Until Forever (Complete)

Chapter Thirteen

Every step she took, took her further and further away from the woman she once considered to be her mother. Every step she took, led her to an uncertain future.

Yet, Elizabeth couldn't stop running. There was something in her, something so desperate to run, she couldn't convince it to stay.

It had all been a lie, her heart beat seemed to say. Her entire life had been nothing but a lie.

She ran until she found herself standing in the stable. She unlocked Blue's stall and led the white horse out. Expertly mounting him, she kicked his side, causing him to gallop.

As the horse ran, Elizabeth felt her body rise and fall in sync with the movement of the horse but she couldn't see past the tears that blurred her vision.

She was afraid to think, yet, it was all she could do; think.

She thought of her life, her family, her mother. She thought of the fact that her entire life almost seemed perfect. She thought of the bond she shared with Gretchen. She thought of the fact that Gretchen wasn't even her mother.

Her thoughts were nothing but bits and pieces that were disjointed. Nothing made sense and even she was unable to bring her thoughts together long enough to make sense of them.

Her body trembled slightly from the night air but she continued to race through the dark roads of London. Air filled her nostrils, yet she was unable to breathe it in. The tears that stained her face made the night air seem extremely cold around her face area and she could already tell that her entire face was red from the stinging cold.

She all of a sudden desired warmth. She desired the warmth of love wrapped around her until she was drowning in it; she desired her mother. Yet, she knew she had no mother or at least she had no mother in Gretchen. Gretchen was an imposter, according to Elaine.

Who then, was Elizabeth's mother?

A shiver ran down her spin and a sob escaped her lips.

Elizabeth wanted to feel safe. She wanted to run into the arms of safety and be protected from the world and it's lie.

And because she didn't know how to find her real mother, she turned her horse in the direction of the only person she knew she could find love; Frederick.

*

Frederick slowly lifted the arm of the woman that was wrapped around his chest, and placed it on the bed. Rising up slowly, he planted his feet on the ground and rose to his full height.

He pulled on his clothes as quickly as was possible and turned to face Caitlin who still laid unmoving on the bed.

A smile settled on Frederick's face; she had been but a virgin. Frederick couldn't help but cluck his tongue, however silently. Unfortunately for her, his interest didn't lie in her as much as it did in her money... Or her father's money.

The truth was, Frederick was willing to do anything for the money except get married and Lady Caitlin was his last choice especially because his grandfather intended to force him to get married to Elizabeth.

What was wrong with the old gizzard anyway?! He groaned. Why did Gary make it his business whether or not Frederick decides to marry?!

Caitlin stirred on the bed and Frederick couldn't help the frown that creased his face as he watched her eyelids pull open; he had been hoping to escape having a conversation with her.

The second Caitlin's eyes settled on him, her eyelids grew a notch and she immediately pulled the covers over her naked body.

“Lady Arundel,” Frederick plastered a smile on his face.