Page 40 of Save Me

“When?” he finally asks through his clenched jaw. “When are you supposed to marry him?”

“When I finish this year at school,” I reply on a long, hopeless, sigh. “I will move in with him and be married by the end of the summer. I am to become a ‘Mayfield wife’, whatever that is. He only gives me what he likes to call ‘snippets’ of information.”

“Perhaps you should take a look at this before you say anything else.”

Bodhi says after having returned with a bunch of papers, all branded with the Lawrence name. He thrusts them against Xander’s chest.

Xander carefully unfolds the papers and begins to read them aloud:

Mr Oliver Lawrence hereby agrees to sign over all properties owing to Mr Malcolm Taylor, including any businesses and residential properties, on the completion of his marriage to Miss Beth Taylor. On the final day of Miss Taylor’s schooling, she will move into the residence of Mr Oliver Lawrence, where she will remain until their marriage. She will adhere to the conditions set out below and behave as a Mayfield wife is expected to once the marriage is final. If she breaks any of these conditions, she will move into the residence of Mr Lawrence immediately, regardless of where she is in the academic year. Under these circumstances, the remainder of any schooling will take place at Mr Lawrence’s residence.

Conditions:

Miss Taylor is to maintain her purity until the night of her wedding to Mr Lawrence.

Miss Taylor will not bring ill repute onto her name or Mr Lawrence by any means.

Miss Taylor will not inform anyone, other than her legal guardian, about this contract.