Shay lay in bed thinking about Samuel Denyer. How dare he try to manipulate her into having feelings for him. His arrogance astounded her. She assumed it came with his breeding. Nearly every man, who had wealth and power, had a certain kind of egotism. She supposed it was half the reason she never wanted to marry. For some reason her thoughts both angered and saddened her. She had no idea why. He was so confusing and did things to her that she didn't properly understand. A tear seeped from her eye. She was going to have to put a stop to it. This marriage was for his convenience only. Now he wanted to change the rules so he could bed her. Shay rolled over and thumped the pillow. That was never going to happen. Not while she could prevent it.

*

The group of girls sat on the rug in front of Shay listening to the story she was reading them. They'd worked hard that morning learning to count and add numbers. She wanted to reward them. Later some would go to Cook for lessons on how to bake, and others were going to Mary, to learn to sew. The rest would work with her washing the sheets and clothes. A pile had already been done, and was hopefully dry, so it could be taken off the line to hang some more. It was a task that was continual.

She read the next line. "The fox bounded over the fence." Every girl's face lifted from the picture book and stared, mouths agape looking beyond Shay. She frowned and turned around. Samuel stood in the doorway with a bunch of flowers in his hand.

"Good morning, all." He bowed. Every girl giggled. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"You are," Shay said curtly and faced the girls once more. "The fox bounded," she reread. The girls paid no attention to her. She took a breath and stood up to face him. "If you could please leave? You're disturbing my class."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to give you these." Samuel held the flowers out expecting her to take them.

"Very nice. If you could give them to one of the nuns, I'm sure they'll put them to good use." Shay pinched her mouth together to show her disapproval.

"You're still angry with me?"

"This is not the time or the place, sir." Shay couldn't believe him. Hearing the girls tittering fuelled the fire in her belly.

"Is he your lover, Miss Shay?" More giggles erupted from the group.

"Carmen Watters. What sort of question is...?"

Samuel stepped forward and bowed at the girls again. "I am more than her lover. I am her fiancé. We are going to be married soon." He gave them a wink and added, "She's angry with me."

Shay grabbed his arm to pull him back and stop him from talking. "What do you think...?"

One little girl popped up on her knees and pointed at them with a big grin on her face. "I saw you 'avin' words at the pump, yesterday."

"You are correct." Samuel nodded and gave her a broad grin.

"Stop." Shay held up her hand and glared at him. "Stop. Now. All of you." She faced the group of girls and ushered them away. "Go and do your duties. The story will have to wait until next time. You can thank the duke for making you miss out. Heather. Take those dirty sheets to the laundry with you. I'll be there soon." She waited until they had all filed out, and then shut the door, turned with her back to it, and folded her arms across her chest. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to spend some time with you."

"I'm busy."

"Yes." Samuel stepped toward her. "You are."

Shay stepped back. "Will you please leave?"

"No." Samuel took another step.

Shay moved backwards and bumped into the door. "You have to leave."

"I can't now." He grinned and cocked his head. "You're blocking the door."

Before Shay could move, he dropped the bunch of flowers, put a hand on either side of her so she had no escape, and was forced to listen to what he had to say. "Are we never going to talk civilly to each other?"

"Are you ever going to act like a gentleman?"

"I bought you flowers." Samuel smiled. He wanted to touch her, but that would probably put him in a backward direction.

"Flowers mean nothing when your actions are improper." The feeling was back in her stomach. She was sure it was because he was so close.

"I'm sorry." Samuel stepped back. "You are correct. My actions are improper." He sighed, put his hands on his waist and looked at her from under his brows. "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, Shay. How can I make this right? What is it you want me to do, so we can move forward, and I can prove to you that my intentions are good?"

"For a start, you could leave me alone."

Her words made his blood boil. Samuel bit down his retort and took a long slow breath through his nose. "How exactly will that help to set things on a better path?"

"If we don't see one another, we won't irritate each other. Then you will perhaps see, that this marriage idea of yours is a faux, and you will release me from the contract that you have manipulated my father into agreeing to."

Samuel took a long deep breath of air. There was not a chance in hell that he was going to stop this marriage. "That's not going to happen, Shay."

"You need to be clearer." Shay scowled at him. "What's not going to happen? You releasing me from this marriage, or you not realising what a faux it is."

"I am taking this marriage very seriously, Shay. It will be real in every sense. There is nothing you can do to prevent it." Samuel pushed down his frustration and stepped toward her once more. Yesterday he was sure he had evoked feelings in her. Today she was stony cold. He lifted his hand to touch her face.

She quickly pushed his arm away and ducked around him. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare touch me." Shay scurried to the other side of the room. There was no way she was going to have him do what he had done to her yesterday. She needed to have her wits about her and not be drawn into his deception. No man was going to have her believe feelings brought on by touch were genuine.

Samuel watched her pace backwards and forwards. She looked like a frightened child. He'd never had a woman reject him like she was doing. It didn't sit well with him. He was sure it was her lack of understanding about their interaction yesterday, that had her putting up walls. He said, "I have to present you to the king."

"No." Shay jerked her head up and stared at him from across the room. "I'm not..." Shay hadn't given this side of things any thought. She wondered if he had, when he had first put his proposal to her father.

"Yes." Sam stopped her from talking. She was not going to get out of this. "It's a formality only. A small ball tomorrow night. I have accepted the invitation already. I had no choice. The event is being hosted by the king. He is my father's cousin. It is expected that I attend, and bring my betrothed. Do you need a dress?"

"No." Shay stared at him in shock. The King. A ball. This was all too much, too soon. She felt as if she was locked in a maze and couldn't find her way out.

"Are you telling me no, you don't need a dress?"

"No. I won't attend this ball. You can't make me."

"I've just about had enough, Shay. You will wear the lilac dress you wore to Sir Gibbons ball. It will be suitable. I will call on you tonight, whether you like it or not, to discuss this further, and just so we're clear right now." He pointed at her. "You will attend the ball. You will spend time with me, and you will marry me." Samuel opened the door and closed it hard behind him. She was driving him insane.

I'm not sure that force is the correct path to take, Sammy, but I do understand your frustration.  Shay isn't really giving you much choice.  It would be wonderful if she'd sit down and have a simple conversation with you :(

Do you think Shay should give Sam a chance and get to know him a little?

Photo taken from Sophy Crown Flowers