Until Forever (Complete)

Chapter Forty One

The atmosphere was white. Snow covered the grounds and every green plant was covered with snow flakes. Yet, in the midst of the biting weather, she could make out a carriage making it's way through the shoveled road.

She clutched tightly to the curtains to keep her fingers from freezing and her legs from giving out beneath her as she awaited the approaching carriage and the visitors it carried.

Three months, she thought. Three months since she last saw her. Fear mingled with excitement raced through her veins as she watched the carriage come to a halt and the people climbed down. A soft sighed escaped her lips. Turning around, her eyes immediately came to settle on the empty room. The room, once occupied and filled with the property that constituted her years as a little girl and a spinster, was stripped bare of furniture and seemingly of life. Her trunks had been packed and it was only a matter of a day before she said goodbye to not only her room, but her life as she knew it.

She squared her shoulders and made her way out of her bed room door, through the hall and down the stairs. She reached the stairs just in time to see her. Standing there with her eyes shining with excitement, she thought she looked wonderful. She lifted her head and their eyes locked and as she looked at her, she knew.

In spite of everything Caitlin had done, Elizabeth had forgiven her. They might not have gotten the starting they wanted, but they were both getting the chance at a new starting.

In that second, her mind drifted to the morning she sought to end her life. She had snuck into the Wellington estate, found Frederick's room and pointed a gun at him. Frederick had deceived her into handing the gun to him and had sought to kill her. Even till now, Caitlin was uncertain how she survived. 

She forced one foot after the other until she was standing before Elizabeth.

“I'm glad you could make it.” She said, her first word to Elizabeth in over five months. She was glad her friend had decided to come even if she didn't have to.

Elizabeth nodded and smiled, before throwing her arms around Caitlin. Caitlin settled into her arms, leaning her cheek against her best friend's shoulder and taking in the familiar scent of her perfume. Tears stung her eyes as she tightened her hold around Elizabeth, wanting nothing but to go back to the past and stop herself from making the mistake she had; from betraying Elizabeth.

“Father and Mother send their regrets. Mother is only but a few weeks from child birth and must stay in bed.”

“Thus I have been forced to take on the role of chaperone.” Samuel said, his chin lifted to the ceiling as he spoke.

Caitlin fought the urge to laugh at little Sammy's antics. He seemed grown and matured and a lot smarter than he had been a few months back. His red hair seemed tamed. Her eyes darted to Bailey who stood between Elizabeth and Samuel and she returned his smile.

In a way, she considered Bailey family. Not only was he marrying her best friend, he was her Aunt's son. Perhaps not by birth, but Alice had loved him enough to earn the title of being called his mother.

“Sammy has been taking on a lot of roles lately; from seeing to mother's every need, to helping me plan for the wedding.” Elizabeth grinned as she took Caitlin's arm and allowed her usher her to the dining area where her parents awaited them. “He has also been the perfect chaperone for me and Bailey.”

Caitlin had heard of Bailey and his inheritance of the Wellington estate. It had come as a shock to everybody that Lord Wellington had another heir or worse, that the judge died as a result of poison being administered to him by his daughter in law, the result being Lady Chloe's public disgrace and arrest. Caitlin had heard rumors that Lady Chloe had been sentenced to death.