AllFreeNovel
Share Us
You can leave this place behind.
Leave without looking back. Forgetting who she was, her position in life, her responsibilities. Leaving it all behind for a new life. Her family, Hannah. Belle could hardly wrap her head around it. She couldn’t decide whether to be excited or sad. She couldn’t handle both emotions at once.
But now, as she paced around her room while the sun slipped below the horizon, trying her best not to bite her fingernails, more emotions came to the fore; fear was the strongest. This was the only life she knew, and she was comfortable. Despite all her problems, she was well looked after, and she didn’t have to worry about a thing. But would that be the same if she decided to leave it all behind?
And will I be able to handle it?
That was the biggest question right now and Belle always answered it with:What is the alternative?
She would have forced to live an unhappy life with a man who didn’t love her, a man she doubted would even care to respect her. She didn’t want to see herself reduced to shade of her former self. She didn’t want to suffer the same fate as her mother. When she thought of that, of that possibly future, her resolve strengthened, and she realized that this was what she had to do.
When the door opened, she jumped, whirling to it. Hannah had been standing by the door watching Belle pace from side to side with a worried look on her face, but now she was joined by the Duchess.
“I have everything that you need,” said the Duchess and indeed, there was a pile of clothing in one hand and a reticule in the other. She laid them both on the bed. “You should change. It won’t be easy for you to sneak out if you’re dressed like that.”
Belle nodded, swallowing harshly, and with Hannah’s help, she managed to change out of her evening dress and into the clothes her mother brought. It was simple, closely resembling Hannah’s own dress.
“Your hair,” the Duchess said, snatching up the brush on the vanity. “Come. Sit.”
Belle did as she was told. She’d never seen her mother have such determination before, even set in the clench of her jaw. Quickly and efficiently, the Duchess brushed all the curls out of her Belle’s hair until it laid flat and simple around her shoulders. Belle blinked at herself. She’d never looked so…plain before.
“This is perfect,” her mother said, “you’ll blend in easily.”
That, she could agree with.
“What do I do now?” she asked her. Belle was at a loss, content to go along with whatever her mother had planned.
The Duchess went to pick up the reticule and handed it to Belle. “There is enough money in here to get you to Scotland. When you get to London, make sure you rent a carriage to take you. You have an aunt that lives there, my sister. I have already sent word to her that you’re coming. Once you arrive, find her, all right?”
Belle nodded. Tears pricked her eyes. She knew that this was it. Once she turned to leave, she wouldn’t see her mother again. Her mother would be forced to stay here all alone.
“What about you?” Belle asked as the tears ran unhindered down her face. As in response to the sight, the Duchess began crying as well, gripping her hands. “What will you do?”
“I’ll do as I always done, my dear. As long as I know that you are safe and happy, then I will be well. You don’t have to worry about me.” The Duchess wrapped her arms around her. Belle clung to her, sobbing into her shoulder. “Oh, I will miss you, dear. Once you arrive in Scotland, don’t forget to write to me, all right?”
“As if that could ever slip my mind,” Belle said, trying her best to keep it together. The hug was undoing her, and it was a struggle to keep from falling apart. “I love you, Mother.”
“I love you too, dear.” One peck on the cheek later, the Duchess was pulling away. “It’s time for you to go. We don’t want to waste any more time.”
Indeed, the sun had already gone down. They had thought it best for her to make her escape in the dead of night.
Nodding, she held back tears and forced her legs to move, forced herself to be strong so she could at least face Hannah. The girl was already crying but she didn’t move from her spot, only tried to give Belle a watery smile. Belle wasn’t going to accept only that, and Hannah pulled her into a tight hug before she finally found the strength to leave the room.
Her mother didn’t plan to follow her any further. It would only draw suspicion to have the Duchess walking alongside someone who looked like a lady’s maid.
She tried not to scurry, to bring suspicion onto herself, and before long, she made it down the back stairs that led out to the gardens. Thinking she was much safer out here, Belle began to pick up some speed as she hurried to the stables.
Like last time, Shadow was waiting for her once again, Tom by her side. But unlike last time, Tom’s expression was one of sorrow.
“I’ll miss you, Tom,” she said to him because she didn’t know what else to say other than the truth.
Tom nodded, stepping away from the horse to give her space. “Stay safe, M’Lady,” he said.
Belle nodded. Tears began to clog her throat once again and so she pushed herself into action, getting onto Shadow and racing out of the stables, intending to disappear into the night.
She didn’t look back. Her tears flew from the side of her face, a sob escaping her lips, but she didn’t allow herself to slow down, to stop moving. She just kept going, knowing that if she dared to falter, she would break down. And that was the last thing she needed if she wanted to make a proper escape.
Suddenly, the sound of thunder rumbled through the air. Belle brought Shadow to a slow gallop, knowing that she was already a good distance from the manor. She looked up at the night’s sky. Of all the nights a storm chooses to hit, it had to be this one.
She needed to find cover. She hunched over Shadow’s frame, running her hand over the horse’s strong muscles. She whispered soothing words into her ear, knowing how jittery the mare became around loud noises. She kept going, kept whispering, kept listening out for any sounds until she spotted a faint light glowing in the distance. Shelter.
Belle tightened her legs around Shadow to ease her into a run. But at that moment, a boom of thunder sounded around them, and Shadow did exactly what Belle feared she would do. She reared up sharply and she threw Belle from her back.
