An Earl’s Broken Heart by Ella Edon
Chapter Sixteen
Isabel was torn when Alexander stormed out of the drawing room like that. She had assumed that with what had just happened, he would act more lovingly towards her. She had assumed that it was progress. His sudden disappearance had hurt her and although she wanted to run after him and question his action, shame filled her. She had once again sunk into the hole that Phillip had created for her. She began to feel the way she had felt with her late husband, so insecure.
Throughout her life, the memory of Alexander had given her hope that love was true. And no matter what, she still held on to that hope. But his departure from her after what they had shared, left her confused and hurt, and she did not know how to feel anymore. She had thought that her sister's words would comfort her, but the reminder only made her feel less.
"Perhaps he would return home tomorrow," Isabel said to herself. When these words left her mouth, she realized just how foreign it was, to call somewhere home for both of them. The last time she had even dreamt of such a thing to happen had been seven years ago, and then she had been the one who had left him alone at the outskirts of town with not even an explanation as to why she had been unable to be there. She recalled that day as though it were yesterday.
Isabel had made sure to pack light dresses only because the journey to Gretna Green would be a long one. Alexander had told her this during their last encounter. Isabel had been very careful with her planning, and she had made sure that the day she planned to make her escape fell towards the time her father would be on a business trip. He had said that he would be leaving that very day. Isabel thought it was a perfect time to flee. She had only shared her plans with her sister and, despite Elizabeth's fear, she was still very supportive towards Isabel.
"Are you certain that running away is the right thing to do?" Elizabeth whispered while she helped her pack.
Isabel nodded, her grin so broad. "It is the only way I can live a happy life."
"You really love this young man, Isabel." Elizabeth smiled.
Isabel's cheeks turned red. She could not hold in her smile. "Yes, Elizabeth, so much."
"I am happy that you have found something so beautiful, Sister." Elizabeth pulled her close and hugged her. Isabel returned the hug and held her sister close. Elizabeth was still talking. "I am going to miss you so much."
"I shall write to you, Liz. I promise."
Isabel loved her sister very much and she wished that there were some other way that things could go, but there was no other. When she pulled away from Elizabeth, she saw that her eyes were red rimmed, and her smile was a bit sad.
Isabel's eyes began to gleam as well. "You need not be sad, Liz. I would be happy with Alexander."
Elizabeth nodded in agreement. Isabel was done packing by then so when she looked outside, she saw that it was getting quite dark already. Alexander was surely at the location by now. She needed to go.
She arose then and said to Elizabeth. "You shall distract Mr. Baldwin while I make my escape. "
"I shall do so." Elizabeth promised.
After the last incident, where Mr. Baldwin had caught her with Alexander and wasted no time in relating the matter to her father, Isabel had been extra cautious when planning to meet Alexander. She knew that the butler was too loyal to her father and no matter how much she would plead with him not to do share with her father what he knew, the butler always betrayed her. It was a good thing she had Elizabeth to help her with the distractions this time.
Elizabeth hugged her one last time before heading out. Once Elizabeth was gone, Isabel took up her bag and headed out after her. It was night so the maids had retired. It was not expected that they would be walking in the hallway by this time. More so, her father was away. Isabel made her way down the stairs and watched as Elizabeth headed towards the wine cellar, peering inside. Isabel hoped that Mr. Baldwin was there, so that Elizabeth could keep him there. She needed to make her way out and to the stable. Once she was there, she would get a horse and be on her way. The problem now was getting there. The butler always seemed to be everywhere at once.
When she stared at Elizabeth and saw that she was still by the entrance of the wine cellar, she waited for a sign.
Soon enough, Elizabeth looked back and gave her a nod. Isabel was gleeful. She sent her sister her happiest smile and proceeded to run towards the entrance in order to make her way through, but a noise coming from outside startled her. Panicking, she averted her direction and decided to make her escape from the garden. She ran towards the door located at the other end of the hallway. She slipped out through there and found herself in the garden. Her heart was thudding quite rapidly. She wondered where the noise had been coming from. She decided to stay a bit in the garden in order to get herself back together. While she sat there, she rejoiced that she had taken a huge step towards her escape because she had left the confines of the house.
"Bring me Isabel, now!" she heard a voice boom from a distance.
Isabel was startled. The voice was so loud, and in the silence of the night, it echoed. Her heart skipped and she lost the calmness she was trying to achieve. Her father was back. How was that possible? He had claimed that he was leaving for Paris that very morning!
"No." Isabel shook her head. She held her bag tightly and made her way around the garden and headed for the stables. That was her final destination before her escape would be made successful.
The noise coming from within the house got louder. She was almost at the stable when she heard the doors of the house began to click open.
Panic washed over Isabel, but she reached the stable then.
"Find her! Get her back to me! If my daughter is not found, no one shall have rest!"
Isabel shook her head rapidly. Her father was out to ruin her again. He was out to hinder her happiness. Once in the stable, Isabel thought it would be best to hide out a bit so that when it was calmer, she would leave. Any noise she made then would attract the footmen to her. As she stayed in the stable, she prayed that she would not be caught. But her mind could not help but ponder about her father's sudden appearance and why he began looking for her immediately. Had Elizabeth given her away?
Despite her curiosity, Isabel felt that her goal was only to leave the manor as quietly and as soon as she could. She rose from where she was seated and very quietly made her way to the horse closest to her. It was unsaddled and she had to do all of those before making her escape.
When she began, the horse neighed. Scared, she patted its back gently to ease it so that it did not make so much noise. She was nearly done when she heard footsteps approaching. She tried to take to hiding but she was too late. The stableman emerged, holding up a torch.
"Miss Garrett!" he said, startled. And he began to speak hurriedly, very loudly. "His Lordship seeks you and has sent out a search party—"
"Shh," Isabel snapped, irritated by the noise he was making.
Taken aback, he shook his head and was about to speak when a voice came beside him.
"Is there a problem there, James?" a voice asked, a bit distant from them.
Isabel's heart speedily pounded against her chest, and she began to vigorously shake her head, signaling that the stableman kept shut. Her eyes pleaded with him, and her hands were clasped together to show just how much she meant it. Deep within her, she felt that James would understand. She often waved at him and smiled at him. She had been nice to him, and she expected that he would not betray her.
However, all of her pleas fell on deaf ears. He stared back at her with pity before he said out loud. "The Miss is here."
Isabel snapped out of her memory then because from there onward, everything fell apart. Her father had returned after a failed business deal and decided that her marriage to the Viscount was the only way forward…
Isabel tried to go to sleep but it took a long time before she was able to. When she awoke the next morning, to the sun kissing her face through the drapes. Contrary to the brightness of the day, her mood was dim, and it only worsened when after she was dressed by her lady's maid, she realized that Alexander never returned home.
"Did he take the carriage on his way out?" Isabel asked Mr. Wilson.
The butler shook his head. "He rode on a horse's back."
Isabel blew out a breath. He had wanted to be on his own. She nodded to the butler and asked that he went ahead. Perhaps if she waited a bit, he would return soon enough. This was his home, where else would he go to? Isabel lost her appetite as the thoughts haunted her. She kept thinking about the day before. Was there something she had done wrong? Alexander's abrupt change of behavior had surprised her.
When she was fed up with thinking all by herself and simply staring at her breakfast, she rose and walked out of the dining room. The butler bowed just as she walked out, and she said to him then, "Have a carriage readied for me."
Mr. Wilson nodded once and went about doing as he was asked. When the carriage was ready, Isabel left the house and walked towards the carriage. She was going to visit her sister because she felt as though she was going to go mad if she was left alone thinking. She hoped that her sister was not busy. It would tear her up even more if she was unable to have time with her sister at that sensitive moment.
Fortunately, Elizabeth was not busy. She was instead knitting in the salon. As Isabel walked in, Elizabeth placed her wool down and rose, a small smile appeared on her face, when she saw Isabel's face however, she began to look worried.
"Isabel, is all well?" she questioned, advancing towards Isabel.
Unable to hold back her tears, Isabel shook her head as they fell from the sides of her face.
"Nothing is well, Elizabeth."
"Come, sit," Elizabeth said to her sister.
Isabel obeyed.
"Has this to do with your husband?" she asked. Isabel nodded.
Although she was not quite comfortable telling her sister how everything went down, she was only able to say. "He left me alone and yet to return."
Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her shoulders. "Give it time, darling sister. Alexander is an obstinate man, but if you affect him this much, it means that there is something down in his heart for you."
Isabel sighed. Elizabeth might be right, but everything hurt because this was her second marriage and she feared it might turn out like her first—the only difference this time was that she loved her husband.