Real Love by Kayla Pugh (the little red hen read aloud txt) 📕

            Love Story

            What is love? A question I have asked myself since I was a girl. How the blow can one know what love is, when they themselves have never had it. My father has told me that I am not “of age” to find love, until now.

            My name, is Caroline Tailor, youngest and only daughter of Sir Matthew and Madame Julia Tailor. My brothers, of which I have three, are: Malachi the oldest, James, and Joshua. All three of which are married with beautiful wives that live here in the castle. And today it is finally come, the day my father has said that I am to be of age 16; to find out what love really is. I have dreamt of it since I was a girl. I have always been zealous of my brothers. They are all older than me, for me being the youngest of my family.

“Caroline, could I have a moment of your time,” my mother calls to me from the bottom of the staircase.

“Coming, Yes Mother?” I ask as I come into view of both my mother and father with an unfamiliar man standing at the base of the staircase.

The man with my mother and father reaches out and takes my hand as I descend the remaining stairs. “My Lady, William Smith” the man says formally introducing himself.

“To what do I owe your company Sir William” I say politely.

“William is the one chosen for you. You are to be his rib”.

“Father, how must I love a man I know not...” I begin to speak, when I am cut off.

“Yes Caroline, you are destined to be with William here. Your mother and I arranged this with Sir William’s folks before you were even born.”

“And my brothers? Did they have to endear such sorrow as this?”

“Yes. My dear, however we chose them, for it is the man’s parents are the ones who choose the best for their son,” my mother said sweetly, not looking at me; but glancing at my father as she spoke.

“Sir William’s family is one of the most desirable breadwinners we know of. We agreed to this arrangement with the Smith family knowing they would be good for our daughter. And you in turn being a good addition to Sir William, as we have raised you right and in which you can take care of a family” my father interjected.

Everything has been made up, and discussed without me. Do I have no say in to whom I wish to love? To whom I wish to marry? Who is to be my family? I am becoming very dumbfounded with the situation as a whole, for I knew not of any of this being a ‘tradition’ in my family. 

“Father, do I have a say in such arrangement?”.

“Of course, my dear,” my father smiles. “Take all the time you need to decide, for this is what we want for you; you are the one who must decide” my father states looking at me with a serious expression displayed on his face.

Great, this is it then. This is love? Forced arrange marriage. I am to spend my life eternally with a man I know not. For this I regret wanting love. This is not what I intended it would be. To leave my family, to be with another’s that I know not. What such great sorrow I must face.

William is not bad. He is beautiful, tall stature with cropped bronze hair and hazel eyes that glisten when his eyes capture mine. For I know him not, it is not him that I want not of, for it is having a man I know not that is a great sorrow itself.

I picture in my mind if I were to truly reject William. Such sad eyes would stare back into mine, one that were once glistening being replaced with eternal sorrow.

I could not do that to a man. For he deserves love, as I. Two lost souls who have wanted this forever, and leaving it now would be tragic.

So, if ever given the choice, my heart shall choose love. For this may be my chance for my love, that may only come around once. This has been planned out through my life. This I believe is what I must do. Choose to love Sir William.

“May I request a moment alone with Sir William Smith father?”

“Yes, of course daughter,” my father says bowing his head and leaving the room with my mother following close behind.

“William, would you accompany me for a stroll on the town?”

“Of course, my lady,”

As we head out the castle we walk side by side through the town, making small talk of the scenery and nature around us.

William looks at me and begins to speak, ‘“Ah! Caroline, how happy would existence prove, if I always had such a companion!”’ he sighs and stops his stroll and turns to face me. His hand caressing my cheek he adds, ‘“My dear, Caroline. Be mine forever!’”.

I stare into his sparkling hazel eyes that smile back at me. I answer in an almost inaudible voice, “Yes.” For this is it. It has now been said, I am now to be his. Mrs. William Smith, Caroline Smith.

I watch as William leans in and caresses my lips with his soft ones, in a delicate kiss. It ends too quickly, for now we are to return home to tell my folks and move myself to his palace with him.

“Father, Mother” I call out to them as William and I walk in hand in hand.

“Yes dear Caroline, have you made a decision?” my mother asks me with a big smile of joy on her face as she appears in front of William and eye and sees are interlocked hands.

“Yes my dear mother, William and I are to be married right away.”

William gently squeezes my hand and plants a kiss upon my cheek. Smiling at me as I look up his tall statue to meet his sparkling eyes.

Love, is not what in thought it was to be. Is this truly love? Being with one you know not? No. However, love, I have come to find out is being with one despite not knowing them. Accepting the love you are given and not denying your chance at love when it comes around. Love is unexpected, this may not be what I have always imagined; happiness can still be found in this “tragic” love.

Text: Work Cited “Life in the 1800s.” The Morse Society. All Knight Productions, 2014. Web. 24 April 2014. Mckay, Brett, and Kate Mckay. The Art of Manliness. N.p. 2010. Web. 24 April 2014. “Mid-1800s/ Civil War Era Marriage Proposals.” World Turn’d ups
Editing: World Turn’d upside down. Blogger, 30 November 2010. Web. 30 April 2014. National Women’s History Museum. Rights for women: Suffrage Movement and It’s Leaders. NWHM, 2007. Web. 24 April 2014.
Publication Date: 05-01-2014

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