Until Forever (Complete)

Chapter Thirty Seven

“Perhaps I made a mistake, but I'm quite certain that Frederick will not shirk if he knows I'm to have his child. And if that happens, perhaps he will concede to marrying me.”

“Under what law, Caitlin?!” Sue yelled, her fingers curling to form a fist. She slammed her fist angrily on the top of the dresser, angry eyes still aimed at Caitlin. “The man is married and to your best friend! Have you no shame?”

A sudden wave of nausea washed over Sue as she observed Caitlin. Where had she gone wrong in raising the girl? Was she such a terrible mother? How had she failed, and so miserably, in telling Caitlin the truth about society and the overwhelming shame that would follow the act of having an affair?!

Surely, Frederick would walk away with nothing but a slap on the wrist. Caitlin, on the other hand, would be scorned and shunned by society.

Feeling dizzy, Sue stumbled to Caitlin's bed and gingerly placed herself on it. She rubbed her forehead in a failed attempt to ease the pounding in her head.

How was she going to explain to Augustine, Caitlin's father, that while he was away at sea, Caitlin was busy with a married man and was expecting a child that would live and die with the stigma of being the product of an illicit affair?!

“Mother?” Sue felt Caitlin touch her arm. “Frederick will protect my honor and divorce Elizabeth.”

“When was the last time you even laid eyes on Lord Frederick?” Sue asked, unable to hide the disgust that laced her question.

“Two nights ago.” Caitlin answered and Sue immediately knew she was lying.

Rising to her shaky feet, Sue released a tired sigh. “Get dressed, we shall leave for Lord Wellington's estate right now.”

“But mother...”

“Right now!” She turned eyes of steel to Caitlin who immediately jumped into action.

Sue sat in the wagon and fought to keep her breathing regulated and her heart from beating so fast as the wagon drove through the gates of the Wellington estate.

Lord Wellington was a well known judge in London; well known and well respected. Sue was unaware of the fact that he even had family members for he seemed to live a secluded life in his estate with a few servants. It was when the rumors began of Frederick bedding Caitlin, did Sue gain knowledge that Lord Wellington had a grandson.

Sue should have done something to stop the affair. Instead, she had lived in denial for many weeks. She couldn't allow herself even the slightest second to think that her only daughter would be foolish enough to soil herself even before her life begun. But, whether Sue believed it or not, that was exactly what Caitlin had gone and done; soiled herself. And, there was nothing Sue could do to change that.

The journey to the Wellington estate would most likely turn out to be fruitless. What man would concede to not only having an illicit affair with a girl who hadn't even had the chance to experience a season in London, but to have gotten her pregnant? It was obvious that Frederick would deny these 'preposterous' accusations and would order them out of his estate.

Sue wanted to bury her face in her hands and weep. Caitlin was ruined! She would live her life as not only a spinster with a bastard child, she would live her life as a discarded spinster.

The wagon came to a halt before the mansion. Sue didn't bother to acknowledge the grandeur of the Wellington estate as she stated her mission to a maid who inquired and waited for her presence to be announced to Frederick and his grandfather.

After waiting beside the wagon for what seemed like an eternity, Sue watched with undisguised irritation as a young man -most likely not older than the age of twenty- with brown hair, made his way down the front stairs.