He seemed to consider that. “I don’t see any harm in it. I believe in furthering a person’s education.”
I smiled. “Excellent. You said I’d been your choice for some time, I guess I don’t understand why. I’m an asthmatic. I’m not particularly beautiful. Certainly not like the women who would relish the idea of marrying someone of your stature. There are plenty of young women who would make you look good as a politician.”
“As you said, we can be blunt. You’re a virgin. Which means you’re like veal. Innocent. A precious, protected commodity.”
“Yes, I am,” I lied, even though my heart started to thud in my chest. Why would that be such a thing of value to him?
He nodded. “Someone who has no familiarity with sex would be less likely to…make demands on my time.”
“You’re gay?”
He shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you know openly gay men can now run for office? Although, of course, only happilymarriedmen. Family. That’s the key to politics. Voters don’t trust single men. As for my...sexual peccadillos, we don’t need to discuss that. I just need someone who will play a role and not ask too many questions. Rest assured, your virginity will remain intact. I’ll need to plant a child in your belly at some point, but we’ll wait until you’re later in your twenties.”
“You still haven’t given me the reason I’ll agree to all of this,” I said. “I could go public. Tell the media what you and my father intend for me.”
“Please don’t do that,” he said, frowning. “I would hate that outcome for you. Listen, your father owed me a debt some time ago. We settled that debt by him agreeing you would become my wife when the time came. His job was to keep you as isolated as possible. Sheltered. Pampered.”
A lamb being kept safe until it was time to slaughter, I thought. How long? How long ago had this agreement been struck?
“I’ve laid out your options; which are to run, with no access to any money, not an easy thing to do. Go public, as you suggested, which will result in many reputable doctors questioning your mental fitness. Or, marry me, go to college, enjoy your independence, and, when I need you to show up for a party, a dinner or a political rally, you put on a smile and do my bidding.”
“That sounds like an easy choice to make.”
He came toward me then, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. I was still thinking about his sexual peccadillos. He sat next to me on the settee without touching me. He reached for my left hand and slipped the ring on my finger.
“You’re going to have a very easy life, Ashleigh. And later, after we’ve had children, I might even consider allowing you to take a lover.”
“That’s very generous of you,” I said.
He patted my hand. “See? This is exactly what I hoped for. Two cordial people who understand our roles in this world. We’ll get along wonderfully when we need to.”
He kissed my cheek and I didn’t pull away. Then he stood as if he was about to leave.
“You said my father is in trouble. Is he going to suffer any consequences for that trouble?”
Evan shook his head. “No. We’re working on making all of that go away. I can tell you, our engagement will make news. Which means both you and your father will be under a significant amount of scrutiny. I would like you to present a front as a happy family. An excited young woman newly engaged. A proud father thrilled with his daughter’s choice of future husband. Visit him at the office. Surprise him with lunch. You understand?”
I nodded. “Completely.”
He smiled, and I wondered if I was looking into the eyes of a true psychopath. “Excellent. Goodnight, Ashleigh.”
“Goodnight, Evan.”
I waited until I heard him head up to the guest wing, and, only then, did I shove my face in one of the settee’s decorative pillows and scream.
Scream and scream and scream.
11
Princeton
December
Marc
“You didn’t haveto make the trip out for this. It’s not like there was a ceremony or anything,” I said.
We were at a restaurant near campus. Both of us sitting at the bar looking at the television. Some college football game was on. A normal Saturday afternoon.
