It was a busy week, so he was relieved when Saturday morning came. Despite Claire‟s telegrams telling him that he was

being too controlling, he was actually looking forward to the wedding. He was eager to see how the church was decorated and how good the fish and steak tasted. He knew the Mrs. Will do excellent job at her catering business.

On Saturday morning, he arrived at the church early so Williams could escort Claire and her family to the church. It was bad luck for him to see her before the wedding, so he stayed well out of sight in the groom‟s room.

However, an hour before the wedding, a loud knocking on his door interrupted his meeting with his father‟s lawyer. He was

already dressed and ready for the ceremony so he was ready to open the door when someone from the other side yelled that it

was the bride who was knocking. He immediately locked the door.

“I must speak with you,” Claire demanded from the other side of the door.

“You can talk to me after the wedding,” he replied.

“I will talk to you now. Let me in.” She tried to open the door.

“No way. You know what tradition says.”

“I also know that tradition says I am to marry for love, but that‟s not the case either.” She tried to open the door again. “You are an obstinate man!”

“Then we are a good match because you are an obstinate woman.” He grinned at his clever retort.

“Why did you buy my family new furniture?”

“Because they needed it.” Was this really worth discussing before a big ceremony?

“You didn‟t even ask me if I was alright with it.”

“I asked them and they said yes. It had nothing to do with you.”

“They are my family.”

“And in about an hour, they‟ll be mine too.”“Claire, we told you to go back to your room,” another woman kindly told her.

“No, Mother,” Claire argued. “He can‟t just come into my life and take over everything and everyone in it.”

“But we needed those things. Most son-in-laws wouldn‟t care about his wife‟s family.”

He grinned. He was pleased that her family was enjoying their new furniture and clothes. When he saw the condition of their old things, he was relieved that they agreed to it since he couldn‟t imagine people living in such horrible conditions.

“What is he going to make me do next?” Claire asked her mother. “Is he going to start teaching me how to act like a lady?

Really, Austin . Where does all this manipulation end?”

“Claire Lewisville , you get to your room right this minute,” came a male voice.

“hosea, this is none of your business!”

“Sure it is when you‟re making a public spectacle of yourself. You are downright impossible to deal with. Pardon my

sister, Mr. Hansworth. She was raised better than this.”

“I don‟t need any of you to apologize for me. I am not sorry! I am your daughter and your sister. Some family loyalty would be nice.”

“We are being loyal, sweetheart,” her mother said. “Don‟t you see that this is the best thing you can do for yourself? Do you

want to be a spinster for the rest of your life?”

“Yep,” hosea added. “With the way you act, no other decent man would have you. You better count your blessings and

hold onto that one.”

“I am not that horrible of a person. Why does everyone insist that I am impossible to deal with?”

“Because you are,” a group of people replied.

“Some family you are,” she grumbled.

Austin chuckled at the family drama ensuing on the other side of the door. Mr. Mitchell, we could get her drunk if you‟d like,”hosea

offered. “It might be the only way to subdue her enough so that she won‟t disturb anymore guests. She nearly ran through the church like a cat with its tail on fire as soon as she saw her dress.”

“That‟s because I hate lace, but what would you know what I like or dislike. You didn‟t even bother to ask,” Claire bitterly told Jake.

“It‟s just for your wedding,” her mother consoled her.

“No. It‟s for the next six months of my life.”

“You should act better than that,” her brother inserted.

“You don‟t want to be so miserable he‟s going to drop you. You‟re always wanting to hold babies. If you play your cards

right, you can hold one of your own someday.”

Austin cringed. That was not going to happen.

“That will never happen,” she hissed.

At least we can agree on that. Austin was comforted by knowing he had no desire to be intimate with her. Her continual nagging

made that easy for him.

Austin immediately locked the door.

“Good morning, Miss Lewisville,” his father‟s lawyer said. “I am sure you are aware of this arrangement. You did sign the contract.”

She calmed down. “Yes, sir. I did.”

“And in that contract, was there anything specifying clothing or your family aside from the monetary counseling?”

“No.”

“Then isn‟t Mr. Hansworth technically within his rights to do what he has done?”

Her silence was enough of an answer.“We only have forty-five minutes left before the wedding and we haven‟t decorated your hair yet,” her mother said. “Come along.”

“Very well,” Claire resigned herself. “But this isn‟t over, Austin hansworth.”

Austin rolled his eyes.

Mr. Bart knocked on the door. “The coast is clear.”

Austin opened the door and let him in.

To his surprise, the lawyer was laughing. “She‟s a wonderful woman.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because she is sincere and honest. You can be sure of one thing, she‟s not marrying you to impress people and she will

also let you know exactly what‟s on her mind. You won‟t have to guess with her. And if she does fall in love with you, she‟ll be

faithful for life.”

“Falling in love is the last thing on my mind,” he softly growled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much love

V.A 💙