Page 6 of Hush Darling
Her mother met her stare in the long mirror. “Pardon?”
“Why are boys permitted to run free and praised for their brave feats while girls are caged like never birds, never given the same chance to fly or stretch beyond their corset strings? Perhaps they’re afraid of being outshone? We are the smarter gender, after all.”
“Now, you’re just being hysterical, dear.”
“Right there! Why are women hysterical, but men are ballsy when they question the status quo?”
“Trashy language is not going to win any arguments, Wendy. Women might be smarter in some aspects, but so are men. We’re made differently.”
Wendy groaned and threw herself back on her bed. If she had to listen to one more closed-minded lesson about how boys were boys and girls were girls, she was going to scream. “Women can do anything men can do, Mother.”
“Oh, really? Can you pilot a plane?”
“Yes! If I were trained, I could. In school, John always had lower grades than me. I could have destroyed him in flight school, but Father said a pilot wasn’t a proper position for a girl!”
Her mother sighed and sidestepped the familiar debate. On some level, Wendy believed she saw the misogyny, but she would never betray her Father, the head of their household, and admit to such notions. It was easier for her to simply agree and conform.
“There are dangers in the real world, Wendy. Women must know how to protect themselves. A good marriage offers a sense of security you’ll one day come to appreciate.”
“What about passion and love? Aren’t they a part of the equation?”
“Conserve your energy for more productive ventures, darling.” Her mother tucked the wily curl behind her ear and smiled at her reflection, pleased. “Sink your passions into something rewarding, like charity. Leave the boys to their grandiose ways. Trust me, women are better off avoiding such extremes.”
Her future darkened every time her mother showered her dull advice in favor of a quiet life. She might have been content with such a fate, but Wendy would never be one to settle so easily, not without first experiencing both sides.
She craved a rush of adrenaline and could taste the untapped freedom just outside of her latched windows. She’d suffer any hardship to bring that fire inside of her back to life again. She dreamed of uncontainable passion and unpredictable adventures. Such things might cost her every security she knew, but in her heart, she would settle for nothing less.
“I want to be challenged.”
“Well, you are rather challenging, dear, so I imagine you’ll get your wish.”
“You only say that because I’m stubborn, and I know what I want.”
“I say that because I know what’s possible. Eventually, we all put the fairytale ideals aside.”
Wendy planned to do no such thing. She would settle for nothing less than the love of a man who would risk everything to reach her. Her parents knew nothing of such love. They lived in a world of rules and numbers and pragmatic civility.
“You should trust your father’s judgment, Wendy. Peter Pangbourne is a handsome young man. Many girls your age would be thrilled to have his attention.”
“And many girls do.”
Her mother’s glare sliced into her from where it reflected in the mirror. “Don’t be smart.”
Wendy pursed her lips so as not to earn more disapproving looks like that.
What kind of statement was that anyway? Don’t be smart…
Wendy was smart. Smart enough to know Peter was not the kind of man to honor his promises or settle down with one woman.
She wouldn’t deny Peter was attractive with his athletic build, sun-kissed tan, and unruly golden curls, but he knew he was handsome, and his arrogance left something to be desired. He’d been texting her on and off since they’d been introduced, but Wendy wasn’t gullible enough to believe she was the only one in his call log.
Peter made the impression of a well-mannered, high-society gentleman, but Wendy saw through his façade when he started asking her personal questions. The real Peter Pangbourne had no issue crossing the line of propriety, and it was quite duplicitous of him to have his elders so seamlessly convinced he was a well-mannered man.
His texts not only made Wendy blush but often left her fidgety to the point that her body clenched in strange places. He teased her in a way that made her squirm like bait on a hook. He spoke of mysterious things that left her painfully intrigued, but giving in felt too much like surrendering her choice. She didn’t want her parents to decide her future. She wanted the right to be selective and experience a magnitude of things before making her final choice.
“Father only favors Peter because his family is one of the wealthiest in London.”
“Wealth is a deserving quality of favor, Wendy.” Her mother brushed the wrinkles from her gown. “A wise woman must be financially literate. It’s a role we all must play. Without a decent fortune, there would be no property, security, or help within the home. Passion can leave you destitute if you're not careful. Money buys you freedom, so I suggest you marry for wealth. After all, how else would you afford the books you so love? Can’t you be content with the adventures in your library?”
