A Natural Mother [ON HOLD]

Chapter 4

I have a chapter written and I would like to share it. It's been nearly a year since my last post, but I've been writing lately so here it is. It's one of my summer goals to write a little bit every day, so hopefully I'll be able to take this story off hiatus in a month or so.

READ, COMMENT, VOTE, ENJOY!

+Cake

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When she awoke again in the opulent carriage, they were rumbling their way up a long winding road to an estate so massive, she didn’t know what to say. Belle was so obviously in awe of the enormous mansion that Rose laughed at her.

But what had she thought she would do, act like she was expecting it?

Belle had been raised well, but in poverty. It wasn’t as if she could simply accept Rose’s wealth and move on; her life had been completely flipped in the opposite direction in a single night and by one woman’s request, and Belle was suddenly finding it difficult to acclimatize when actually faced with the reality of her future life.

All Belle could think as the coach pulled smoothly up in front of the house was that the West Wing of this mansion could easily support an orphanage. Why would two people need so much space? What could they possibly be using it all for?

After spending the night in a room twice the size of her old house and having been regrettably forced to borrow a nightgown probably worth more than her locket, Belle changed into her own clothes from the previous day. She had cleaned them as best as she could before she slept, and then promptly fell onto the plush bed in exhaustion, and now she could only pray she was presentable enough. Her hair had been hopeless to fix, and no matter how many times she pinched her cheeks she still looked pale as snow. Too nervous to eat breakfast, she sat uncomfortably at the Moores’ massive dining table and nibbled half-heartedly on a muffin. It was the day that she would be signing the marriage contract. It was also the day Belle would meet Gabriel.

She was much more nervous about the contract than the child. She had no doubt Gabriel could easily be adopted into her life as her son, even if he turned out to be a difficult baby; she had always had a certain way with children. However, she had never in her life had a husband before. Not even a beau.

Heavens, she’d not properly met a man any younger than her father. Oh, she’d seen men in the market, but she was too busy paying attention to the vendors to actually learn what men were like. Her mother had explained what happened in marriage bed to her when she had come of age, which had not been embarrassing considering the loving openness she and her mother had shared, but she had also pointed out that it was different for every couple.

She had no idea what to expect in that department, and didn’t even know if they would get along on the basic things, let along be compatible that way. Who was to say that her husband would even desire her?

The butler had set her contract on the table with breakfast, and Belle carefully read through it, picking it apart for anything that may be used to manipulate her. It was very direct and simple, however, and contained only the clauses she’d agreed to with Rose according to the marriage and the legal adoption of the child. Finding no problem with it, Belle penned her signature shakily on the line, sealing her fate.

Relief caused her body to slump slightly in her seat. It was done. No matter what happened now, she had a husband, a baby, and a financially, if not emotionally, secure life ahead of her. Though she had yet to meet either one of the new boys in her life, it still filled her with hope and happiness to finally have a family of her own.

“Are you alright, dear?” Rose asked as she breezed into the room, bringing with her the powerful scent of roses and an ashamed flush to Belle’s cheeks. She felt horribly underdressed and generally lowly when confronted with the Countess. “You look rather pale. Do you feel poorly?” The woman sat down gracefully and gazed concernedly at Belle, giving her hand a maternal pat.