Sweet Escape

Twenty-Five

"Ms. Charlize, we've been looking everywhere for you." Archibald said. Charlize was sitting in the stable beside Prince. Hugging her knees to her chest and staring straight ahead. Tears tracing her cheeks every now and again. "What is the matter?" He took a seat across from her, but her eyes did not focus on him. Her jaw tightened. "Charlize, please talk to me."
"I can't leave." She said. Her voice didn't sound like her own.

"Ah, this is about leaving for your Aunt Liza's house." He said. "It's only for a few weeks. You'll be back before you know it." Her eyes finally met his. Eyebrows crinkled together and nose flared by the sting of fresh tears forming.
"I can't go there." She emphasized. Her voice breaking slightly. Archibald examined her meticulously. His head tilted slightly.
"Charlize...what do you mean?"

"She's only sending me away because of Dimitri but I already agreed I wouldn't see him anymore. It's not fair Archibald I can't go there."
"What happened with Dimitri?"
"Arielle saw us kissing in the garden yesterday and she told her and she said that she would tell everyone that he forced himself on me if I see him again and I need you to find a way to get her to change her mind because I cannot go to stay with Aunt Liza." She said. He saw the pure fear in her eyes. "Archie, please. Help me." Her small, shattered voice took hold of his heart. He nodded and stood.
"Wait right here."

Archibald left the stable and made his way back to the house. He went straight for Elizabeth, wheels already turning in his head, ready to do whatever he possibly could to follow through with Charlize's request. She found Elizabeth chatting in the hallway with one of her staff, Henry standing beside her. He knew that his being there would be an advantage. He took a deep breath and approached.
"Mrs. Covington, may I have a word?" Archibald interrupted, standing astute, usual demeanor, with his hands behind his back.

"Only if you're telling me you've located my daughter." She said without sparing me a glance. "Let me know when the flowers arrive." She dismissed her staff and began walking. Archibald and Henry followed.
"Not quite, but I do have something to discuss with you about her – more of a request really."

"What is it Archibald?" She said as they entered her study. She took a seat behind her desk and Henry took a seat on the armchair across from her while Archibald chose to stand.

"Don't you think sending her so far away towards the summers end is a bit harsh?" He started. Elizabeth stared up at him blankly.

"How do you mean?" She inquired.
"I understand that her situation with Mr. Dimitri was a quite compromising one-."
"Who told you what happened?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Charlize did last night when I heard her crying in her room." Archibald lied. Elizabeth continued to stare him down but the signaled for him to continue. "Despite the situation, I don't think it warrants sending her to a place she truly despises, even if it is only for a short few weeks."
"She will be fine. The only reason she despises my sister's house is because the neighborhood girls used to bully her relentlessly." Elizabeth said. "But it's been so long. Everyone has grown and I'm sure they've long forgotten about it."

"The thing is, even being there can bring back awful memories and I don't think Charlize is in the right state of mind to be there."
"What are you going on about?" Elizabeth scoffed.
"Well, she just lost a good friend-."
"I would hardly call him that."
"And I'm not sure she has quite yet recovered from losing her father."

"It has been long enough."
"Grief has no time limit." Archibald said, quirking an eyebrow. Elizabeth glanced at the quiet Henry before looking back to Archibald.
"I have made my decision."

"I have an alternative, if I may?"
"No-."
"Let's hear what he proposes." Henry finally spoke up. She shot him a glare and he rose his eyebrows at her. She gave in with a sigh.
"What is it?" She asked.

"I agree that Charlize needs time and space. She needs to be able to get her thoughts together and hopefully by the time she returns, all of this mess would have been resolved."
"So what are you suggesting?"
"She can stay at my home."

"By herself? So she can sneak off with that boy? I think not." Elizabeth said.

"Of course we would not send her alone. And I know you wouldn't trust it if I looked after her so send her with a small group of staff. Those that can properly take care of her and Aurora to keep an eye on her."
"I need Aurora here."

"You trust her more than anyone to do as you ask, correct? You have plenty of others to complete your requests until she returns." Archibald pointed out. "Having her there to keep an eye on Charlize makes sure that Dimitri is nowhere in sight while allowing Charlize the proper time to recover."

"Recover from what is what I am not understanding." Elizabeth said.
"We all need time away every once in a while. There is a lot going on for her at the moment and she needs quiet. Not more trauma." Archibald's words sat in the quiet room for a moment as they let it sink in.

"I agree with Archibald." Henry said. "I think it is better to have her close and with Aurora, that way we know for sure what she is doing and how she is doing. With your sister...anything can happen and we wouldn't know."

"She's my sister, she would tell me."
"It took her showing up with Charlize and Arielle in the middle of the afternoon near the end of her visit for her to tell you that Charlize was being bullied all summer." He said. As many times as he heard it, that explanation never sat right with him. Elizabeth looked over to her husband again. He seemed to be invested in the idea as well. As angry as Elizabeth was with Charlize, she didn't want to bring up repressed memories as further punishment. Even she knew it was too much especially after ripping Dimitri so violently from her grasp.

"Fine." Elizabeth said reluctantly. "I will make the arrangements for her to leave this afternoon. You can tell my daughter she can come out from wherever she's hiding." Archibald thanked her and gave a bow before leaving the room.