The world stopped spinning. Time stopped. Oxygen seemed useless. The room faded before his eyes and all that was left standing, was Ellie.
Bailey was certain that he died the second he heard Elizabeth say the words 'I do'. On the outside, he was a butler standing by and bearing witness to the marriage of his master and the woman he loved, but on the inside, a storm was brewing. His mind screamed at Ellie not to get married but his lips were unable to produce any sound. He willed himself to tell Ellie that she was making the worst mistake of her life, that he was the one who wrote those letters, that Frederick didn't really love Ellie because if he did, he wouldn't have a woman in his bed chamber!
Bailey had gone into Frederick's room to inform him of Ellie's presence but had been met with the barely clad body of a hysterical female. Frederick had only just shared his bed with another woman and was about to get married to Ellie.
The overwhelming urge to stop the marriage filled Bailey until his entire body trembled and sweat broke out on his skin.
There was nothing he could do, he thought as his fingers clenched into a fist. He couldn't stop it! It didn't matter how much he wanted to stop this silly marriage, he couldn't! He was the butler, after all. What power did he have over Frederick? What power did he have over a Judge in the House of Lords?! What power did he have over the fortune the Wellingtons possessed?! What power did he have over Ellie? He loved her, that was for certain. But, did she love him? Did she at least feel anything for the man who spent many sleepless nights writing letters to her? Did her heart beat stop when she read his letters? Or was she only in love with Frederick's family influence?
Bailey had nothing to offer the woman who stood before him. He couldn't provide for her, neither could he protect her. The world was against his love for her, the very essence of the society he lived in was against his love for her and the longer he stood there watching helplessly as Lord Wellington conducted the marriage between Frederick and Ellie, the more convince he was that he could never have her.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Lord Wellington said, sealing the marriage between Ellie and Frederick.
~ ~
Ethan watched Gretchen from his position beside her in the carriage. Her entire features were clouded as her gaze remained planted on the roads outside.
The night before had been disastrous. With Elaine showing up and exposing the fact that Gretchen wasn't Elizabeth's real mother, Elizabeth had practically vanished into thin air. Gretchen had been hysterical all night and had not only refused to eat, she had refused to sleep even for a second. Ethan had to watch helplessly as Gretchen remained standing through out the night. And while Ethan knew Elizabeth would eventually be found, Gretchen hadn't been that optimistic.
The news came only that morning that Elizabeth's grief had taken her to Lord Wellington's estate and she had insisted on getting married to Frederick the night before.
Ethan knew that Elizabeth's decision to get married without her family present had been done more to smite her mother, than to please herself.
Left with no choice, Ethan and Gretchen immediately climbed into a carriage headed for the Wellington estate.
The carriage pulled to a stop before the Wellington mansion and Gretchen began climbing down, not waiting a second for the footman to help her.
Ethan climbed down as well and watched Gretchen practically race up the stairs leading to the porch where Lord Wellington and Frederick stood waiting.
With a sigh, Ethan mounted the stairs.
“Where's Ellie?!” Gretchen's voice sounded faint and tired. Ethan was beyond worried for his pregnant wife.
“She refuses to see you.” Frederick answered as Ethan came to a halt before the party.
“Elizabeth does not get to decide who she sees and who she doesn't see. Lord Wellington,” Ethan turned to the old Judge. “While I am beyond disappointed in your inability to salvage the situation before conducting a marriage between my daughter and your grandson, if you do not lead me to wherever it is you have hidden my daughter, I will raid this entire estate and I will burn it down!” Ethan clenched his jaws.
“Lord Williams, I have done nothing but keep your daughter safe.” Lord Wellington insisted. “She is upstairs and has locked herself in Frederick's bed chamber.”
Gretchen didn't seem willing to wait long enough to be led to Frederick's room before she turned from the party and raced into the building. Ethan followed silently behind.
He reached the top floor of the building just in time to find Gretchen banging hysterically on a locked door.
“Ellie, please!” She cried, falling to her knees. “Please let me explain!”
Ethan reached where she knelt by the door and with a shake of his head, he made a fist and pounded on the door. “Elizabeth!” He called. “If you do not open this door right this second, I will break it down and drag you out of this room by your hair!” He pounded once more. “Elizabeth!” He roared.
Ethan was furious. His anger not only laid with Elaine for showing up in his house and disrupting the peace of his entire family, his anger laid with Elizabeth for choosing to desert her family based on the words of a stranger.
Elizabeth had no right to cause Gretchen this much pain! As if Gretchen hadn't already been through enough for Elizabeth!
“Elizabeth!!!” Ethan roared once more and to his surprise, the door pulled open and Elizabeth appeared.
He ran his eyes over her face, pain reflecting in her eyes and tears staining her face.
“Ellie...” Gretchen began and Elizabeth shook her head.
Brushing past Ethan, she began to walk down the hall way. Ethan turned in fury and practically raced after her. Reaching out, he took captive of her wrist and pulled her to a halt.
“You will not disrespect your mother like that!” He growled, clenching his teeth.
“My mother?!” Elizabeth let out a sarcastic laugh. “That woman can never be my mother!”
Without stopping to think for a second, Ethan slapped her hard across her face.
“Ethan!” He heard Gretchen scream in horror.
Elizabeth placed her hand over her cheek and stared at him in surprise as fresh tears ran down her face.
“Ellie,” Gretchen stepped forward.
“I never,” Elizabeth began, clenching her teeth. “ever want to see either of you, again. I am finished with your lies.” She finished, before turning around and walking away.
“Ellie!” Gretchen tried to run after her but Ethan pulled her back, wrapping his arms around her. She fought against his hold on her but he wouldn't budge. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't let Gretchen go through it again. If Elizabeth thought that by turning away from the only woman who bothered to love her -a love that her own mother was incapable of showing- then, fine! So be it!
Perhaps Elizabeth was more like Juliet -her mother- than Ethan even realized. Like Juliet, Elizabeth could never appreciate love! Like Juliet, Elizabeth chose to walk away from the only person who loved her. And, Ethan would be damned if he allowed Elizabeth make Gretchen go through what Juliet put him through.
Copyright © 2017 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.
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A/N
Elizabeth is so difficult! Oh my goodness, what's with these Winston women?! What do you guys think will happen next?!
Don't forget to vote and leave your thoughts behind. Please share this story!☺
On a completely unrelated subject; So, I'm in church today and service is about to start. My sister turns to me and requests I follow her to the rest room( as is the custom before service to redo our makeup and all). I rise to my feet, I'm wearing a knee length skirt and half way through the auditorium, just outside the lobby, THE ENTIRE SOLE OF MY SHOE, COMES OFF. THE ENTIRE THING! I can't breathe, I can't think and I can't move. Oh my goodness, the devil is on a roll today😢. Can you imagine I had to wear flip flops throughout the entire service?!(my mother keeps a pair in the car for emergencies like this).
*sigh. I felt like I was doing a walk of shame after service today. I can now tell you that on the embarrassed-O-meter, my bar is charged to a hundred percent!
What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?