Chapter 2 It's a Yes for Me

*Bexley*

The last refrains of Happy Birthday hang in the air as I suck in a deep breath and blow out my candles. The small crowd that has gathered in the dining room to celebrate with us claps, and I force a smile to my face.

Our housekeeper, Mrs. Jones, takes the cake to cut it into slices while everyone claps. Glancing around at the faces before me, I see only a few genuine smiles. Mrs. Jones is giggling with glee, and I know she truly cares for me. She's become like a grandmother to me since I came here.

Of course, Mother and Fiona are happy, as well as Fiona's younger sisters Iris and Kate, who came over just for cake. But then I look at Harvey, and he's glowering. Harvey Moss has a stern face to match his bald head and his disposition, as well as his reputation as a no-nonsense accountant. I wouldn't cross him. I have no idea what Mother sees in him, but she only has kind things to say about her second husband.

And then I glance at Garth and wish I hadn't.

Garth Roberts sits at the other end of the dining room table, his muscular arms folded across his massive chest. He's easily six inches taller than Harvey and his shoulders are so wide he could probably easily wrap me around them. His dark hair is pulled back away from his face and tied with a ribbon, and his green eyes seem to bore through me as he watches me accept the slice of cake Mrs. Jones has set before me.

"Won't you have a piece, Garth?" Mother asks. She seemed a bit surprised when Harvey told her that he'd invited Garth for my birthday celebration, but she was always the perfect hostess. Even though Mother obviously wants what's best for me, I think she secretly wouldn't mind if I fell in love with Garth, married him, and started having some grandkids for her immediately. But she also knows I don't care for Mr. Roberts, so she doesn't try to force him upon me.

"Oh, no. I don't eat sweets," Garth says as I shuffle a large bite of chocolate cake into my mouth. He pats his flat stomach. "I wouldn't want to start to get fat. I wouldn't be able to keep up with the game if I did that."

My stomach roils as I am reminded of Garth's favorite pastime-hunting. I've heard he has the heads of several large animals hanging in his den, but I've never been in his house before. Not that he hasn't invited me. If Mother knew how strong he'd come on the last time he had me somewhat alone at a get-together, she'd toss him out on his ear.

I am probably meant to drop my fork at the implication that eating cake will make me fat. Instead, I scoop up an even bigger bite and shove it in my mouth, smearing chocolate across my teeth, and smiling at him.

He shakes his head, the sound coming from his throat one of disgust. I have to mark that as one small victory for me.

"Would you like a piece, dear?" Mother asks Fiona.

I know for a fact that Fiona loves Mother's chocolate cake. She's been talking about it all afternoon. So when she says, "Oh, no thank you. I'm still full from the stew," I wrinkle up my nose and prepare to tell her how horrid it is that she's let Garth's comments influence her.

I bite my tongue and glare at him instead.

Kate and Iris have no problem accepting the cake. Harvey takes a small piece, and Mother nibbles at one as well. I relish every bite of mine and then lick the fork before setting it down. If I really wanted to push Garth's buttons, I'd let out a belch, but I decide even the birthday girl can't get away with that sort of shenanigans.

"So, Becky," Garth begins, and I grimace. I've corrected him several times, but he insists that Bexley is a horrible name, so he must call me Becky instead. "What are your plans now that you're twenty-one?"

I open my mouth to answer, but Harvey speaks on my behalf. "She's been working at the firm a bit, part-time. She's actually quite good with numbers."

"Really?" Garth's eyebrows raise, and he slowly nods his head.

I'm not sure what's more offensive-that Harvey is shocked that I might be able to handle some basic math or that Garth is impressed by this.

"Yes. I am thinking of hiring her on full-time-to get her out of the house, of course. But... if she were to receive a marriage offer soon, well, that would be an even better situation for all of us."

I feel Mother's leg move under the table as she stiffens. I know she wants to speak up for me, but she won't. As much as she loves me, she respects her husband.

"I'm sure any eligible bachelor in town will be happy to have Becky as his wife," Garth begins, a crooked grin pulling up one side of his mouth. "She's very pretty, smart, and since she's relatively new to the village... mysterious."

"And I don't have any cavities." I narrow my eyes at him, offended as hell that he's now speaking about me as if I'm not even sitting here, as if I am chattel he can trade or barter for.

"Yes, well, as you know, it's the tradition for women to wait until after their twenty-first birthday, in honor of the king," Harvey explains.

"Oh, I know." Garth rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "I do find this entire affair utterly ridiculous."

Harvey's eyes shift to the side of his face, and his cheeks pink a bit. "It's not prudent to question the king, of course."

"Of course not." Garth scoffs, but I'm sure he doesn't mind if he offends the king. "Not that he ever leaves his castle to know what's happening here."

I do my best not to spend time with Garth when it can be avoided, but in the unfortunate times when I have been forced to listen to him speak, I've gotten the notion he's not too fond of King Canaan Zephyr. I'm not exactly sure why, but I heard him mention that the land where our village sits, and all of the area on this side of the mountain, was taken unfairly a few decades ago, that before then our territory was independent of either the kingdom of Luna Hollow to our east or Hexeton to our west. I don't know if that is true or not, but he seems to believe it is.

I've found that anything Garth believes is fact, and there's no use trying to persuade him otherwise.

"It's a good thing you didn't receive the red letter, Becky," Garth says to me. "A girl like you wouldn't be able to handle the trip to the castle."

I feel my stomach tighten into an even more severe knot. "Tomorrow is my birthday," I remind him. "We're celebrating early."

His mouth drops open. "Oh."

"You know they say you shouldn't take any chances," Harvey reminds him. "In case the girl gets the letter. You won't get to celebrate until she returns." He turns and looks at me. "If she returns." A cold, dead stare on his face, he pulls the corners of his mouth into a smile I can only describe as creepy.

I smile right back. "I seriously doubt the king even knows I exist," I admit. "I've only been here for a year or so, and I'm hardly consequential."

"That much is true," Garth says, leaning back in his chair so far the front two legs come off the floor. I'd love to see him topple over, but he won't. "Well, I'm not too worried about it. The king has never kept a girl for more than one night. Of course, the girls who are returned are blemished, and it's difficult for them to find a husband." He shakes his head. "The king has some nerve forcing himself on innocent girls."

"There's never been any evidence of the girls not being... intact when they return." Harvey's jumping in is certainly not meant to defend the girls in question so much as it is to assure my prospective suitor that I will still be a virgin when I come back from the castle, if I am taken.

Garth shrugs. "That's what they say, but honestly, how would anyone know?"

"Myra Pierce got married a few weeks after she came back," Fiona offers, her voice sounding overly sweet as she speaks to Garth. She's told me she thinks he's handsome. I guess pretty much everyone in the town does. The girls that grew up enamored with him can't see what a pig he is. "And then there's Susie Butler who-"

He waves a dismissive hand. "I really don't think it's going to be an issue." He looks at me coldly. "As Becky said, the king won't even know about her. She'll be fine."

"Well," Mother begins, pressing her hands to the table before she pushes up from her chair, "it has been so lovely having all of you over. You ladies should get home before it gets too late."

"I'll walk you," Garth offers. "It's the gentlemanly thing to do." He stands and looks at me again. "Sorry I didn't bring you a present, Becky, but I didn't know it was your birthday until your father came by a few hours ago."

"It's not a problem, Garth." I do my best to copy Fiona's pretty smile as I bat my eyelashes at him and stand. "The fact that you're leaving is present enough."

He must hear me wrong because his grin widens even as Harvey grunts in my general direction. "Everyone enjoys spending time with Garth."

"I'm sure that's true somewhere," I continue, walking along with everyone except for Harvey who trails far behind as we enter the living room and head toward the door. "It is a fairly common name."

This time, he seems to catch on that maybe I'm not flattering him. His bushy eyebrows nearly touch as he stares at me for a long moment.

Everyone says their goodbyes. I hug Fiona and her sisters and thank them for coming. Fiona gave me a lovely painting of a rabbit earlier, which I intend to hang in my room, so I thank her again.

"Can I have a quick word with you on the porch, Becky?" Garth says, slipping his coat on.

"Aren't you walking the girls home?" I ask, confused.

He nods. "It'll only take a moment."

Mother hands me my coat, and I step outside with him. Fiona and her sisters wait in the yard as I stand by the door. At least Garth's girth prevents the full force of the autumn wind from chilling me as I wait to see what he has to say.

"I've spoken to your father, and he's agreed that we would be a good match."

I blink several times, my mouth suddenly dry. I manage to ask, "When did you speak to my father?"

"Earlier today." He grins at me.

"That would prove to be a bit difficult since he passed away when I was four." I fold my arms. What is the matter with this man? Is he really that stupid, or does he simply not care about tact.

Rather than looking embarrassed, he chuckles. "No, not that father. This one. Harvey."

"My stepfather," I remind him. I've known Harvey only a few weeks longer than I've known Garth, which isn't long. He shouldn't have much of a say over my life.

And yet, here we are.

"Anyway, I'll be by tomorrow afternoon with your ring."

My eyes widen, and he leans down to kiss my cheek. When he straightens, he's still grinning like the fool he is. He walks away, Fionna, Iris, and Kate following him like ducklings.

I stare after them wondering when the hell I said I'd marry him.