Wilting Roses (Formerly known as Arranged)

Urgent Message

Chapter Sixteen

Scarlett entered her room and took a deep breath trying to self-control her irritation as she sat on her bed. A tray of food Sonia must have placed for her captured her attention, but in truth, hunger was far from her. Her interest sparked when she spotted a letter in between her tea and her plate of morning eggs and so she reached for it cracking the seal.

Dearest Sister,

I deeply apologize that you did not receive a letter as a reply upon receiving yours, but as fate would have it our mother has fallen victim to a high fever. I spotted the letter sitting on her mantel and decided to open it and read it since I noticed then that your name was on it. We urge you to come home and see her, she calls for you when the fever gets too high and at times she begins talking useless nonsense. The girls are here doing the best they can for her, and father has tried to look for the best doctors to cure her. Our money is running out and the only thing left for father to sell is the land he had promised to Dathan and you. Please we beg you to come and be with your family.

Yours truly,

Larisa Herb.

Dread gripped her as the letter dropped from her hands at the thought of losing her mother to a horrifying illness. In a blind fit, she hassled to pack a baggage with clothes feeling tears rush their way out of her. Her glitches soon became a distant concern as she lifted her skirt and pushed past her chamber door.

"Scarlett where are you going?" asked Sonia.

"I need to leave now, my mother is very sick and I do not know if I might lose her." she replied. Panic, fear, and sorrow ringed loudly in her ears as she embraced Sonia in a tight hug and pulled away from her to walk out the door with a goody bye.

When Nigel, the carriage rider, spotted her, he stared in surprise to see the Lady of the house not being escorted by her husband. He dropped down from where he sat and cleared his throat to ask her destination. He aided her to slip in and made sure to tie her luggage onto the back properly.

"Take me to my father, please it's an emergency," she said quickly.

He tipped his hat and jumped on giving the rein on the horses a tug so that they trotted off. Inside Scarlett nestled herself and wrapped her arms around her feeling everything inside her grow cold. She tried to clear her head and calm herself, maybe by the time she got there she would be feeling better and she could relax. However, she doubted the thought.

***

Dathan sat in his study looking down the crumpled divorce papers, trying to straighten the crinkled dents. In her outrage, she had managed to crease and smudge some of the printing off the documents. He felt helpless and anxious, the thought of saving his marriage now seemed remote. The idea of losing her somehow grew more excruciating and so he stood to exit his study unable to tolerate his own thoughts. Walking past his beloved wife's chamber's he noticed then her door slightly askew. Dathan felt his feet halt before nearing her door any closer and fought to find the right words to say. His heart quivered inside his chest as he reached out and gently pushed the door open. There was no candle to light her chamber as he set a foot through the threshold.

"Scarlett?" he faintly called out.

Her night robe hung over her dressing stand and a tray of food laid untouched. Paintings of nature adorn her walls. Sunsets, riverbanks, wild flowers, and so many other beautiful portrayals covered every inch of her chamber. He had never visited the foreign museums that his father spoke of often. However, he found no reason to as his eyes absorbed the beauty his wife had captured. A smile found its way out of his stern expression, realizing now that Scarlett was indeed a rare jewel in the sea.