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Catherine pursed her lips and nodded.
“I have listened to your every command. I have always tried my best to understand the rules that were put in place to guide me. But not a single one ever made me happy. The only things that did you attempted to take away. But it did not work. You took my books, and I still found a way to read them. You took away Aaron, and I still found a way to see him.”
“Yes, and where do you think that will all take you? Rules are established in life to protect us. Customs are there to ensure that the next generation lives a fruitful life, and you have spit in the face of all that because you enjoy reading and have a crush.”
“Would I have gone to such lengths for a crush mother?”
“I must confess. I no longer know what goes on in your head any longer Matilda.”
“The mistake there is that I do not believe that you ever knew.”
Catherine tried not to let any emotion show on her face, but her daughter’s words had stung. And she could see on the Steward’s face, even maybe on Aaron’s, that they could see it.
“Well, get on with it,” Catherine said. “If you hold such a disdain towards me or feel that I have slighted you your entire life—”
“I do not feel that way. But I wish that you could see things from where I stand. I wish that you had more empathy for what I wanted in my life.”
“You mistake everything I have done for insensitive malice. But everything that I have done for you had been with the intent of protecting you, giving you a life—”
“You wanted to expand our family. Make our name better. At my expense.”
She was right. For the first time, Catherine could not disagree with that, and maybe she was wrong. But she refused to let the regret envelop her.
“Aaron and I had fully intended to elope, mother,” Matilda confessed without a single hint of hesitation.
“And why didn’t you? Why do you stand before me with this information? Is it to tell me that you already have?”
“No. I wanted to tell you that as we were on the road, travelling to get married, Aaron and I were talking. And he reminded me that life was not easy. We had always defined our own routes, and we thought that getting married was to satisfy that routine. But in all reality, it’s taking the hard way that defines us. So, we did not elope. Instead, we returned to where the fire burned hottest to ask for permission.
Catherine gave her daughter a measured look and then Aaron. She could not believe the gumption of Matilda. How dare she return where the house was in an uproar, where everyone had been worried, just to continue on with her little game. She had caused all the problems. She had made everything difficult. But she had returned despite all that to ask for permission for something that she surely knew was wrong. How dare she?
“You have some nerve coming back here and expecting that out of me,” Catherine said and noticed that the Steward appeared rather disappointed.
“I do have some nerve. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Catherine did not know what to say exactly. They were at a standstill. She was not about to give up on everything just because her daughter had asked. That seemed far too ridiculous of a notion to even entertain for a second.
“What if I say no right now, Matilda?” She could feel the defeat filling her, and she couldn’t tell why. In that moment, her daughter had appeared grown. She no longer looked like the little girl who would read under the trees. She was someone that carved her own path and stuck to it no matter what storm presented itself.
“If you and father said no and took me far away. No matter how many times you do it, no matter how many potential suitors you present me with, Aaron would find me, and we would then elope immediately.”
Catherine clenched her fist. “So that is how you are going to play this. With threats? That is what you’re resorting to? I am saying no right now.”
“My Lady…” The Steward finally intervened. “It is not worth the trouble. This man is willing to travel the entire world just to be with your daughter. Can you say the same for any of the suitors that had come through these doors?”
It was the strongest point made throughout the entire day. She could not argue with that.
“Fine. I cannot stop you.” Catherine surrendered.
