Marriage by Law by N.K. Pockett Read Free Book Online Page A

out all night." She walked to the other end tying the curtains up more securely and opening the windows.
     
    "I think I was just tired or something," I said, yawning as I watched her. I wobbled on my feet and my vision dazed and I stopped blinking till it returned to normal. That was weird. I blinked again, nothing.
     
    "Indeed. Darius has sent me to remind you of the afternoon party today. It will be both your first appearance as a couple so I had Charles bring by some new dresses you can try on, darling. We can try them after you get a good breakfast."
     
    "Alright. I'll be down in a second, Ma," I said. Margaret nodded and left me alone to get ready quickly.
     

     
     
    Walking downstairs, I could smell something amazing. It smelt more like lunch than breakfast but looking at the clock, I saw that it was only half past ten. Way too early for breakfast, I thought sarcastically.
     
    "What's happening?" I asked Margaret as I walked into the private dining room. She was setting up plates and I helped serve the water. She shot me a look and I shrugged. He wasn't here so he wouldn't know I helped.
     
    "Darius doesn't like the food at the party and so he usually eats in the morning. Just be careful with what they give you, dearie. Miss Alvin cooks it herself and it's known that her pastries can make you quite sick."
     
    I let out a small laugh, nodding. "Alright. I'll try to keep that in mind," I said. Personally, I thought it was mean that everyone knew it but no one told her anything. Won’t she be offended when she realises no one has touched her food?
     
    But I couldn’t talk. I was a horrible cook.
     
    I rubbed my eyes, leaning back in my chair as the chef came out with the food and served it on the table. I grimaced. He noticed my face and sent me an apologetic look.
     
    "I can make o-"
     
    "It's fine, don't worry," I assured him trying, to put on a strong face. He had made all this food and I didn’t want him to make more. He nodded and left and Darius came in and I stared at my plate in shock.
     
    Seafood.
     
    If there was one thing I hated, it was seafood. Great. Just perfect.
     
    I stared at my plate longer and pushed the edible pieces to the side, which happened to be the vegetables in the sauce. The smell of the fish and prawns was overpowering and I tried not to show that I was sick.
     
    I looked up and saw Darius staring and quickly grabbed a spoonful and shoved it in my mouth chewing. As soon as he looked away, I grabbed the napkin and placed it near my mouth, spitting whatever it was out.
     
    It probably tasted good but for as long as I knew, I disliked the taste of seafood. There was a bowl of bread rolls and I grabbed one, taking a bite out of it. At least this was edible.
     
    Margaret came into the room and looked around to see how things were going and then saw my plate and her eyes widened.
     
    "Oh, Ivory, Charles has come. Would you like to go now or in a while?"
     
    "Now's fine," I said quickly before she finished and shot up, a bit too soon, and threw my roll into my plate. I sent a quick smile around the room and rushed out with Margaret hot on my tails.
     
    The moment I was in my bedroom, I rushed to the bathroom and brushed my teeth again, trying not to vomit.
     
    "Oh, I am so sorry. I completely forgot you don’t eat seafood."
     
    "Its fine," I said with a mouthful of toothpaste, probably something my mother would kill me and have a heart attack for. So very unlady like , she would say, this is not how I raised you! Well, she never did raise me. My nanny did and she did a terrible job.
     
    I walked back into my bedroom and froze, looking at the new dresses on the bed and silently groaning.
     
    Let the trials begin.
     
     
     
     
    If I thought dinner and lunch times were awkward, sharing a limousine ride with this man would probably be worse.
     
    Seated opposite each other, both of us stared out the window, not even a word of conversation. Did my parents even know who they