Tears welled in her eyes, creating a path down her cheeks and falling to form an increasing large stain on her pillow. Her body curled up into a ball as a shiver ran through her spine. It was impossible to keep the sobs that escaped her lips, in. Fear clung to her, draining her of every hope she thought she had and leaving her hopeless.
Where was the man whose letters made her feel so loved?! Why had she married Frederick? Her mind screamed, cursing her for her foolish decision.
Perhaps she hadn't thought she had any other choice, perhaps her marriage to Frederick had been one born out of necessity and desperation. Yet, it had been the worst decision of her life, for here she laid, homeless and hopeless. A woman deceived by her parents and despised by her husband. She was stuck in a world with no hope, a world full of uncertainty and fear.
With her body still trembling, she climbed down the bed and rose to her shaky feet. For a brief second, her eyes ran over her barely clad body; dressed in nothing but a man's shirt.
Making her way to the wardrobe, she pulled it open and found a trouser. Her gaze ran over it, knowing it wouldn't be her size. Yet, she didn't have a choice. She slipped into the over sized trouser and began making her way out of the room and down the stairs.
The building stood silent with most likely everyone asleep. She made her way into the dark morning, the stinging cold immediately draping her body. For a brief second, she stood, allowing the breeze wash over her, giving her the illusion of peace. The cold morning air was a welcomed contrast to the heated, harsh, hateful feeling of being in the same building with a dreadful man.
She began making her way to the stable where she easily found Blue and led him out. Mounting the horse, she brought it to a run.
As Blue ran, Elizabeth wept. It was impossible to keep her tears or her loud sobs in. The weight of the world seemed to settle on her shoulders, dragging her down until she was being crushed under it. Her heart beat was in sync with the horse's hooves as the made contact with the ground. Sadness racked her entire body until she was haunched over the horse, unable to sit up straight long enough to see where she was headed.
And so she raced all through the night.
When the sun began to peak through the clouds, announcing the presence of a new day, she found herself at the top of a mountain, overlooking the city. Bringing the Horse to a halt, she dismounted. Her entire body felt weak and her legs seemed unable to carry her body weight. She fell to her knees and stretched her body on the grass. Pulling her eyelids shut, she heaved a breath and fell asleep.
*
Something cold touched her head.
Turning to the side, Elizabeth's eyelids parted slightly. With a loud wince, she turned to the side and placed her hands on her eyes to hide it from the stinging sun light.
Where was she?! Her head pounded as she slipped her hands down her face. It took a few seconds for her aching eyes to adjust to the blinding sunlight and when it finally did, her eyes traveled the length of the unfamiliar environment.
For a while, she didn't understand where she was and why she was there. But as she began to feel panic race through her veins, she remembered. Standing before Frederick, kissing him, being dragged by the arm and thrown out of the room stark naked like a mere harlot, being helped by Bailey, running...
The memory flooded her with such intensity, it was nearly impossible to breathe.
Something cold touched her forehead again and she immediately glance up to find Blue looming above her. She gave the animal a forced smile, somewhat grateful that he had helped to awaken her even if from the position of the sun, she knew she had slept nearly the entire day.
Struggling to her feet, she mounted the Horse and turned him towards the direction of the Wellington mansion. She didn't want to go back but she didn't believe she had a choice. Perhaps her marriage to Frederick was a complete failure. But until she knew what to do with her life and until she somehow locates her mother, Frederick was her best option. She would just need to avoid him.
Nearly an hour later, she was bringing Blue to a halt before the mansion and the sun was going down.
Her stomach made a hungry sound as she dismounted the horse, weak. She began climbing up the stairs of the front porch where a few maids stood staring at her with wide eyes. For a second, she wondered at their stares. But as her gaze followed their eyes to what it was they were staring at, she remembered she was still dressed in Bailey's clothes.
“You have a visitor, My Lady.” One of the maid curtsied, glancing down.
Elizabeth immediately knew it was Gretchen and she knew she didn't have the mental energy to accommodate Gretchen.
“My mother?” She asked.
“No, My Lady. It's Miss Caitlin.”
Excited and forgetting how much of a mess she was, Elizabeth hurriedly made her way into the building where she got more confused stares from the servants.
She practically raced through the halls, desiring to see Caitlin, to throw her arms around her friend and weep. Perhaps she could go home with Caitlin? It sounded better than staying under the same roof with Frederick.
She reached the guest's parlor and immediately stopped in her tracks. Her mouth fell open, her legs stood frozen to the spot, her heart beat slowed down and her breathing ceased.
Standing in the middle of the parlor, his arms wrapped around her best friend, their lips locked in a passionate kiss and their eyes closed, was Caitlin and Frederick.
Elizabeth tried to scream but her lips would not cooperate with her mind. She tried to run but her legs held her prisoner. She tried to close her eyes, to block out the shameful scene and betrayal that was being carried out right before her, but her eye lids refused to be closed. If anything, they kept widening until she was certain if they went any further, they would tear.
She wanted to believe she was still asleep on the mountain, dreaming. She wanted to believe that the man who stood kissing her friend wasn't Frederick, her husband of only a few days! She wanted to believe that the woman being kissed, whose fingers were burying themselves into Frederick's hair, was simply a stranger! Surely, Caitlin would never hurt Elizabeth like this! Surely Caitlin, Elizabeth's last hope, the only person she genuinely believed would never betray her, wasn't standing here kissing Frederick!
Were they having an affair?! She watched as their kiss deepened. Everything in her body melted with the thought. Something warm touched her cheeks and she immediately heard a loud scream.
She watched as Frederick and Caitlin pulled apart, turning sharply to where she stood by the entry way.
Caitlin's features clouded at the sight of Elizabeth but Frederick just stood there, expressionless.
Elizabeth wanted to die in that second. She wanted to run into the streets and have a wagon run over her. She wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. She wanted to jump down a cliff. She wanted to divorce Frederick! To leave London! To leave every liar in her life behind and simply run.
Turning around, she raced up the stairs and didn't stop until she was barging in through the doors of Frederick's room. She needed to change, her mind screamed frantically as she began searching for her gown. She needed to change into something that would afford her the opportunity to run. She felt tears fill her eyes but she couldn't allow them fall. Surely she couldn't give in to her tears especially because there was so much she need to...
“Elizabeth!”
She didn't turn to acknowledge the voice that beckoned her. Where on earth was her dress?! She thought, walking over to the wardrobe.
“Elizabeth!” Someone grabbed her arm.
Turning around sharply with her hand spread out, she slammed her palm against his cheek and he immediately released his hold on her.
“Liar! Lying, cheat!” She screamed hysterically. Making a fist, she swung angry blows at Frederick.
“Stop it!” He growled, lifting his hands to block her blows.
“My friend! You dirty pig!” She cried.
Pain exploded on her face, knocking the air out of her lungs and pushing her to her knees. Stunned, she sat there for a few seconds, unable to move. The taste of blood filled her mouth and tears blurred her vision.
“You will not raise a fist to me!” Frederick yelled, jerking her up by the arm. Pain shot up through her arm muscles, making it feel like his mission was to rip her arm out.
Elizabeth could barely see through her tears but she saw Frederick's hand fly through the air and slammed painfully on her face once more, evoking a pained scream from her lips as her body fell limp to the floor again.
“Never!” Frederick barked.
His furious frame hovered over her and she immediately knew he meant to continue his physical attack on her.
Pulling her eyelids shut because she knew she didn't possess the strength to run, she braced herself for yet another blow.
Frederick's voice filled the room, followed by a loud crashing sound.
Terrified, Elizabeth sat there with her lids shut and pain racing through her entire body. She fully believed she would faint from the pain.
As she sat there for a few more minutes, something cold finally touched her face. A sweaty palm, she guessed, even if she was afraid to open her eyes.
“Ellie?”
She heard the voice beckon her and immediately pulled her eyelids open.
“Ellie, are you okay?”
In that second, as Elizabeth sat staring into the Butler's concerned eyes, she immediately knew who he was and why he seemed so familiar.
She knew that only two people called her 'Ellie'; Gretchen and Frederick, in his letters. Unless, Frederick never wrote those letters...
It was Bailey.
Copyright © 2017 Lily Orevba All rights reserved.
*
A/N
'It was Bailey!😱'
Oh my goodness, she just figured it out! And while Frederick was physically abusing her!
What will happen next?!!