All is Fair in Love and War

Chapter 4

Seline knocked on the door of her father’s study and wait to be told to enter. There was a loud sigh from inside, and then “Enter”. Seline stepped in and closed the door behind her. She was nervous now. Her father had never allowed any of the girls in here unless he was calling them in here to scold them.

“Have a seat Seline” Papa motioned to the studded leather chair in front of him. Seline sat down and looked at her father who had leaned his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers in thought. He pressed them to his lips as if he needed a moment more to think of what he was going to say. He took his hands down and folded them on his desk in front of him and began to speak as he pointed his two touching index fingers at her.

“You, no doubt, are wondering why I have called you in to talk on the eve of your engagement announcement. Out of all my daughters, you my dear, I thought I would be able to make the most advantageous match. For all intents and purposes I had. Until this morning, when I received this." Her father reached down and picked up a letter. He waved it back and forth in his hand as if it was on fire and he was trying to put it out. He stopped and held it still. He looked at the note in his hand and then made a decision and handed it to Seline. It was a hand written note on a small square of parchment. The note read...

Master Herron,

One of you young birds has gone astray. She was seen leaving the hay loft in the early hours of the morning with a young man who is not her betrothed. To save her life you will do the following today before young Seline’s engagement announcement.

You will betroth Seline to the widower Dells, and you will also announce Alene’s engagement to Mr. Glassman. Announce this tomorrow and no one need know of your daughter’s indiscretion, or indeed will you ever know which one it was. If not, all will know by sundown and as the law says, she will die.

Seline could not believe her eyes. She looked back up at her father and did not know what to say. This was all her fault. At least Alene would be betrothed to Mr. Glassman as she wanted, but it would mean that Seline would be married off to the old widower. He only wanted a wife for one thing. To give him an Heir.

Seline’s father got up and came around the desk. He sat on the front of the desk and grasped both of Seline's hands in his. I had to go out and tell Farmer Evans that the betrothal between you and his middle boy Will was off. He was plenty hot about it. It has created bad blood. I don’t think we will be welcome there anymore. What’s worse is that the largest east pasture that was to be your betrothal gift is no longer going to be mine, and the old widower says that he will give no gift until you give him a son and then only if he lives out the first year of life. So as you can see. I will be giving you and Alene a combined wedding and not getting any betrothal presents. We all know that Mr. Glassman is still living in a stable hands quarters. Your poor sister Alene will not have a home to run. If I could make it other for either of you I would, but rather than risk having one of you being put to death, I ask you to make this sacrifice to save the life of one of your sisters.

Seline did not know what to say. Her father had made the match for her that she had wanted and because of her foolishness, she could no longer have it. At least her sister would get the match that she wanted. She was so young though. She hoped that her father would impose a longer engagement period for her. In the end all Seline could do was bow her head and answer “Yes Papa, as you wish.” With that she dropped her father's hands and got up and turned to leave. Her father stood and began to walk back around the desk.

“Oh and Seline, could you ask Alene to come in here now please.” She turned to look back at her father. A silent Seline nodded solemnly and then left closing the door behind her. Seline leaned on the wall next to her father's study to collect herself. She almost had everything that she wanted, and now because she and Will had been careless, it was all gone. Tears welled in her eyes. She looked up at the ceiling to try and will them away. She could not change what she had done now, and she must take the consequences. It could be so much worse. She could be put to death for what they had done. Taking a deep breath and pulling herself together, she fanned her eyes to dissipate the threatening tears. She smoothed her hair, and then her dress, and took a deep breath. She let it out very slowly with her eyes closed as she also let go of all her dreams of being Will's wife. She hurried through the house and upstairs. She knocked on the door to her little sisters’ room. She popped her head in and put on a fake smile for the girls. “Alene, Papa wants to see you.” Alene looked up from the bed where she was sitting braiding her sister's hair for bed. “Me? What on earth for?”

“I guess you will need to go down and find out.” With that Seline closed the door and walked down the hall to her own room. Once inside she collapsed on the bed and cried herself to sleep.