Chapter Twelve

William Sebastian Aubrey was born a month later, and a month after that, in the middle of April, Sabine, Daniel and Jane all left Ethridge for Nottingham. Two months away from home was truly trying for Sabine. She was ecstatic for Kitty as a new baby was blessing, but it was also two months that she had been away from Connor and Puissant.

She’d received five letters from Connor, and she was able to read them whilst imagining his accent. She’d concealed them safely inside a books and had folded that in between several gowns in her trunk. She hoped that when the maids came to unpack her trunk that they would just place the book on the shelf, it would be rude of them to go through her things.

She and her mother sat opposite her father in the carriage, and Sabine had taken to lying down horizontally as best she could, using her mother’s lap as a pillow. She enjoyed the familiar jostle of the carriage, especially when she knew the final destination.

“Will is a lovely little baby, isn’t he?” her mother commented happily, running her fingers through Sabine’s hair softly. “Emilia and Sebastian are so lucky to be grandparents.”

“Is that a hint, mama?” Sabine said, bending her head back to look at her mother.

“I know Mr Rochester isn’t exactly your cup of tea, but there are plenty of other nice, young gentlemen in town that could give me a grandchild,” Jane encouraged.

Sabine didn’t want to have the same conversation with her parents again so instead she chose to remain silent.

“Janey,” her father groaned. “Sabine can marry who she wants, when she wants.”

Sabine’s eyes widened. Did her father really mean that? Would he really be that understanding? Perhaps she had underestimated him. With a slight smile on her face, Sabine closed her eyes and slept for the remainder of the journey.

When they arrived back at Southerby House, the entire staff had gathered outside to welcome them home. The entire staff. Connor stood with a rigid posture on the end of the line of maids. She smiled subtly at him as she was helped down from the carriage by a footman.

“Welcome back your Lordship, your Ladyship, and Lady Sabine,” Mr Martin said cheerfully as he stood in front of the staff proudly.

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, smiling at their old butler. “Mr Martin, I’ll need the accounts, the mail and some tea sent to my study immediately,” he instructed.

Catching Connor’s eyes, she noticed that he was almost gazing at her. His blond hair had grown even longer, his curls reaching halfway down his Little did he know that she was about to make both of their dreams come true. Seeing him gave her the confidence she needed. She was going to tell her father, and he was going to approve – he’d said she could marry anyone she wanted after all.

She followed her parents into the house calmly rehearsing what she was to say in her head. Her mother and father started up the stairs, so she too hurried up them.

Once on the landing, they walked over to Daniel’s study, not realising that Sabine was following them.

Her mother happened to look behind her and furrowed her brows. “Oh, darling, we would have thought that you’d be in the stables already,” she chuckled. “Did you need something?”

Sabine nodded nervously. Daniel held the door open for his wife and daughter and they both sat down on the settee. Closing the door behind him, Daniel looked at Sabine with a concerned expression. “What is it?”

Sabine could feel her heart beat race. She was sure that both her parents could hear it, it was so loud. Her breaths quickened and she closed her eyes for a moment to compose herself. Had she ever thought that telling one’s parents such a thing would be easy?

“Sabine,” Jane urged. Taking her hand, she squeezed it reassuringly. “What’s wrong?” Her mother’s brows were furrowed. Looking into their dark blue depths, Sabine decided to admit it once and for all.

“Mama,” she said looking at Jane. “Papa,” she said, turning to her father. “You know I have no interest in marrying Mr Rochester,” she began.

“We had an inkling, darling,” Jane smirked.

“Is that it?” Daniel asked, folding his arms across his chest. “You want our permission to end the courtship?” She noted that he didn’t look like he disapproved of the choice. Making his way over to the settee, he stood before them, looking rather intimidating.

Sabine hesitated before nodding. “Yes, I wish to end the courtship. But there is something else I need to tell you before another word is spoken.”

Both Jane and Daniel’s eyes widened as they stared at her. She could tell that they both believed something was horribly wrong.       

Taking a deep breath, Sabine admitted the truth. “Mama, papa … I’m in love,” she said simply. Placing her hands in the lap of her black, velvet dress, she nervously awaited their response. Stealing a glance to her mother, she saw that she was beaming.

“Love?” Jane repeated happily. “Oh, that’s wonderful!” she exclaimed.

“I know,” Sabine smiled widely. Looking up at her father, her expression completely changed. Daniel looked less than impressed.

His brows were completely downturned as he looked at his daughter carefully. “When did you find time to fall in love, Sabine? You spend every waking minute with Puissant.”

Sabine bit her lip. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest and she felt tiny beads of condensation form on her forehead. Knitting her hands together, she took a deep breath. “That’s just it, papa, while I was with Puissant, I got to know … Connor.”

Jane gasped yet Sabine didn’t look at her. Her eyes were on her father, who seemed to be shaking with fury. “The … stable … boy?” he choked out. Sitting down on the opposite settee to stop himself from falling, Daniel shook his head.

“Yes, papa,” Sabine nodded. “He is the stable boy, but he means so much more to me than that.”

Daniel’s dark eyes found Sabine and they quietened her immediately. “You hate the man,” he snapped. “All you ever did was complain.”

“I know,” she admitted. “It wasn’t true. We agreed to downplay our relationship until I had an opportunity to talk to you. I just want to tell you that he wanted to ask you his permission himself, but I advised against it.”

“Well he doesn’t have it,” Daniel said firmly, his eyes still abundant with anger. “As far as I’m concerned he no longer has employment at Southerby and he can stay the hell away from my daughter. Tell me, did he ruin you?”

“Daniel,” Jane hissed angrily. “Really! Sabine is too sensible for that.”

“Is she?” Daniel scoffed. “She seems to believe that she is in love with a stable boy.”

“But papa, I do love him!” Sabine protested, rising from her seat. “And I will not have you degrade him or terminate his employment.”

Daniel laughed. “You are a child!” he exclaimed. “You do not know what love is,” he sneered.

“Daniel,” Jane snapped angrily. “I was her age when we married. She is old enough to know her own mind. Let them marry if they love each other. He is a good man.” Jane looked thoroughly disappointed in her husband, as much as Sabine was, but she didn’t have time to scold him, she had to plead her case.  

Sabine silently thanked her mother.

“I don’t care, Jane. You were wise beyond your years.” Daniel shook his head. “No,” he said firmly. “You do not have my permission.”

“Why?” Sabine demanded. “Is it because of his lack of wealth? Because really, papa, how could you be so pompous?”

“I am your father, young lady, you will not talk to me like that!” Daniel yelled, making Sabine sit back down with fright. “From my position, I find out that my only daughter has been lying to me for God knows how many months, and the man that very well could have ruined her has not come to me in the first place.”

Sabine felt tears well up in her eyes as she tried to compose her emotions. “I’m sorry you feel that way, papa, but I love Connor and we are getting married,” she said, trying to sound firm.

“I ought to shoot him,” Daniel growled. “Jane, where is my musket? You hid it the last time Louis found it.”

Jane hissed again. “Don’t you dare!” she snapped. “You will not shoot Connor and you will not upset Sabine any further. She’s been very brave to tell us this, and you will stop being such a fool. She is my daughter and I say she can marry him.”

“She’s not your daughter,” Daniel groaned. As soon as the words escaped his mouth, he paused and looked at Jane apologetically, but it was too late. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Yes, you did,” Jane said quietly. Standing from the settee, she made her way to the door quickly and quietly. “Excuse me,” she said as she left, her voice breaking at the last minute.

Watching after her mother, Sabine then glared at her father. “You need to fix that,” she said darkly. “She is my mother and has been for a very long time.”

“Where are you going?” he demanded to know as Sabine stood up to leave the room.

“To think,” she sighed. Without waiting for her father’s objection, she flew out of the room. She wasn’t going to think, she was going to do what her mother had just done, she was going to go away from her father for a awhile … a long while.

Stealing into her bedchamber, Sabine grabbed her money pouch and put it on the bed. Ribbing her black gown at the seams, she stepped out of it and found a plain, blue cotton gown in her wardrobe and stepped into it, fastening as many buttons as she could.

Racing over to her desk, she hurriedly found a fresh piece of parchment and dipped her quill in ink.

Papa and Mama,

I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you and I’m sorry to run away. I didn’t want to do this, this was never my plan. I thought you would be happy for me.

Connor will keep me safe and we’ll come back as soon as possible. I hope we’ll be welcome here.

I love you,

Sabine.

Pulling on her warm, travelling coat, she picked up the money pouch and stole out of her bedchamber, slipping into the servant’s stairwell at her first opportunity as to avoid detection.

She ran down the stairs as quickly as she could and slipped out the back door. Faced with the open grass area of the Southerby estate, Sabine took off in a run. Her long, golden locks were swinging around her face and she could feel her cheeks heat up with the exercise but she persevered.

As she stables came into sight, she smiled when she saw Connor outside, leading one of the young colts around in a walk. He smiled at her when he noticed her coming, but frowned when he realised her urgency.

“Connor!” she yelled. Gripping her money pouch in her hand, she practically flew into his arms.

Catching her and stabilising her, Connor searched her face, confused. “What’s going on?” he asked, worried. “Are you alright?”

“I told my parents,” she said, breathing heavily. Clutching at her sides, she tried to slow her heart beat down. “Papa didn’t take it well.”    

Caressing her cheek, Connor looked at her sadly. “I’m so sorry,” he said softly. “I suppose my job is no longer available to me.”

“Pack the first things you can find,” she instructed. “We’re leaving.”

“What? Where are we going?”

It had never been her intention, but her irrational thoughts were taking over her mind. “Gretna Green,” she breathed.

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So it's off to Scotland we go!

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