wideeyedone
Baby did a bad, bad thing
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2007
- Posts
- 7,070
(a closed thread for me and cgcraven)
Lizbeth held the crisp fine paper between her fingers. She could not see the words any longer, her vision was clouded with her tears. But she had read the letter over and over in disblief and the words were burned onto her heart.
My Dearest Lizbeth,
I wish I could tell you this in person, but my father has forbidden it. It seems that I am not the master of my own fate, any more than you are. My father has dissolved our engagement, my love. I have pleaded with him to no avail. He says that your father’s financial ruin is not the cause, but the scandal of your father’s affair and ruination of the young dutchess. It is a scandal that can not be easily repaired. I am sorry my gentle little one. I know this is none of your doing and I would give anything to change this. My father assures me that he is arranging assistance for your father . Please forgive me.
Yours always,
Charles
Lizbeth let the tears fall. Workmen were packing away her mother’s fine furnishings and servingware. She listened to the tinkling of crystal and china, her piano sounding as it was hefted from the room. Her father’s weakness for games of chance and lovely young women had finally caught up with him. He had fathered a child with the daughter of one of London’s most powerfull men. Now, all of his debtors were calling in their markers. Her mother had taken to bed. She was a shell of her former self.
The house was becoming more empty by the moment. Her father had already taken her mother's jewels to pawn. Even her clothing had been crated up by one of the workman. She only had the simple day gown that she wore. She hadn't even worn her newest gown yet, it had been made for a ball thrown by Charles's father and now it was gone. Everything was gone.
Her father kept telling her he knew what to do. He kept telling her he had hidden assets. He wanted her to assure her mother that it was all going to be alright. How could anything be alright again?She folded the letter and slid it into her pocket. Lizbeth walked to the window. Down below carriages were being loaded with the fine things she had always known, their life had been crated up and would be sold to the highest bidder. Her father was standing below on the street. He was talking to another man. This fellow was a stranger to her. He was well dressed, but Lizbeth did not think he was a peer. The man looked up at her through the glass, she felt a shiver go up her spine. He looked at her as if she were a delicate dessert on a platter. She stepped away from the glass, but she still felt cold. She wanted to sit down but their wasn't a stick of furniture in sight. The doctor was upstairs with her mother. She decided to go downstairs and see what her father had gotten into now.
Lizbeth held the crisp fine paper between her fingers. She could not see the words any longer, her vision was clouded with her tears. But she had read the letter over and over in disblief and the words were burned onto her heart.
My Dearest Lizbeth,
I wish I could tell you this in person, but my father has forbidden it. It seems that I am not the master of my own fate, any more than you are. My father has dissolved our engagement, my love. I have pleaded with him to no avail. He says that your father’s financial ruin is not the cause, but the scandal of your father’s affair and ruination of the young dutchess. It is a scandal that can not be easily repaired. I am sorry my gentle little one. I know this is none of your doing and I would give anything to change this. My father assures me that he is arranging assistance for your father . Please forgive me.
Yours always,
Charles
Lizbeth let the tears fall. Workmen were packing away her mother’s fine furnishings and servingware. She listened to the tinkling of crystal and china, her piano sounding as it was hefted from the room. Her father’s weakness for games of chance and lovely young women had finally caught up with him. He had fathered a child with the daughter of one of London’s most powerfull men. Now, all of his debtors were calling in their markers. Her mother had taken to bed. She was a shell of her former self.
The house was becoming more empty by the moment. Her father had already taken her mother's jewels to pawn. Even her clothing had been crated up by one of the workman. She only had the simple day gown that she wore. She hadn't even worn her newest gown yet, it had been made for a ball thrown by Charles's father and now it was gone. Everything was gone.
Her father kept telling her he knew what to do. He kept telling her he had hidden assets. He wanted her to assure her mother that it was all going to be alright. How could anything be alright again?She folded the letter and slid it into her pocket. Lizbeth walked to the window. Down below carriages were being loaded with the fine things she had always known, their life had been crated up and would be sold to the highest bidder. Her father was standing below on the street. He was talking to another man. This fellow was a stranger to her. He was well dressed, but Lizbeth did not think he was a peer. The man looked up at her through the glass, she felt a shiver go up her spine. He looked at her as if she were a delicate dessert on a platter. She stepped away from the glass, but she still felt cold. She wanted to sit down but their wasn't a stick of furniture in sight. The doctor was upstairs with her mother. She decided to go downstairs and see what her father had gotten into now.