Betrothed to the earl

chapter 23

''Oh, I might die out of exhaustion'' Amelia groaned as they traveled what felt like miles, it took them 4 days with no stop in a little carriage that crumped their body, ''Aye milady'' the Scottish young man had rather hard understanding them but perhaps not as difficult as they had understanding his language.

Maybe taking the first carriage was not the perfect idea, ''Oh for heavens sake let us stop'' Rose knocked at the carriage making the scot stop the horse, she rather felt nauseous from the ride.

Amelia glanced at her, ''You alright?''

Rose nodded lightly, ''Just dizzy I believe''

But she was more than dizzy, she felt exhausted like sleep would take over her when she already slept.

''I want to just strangle her when I do find her in one peace'' Rose muttered darkly, she was in a foul mood.

Realizing that it went over two weeks from the time she left the house she should've forget everything but it was impossible, it was stuck in her mind. He was In her dreams, mind and thoughts, she would find herself daydreaming. It was all happy.

As if that made more sense then feeling happy now, she was with her best friends, ''Have I told you look awfully pale''

Rose stared at her dumbfounded, ''Maybe because it has not stopped pouring rain for this past few days''

Amelia shrugged, ''Perhaps that's the case''

Roses eyes widen as a sign that said Birmingham, oh my days! ''Let us stop near! My aunt lives close''

They were indeed in Birmingham, the people walking left in right completely in a rush was something both her and Amelia was unaccustomed to from being in the countryside, ''Why are people running?'' Amelia frowned and Rose wondered the same.

There was even markets so huge and free newspaper, ''I might just live here'' she muttered loving the place.

The carriage stopped a few blocks away from her aunts' home and she memorized it once when she turned twenty and her father let her travel with Elizabeth, the fact that she lived alone was a thought that used to make Rose envious but now that loneliness creeped to her she wondered how her aunt could live with it

''What would I do without you'' Amelia muttered as they stood in front of Elizabeth's front porch, the little house looked cozy, the door suddenly opened and Elizabeth eyes widen, ''Rose! Amelia!''

She pushed them in and looked at her left and right making Rose frown, ''Aunt are you being followed?''

Elizabeth shook her head in distress before she closed the door, ''No, no, what have taken you guys here?'' she smiled and immediately ran to the kitchen to fetch food.

''Oh aunt cant we just strool around---'' Rose stopped as Elizabeth observed their attire, ''One could think you entered the males military, you ladies look filthy what has happened''

Rose smeled herself and almost fainted, she was in a need of a warm bath, ''To the left'' Elizabeth shouted.

Rose came back with a fresh muslin over her as her aunt prepared biscuits, ''I would've cooked food if I knew earlier---'' Amelia shook her head as Rose took a seat, ''No no we should've informed you''

Rose could breath after warmth surged through her body, ''Now spill it out ladies'' Elizabeth eagerly snapped, ''What?'' Rose asked dumbfoundedly although she should remember her aunt could read her like an open book.

''don't what me, now what kind of trouble are you both in''

''No one in particular what do you mean''

''So your telling me that you guys are not hiding?'' She gazed deeper at Rose and that's when rose realized her aunt knows, she silently threw her a plead to not speak about it in front of Amelia, ''Well.. we are not hiding anything, we more of want to find something or rather someone'' Amelia answered.

Elizabeth nodded and they changed topic into a more interesting one like how her biscuits were that delicious and although she hoped Amelia would not leave her with her curious aunt she just did that, ''Ill head into the bath than'' she hoped off

Rose wandered her eyes everywhere but it was to late, ''Spill it out young lady, do you have any idea how scared I was when I received a letter from your father''

Roses heart stopped beating at that, ''My father?''

What In the whole world--- ''Yes your father, he said that the earl  reached out for him on your whereabouts since you vanished on the face of earth and god knows if they come to my place any moment''

Roses eyes widen in horror, ''You—you don't mean''

Elizabeth nodded, ''Yes, your husband''

Rose was about to faint any second, suddenly her aunt held her steady, ''Rose, what is wrong?''

She gripped her stomach feeling like she would vomit any second and Elizabeth jumped up hoping to find a bucket, ''Oh---'' Rose grabbed the bucket and vomited.

She gulped the cold water and wiped her mouth, she was about to continue the conversation, but Elizabeth eyes widen and her mouth was agape in astonishment, ''My dear don't you have anything to say to me?

  Rose frowned in bewilderment, ''Say to you?''

''Your for heavens sake pregnant!'' Elizabeth whispered harshly.

Rose froze in place, she really did freeze like time stopped, the world stopped at that moment when Elizabeth said those words, pregnant. Rose haven't even thought about it besides a brief moment when she thought it was impossible, ''I—I cant—'' she closed her eyes realizing the bastard plotted it all, he promised to withdraw!

Elizabeth held her shaky hands, ''Listen to me—God listen to me Rose,''

Rose felt tears flow down her cheeks, ''I—what have I done?''

She was not angry, sad, regretful, she was just numb. Like that moment when don't know what road you should take, she felt lost, ''My young girl is not that young anymore, don't be frightened you have me and your friends and possibly a more important person in this picture''

Rose cupped her face and rubbed it in frustration, ''I left him—I did aunty... he probably loathes me, but the fact what I hoped ended another way is what's frightening me''

Elizabeth squeezed her cold hands, ''He deserves to know... don't do the same mistake---'' she stopped her words making Rose snap her gaze at her as Elizabeth shook her head surpressing her own tears, ''I was once in your position, I had no way to turn to and no one besides your mother, I was stressed and carried so much guilt, Davids.. he we did not love each other but I still liked him, knowing that he was not a child loving of person I kept it away from him, but it did not help one bit'' She sobbed out and Rose hugged her aunt

''I lost my baby at 7 months, miscarriage but I knew if I did not carry that much guilt and stress my baby perhaps would be here..''

Rose closed her eyes, Nicholas must want children, for heavens sake he made sure to leave her with one , she was hurt the fact he used her for his part in the agreement... so after all it was creating a heir wasn't it? How foolish could she be.

And she bloody apologized to that man and wrote him a letter!

But feeling angry was not the solution, hating him was not the solution when a baby is in the picture, ''You are right, I will have to face it but please don't tell anyone for now, not father or the girls''

Elizabeth nodded and wiped her tears, ''You know I never do''