Climbing out of bed, Alessandra took her time to enjoy the warm water as she splashed it on her face, and after she was presentable she made her way downstairs again, wondering if she would remember how to get to the dining room.
After a while she came across an older man in livery that indicated he was a service staff member, and she timidly asked him where the family were. He smiled at her softly and asked her to follow him to doors that he opened, and showed her into the room before removing himself and disappearing again.
Inside the room Alessandra could see that everyone else was already up and enjoying what appeared to be a banquet of a breakfast in front of them. It was so far removed from the quiet little breakfasts she and her parents shared in their home that she felt like she almost wanted to cry at the stark difference.
Looking around the table she could see that the only seat left was between her mother and Edward's mother, which caused relief in Alessandra, although she was now sitting across from Edward. And so the shyness, and resulting embarrassment about the shyness, began all over again.
Edward saw his mother begin a conversation with Alessandra, in a bold attempt to subtly make her feel at ease, and after a while he saw his intended betrothed start to relax a little. While they talked, he watched Alessandra, trying to figure out whatever he could about her, to file away for further attempts at conversation that would happen later. She was quite plain in looks, he could see, but that would not bother him. All he had hoped for was someone he could talk to and be friendly with. So far that was looking unlikely, but he was determined to give his best effort, for his mother's sake.
In the meantime, Alessandra's father was beginning to engage with Edward, asking him about the estate and his life to date. Edward's father had said they as a family had no social standing, but Edward was finding Alessandra's father and mother to both be well spoken and knowledgeable, and very comfortable in their surroundings. There was nothing about them that said they were 'nobody', as his father had said.
The family chatted among themselves until breakfast was cleared and Edward's mother suggested that he take Alessandra for a tour of the gardens. Both Edward and Alessandra looked up at that, surprised at this suggestion that they go anywhere alone, but he nodded in response and stood up, as Alessandra looked at her mother with a pleading look on her face. But instead of her mother coming to her rescue, she smiled at her and encouraged her to go, so the two young people walked out of the room quietly.
Alessandra looked at him only enough to see where he was leading her, through passageways and doorways until they were outside.
He led her through different areas of the gardens, chatting as easily as he could about each one's history as he knew it. He wanted her to feel comfortable and relaxed, but even with his soft nature he was starting to feel like it was all a bit of a pointless effort as she persisted in not talking to him, and they returned to their parents in the drawing room, not having gotten to know each other any better at all.
Chapter Seven
After another two days and nights of similar feelings and efforts having been made, Edward felt like he had no choice but to assume that Alessandra had no desire to marry him, and he spoke to his mother privately about it.
"Edward, you must be patient," she responded to her son's words of sadness.
"Mother, can't you see that she does not want to even be around me? You know as well as I do that I am not handsome and I am not any kind of man that she wants."
His mother looked at him, distressed at this declaration that his self-esteem was being lowered by the discomfort of the young lady that she herself had chosen for him.
"Please give her one more day. If she does not soften after another day I will talk to her and find out what she is thinking," she said, trying to put his mind at rest.
"Yes, Mother," Edward replied sadly, not relishing the thought of continuing these efforts for another day or so, only to be rejected again and again.
* * * * *
That evening after dinner the family again gathered together in the drawing room, with Edward and Alessandra sitting near each other at one end of the room while their parents were at the other.
He looked at her again, this blushing and flustered young woman in front of him. It seemed so useless to put in any effort but he did have determination inside of him, knowing how much it would please his mother.
"Alessandra," he said quietly to her, wanting so much for her to look at him.
At the sound of him saying her name so intimately, she dared to raise her eyes and look at him.
"Yes?"
"If you do not wish for this marriage, it is quite alright. My parents will not force it," he said and saw a brief look of alarm on her face, before he then also saw worry and a deep blush appear over her skin again. Then she looked down again and she was lost to him once more. At that point he was ready to give up completely. If they could not talk to each other at this time, what were the chances that they could go on to have a happy life together?
Somehow the evening passed and that evening in bed Alessandra felt ashamed at herself for having let her nerves take over so much. Now Edward was ready to cancel the arrangement that could otherwise have been suitable for them both, if only she could have done better in her efforts to be friendly.
With that thought on her mind, she finally went to sleep, determined to make a better effort the next morning.
* * * * *
In his room, Edward stood looking in his looking glass, understanding why this woman did not want to know him. He had never felt he was handsome, but this level of her not wanting to talk to him was taking him to a new level of dislike for himself and what he looked like. And now he was caught in a horrible place, wanting to do the right thing for his mother, but wondering at what point he should stop doing that and consider what was right for him.
Chapter Eight
At breakfast the next morning nothing had changed. Alessandra was still quiet but did seem to be making somewhat of an effort, at least with Edward's parents.
After breakfast she left the room to find somewhere to be alone and gather her thoughts and her confidence, and found a pleasurable spot inside an enclosed glass room that appeared to be used for growing plants, but had seats set around inside of it, like seats inside a small jungle.
She was so deep inside her own thoughts that she did not hear the door open.
"Alessandra," said the voice she immediately identified, and she forced herself to look up at him.
"Edward," she stammered back at him, feeling the blush coming on again, and cursing herself on the inside yet again.
He watched her, sitting there and looking stubborn in her effort to not speak to him, and knew he had reached his point of no return. He could not keep doing this, and it would never work between them.
He took a deep breath and started to leave.
"Wait," he heard her say, and he stopped and looked back at her.
She was standing, facing him, and had such a look of determination on her face that he stopped and gave her the time he felt she was due to speak.
"Please," she pushed out, and he could see the effort on her face. "Please, sit down with me."
She moved back so there was room for him on the bench she had been on, and he did as she bid, looking at her.
"Please, let me speak," she began as Edward watched her face go a darker and darker shade of red. "Although my parents have always told me that this would happen - I would one day go and marry someone I did not know - now that I am here, I am finding it … very difficult…"
"We don't have to get married," Edward said softly, trying to reassure her, but she stopped him from speaking more.
"Since I came here you have been nothing but attentive and kind to me, and I am very sorry about this silly insistence my face has to turn into a beetroot so often. It causes me vexation and then I get more frustrated at myself for being so silly…" she continued, determined to say what she wanted to say.
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Edward watched her and started to feel not only relief but also some light amusement at her words and a new side that was starting to reveal itself all of a sudden.
"Please don't think that I don't want to be here, or even that I don't like the thought of marrying you. I…" she started to say before taking a breath and looking right into his eyes, surprising him in this first flush of boldness. "We live in a very small area and I do not remember the last time that I met new anyone new, so my skills in conversation are greatly lacking, I know, but if you are willing to please be patient with me a little longer, I promise to try harder to relax more around you."
She stopped for a moment and realised that he was now watching her face intently, which of course resulted in her getting flushed all over again. But now she smiled shyly at him.
"See, you do not even need to do anything for my face to go so red," she said, trying to sound light hearted and make him smile too.
Edward had listened to her and now watched her, and as he saw her force herself to really look at him and smile at him, he was thankful he had not rushed to dismiss the idea of marriage to her quite so quickly.
He thought she had finished speaking, and was enjoying just looking at her for the moment, but then she spoke again.
"Could we perhaps start again?" she asked, looking at him, smiling at him through extreme redness in her face, and holding out her hand to ask for a handshake. "Hello, I am Alessandra and I am very pleased to meet you."
Suddenly Edward felt enchanted by her, like she had just woven a spell over him, as he placed his hand in hers, happy to begin again as she was.
"Alessandra, I am very pleased to meet you too. I'm Edward."
They smiled at each other and finally a moment of relaxation came for both of them at the same time. They were both unaware that from a window nearby they were being watched by their mothers who were huddled together, having decided between them that they needed to come up with a plan to get their children talking.
"I think we shall not be needed after all," Edward's mother said to Alessandra's, who nodded in return.
"I think you are right. All will be well now."
They both looked on toward their children as in their own heads they each remembered when they went to their individual husbands-to-be, and how awkward that had been for each of them.
* * * * *
For the rest of that day Edward and Alessandra started relaxing more and more with each other, loosening up like a thread that was being pulled from a very tight cloth.
As Edward looked at her that evening, when they sat near each other in the drawing room as they had done each night since she had arrived, he finally saw before him a young woman who had knowledge, dreams and a desire to do right by her parents.
"But Alessandra, I really did mean it when I said that we don't have to get married if you do not wish it. I would not want to force anyone to be my wife…" Edward started to say when their conversation was finally completely relaxed between them and they had started to talk like friends who had known each other for a long time.
Alessandra looked at him and smiled at him while reaching out and taking his hand, a movement that was new but didn't seem unnatural to her.
"Edward, I thank you for that but I really don't want to not marry you. But if you do not wish it…" she started but he squeezed her hand, by now looking at her in a very different light from what he had done before today.
"No! No, Alessandra, this marriage is a gift from our parents. They all want this and it is important to me to regard their wishes. I want to be married but I want it to be with someone who wants to work at a marriage as much as I do. I think you and I could be happy if we are both willing to work at making each other happy. I want to make you happy."
And suddenly they were sitting, holding hands, and simply happy to have found each other.
And from the other side of the room, two sets of parents smiled at each other also.
Chapter Nine
The next day Edward and his father excused themselves immediately after breakfast, saying they had to go attend to some business in a nearby town, leaving Alessandra with her mother and Edward's mother.
"I have asked Cook to prepare us a picnic lunch, which I thought we could enjoy out in the garden since it is such a lovely day. Soon it will be too cold to enjoy time outside," Edward's mother said and they were later settled outside on the grass, relaxing with good food and conversation.
During this time Alessandra said little, listening to the two mothers comparing stories as they talked about her and Edward as children. And when their conversation turned to their initial experiences with each of their husbands, Alessandra really listened and enjoyed the stories they had to tell about their own levels of determination to make their marriages happy with the men they did not even know.
* * * * *
Later that afternoon they entered the house to find the men back from their journey. When they saw them, it was clear they had embarked on something enjoyable, judging by the smiles on their faces.
Edward's mother teased them, making Alessandra laugh.
"What mischief have you two been up to?" she pressed them and finally they gave in.
"Edward has chosen a gift for Alessandra," Edward's father said, smiling at his son.
Alessandra blushed and looked down, making Edward smile now that he understood her blushing was a positive thing, not a negative one.
"Alessandra," Edward said softly to her. "I wished to get you a gift to show you how much I look forward to being your husband. Please come with me."
He stood up, as did his parents, all welcoming Alessandra and her parents to follow, as he led them all out toward the stables.
When they got outside Edward looked exceptionally happy and proud as he signalled to a groom to walk out a beautiful white pony that he as a horseman knew was well suited to Alessandra's petite size.
While he expected her to look surprised, the look on her face wasn't quite one of horror, but it was something indefinable and definitely unexpected.
"This is Misty," he said, uncertain now that he had done the right thing in buying it for her.
He saw her look desperately at her parents, who equally had indefinable looks on their faces.
"Don't you like her?" Edward finally asked her, confused.
Alessandra stepped up to him so that she was right in front of him, and took and held his free hand.
"Edward, you are so kind, and she is a wonderful gift, but…" she started to say and he waited patiently for her to continue, fearing that she was going to reject the gift because she wanted now to reject him.
She smiled sadly at him as she spoke again. "I can only accept her if you will promise to be patient with me as you teach me how to ride her."
Finally he comprehended what she was saying, and why she had looked uncomfortable.
"You have never ridden a horse?" he asked with a tone of disbelief. He had grown up on horses - had ridden since he was a toddler, so it had not occurred to him that she did had not done the same.
Now she was smiling with a look of amusement that relaxed him. "No, never. But I am happy to learn, if you are happy to teach me."
Edward, after the initial shock passed, smiled brilliantly at her.
"I will gladly teach you to ride," he said happily and everyone clapped, reminding the two of them that they were not alone and had an audience.
Alessandra heard Edward's mother call to her and summon her over to her.
"Alessandra, if you do not ride then I suspect you will not own a riding habit?" she asked and Alessandra shook her head. "Tomorrow you and your mother will come with me to my dressmaker, and we will get one made up for you. After that, Edward can teach you to ride."
* * * * *
Later that evening, in their usual spot, Edward apologised to her.
"I'm sorry, Alessandra. I didn't even think to ask if you liked horses…"
She laughed softly at him.
As he started to look at her now, he noticed that his appraisal of her had changed. Before he had considered her quite plain but now that she was smiling, he found he was enjoying looking at her more and more.
"But you must be patient. To me, horses are very large and quite scary," she continued, looking directly at him now that she had begun to force herself to.
In his mind, Edward could not imagine being afraid of a horse, but took her at her word and nodded.
"I promise. And it isn't essential you can ride, you know, so if you really do not like it, you do not need to persist in trying to learn."
Alessandra smiled at him softly, enjoying that finally she was finding some confidence to be around him, and although she still blushed often, she no longer let it affect her so much.
Chapter Ten
The following day both mothers escorted Alessandra to get measured up so a riding habit could be designed and prepared for her. In their home she had had dresses made, of course, but not with the detail or cost that she imagined was being invested in her now. Her mother was surprisingly relaxed about it, and Alessandra realised how little she had known about her mother's background, all these years. They lived so quietly and simply day to day but looking at her mother now she could see perfect calm and harmony with being in these surroundings, and with every little thing that happened.
Later that day she approached her mother and asked her to walk in the garden with her, an invitation which surprised her mother as her daughter so little asked for anything.
As the two of them walked, Alessandra suddenly found herself somewhat shy and afraid to ask the many questions she wanted to.
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