The Cliche Is Furthered

Some time had passed since Daphne learned the identity of her captor, yet her mind was still reeling. It made no sense, and he decided to follow his dramatic, cliché manner of handling the situation and disappeared after “the big reveal”.

Needless to say, Daph was neither pleased, nor amused.

He had asked questions before walking away; about her life, the Company…Furley. Asked about her life as if he didn’t already seem to know a fair amount about it. “Just how long had he been spying on me?”

She shouldn’t have been so surprised. Looking back, Harold had always done such things; even when they were engaged to be married. Then again, looking back, she could also see what a fool she’d been to enter such a relationship with such a fellow. But he had seemed honourable. He had seemed to seek truth, and stand for it. He had seemed to love her when no others seemed to, and in a way they would not. For her, it was her first and only time having experienced a relationship. Her first time being in love, and the only time in years past. She was bound to have missed red flags, especially with no one around to teach her.

She believed him when he said the secrecy was not truly secrecy, but her desire to live every moment beside him making her heart antsy and mind jumpy. When he would disappear, he claimed it was due to business. As his father owned a wealthy merchant business, she had no reason to disbelieve this. What was strange was when her sister began disappearing as well…


Daph had done her best to hold on to what she thought she’d had with him. To make him happy. To love him with everything she had. He’d made her feel loved, at least, and never said a cross word to her. Anyone looking at the two would say he treated her very well and she was smitten. But, now, she’d have preferred many cross words to all the lying and cheating. Why work toward the binding of marriage, if he did not find Daphne to be enough for him?

After he had left, she still held on to hope for a while and told herself all manner of excuses for his behaviour. Up until she learned he was to marry to another woman.

Now, after all this, he had been spying on her, sought her out and went through lengths to capture her? Was it not enough, the pain he’d caused her? The insecurities he’d strengthened in her? Why did he not simply let her live her life in peace?

When he returned, he gave her the answer…yet it somehow only confused her further.

“Marry me, Petty.”

She was drinking wine, as the recent drought made clean water hard to obtain, and harder to be sure of. But in that moment, there was no drinking to be had. Only spewing what was in her mouth.

“I don’t think this boy could get much more hackneyed at this point,” was the only clear thought she could muster.