Thank you Louise, with The Storyteller’s Abode, for our photo prompt this week!
It was as she read Norman’s proposal of marriage that Phyllis realised she didn’t love him and that he would never love her.
The document laid out in reasonable terms why they should marry – from financial considerations, through to them both being moderately attractive so they would no doubt produce tolerable looking offspring.
All very logical, written in Norman’s neat script, the handwriting of a Victorian spinster, Phyllis had always thought.
She’d never heard of anyone being proposed to by letter. Her sister Irene had been swept off her feet by her blue-coated lancer, cheeks still flushed from the chase as she waddled down the aisle.
How cold and unfeeling Norman seemed by comparison, with the chart showing his projected income over the coming ten years, his list of material assets, the improbabilty of him losing his hair prior to his dottage.
How passionless it all seemed – how bloodless.
But then, Irene’s lancer has soon been skewered in battle, leaving her penniless and screaming as the soldier’s brat clawed its way out of her belly.
And besides, Norman’s father had died young too, victim to a weak heart – a hereditary condition Norman had failed to mention in his proposal …
Phyllis reached for her pen, laid a fresh sheet of paper on her writing desk.
Dear Norman …
Written for Pricelees Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. See the picture and write a tale. See here to join in and to read the other tales.
Haha! That’s brilliant! You come up with such great ideas.
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Aw, thank you sweetheart. I had to think hard about this one, trying to do somthing not too obvious. And she looks like such a cool, aloof woman. Glad you liked it
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Dear Norman, I know you have a weak heart, but have you thought of joining the lancers? I’d make that a prerequisite before I signed any pre-nuptials …
I’m sure she’d put it more tactfully than that! That’s the sign of a well-written short story, you imagine the resulting scenario
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Haha! Love that. Yes, I’m sure she’ll be watching for her moment, making sure his extimation of his fortune is correct before taking the plunge. I’m sure many marriages have begun with a similar pragmatism. Thanks very much Chris 🙂
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Clever and witty! Loved your take on the prompt.
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Thank you so much Jade. Really glad you liked it 🙂
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Devious woman. Love how she convinces herself of the silver lining. Great writing.
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There’s always one if you look hard enough 🙂 And you never know – Norman might live till he’s ninety and lose all his money on a horse. Then she’ll be stuffed!
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Hahaha! She seems to have a good brain in her head because she is thinking ahead! So.. it seems they are made for each other! LOL! Great story!
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In a way, I think they are. Even though she seems cold and calculating, he is too so shouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t marry him for love … and tries to work out how long she’ll have to put up with him! Thanks Joy 🙂
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I’m not so sure he is wanting to marry her for love either.
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I think you’re quite right – no harm, no foul then 🙂
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LOL!
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She’s a sly one but I can’t blame her lol. There has to be some upside to marrying this guy besides his credentials which don’t mean love.
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Quite right. And they make a good coupple really – at least neither of them love the other, that would be truly heartbreaking
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HaHa great take on the prompt. I think Phyllis made the right decision, but I am more logical than romantic
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This kind of agreement must have worked for many women – find someone not too awful who’ll support your material needs. It’s not to be sniffed at in a time when you could starve to death every easily. Head over heart – one nil to head 🙂
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Yes, marriage then was more of a social economic deal than the romantic notion it is today.
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You’re quite right. I wonder how many were ‘successful’ marriages? Probably more than our romance obssessed culture would think
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most likely 🙂
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🙂
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God, this has the tone of some of the Chekhov short stories I read last year in the UK, over winter. Good time to read that, kind of cuts to the bone. Nice one, Lynn. Good with the Cat Stevens and low light in my den, right now. Cheers, Bill
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Well, you know how I love Cat Stevens – anything is better with his voice to accompany it. Thank you for the generous comparison, Bill. Who can blame her really? She needs a man for money and she’s seen what love can bring a woman. Accountants win over dashing lancers 🙂 Thanks again
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Very clever, Lynn! I think the pair of them are perfectly suited, in their own cold way. 🙂
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I think you’re right – a perfect cpouple. And in a way good that they don’t inflict themselves on other people 🙂
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Loved this take on the prompt 🙂
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Thank you Dahlia. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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🙂
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Haha, that’s a woman who seems to have sorted everything out. G
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oops the finger travelled. i meant great story Lynn.
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