The Sisters Of The Court

Chapter 21: Scarlett

I was a home wrecker. Even though I had done nothing wrong I was ruining their relationship as I did with everything. I was just trying to make a friend was that so wrong? I was an awful person I am a terrible cousin and I was a terrible daughter to my mother. It seems as though everyone is hell bent on ruining me for things I have not done. I pondered all of this while still sitting in my armchair I hadn't moved since they had all come and gone. I was so mean to Katherine i felt horrid for acting towards her like that. And i can't imagine how everything must look to Alice she thinks i tried to steal sunny's husband and now she thinks i tried to steal hers. I let out a long exasperated sigh i just wanted everything to go back to how it was. Where it was just me and my son living in the countryside i instinctively looked down at the crib but nothing was in it. I bolt up from my chair remembering that he was in the royal nursery. Damn it! Why was i such a horrible mother as well? God i was a train wreck today. I thought as i raced down through the halls to the nursery. When i burst in the room the nurse was just getting ready to feed him thank God he was still here i don't know what i would have done if he hadn't been. I breathed out a sigh of relief. What was the matter with me? How could i do such a thing? I held out my arms and the nursemaid gently placed him in my arms i felt so relieved just to be holding him. I smiled down at him as he giggled. I don't know what i would do without my son i would probably die of sadness and grief. As i looked out the window i saw Alice and Katherine walking and talking in the gardens. "Well at least they're friends." I grumbled to myself. It seemed as if the whole world was ganging up on me today. More specifically my cousins. Now i wasn't even allowed to be friends with George because of Alice's distrust in me. I'm sure if it was Katherine she wouldn't care in the slightest. Voices jerked me out of my bitter thoughts i could tell that they were coming from a study that was next door. It sounded like a one sided argument to me as if someone were shouting at themselves. I could tell it was Nicholas his voice was so loud it almost scared me. He was so angry i couldn't even make out what he was saying. When i heard the door slam i jumped so hard i almost gave myself a heart attack. I saw George rush out the door with worry and fury in his eyes. Oh God what had i done? It was always my fault i brought failure and disaster wherever i went. My head was starting to fill with memories of my mother and my eyes were welling with tears. I had to get out of here i needed air i handed George to the nursemaid not really caring if he was allowed to stay or not. I rushed out to the gardens and as soon as i got there i was gasping for air. It felt as though those memories were real and were coming alive again. I sat down on a stone bench i could feel the cold stone even through my dress. It was also drizzling on top of everything. "Great." I mutter under my breath now i'll get wet too but honestly I didn't care I just wanted this nightmare to be over. I sat there in the rain just waiting for something for anything to happen and for everyone to stop believing the rumors and for Alice to see the truth. I closed my eyes as if it were going to make all my troubles go away. I even kept them closed when I heard footsteps approaching me I knew exactly who it was because nobody else would care enough to come see if Im alright. "Hello George." I say with my eyes still closed. "May I ask why you have your eyes closed?" He said I could tell he was right in front of my face. "How am I supposed to have a conversation with someone who won't even look at me?" I opened my eyes and I immediately saw that he did not look happy his eyes were puffed up and his nose was red. I wanted to say something snappy but I didn't want to make him even more upset. "What happened?" I ask with concern in my voice. "She thinks I'm in love with you and on top of that Nicholas chewed me out this morning." He said looking down at his shoes and nervously biting his lip. "I don't have time for this." He said still looking off into the distance and not at me. I realized the rain was getting just a little harder every minute. "None of us do." I say with a long sigh. Then all of a sudden he quickly turned to me with desperation in his eyes. "Scarlett I am going to tell you something and you must swear you will tell no one especially Alice." I quietly nodded and I could sense the desperation in his voice no matter how hard he tried to hide it. I was getting nervous it couldn't be that bad could it? He let out a long sigh and started speaking. "I am dying Scarlett and you are the only one I can trust with this." My hand flew up to my mouth to try and hold in a gasp. My head was filling with anxious thoughts. This wasn't true was it? He is the friendliest person on earth he wanted to become my friend when everyone else hated me. He couldn't be dying. A loud cough tore me out of my thoughts and I saw him coughing violently into a hankerchief and when he pulled it away I saw it was spattered with blood. "You need to tell Alice." I say as an instinct. "No!" He rises to his feet weakened by the coughing fit. "She cannot ever know I cannot burden her with this." He says his voice raised. "Alright alright." I say putting my hands up as a peace gesture. He sat down on the bench again next to me. "You are my only friend Scarlett the only one outside of my family." I can tell he's tired his eyes show it and he puts his head on my shoulder and I put my arm around his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "I'm scared Scarlett." He says his voice as small as a child's. "I know" I reply and keep arm around him.