Chapter 17 Wildness

• I don't know if any of you have found yourselves in a situation akin to mine. For the record, I'm not attempting to justify the indefensible. I simply wish for you to comprehend why I committed what I deem my gravest error. I never possessed the liberty to do anything in my life, perpetually stifled by my mother who believed I should conduct myself as a lady from a respectable family.
• This meant I couldn't choose my friends—only those she approved of, who did nothing but mistreat me and ridicule my ignorance of the world beyond my doorstep. I wasn't allowed to select my own attire or voice any objections, even if they made me uncomfortable; I had to speak only when spoken to and respond with what was expected of me.
• Their rules were stringent from my earliest memories; indulgence, play, and affection were not part of their regime. Nor was I permitted to venture anywhere alone, for according to her, it was not the behaviour befitting a lady of society. Thus, I delved deeper into reading with each passing day, where no one could restrict me. Through reading, I was at liberty to experience all the adventures contained within the pages. I harboured the hope that one day, upon reaching adulthood and gaining my freedom, I would be able to live each one of them.