Chapter 430 - Marceline Avery (2/2)
”And what does a young man like yourself need of a sixth year like me?” Marceline pointedly asked. ”We are not in the same house nor are we in the same year.”
”I know,” Evan said as he pointed at the empty bench seat next to her. ”May I sit down, so that I might better explain my thoughts?”
”I suppose,” Marceline gestured after a pause as she removed her bookbag to the other side of her.
”Thank you,” Evan gratefully said, before sitting down. His hand clenched his knees before he pulled them away to hide in his pockets. Taking a deep breath, he quietly says, ”I have a proposal to make to you, Mademoiselle Bisset.”
”Oh?” Marceline said with disbelief. ”What could that possibly be that I would have any interest in hearing anything further?”
”Simple, I know that your father holds many outstanding debts and you are even about to lose the Bisset ancestral home,” Evan matter-of-factly stated.
Marceline's face color with anger and then goes pale with resignation. ”Oui, that is true. But why try to bring it up, Monsieur Avery unless you are trying to force me into something?!” Marceline sharply inquired.
”Nothing of the sort,” Evan hastily protested. ”What I mean to say is, I am in need of a wife, and I believe that you will fulfill those requirements quite nicely.”
Marceline looks faintly intrigued for a moment, before further asking, ”Suppose that is the case, Monsieur Avery. Will you willingly pay such a large bride price to my father to more than cover his debts and still leave money behind? I find that almost impossible to believe that there is no catch.”
”However, like you said there is a catch,” Evan slowly said. ”I need to have a son within a years' time, but in exchange, after the first child is born, whether male or female, I will cover any cost for the education in the field of Astronomy as you so much desire.”
Marceline's eyes suddenly begin to glow at the mere thought of being able to study at the prestigious, Academy of Constellations found within Greece. But soon the delight quickly fades away as she recalls that there is a price tag to her desires. Narrowing her eyes at the youth, she says, ”Suppose that is true. But we are both young, and what if I do not wish to be tied to you all of my life?”
Evan hands momentarily clench in his inner robe pockets before relaxing. With a tired sigh, he firmly replies, ”A divorce is out of the question, but I will allow for you to have a lover as long it is kept quiet. I understand that we are both young and nor do we have feelings for each other. However, we will both stand more to gain than to lose by marrying each other.”
”I see,” Marceline finally said after a moment, before rising to her feet having made up her mind. She was willing to pay the cost for her freedom, her future, and to save her family.
Evan's face pales thinking that she was refusing him, but to his surprise he suddenly finds her grabbing him by the hand and pulling him afterward. ”Wait, where are we going?!” Evans protested in confusion.
”Naturally, to get started on a baby of course,” Marceline flashed the much younger man a grin.
Evan turns lobster red as he faintly croaks, ”But I'm not experienced in that way!”
”Don't worry,” Marceline confidently said. ”You'll pick it up quickly enough what to do,” and proceeded to find an empty classroom, before locking the door. Needless to say, Evan was not a virgin, when they emerged sometime later from the classroom with his clothes in a disarray. (And no, French girls are not really like that, but any pureblood girl worth her salt knows when to sacrifice her ideals for the hope of a better future.)