Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Roselynn again found herself sitting in from of her vanity mirror as a hairdresser put her hair up. Today was her wedding day, or as she fondly thought of it as it being the last day of her life. She'd imagined how this moment would feel time and time again, when she was with George it felt like bliss. But now, as she sat here all she felt was dread. She'd been feeling unwell as of late. Wave nasua would rush over her when she would smell certain scents and it was usually bad in the early hours of the morning. The members of the household had chalked it up to nerves about the wedding. "Alright miss, you're finished for now, how about we get up situated into that gown of yours?" She stood up, but as she did a bout of dizziness washed over her and she nearly fell. "Miss?" Roselynns vision was going blurry and the hairdressers voice was fading in and out. 'Maybe if I'm lucky I'll die.' Roselynn suddenly thought as she fainted. The hairdresser screamed and ran out of the room screaming for someone to fetch the doctor. A few hours later she woke up to a man with a white mustache standing over here, he was hold a vile of smelling salts under her nose. She looked around her and there stood Alexander causing her to groan. "Careful now Miss." The doctor helped her to sit up. "Well what's the matter with her?" Alexander demanded. "I can't say while you're in here, this is a woman's business." The doctor replied and Alexander groaned. "Just spit it out old man, if you haven't noticed we've got a wedding in the works here." The doctor looked to Roselynn and sighed, "She's pregnant." Those words sent Roselynn down another spiral of dizziness.

She was carrying George's child! She felt a flutter of happiness in her chest, a feeling that had been denied to her for so long. But her happiness was short lived when she saw the look on Alexander's face. "May I have a private moment with my bride?" The doctor obliged and walked through the door closing it behind him. "I bet it makes you happy to be carrying that dog bastard in your womb." Alexander spat out. Roselynn remained silent. "No matter, once you've given birth to the brat we'll take him to a convent. We'll start our own family soon after." Roselynn gasped and finally spoke. "You will not send my child away." For once her voice was strong. "It's non-negotiable, you don't have a say in how things are done here. Anyways, I look forward to seeing you later." Alexander stepped out and in came the makeup artist, hairdresser, and dresser. "Let's get you fixed up dear." They set to work and Roselynn look down at her belly.

When she was finally left alone she stood before her full length mirror and looked at the woman who stood before her. That couldn't be her, she looked nothing like herself. She rubbed her belly and sighed. "Hello little one." She smiled as a knock sounded at the door. "I'm sorry miss but it's time." Roselynn looked at the woman and furrowed her brow. "I thought I was supposed to wait for Ms. Lowell?" Who was this woman? "Wow, you look just as I imagined you to look." The woman said breathlessly. "I look like a snow yeti in a petticoat, you don't need to sugar coat it." The woman laughed. "Where is ?" The woman's smile fell and she nervously replied. "Well she got tied up with something else, the Vicomte sent me to fetch you instead. We should go before time runs out." The woman led her out of her room and down the hallway, the house was empty. "Everyone must be at the chapel already." Roselynn said and the woman nodded. She lead her out of the house to a carriage that waited for her, a man was seated at the drivers post. He looked familiar to Roselynn but she was soon pushed into the carriage. The driver took off and they were headed down the street, but instead of taking the right that led them to the chapel the driver continued straight. "We missed our turn." She shouted to the driver. "No we didn't, Roselynn I need you to listen very carefully to me. We weren't sent by the Vicomte. Were friends of George, we've been working to get you away from Alexander for sometime now. The driver is Mr. Destler, he's driving us to the sea port as we speak." Roselynn smiled. Finally she'd be free and she'd be reunited with her love. "Thank the lord." She sighed. The journey took thirty minutes, by now she was sure she'd missed the ceremony.

"Were here." The carriage came to a stop and Claudine handed Roselynn a change of clothes. "The police will be looking for a woman in a bridal gown, change into these and put the shawl over your head." She said. Roselynn took the black clothes into her hands and examined the shawl. It was a black mourning shawl, no one would dare talk to a woman in mourning! This plan was brilliant. She changed into her new set of clothes and wrapped the shawl around her head. She kept her head down and walked with the woman and Mr. Destler to the boat. They were silent and drew little attention to themselves. When they reached the the ticket officer handed him the tickets. 'Where are you off to… Mr. Reed is it?"Erik nodded and responded. "Ireland, my wife's mother has passed away. Were on our way to pay our respects." The ticket master nodded and stamped their tickets. As they made their way up the galley Roselynn could help but notice that the woman beside her looked like the woman in the picture she held in her locket. She must have been seeing things. When they got on the boat the galley was removed and the boat soon after started to move. They all released the breath they'd been holding and Roselynn felt tears come to her eyes. "Thank you so much!" She said as she threw her arms around Erik and Claudine. Her parents looked at one another and smiled as they hugged their daughter for the first time. "Don't thank us dear, you should head down below, nadir is waiting with George." Roselynn smiled and ran off. "She's so much like you." Erik said. "She's got spunk, that's for sure."

"Will you stop pacing! I'm sure she on board." Nadir had never been a fan of boats. George's pacing was making him all the more nauseous. "That's what I'm worried about Nadir, if she is on board. That means the plan went off without a hitch, it's too easy." George stopped his pacing and Nadir patted his back. "Come what may, we'll get through it." Nadir swallowed his nausea and smiled. They both started when a knock sounded at the door, George stood up and opened it. Roselynn didn't hesitate to throw her arms around him and kiss him. "I can't believe it! I almost made the biggest mistake of my life!" She kissed him repeated and George chuckled. "I'll leave you two alone for a bit." Nadir smiled and fumbled his way out of the cabin. "I still can't believe I'm free from Alexander. You have no idea what a brute he is!" The two of them sat on the bed. George moved a piece of her dark hair from her face. "What matters is that you're safe now and I'm never going to let you out of my sight again." George kissed her temple and Roselynn smiled. "I have something to tell you." George pulled away from her and Roselynn smiled. "Wait, I want to give you something first." George dug into his pocket and removed a small shiny item. "But how?" Roselynn looked at the ring in astonishment, the very same ring that Alexander had thrown out the window a couple weeks prior. "Nadir." Was all George responded. The crafty Persian must have heard of Alexander fit and searched for the ring himself under the cloak of night. George began to put the ring back on Rosleynn's finger, where it's rightful place was. "Now what was it you wanted to tell me Rosie?" George looked at Roselynns face and suddenly she felt nervous. "Well...um, you see...do you remember that night we spent together at the de Changy's?" George nodded and responded. "Yes, I should stayed and faced him instead of running off and leaving you." He squeezed her hand and Roselynn exhaled. "Well, since that night I've been feeling unwell. I've been sick to my stomach and have had fainting spells." George's eyes widened and he started to panic. "Let me go get the ships doctor!" He was up in an instant but Roselynn grabbed his hand. "They'll only tell me what I already know George." Roselynn smiled gently as George settled back down. "You're not dying are you?" Roselynn rolled her eyes and giggled. "No you dunce, we're gonna have a baby George. We're gonna be parents." George sat frozen and Roselynn's smiled faded. "George?" He said nothing, the only thing he did was stand up from the bed and walk out of the cabin. Roselynn sat in a daze, he reacted differently than how she imagined he would. He'd always mentioned children and he was excited about it from what she understood. Her thoughts wandered back to the woman with red hair, maybe she could help her understand the situation before she grew too upset.

George walked down to the tavern that was on board, there he found Nadir and Erik talking quietly. He sat down at their table wordlessly and stared down at the table. "What's up with you? You look like you've see a ghost?" Nadir set his drink down, he was confused as to why George looked like this. He was just gushing and emulating happiness with Rosleynn not too long ago. "Just get me some whisky." Was all George responded. Nadir looked to Erik as he waved the bartender down. A few minutes passed and the drink was set down in front of George, it took him all but three seconds to drink it down. "Another." Erik looked at George who'd still kept his eyes on the table in front of him. Another glass was brought over and George downed it just as quick as the last one. "Another." Nadir shook his head and Erik spoke. "I think you've had enough. What's going on with you?" George finally looked up from the table and flickered his eyes from Erik to Nadir. "I'm going to be a father." Was his simple reply as he set his head on the table. Erik glared up at Nadir and mouthed to him. 'Did you know about this?' Nadir shook his head rapidly and crossed his heart. A groan sounded from George as he sat up again. "I acted like such an ass about it! I didn't say anything to her, I just left her in the cabin." Erik glared at him. " So you mean to tell me you left my confused pregnant daughter alone after she told you important news like that?" He could strangle this boy! "I didn't want to! But my body just went into shock and I just couldn't speak!" George threw his hands in front of him as nadir interjected. "But you are happy about this? Are you not?" He leaned forward and George looked up at him. "Of course, more than anything. Roselynn and I have discussed children before. But I just thought I had a few more years of her to myself before that happened." Nadir nodded and spoke again. "Maybe you should talk to her about it." George looked to Nadir and nodded. He got up and patted Erik on the shoulder as he walked away. When he was gone Nadir looked to Erik and smiled his usual sadistic smile. "I believe a toast is in order to the new grandfather." He began to raise his arm but Erik slammed it back down on the table. "You call me a grandfather again and I'll make sure your smile loses it's charms with the ladies. It'll be pretty hard to charm a lady without teeth." Nadir chuckled and Erik smiled. "You're happy though, I can see it in your eyes." Erik smiled and picked his glass up clinking it with Nadir's. "That I am old friend, that I am."

Roselynn found Claudine on the deck of the boat leaning over the railing. "Can I speak with you?" Claudine turned from her post and smiled. "Of course dear, what seems to be the trouble?" Roselynn sighed. "I just told George something very important and his reaction wasn't what I expected it to be." Roselynn pouted and Claudine smiled gently. "Was it about your pregnancy?" Claudine watched as Roselynns head snapped towards her. "But, how did you know?" Claudine chuckled and set her hand on Rosleynns arm. "I've known since I first saw you, you have a type of glow about you and a gleam of motherhood in your eyes. Also while we were in the carriage you kept holding your stomach so that only confirmed my suspicions." Rosleynn blushed. "I remember having the exact same feeling when I was pregnant, it was the most wonderous feeling I've ever felt." Claudine leaned on the railing again and smiled. "You have children?" Roselynn followed suit and leaned alongside her. "I had one, a daughter, we've tried for others but they always ended in miscarriage." Claudine looked to her daughter and smiled sadly. She wanted so badly to tell her that she was her little girl, that she'd prayed nightly that she would see her again. "I'm sorry, you and your husband have been through so much." Roselynn set her hand on Claudines. "Well it's not all bad, Erik and I are just as in love as we were when we first met. Though neither of us knew it at the time." Claudine smiled as memories of her and Erik flooded her mind. "That's like George and I. We were best friends for most of our lives and then one day we both came to the realization we had feelings for one another." Claudine smiled. "Love is funny like that, isn't it?" Roselynn nodded in agreeance. "So about George reacting the way he did, don't take it to heart. Most men don't know how to react to that sort of thing. When I told Erik about our daughter he wanted nothing to do with me. You see, we weren't married and he was in love with another woman." Roselynn gasped and looked to Claudine as she nodded. "In fact you know Erik as Mr. Destler, and the woman being the Vicomtesse herself." Claudine nearly laughed when she saw Claudines expression. "That's so uncanny!" Roselynn exclaimed. "Rosie." Roselynn turned to George, who looked at her nervously. "Go talk to him." Claudine whispered and Roselynn whispered a thanks back to her. Taking George's hand she and him walked back to their cabin. Claudine smiled and turned to Erik who had just walked up the stairs. "So I'm assuming you know?" She asked him and he nodded. "I tried to be angry with him but I can't, I'm so happy for them." Erik held Claudine in his arms. "Look at them." Claudine smiled as she watched her daughter and George smile at one another, hand in hand. Erik and Claudine watched them disappear into the cabins below and then turned to one another. "We can tell her another time about us, but for now let's just let them enjoy each other." Erik nodded and held Claudine in his arms.

Alright guys theres chapter 13 for ya! Now I don't know if I'll get any writing done this weekend, but Monday I might publish a holiday special, since Christmas here in America is right around the corner. That being said I will not publish on Tuesday. But thing's will resume back to normal that following Wednesday. Thank you so much for following this story! Don't forget to leave a review and please feel free to PM me. I love talking to you guys and reading what you say about my story. Love ya guys!

-Kara