma coming from her kitchenette, he knew he would be offered a meal, if not her forgiveness. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, in a distracted sort of way; giving him the impression her mind was a million miles away from cooking. Absentmindedly, she offered him a drink and then walked away, leaving him to help himself from the drinks tray that sat on a small table in the corner of the room. He noticed the enormous bouquet of roses and wondered whether Jake had sent them, but said nothing.

  It was an easy meal, steak with a simple green salad and a potato dish she knew to be his favourite. A bottle of red wine stood open on the table, already set for two, as Jane had been sure her father would arrive, even though at the moment he wasn’t quite her favourite person.

  Conversation was somewhat stilted at first: whenever Andrew asked a question, Jane answered, but he could tell her mind was not really tuned into him and, once the meal had been eaten and coffee served, he took the initiative and started to talk enthusiastically about Jake’s proposed plans for taking over the company, without mentioning the young man’s other plans of taking her over at the same time! Suddenly, at the mention of Jake’s name, Jane immediately became alert and, fixing her attention on her father she rounded on him.

  ‘What did you think I would say, when Jake Adams had the temerity to tell me I must marry him, or he wouldn’t save your business?’

  Andrew looked at her, shamefacedly. ‘Well, I thought he was just the sort of man who would make you happy and be a good husband,’ he’d replied, rather lamely.

  ‘So you know the sort of man I like, do you?’ she’d asked, at the same time not giving him a chance to answer and tell her that he did know and, if he had his way it would be Jake. Jane knew herself she needed a man who was good at business and that was Jake’s forte for sure, but he was too arrogant for her liking.

  ‘I might tell you, father dear, this is not the “Middle Ages” and I’m old enough to choose my own husband!’


  Continuing in much the same manner she ranted at her father until she was exhausted. At the same time Andrew tried hard to placate her, but, after a while, even he could see he was not going to have much success in trying to persuade her to his way of thinking that Jake was the ideal man for her. Jake, he decided would have to do his own persuading. Something Andrew had no doubt Jake, being an intelligent young man, would succeed in doing where he’d failed.

  It was late by the time Andrew left to go to his club, promising he would call the next day. By this time, Jane had calmed down a little and went to bed, hoping to dream of her pirate, convinced now he really was Jake Adams. This time, her dream had him snatching her from off a burning galleon as it sailed across the high seas! Was it an omen of what her future was to be, she’d asked herself the next morning, when she woke, drenched in perspiration and longing to still be in his arms, as she’d been, when he’d snatched her up and swung her to safety, away from the flames and onto another galleon that had sailed to their rescue. She could still imagine the feel of his arms around her, a sensation that thrilled her and, for a few moments, she wondered if marriage to Jake might not be such a bad idea after all! Perhaps then, with the real man in bed with her, the dreams would stop. Surely it couldn’t be too difficult to get a red-blooded man such as Jake to fall in love with her?

  As for Jake, he already knew he was in love but he also knew he needed to learn more about women and the ways they liked to be romanced. He knew he needed to ask questions of someone already happily married so, out of several suitable married friends, he decided to ask Mark and Liza his closest friends for their advice, knowing they were sure to tell him how to go about properly wooing a woman!