Ceasebury: Chapter Seventeen

The sun began to set as we sped towards the rest of our live through the cooling twilight. It ducked down behind the mountains as if it were dodging the ball of a cannon or the pellet of a musket. The sky began to fill with reddish flowers that bloomed softly as if from the trees which grew all around Virginia. I didn’t speak to Gabriella much as we sped on with our journey. But my worries reappeared, what would she do tonight? Did she have any clue what was going to happen between her and Charles tonight? Did she have any idea what happened on a girl’s wedding night? A wedding night she would spend in a room in a barracks with a man she had never before met.

What would my mother say? She would ask me where Gabriella had gone, and I wouldn’t be able to tell her. I’d just tell her I had no idea. Would Gabriella be safe in the barracks? I suppose, at least there, someone who would protect her interests would be near her. Here, she would be trapped forever in a house that didn’t belong to her an held nothing for her (not that any of u would ever own a house), at least if she married Charles, she would have some kind of chance at freedom and a life without all of this haunting her, particularly when she found out that she wasn’t even a Kingston. God, if society found out she was an illegitimate child, my mother would turn Gabriella out on the street, and she would be disgraced and she would never be wed. This seemed like the only way out of what could become a far worse situation.

Yes, I would distract everyone was a huge display of joyful tears when Valentine proposed and give Gabriella and Charles the chance to get out of the hall into town. I smiled to myself.

“Theodosia, will you write to me?” she whispered.

“Of course.” I nodded. “Gabriella, when you are married, I have to tell you something. But it has to wait.”

“Oh?” she questioned.

“Yes, it’s very important that you know something, but it has to wait.”

“Okay.” She smiled understandingly. “Cheyenne is bringing some of my things to the barracks, but all my big dresses are having to stay here.”

“Well, I can see if there’s a way I can get some of your yellow dresses to you if you want, I know you love them.”

“No, its fine. I have my measurements, if I need new dresses, I’ll write to the Williamsburg tailor.”

“Oh, alright.” I swallowed. It would be so strange to live at Ceasebury while Gabriella wasn’t in the next chamber. It would be so strange to see a wardrobe filled with yellow dresses which would never be worn again. The carriage picked up even more speed. Soon, we would be at the ball.

“It’s going to be a strange looking wedding.” Gabriella laughed.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, it’ll be Charles and I and the priest, no congregation, no father to give me away, its not even going to be in a proper church.”

“I guess, but –“ I paused “what does it matter?”

“Nothing, my father gave me away a long time ago. He gave me to this place. You know, once I’m married, I’m going to write back to my father and my brother and tell them of my name change. I’m going to be Lady Gabriella LeBolt. They should know that.”

“Look.” I swallowed deeply “You mustn’t do that. Your father can’t know where you are.”

“What?” she questioned.

“Lord Kingston can’t know where you are. You have to keep it a secret. Once you’re married, I’ll go to Kingston Grove and tell your brother where you are.”

“Why?”

“Its very complicated. Your brother wrote to me. Your father killed your mother.”

“What?” she shouted.

“Your mother was having an affair and he killed her when he found out. Do you have any idea who it might have been?”

“Who what might have been?”

“Your father, the man your mother was having an affair with.” I whispered.

“No.” she said bluntly.

“Really?” I questioned her.

“Yes.” She paused “why did that mean I had to leave Kingston Grove?”

“Dorian was scared that if you stayed your father would kill you. Well, he’s not really your father, but –“ my voice trailed off.

“Oh.” She paused. I looked at her with incredulity, having assumed this news would have prompted a greater response. Gabriella turned to looked away from me.

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