It Became A Serious Thing 9

Very Much 9: Matthew is a harem master. He tripped and fell and landed with his thing in her thing

When the strength of the two men eventually flagged, Lionel spoke up,

‘With this situation, we don’t have to pay compensation for the cancelling of the engagement,’ (Zuben: I knew this sly person had something up his sleeve)

‘That is true. And from now on the Folk Shop will not be trading with you!’ Colette’s father said still angry.

‘And the same goes for us. We will not trade with you either!’

The animosity of both men could not be helped. Colette sighed,

‘Are you alright, Colette?’ Lionel asked gently. Lionel seemed anxious.

She was all right but she realised she really couldn’t marry Matthew after this. He hadn’t been this sort of person when she left home two years ago. But she had to know what happened,

So Colette spoke up for the first time since she greeted her parents,

‘Let me talk with Matthew for a bit, just the two of us.’

Everyone protested, but Colette was insistent so they were eventually left alone with the door agar,

Colette turned to Matthew for the first time in a long while,

‘So you got girlfriends. Two years ago you weren’t like that; if anything you were shy and were not good at talking to girls.’ She said softly. They had been friends for a long time, so she could talk freely with him,

‘So tell me,’ she asked, ‘what happened?’

Matthew’s gentle face clouded over as he sighed, ‘Really, how this happened I don’t understand myself. One thing just lead to another,’

‘Please tell me,’

Matthew nodded and began his story. There was an invitation from Guilietta Flouqette, a daughter of a good customer of theirs. He took some fabric that she had been interested in along. She served some tea, he somehow got drunk, and his body got hot and found himself riding Guilietta. (Zuben: Poor fellow, he got drugged)

Matthew told her he could not marry her, and he was engaged to Colette. She seemingly accepted, but said it was still fine to have an affair,

‘Anyway, I refused her after the second time. But then she began to cry and cling, and looked pitiful. And then she threatened, and somehow I could not completely refuse her.’

‘…’

To Colette, this story seemed very familiar.

‘I used contraception, oral and devices, because I didn’t want to get her pregnant and she had given me defective ones before.’ (Zuben: This dude…)

‘If feels like a planned crime,’ Colette said. (Zuben: It is)

‘It was,’ he replied with a sorrowful sigh.

‘And the other women?’

He told her truthfully, ‘I got called out for a home consultation and then when I get there they push me down and coerce me...’

‘You didn’t dislike them, though you tried to refuse - they try to persuade. You thought they were kind of cute and weakened.’ Colette surmised,

‘How did you guess…?’

Because she understood. Colette and Matthew were the same kind of people; it was easy enough to know that they would both cave under pressure. Matthew had a gentle personality and didn’t voice his opinions very easily, so a pushy person could easily win him over. And he could be rather indecisive.(Zuben: Is that right...?)

‘But Mattie, is such a situation okay for business?’

‘That’s another thing. I will make sure nothing I do affects the business,’

‘Really? Are you really sure about that?’ Colette asked, sceptical but Matthew’s gaze became a little mean, as he turned to Colette,

‘And what about you, marrying this Knight Commander, it most likely isn’t fully your intention.’

‘Well that’s…’

‘As for me, it was not clear; I may have been approached as a punishment game or something. After that I refused firmly as I kept having misunderstandings. I did not try to do anything wrong,’

‘I get it,’

They were childhood friends and he knew about Colette’s easy to influence personality. He understood how she was in this position.

‘I am careful about business, but for Colette marrying this person in such a high position, it would be hard for you if you remain as you are.’

‘Why do you think that?’

‘In such a position, you can be betrayed and threatened by political enemies, even killed.’

‘Don’t say such scary things,’

‘Well, that is an exaggeration. But may be blackmailed and threatened and not allowed to tell your husband. This may cause problems in your relationship,’

The thought was really scary, especially since the Commander of the White Eagle Knights already had something against Colette, she suddenly felt alone,

‘What should I do in situation like that…?’

‘Tell your husband right away.’

‘All right…’

‘I should have told you, but I couldn’t bring myself to hurt Colette. I was scared of being with Sophie, especially when I heard she was being threatened.’

‘You also shouldn’t live in fear without saying anything. You should take responsibility,’

Matthew shook his head,

‘I’m afraid to say it to Colette, for I fear that you would not believe me, but I think I was cursed by that witch.’ (Zuben: All the ridiculousness that has occurred in the last chapter, this tops it.)

Colette remembered the witch and her she made a face. The witch he referred to was a not a genuine witch (Zuben: I should bloody well hope not), but their female teacher.

When they were both ten and eleven, they were both taught together in both their houses. On the surface, the teacher looked kind and gentle and taught them well, but as time went on she was a manipulative individual.

The witch was fickle, and always twisted the children’s words. One could not refute her. She would get angry and beat them for something small, and gently praise them the next moment. So they were never sure where they stood with her. When she beat them, they could not shout or cry. She traumatised them. (Zuben: Oh! The tragedy!)

But Colette said, ‘That is an excuse, it is still your responsibility.’

‘Yes…’ he replied with a sigh,

‘Even though we cannot get married anymore, I don’t blame you at all, but I think it would be good for Mattie to chose a woman who would work hard for your family’s business.’

‘But I wanted to marry Colette,’

‘I think you should let it go. Both of us are weak in character, it would have been trouble.’

‘Nevertheless, I have always dreamed about being with you.’

‘Thank you, but it would be hard for Sophie to be allowed to marry someone who already has a child. And you can be rather fickle,’ (Zuben: I don’t think it is the child that is the problem, it’s the easily coerced nature.)

‘You should be careful, Colette,’

‘I think Lionel wouldn’t do such a thing...’

‘Not him, I mean you.’

‘…’

‘I understand, that may be something I have to think about.’ (Zuben: Indeed)

Between Colette and Lionel, it was Colette who was likely to cheat for she was weak under pressure and coercion. She did not like to disappoint people; therefore she could be manipulated into doing something she didn’t want to easily. (Zuben: That was how Lionel ensnared her)

Now that her fiancé was Lionel, Mattie wanted to advise her gently.

‘I will be careful,’

‘Good. I’m sorry all this happened. Please come visit one of these days,’

‘Hm.’

She should try to be careful in the future, Colette thought.

The two of them returned to the drawing room, Matthew’s father was still grumbling and complaining about Colette,

‘So Matthew had a child out of wedlock, but the cancelling of the engagement was on Colette’s side. How do we know that she’s not pregnant as well?’

Lionel towered over the man and said quietly but menacingly, ‘Shut your vulgar mouth. Colette is pure. Someone like you will not defile Colette’s honour.’

Matthew apologised to everyone on behalf of his irresponsible father, and he dragged the older man home.

Colette’s parents turned to Lionel with expressions of gratitude,

‘Thank you very much. Thank you for not having Colette marry such a person. Thank you for protecting Colette’s honour.’

It was semantics really, Colette thought as she watched the moving scene, everything except penetration had been done. And there was that time, he tried his luck and almost finished the whole thing off.(Zuben: Indeed)

Lionel was a very serious Knight Commander, who was as serious as he looked, but there might be a deviously clever person in there thinking about it deeply. She was suddenly suspicious.

Am I going to get married to this person…? (Zuben: Yep)

Zuben: Last weekend of summer. Do your pre school or work prep, then go out and get nekkid! LOL only if you want. Have fun!

Index♞Chapter 10