English Rose Ch. 03

"West Haven?" Sabrina asked. She was sure Douglas never mentioned the estate to her before.

"It was his mother's estate, she left it to him when she died." Charles added helpfully.

"Oh," Sabrina said. If it was his mother's that would explain why he'd never mentioned it. His mother was still a relatively painful subject.

"We can have you and your maid there in a matter of days," Charles said. He'd enjoyed his time with Sabrina but it was obvious that she was missing her husband and he suspected Douglas felt much the same way. He would see them both happy and was confident that the couple would return.

"Alright," Sabrina said, her smile bright enough to light the room.

"Good," Mae said. "Come, I'll help you and your maid pack."

The trip took them a day and a half with a stop at the same inn where Sabrina had spent time with Douglas. Both the inn keeper and his wife remembered her and offered up the same set of rooms. Sabrina was sure she would have felt lonely if not for the fact that she would be with Douglas on the morrow.

"My Lady, we're about twenty minutes out," the coachman called down from his seat.

Sabrina, riding in the carriage with Tilly, set aside her book and moved to look out the carriage window. Not wanting to miss seeing the surrounding countryside or her first glimpse of West Haven, Sabrina had instructed the driver to alert her when they were getting close.

The countryside reminded her of her father's home in Hampshire with its gently rolling hills and quiet, open spaces. For several minutes Sabrina sat, smiling as she watched the scenery roll by. It was only as they turned off the main road and started down the short drive that she felt the first shiver of apprehension.

A moment later and apprehension burst into full fledge fear. "Driver?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"This is West Haven?" Sabrina asked as the small cottage estate came into view.

"Yes, my lady," the driver called and continued forward.

"What is it, my lady?" Tilly asked.

"It's nothing," Sabrina said as the carriage came to a halt. "Wait

here," she ordered and jumped down, not bothering to wait for a footman.

Quickly climbing the stairs, Sabrina was preparing to knock when the front door opened and she found herself face to face with Martin.

"Can I help...?" Martin felt himself pale at the sight of Lady Radcliff standing on the front steps. "Lady Radcliff."

"Where is he?" Sabrina asked.

Martin took a step back allowing Sabrina into the foyer. Quickly, his mind raced through the possibilities of making excuses or denying her access. In the end, he simply pointed the way. "Lord Radcliff is in the library."

Sabrina headed towards the double doors, her mind working furiously to catch up with what she already knew. Opening the door to the library, Sabrina stepped inside. "Douglas?"

Douglas' head snapped up at the sound of his wife calling his name. "Sabrina?" Oh god, he thought. "What are you doing here?"

"I...I came to surprise you," she said and felt her world start to crumble. No, she thought, not yet. "Douglas..." she stopped, not sure what she wanted to ask. "This is West Haven?"

"Yes," Douglas said quietly. Already he could see the wheels turning as she worked to put the pieces together. Slowly, he got to his feet and made his way around the desk. "Sabrina, please let me explain."

Sabrina turned back the way she came and headed towards the foyer, stumbling slightly at the sight of Martin and Jared standing side by side.

"My lady," Jared stepped forward, prepared to stop her.

"Let her go," Douglas called.

Ignoring them all, Sabrina grabbed her skirts and raced up the stairs. Grabbing the banister, she pulled herself up the last few steps and propelled herself down the hall. Slowing, aware of her breath coming quick with barely contained panic, she reached a closed door and stopped. Hesitating, she reached for the door but didn't immediately turn the knob.

"Sabrina, please don't go in there, not until you hear me out." Douglas had followed her up the stairs, ordering the others to wait below, and stood watching her.

Sabrina ignored him. Turning the knob she pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Memories of that night came flooding back; like an avalanche they threatened to bury her, smothering her as she went down.

"It was you," she said. Turning to look at him she noted that he hadn't stepped into the room. "All this time, it was you and you never said anything."

"I was waiting for the right time," Douglas said softly.

"The right time?" Sabrina asked, hearing the slightly hysterical edge to her voice. "When exactly is the 'right time' to tell your wife you were the one that raped her?"

Douglas flinched as if she'd slapped him.

"Why?" she asked. "Why would you do that and why..." Sabrina stopped, memories of that night coming into focus. "Revenge," she said. "I remember, for something my father did."

"Please, come downstairs and let me explain," Douglas said trying to coax her from the room.

Ironically, Sabrina felt a sense of comfort surrounded as she was by the proof of that night. "What is there to explain? You abducted me, raped me, left me with no future and then married me!" Sabrina wrapped her arms around her waist as she started to feel her control slipping.

Douglas watched as his wife started to come apart. "It wasn't all bad, there was the next night," he thought to remind her of the rest of their time together, of the pleasure he'd helped her to find.

"Right," Sabrina said. "The night I whored myself out to you."

"Sabrina..."

"Then again," Sabrina said, unable to stop the flow of words. "Considering who your mother was you must have come to expect if of women."

Douglas didn't realize he'd slapped her until the act was done.

Sabrina felt her head snap back and tasted blood. Cradling her cheek, she stared at Douglas, watching as he took a step back, his fists clenched at his side. She'd deserved that, had earned it with her cruel words. Dropping her hand she straightened her shoulders. "I think we're done here," she said.

Douglas watched as she stepped past him but didn't try and stop her. He still hadn't moved from his place inside the doorway when the front door closed behind her or the sounds of the carriage pulling out of the short drive reached him.

Sabrina focused on putting one foot in front of the other until she reached the carriage. Pulling herself inside she ordered the driver to London and slammed the door behind her. Outside, the four footmen Charles had sent to accompany them scrambled up into their saddles and hurried to catch up.

"My lady?" Tilly asked.

"Not now," Sabrina said. Realizing that she was shaking, Sabrina wrapped her arms around herself and felt herself slowly collapse to the floor. "Oh, god," she said as the sobs finally broke through.

"Sabrina!" Tilly cried in alarm, dropping her usual formality and bending to take the young woman in her arms. "Hush," she said, rocking Sabrina while she sobbed. It was a long time before her young mistress quieted and seemed to settle into a daze.

Sabrina slowly came around to sounds of them entering the city. Still wrapped in Tilly's comforting embrace, she took note of their direction. "Not here, Tilly," she said, recognizing the street she lived on with Douglas. "Tell the driver to head for my father's house."

Tilly nodded; helping Sabrina up onto the bench, she called up to the driver. Sabrina turned away as they rode past the Radcliff townhouse. She couldn't - wouldn't - go back there.

"My lady, your family will have moved to the country for the summer," Tilly reminded her.

"I know," Sabrina said.

Sabrina let herself into the St. Ives townhouse, unaware and uncaring of the stir she caused to the small staff still in residence. Tilly, directing the unloading of her mistress' trunks, sent the duke's carriage back after releasing the four footman. She had no doubt that they would report the day's events to the duke, whatever they were.

Sabrina walked on wooden legs, letting herself into her own room and crawling up onto the big bed. She lay unseeing, wondering at the tragedy that had become her life before finally falling into an uneasy sleep.

To be continued...