Until Forever (Complete)

Chapter Six

Heaving a breath of relief as the corset was let loose, Elizabeth watched as her gown fell to a heap at her feet. She carefully stepped over the gown and waited for Gretchen who was now walking away from the wardrobe with a silk nightgown in her hands.

Gretchen helped Elizabeth into her nightgown and went ahead to loosen her hair of it's bond. While Gretchen hadn't spoken much since their exit from the Wellington estate, Elizabeth knew her mother was dying to ask about her time with Frederick; a fact that Elizabeth couldn't help but dread.

She didn't want to tell her mother about Frederick's proposal. Other than the fact that the proposal was prompt and unexpected, it was undesired. She didn't know why, but she could hardly stand Frederick's presence. It didn't matter that Frederick had been nothing but a gentle man the entire evening, it didn't matter that he was good looking and from a good family, all that mattered was that throughout her time with Frederick, she felt like she was standing before a complete stranger.

Yet, Frederick wasn't a stranger. He was the man whose letters managed to fill her with excitement. A man whose words flowed from what seemed to be a beautiful heart. A man of character. A man she longed for many weeks to meet.

“So?”

Gretchen's voice pulled Elizabeth out of her thoughts. She lifted her eyes to find her mother staring at her with a raised brow.

“It went well, Mother.” She answered simply, knowing fully well what her mother meant by the raised brow.

“Just well?” Gretchen smiled broadly and Elizabeth heaved another breath.

“I'm extremely exhausted.” She admitted, throwing herself on the bed.

“Ellie, please tell me you're at least considering Lord Frederick.”

Elizabeth closed her eyes for a brief second, knowing fully well that her mother won't take kindly to her response. “Perhaps not.”

“What?!” She heard the horror in Gretchen's voice.

“I do not know.”

“But you've written letters back and forth each other for many weeks now. Also, I know you do not exactly like the idea of sitting through dinner with a potential suitor but you seemed really excited this afternoon when you were getting dressed, you even got into an argument with your brother!”

“I know.” Elizabeth sighed.

“What changed? Frederick seemed okay to me and his grandfather is a really good man.”

“Perhaps it is Frederick himself I'm confused about, Mother.” She sighed, rising to a sitting position on the bed. Gretchen stood before her, a frown on her face. “I feel nothing for him. If anything, I feel like I do not even know him.”

“But you only just met him today.” Gretchen insisted.

“I know. Well, perhaps I don't know, Mother. Frederick seemed... Different.”

Gretchen heaved a breath and settled on the bed beside Elizabeth. Elizabeth could tell just by looking at Gretchen, that she was troubled.

“It was only but a few hours, my darling.” Gretchen touched her face. “Perhaps if we invite Lord Frederick for a ball here...”

Elizabeth groaned aloud. She didn't think she could get through yet another ball.

“...it would give you two the perfect opportunity to get to spend some time together without seeming inappropriate.”

Elizabeth opened her mouth to tell her mother that she didn't think even a ball could bring her close to Frederick but she decided against it. Another ball wouldn't hurt, right? Besides, it would afford her the time to have an extended conversation with Frederick, alone.