Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
It was a good hour before Margaret managed to get to the bottom of the problem.
Oh, she understood her daughter had lied and why she’d done it.
After all, she’d been young once too. She didn’t care for Sean’s mother either, and at this moment she wasn’t particularly fond of Sean.
Imagine him spanking her daughter! Who did he think he was?
Aye, she knew some women put up with that sort of thing, the man is the king of his castle and all that nonsense, but Margaret wasn’t one of them.
She ruled the roost, and had since her very first argument with Maeve’s da. Women had ways to get around that and it would be best for Maeve to put Sean O’Malley in his place right from the start.
“Are you sure you want to marry The O’Malley?” she asked, patting her daughter’s hand.
“No,” Maeve replied as she fiddled with her teaspoon.
“Well do ya love him?”
“Aye, Ma. I do. I have for years and years, but I didn’t know he was goin’ to be so bossy and opinionated. Well, I guess I did, but I hoped he’d grow out of it when he became a full grown man. And I never really expected him to want me.”
“Why would you say such a thing? You’re a lovely young woman and any man would be lucky to have you.”
Maeve smiled wryly and shook her head. “We both know I’m about as average as a lass can get. There’s nothin’ special about me.”
“That’s not true. That glorious auburn hair is enough to attract attention and your eyes are beautiful. Unfortunately, I think O’Malley is attracted to your spirited nature.”
“Why unfortunately?”
“Most men say they want a quiet, manageable wife and some truly do, but O’Malley would be bored with a woman like that before the honeymoon was over. You’re quick witted and feisty. There’s a fire in you that draws him in, but in the end, it will burn you too, my girl. Make no mistake about that.”
“Aye, I’ve felt that burn and I can’t say as I like it,” Maeve admitted, “but there’s passion too. I feel somethin’ when he touches me I’ve never felt before. I want him, Ma,” she whispered, softly blushing.
“A passionate man is both a treasure and a curse,” Margaret sighed. “Only you can decide if the price is to dear to pay.”
“It doesn’t matter now anyway,” Maeve said, her shoulders drooping. “I doubt I could get rid of him even if I wanted to.”
“There is a way,” Margaret said slyly, watching her daughter out of the corner of her eye as she rose to begin peeling potatoes for their supper.
“How? Sean O’Malley is the most determined and stubborn man I’ve ever met. Once he sets his mind to somethin’, it’s as good as done.”
“It won’t be easy to get rid of him, especially for you,” Margaret warned, keeping her back turned as she smiled. “It goes against your nature.”
“Am I goin’ to commit a crime?” Maeve gasped. “Poison him or somethin’?”
“Of course not,” Margaret snorted, “Although that might be easier,” she continued thoughtfully.
“Ma!”
“I’m teasin’,” she laughed as she returned to the table and patted Maeve’s shoulder.
“Goodness, you had me worried for a moment,” Maeve sighed in relied. “How do you think I could get Sean to change his mind about marryin’ me…if that’s what I wanted?”
“You’d have to change your ways. Be submissive to him.”
“Submissive!”
“Aye. The O’Malley likes your fiery nature and sassy mouth.
He likes it when you challenge him. It allows his dominant side to emerge and he feels justified in disciplinin’ you.
Suppose you were quiet and well-behaved?
Just suppose he never had call to scold you or reprimand you?
If you were soft spoken and did everythin’ he told you to do, without argument or complaint, within reason of course,” she added with narrowed eyes.
“How long before he became bored? Do you think he’d still be so determined to wed you if you had no opinions of your own, or if you ‘yes dear’ him near to death? ” she said and laughed.
Maeve was quiet as she considered her mother’s words regarding Sean.
Most of their conversations did turn into arguments of one kind or another.
He was exceedingly dictatorial and she was just as determined to have her own way.
Would he release her from her promise to marry him if she were different?
He seemed to enjoy spanking her and delighted in gaining her compliance.
Suppose she gave it freely? Would his attraction to her wane? Did she want it to?
Of course, the odds she could keep up such a masquerade for long were slim, but maybe it wouldn’t take long.
She acknowledged a break-up would be the end of all her girlish dreams and it was heart wrenching.
On the other hand, she wasn’t at all sure they were suited and she didn’t relish sitting on a sore bottom for the next thirty or forty years every time she angered him.
Part of her argued that over time she would learn his ways and he hers and they’d manage to compromise, but he didn’t sound very flexible on the telephone.
He intended to deal with her when he returned, and she had no doubt he meant every word.
While that was a spanking she didn’t have a prayer of escaping unless she left town, perhaps she could avoid any future ones if she took her ma’s advice to heart.
“Ma, I wouldn’t know where to start. I can’t change overnight and Sean will be back soon.”
“The first thing you need to do is go to work tomorrow and tell Mr. McGreevy you can only work on the weekend. You must return to school on Monday.”
“But Ma, they all think—”
“The devil with what they think; you know the truth. You need your certificate no matter what you decide to do and you’ve worked too hard to let it slip from your fingers. It’s not like you to let a few mean spirited girls control your actions.
“Then you need to take some of your wages and buy yourself a few things, like pants that don’t fit so tightly and a skirt or two that are of a descent length for an engaged young woman.
Start usin’ a bit less of that face paint and tame that wild hair.
You can still look attractive without being allurin’. ”
“What else?” Maeve groaned.
“The hardest challenge will be curbin’ your tongue,” Margaret pointed out with a slight grin. “I can’t help you with that, but I imagine if you call to mind being over The O’Malley’s knee, that should help.”
“Aye, it would at that,” Maeve admitted, squirming on her chair and thinking about Sean’s return.
“Be cordial and deferential to his mother, much as it galls me to say so. Don’t give him any excuse to chastise you. Keep your temper in check and stay so cool butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth. I’ll bet it won’t be long before he has second thoughts about makin’ you his wife.”
“I don’t know, Ma. Sean’s a man of his word and I can’t see him backin’ out.”
“Then you must let him know you’re willin’ to release him from his promise, in a very soft-spoken and ladylike way, but only if that’s truly what you want. It is what you want, isn’t it?”
Silence greeted her question.
“Well, daughter, you’d best make up your mind. That was a very angry man on the telephone from what I could hear, and I doubt he’ll be one to let that sort of thing go by without dealin’ with it.”
“Do you think Sean will be a cruel husband?” Maeve asked, leaning forward in her chair.
Margaret was quiet so long Maeve thought she wasn’t going to answer and slumped onto the table dramatically.
“I don’t think The O’Malley has a cruel nature, but he does strike me as a man who’d be extremely firm on some matters.
He’ll soften with age, most men do, but in the beginnin’, it would be best to mind him if you can.
You won’t be able to twist him around your finger as you’ve done with your da, but Sean does have a sense of humor.
“I’ve observed the twinkle in his eye when he watches you finagle your own way, but I doubt he’ll allow you to outright disobey him. There’s a certain sternness about him you shouldn’t underestimate. You’ll toe the line, mindin’ your P’s frequent words of praise for her forbearance in dealing with his mother and a prideful smile whenever she was on his arm.
His kisses, however, could only be described as chaste, and a great disappointment to be sure. Their mundane conversations seemed designed to keep the fragile peace between them. Her supreme effort to be boring had backfired, and she now found him slightly boring as well.
Whenever a topic of conversation came up that was capable of starting a disagreement, she deferred to his opinion while he looked at her suspiciously. Eventually, as time went on, his shoulders stopped tensing waiting for her explosive temper to show itself.
They attended Mass, went to movies, skating and several holiday parties, all without issue. Their relationship moved to a new, almost platonic level, and Maeve could see their parents written all over them. Was that where they were headed? Heaven forbid.
Sean had taken on the habit of ordering for her when they went out for a meal, and despite her softly spoken request not to, he continued until she was tempted to stick a fork in his eye. It was at that point she knew with certainty she wouldn’t be able to continue much longer.
She hadn’t been sure she wanted to marry the dominant, bossy man in the first place and now the mild mannered gentleman seated at the table with her, annoyed the hell out of her.
When he pulled a small box from his pocket and placed it on the table, she eyed him warily.
When he took an emerald ring from that box and slipped it on her finger with a bland expression, she wanted to kick him under the table to see if he had any genuine emotions regarding her.
Sadly, she looked at the glittering stone he placed on her finger and sighed.
“You seem disappointed? Don’t you like it?”
“It’s lovely, Sean. Exactly what I would have picked out myself had you asked my opinion,” she answered.
“Then why aren’t you pleased?” His curiosity was genuine.
“Because you didn’t.”
“Didn’t what?”
“Ask me.”
“I’m sorry,” he apologized. “It seemed the last few months you’ve come to trust my judgment. I thought it would be all right,” he explained, taking her other hand. “We’ll take it back, and you can choose another.”
“I don’t want another. I’m not sure I want one at all.”
“Maeve, if there’s somethin’ you want to say, ’tis best you just spit it out,” Sean advised sternly, straightening in his chair and releasing her hands.
Immediately, she noticed a small spark in his eyes that had been missing a moment ago. The responding tightening in her tummy surprised her, but she continued.
“I don’t know if I can marry you, O’Malley.”