Elizabeth Collins who was, but as from from five minutes before had become Lady Elizabeth Robinson walked slowly up the aisle holding on to her new husbands arm, smiling at the friends and family who had just watched the pretty 19 year old marry a man almost three times her age Sir David Robinson, one of the richest Canal and Mill owners in the whole of England .
With the bright afternoon sun light coming through the stain glass windows of the private chapel on the Robinson estate she should have been filled with happiness and joy, but she had just married a man to save her Father from going to Debtors Prison, a man she had no love for , a man who only once during their short courtship had ever shown any sign of emotion , and that was when his favorite horse had to be put down after a fall at a fence and throwing Sir David during the local hunt .
Elizabeth had taken after her Mother, both woman were tall dark haired beauties, full of life and fun,even though times recently had become hard .Her Mother who was in her mid 30’s turned heads where ever she went, together Mother and Daughter would cause a mild rumpus at the local market when they went shopping together, men would fall over each other in the hope of ” rubbing up against the women by accident”.
The reception was held in the Great Hall of York House ,Sir Davids ancestral family home ,a huge rambling house situated on it’s own on the edge of the Moors , where even though it was mid summer the house seemed cold to Elizabeth as she sat there listening to the congratulations and best wishes as the guest drank toasts to the happy couple.
Once the meal was over the guest began to leave only Elizabeth and Sir David were left standing on the front steps of York House waving goodbye as the lasts guest left , there carriage disappearing down the long tree lined drive.
Shall we my dear said Sir David to Elizabeth , shall we what she said aimlessly looking at him, suddenly realizing that after a day of being surrounded by so many people, they were alone, only the staff silently cleaning the Great Hall were with them in the house.
Shall we what she said again slowly, he looked her up and down shall we what he said laughing, well shall we he said facing her, shall we find out if your the virgin your Mother assured me you were, and if you arrrrre he said emphasizing the R, then I guess it will be time to make a woman out of you don’t you think ?
She stood looking at him with wide eyes, she knew this day would come ever since he had been a little girl when he Mother told her folk tales , she knew when the guest began to leave that this hour would come, but her hopes and dreams of turning from a girl to a woman had always been with a knight in shining armor, on a white steed, not with a man who looked at her with lust not love in his eyes, with evil not kindness in his smile .
She hung her head and whispered I am now your wife and you are my husband ,you own me, I know I am nothing more than a chattel to you, I am here because if I was not, you would have sent my dear Father to prison and my Mother and I would be destitute with no where to live and no way to support ourselves, for that I thank you Sir she said ?
He lifted her chin gently until she looked at him ,she smiled weekly at him, it was the first time he had even felt half way human to her. My dear he said you are chaste aren’t you ? She blushed and tried to look down ,but he held her head up with his hand, I am Sir she said, no man has ever kissed me until you did today.
Good he said, good, now go and prepare yourself for bed,it has been a long day and I am sure you wish to get this over with. You know he said looking at her I think I am going to enjoy this.
He let go of her chin , and rang a bell on the entrance hall table, a woman dressed in nothing but black clothes came down the stairs. Belladonna he said ,show Lady Elizabeth to her room please and prepare her for bed. I can get myself ready said Elizabeth quickly, just let her show me where my room is.
Sir David looked at his wife, my dear when I need you to change an instruction I have given to my staff I will tell you is that clear ,now Belladonna do as I asked please, thank you.