Helping Elizabeth (EDITING)

Chapter Fourteen

THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO MISTYWIND99! :D

Chapter Fourteen

Elizabeth sighed in relief as she rested her back against the bark of her favorite tree. For the first time in a fortnight Elizabeth was resting, alone, without being rushed from one place to another by her fretting mother. Just one week from now her engagement ball would be thrown and her mother was freaking out already. Elizabeth's visited the dress maker shop a dozen of time this fortnight that she has lost count.

She didn't blame her mother though, for her being by her side throughout this helped Elizabeth a lot. She too was getting cold feet. But this time it wasn't over the fact that she was to mingle with people, nor was it the mere thought of being the talk of the town. She wanted to be the talk of the town but this time she wanted them to talk about the ball she was going to throw, she wanted them to realize that she was over her past- for good.

Brushing the strands of hair from her face, she fetched the book shed left a fortnight ago and cursed under her breath when she realized that the pages were worn out from the rain. Shaking her head she pursed her lips and opened the folded page and continued reading.

**

Elizabeth wasn't aware of the hours she spent reading under the shadow of her favorite tree nor was she aware that the sun was slowly setting in the horizon, but when the shadows were cast upon the page she was reading she raised her eyes to the sky and saw the slowly fading sun. Quickly she gathered her belongings and rushed towards the mansion fully aware of the scolding she would receive from her mother but as she neared the mansion she squinted her eyes upon seeing a carriage in front of the mansion. Furrowing her brows she edged closer towards the carriage, searching for its crest, for she knew it didn't belong to her family.

When her eyes finally found the crest a gasp left her parted lips and she nearly lost the grip on her book. Blinking for a couple of times she nibbled on her lip when she realized whose carriage it was. She glanced down at her gown and cursed again, god forgive her for her language! She didn't look representable at all! And she sure as hell was going to face a red faced, furious charlotte today, there was no escape.

But when did Williams's mother arrive? How did she not hear the horse hooves? She sighed and hugged the book close to her chest. Her heart was going to burst from her chest! That she was sure of.

She should've listened to Kate when she held the violet dress out for her to dress, but Elizabeth foolishly shook her head and picked one of her old dresses to wear for the day. Nibbling on her lower lip yet again she glanced at the front door and considered her options. She could either go to the back door and use the servants stairs up to her room and get changed, or she could make a fool out of herself in front of the dowager duchess, her soon to be mother-in-law.

Of course, she went with the first choice. Without giving it another thought she rushed to the back door that lead to the kitchen and sneaked to the servant quarters and took the stairs up to the third floor silently. When she did reach the floor she peaked into the empty hall way and held her breath, her ears perched for a voice, when she heard none she flung herself into the hall way and ran to her bedchambers, slipped inside and closed the door behind her.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and rested her back against the door as she took deep breaths to calm her nerves and to slow down her frantic heartbeats. A dress laid on her bed caught her attention as soon as she opened her eyes. It was one of the new dresses, she realized. A smile sprung to her face, she didn't regret going to the dress maker shop anymore, for the time she spent there was worth it and the result was before her eyes. The beautiful sapphire blue dress was perfect, the sleeves, the rustled skirts and the embroider bodice stole her breath away, she didn't know it was this perfect. She closed her eyes and wondered what her engagement dress looked like, this dress was mesmerizing then the engagement dress was breath taking.