Claire Miller was a simple woman; she wanted to live her life how she saw fit, make her own decisions - and, most importantly, have control over her own life. It wasn't, she thought, an absurd thing to ask.
Unfortunately, her father didn't feel the same. He had controlled the family since long before she was born; and since her mother's death three years ago it had only become worse. It was stifling, overwhelming, and sometimes so much Claire felt as if she could barely breathe without unwanted criticism. It wasn't as if she wanted to abandon their way of life; she just wanted a little more autonomy.
Which is why she sat in their dimly lit living room with a book on her lap, studiously ignoring her father - and her sister Susannah - as they went on and on about their latest obsession; finding Claire a husband.