The Runaway

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I'm back and it feels good.
I felt sooooo weeeeepy when I read the comments. Thank you sooooo much. It really means a huge lot.
This is a historical romance. Something I enjoy because of the quirky customs and something that I've never tried to write myself.

Hope you guys enjoy it.
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The gay music filled the hall as men in splendid coats and women in gorgeous gowns flit about, laughed and made merry.
But it wasn't the jewels or the gowns that held his sight. He'd walked in with his brother and made polite small talk with all those he was introduced to but his eyes remained fixed on the strange vision at the opposite end of the room.
Two ladies, one a statuesque blonde beauty and one a petite black haired, pale, more delicate beauty sat together dressed in identical gold silk gowns, with identical frowns on their faces.
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Lady Regina Routledge pressed her cool fingertips to her forehead as a sigh escaped her lips.
She'd escaped the ballroom and gone into the garden in hope to find peace, only to encounter two more gallant men tripping over their own britches to court her. She'd quickly reentered the ballroom in order to get lost in the crowd.
A soft hand slipped into hers. She looked up to see her best friend Lucy Hamilton sitting next to her.
"So my Lady. Who are you hiding from?" she teased.
Regina groaned in an unladylike manner, "Everybody."
Lucy hid her giggles behind her silk fan, "Oooo! If only Madame could hear you! But honestly, you ought to exert yourself a little. A small smile wouldn't do anyone any harm and it wouldn't cost you anything."
Regina smiled slightly. Lucy had been her best friend from three days after she'd been born. Older by fifteen days, Lucy considered herself responsible for Regina.
But tease her though Lucy did, they both detested balls and parties. Every other girl envied them for their beauty, their moneyed backgrounds, and most importantly, the men they seemed to attract by the dozen.
But they weren't so lucky after all. They'd both discovered pretty early on that money attracted fortune hunters.
Lucy was the more trusting, the more outgoing, while Regina considered her situation hopeless.
She'd hoped that she'd have a marriage like her parents or of Lucy's parents. A marriage of love.
But so far, her chances seemed bleak.
She felt Lucy stiffen and looked up to find a young man their age bowing to them.
The two girls stood as he introduced himself and said," 'Tis hard for a man to choose between two fair maidens. But I've always had a fondness for honey. So may I have this dance?" he said bowing to Lucy who all but rolled her eyes.
A wicked smile formed on Regina's face as the perfect opportunity was presented to her to seek revenge for her friend's merciless teasing.
Smothering her laugh, she said in a honeyed tone, "Oh good sir. It is indeed a relief that you ask my friend. Had you asked me I would have been obliged to refuse, for she had had her eyes on you all evening."
Lucy threw her a dirty look as she was escorted to dance by the chap who seemed to have grown wings.
"Is that her punishment for making you dance with Herbert last evening?" Enquired a soft melodious voice.
Spinning around, Regina flung her arms around the speaker's neck exclaiming, "Cousin Julia! It’s so good to see you! And yes, it is for making me dance with Herbert."
The pretty red haired woman smiled at her younger cousin and they were soon deep in conversation even though Regina's eyes flicked over to another point in the room.
All the handsome heroes in her novels had suddenly come alive in the form of this man. Well over six feet tall, strong jaw, black hair, grey eyes, he was Adonis personified.
She'd never used feminine wiles to attract attention before. But she considered swooning just then to feel his arms around her.
Mentally slapping herself out of her silly rambling, she looked up, as Lucy strode back a livid expression on her face, "You wait Lady Regina Anne Victoria Routledge. I am going to strangle you with your own string of pearls at the first opportunity."
Regina laughed, her eyes sparkling, as she embraced her dear friend, "Now you know how I felt yesterday!"
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He stared as the two girls ribbed with each other.
Regina had caught his eye. Tiny as compared to his frame, with skin like it had been carved out of the finest ivory, hair of the finest silk, her jewel like blue eyes, the young sprite was the most beautiful being he had ever seen.
From the snatches of conversation he'd overheard, she seemed to be good tempered too.
Unable to help himself, he stalked over to her with the grace and arrogance of a tiger.
He stopped when he was right in front of her and extended his hand and asked, "Will you please do me the honor of dancing with me?"
Regina's breath caught. It was the God and he was asking her to dance with him.
Suddenly, all her reservations melted away as she mutely put her small hand into his big warm ones, her eyes locked on his grey ones.
She squirmed when he held her too close for decency, finally finding her tongue, "Sir, this is inappropriate. Please let me loose."
She felt a deep laugh erupt in his powerful chest. She felt the vibrations, so close was she.
Blushing, she wriggled until finally he had to let her go so she could twirl to her new partner.
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Before she could resume her position with her partner, the butler cut in, "Milady, there is an urgent message from your home. Your father has been taken ill. Your carriage awaits."
It took a minute for Regina to digest the information, before she fled out of the room and sprang into the waiting carriage. Worry gripped her heart as the carriage lurched on potholes.
A painful hour later, Regina was kneeling by her father's bed his clammy hands clasped in hers, weeping wildly.
Her father, a loving man, ran his hand over his daughter's head and said, "Child. I am weak. If anything, I would like to see you wed and happy before I die. So, I have arranged for you to marry Herbert Hayes within the next week."
Regina's head shot up, her expression aghast, "Father, no. You cannot ask this of me. I hate that man. . . ."
Her father shook his head, "So you think my child. You shall learn to love him. You will go to London to pick out your wedding dress."
Regina let out a cry of despair and ran out of the room, missing the smiles on her parents's faces.
Anne, Regina's mother laughed as she sponged her husband's face, "You do tease the child so. Why did you have to tease her when she was so worried about you?"
Lord Laurence Routledge kissed his wife's hand before he answered, "I only have a fever and the poor child was crying her eyes out as if I were on my death bed. This'll keep her mind occupied. 'Tis only a joke!"
Anne smiled down at the good tempered invalid with wonderment.
This man, inspite of being fifty years old, kept the household on its toes with his tom foolery.
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Regina was crying her heart out on her silk covered bed.
Too caught up in worry for her father's health and for her own life, she'd missed the suppressed humor and had worked herself into a fine state.
Her maid, a pretty girl of sixteen, was weeping stormily for her mistresses predicament. Their stations might have been far apart but the two girls had known each other since childhood and were fast friends.
"It isn't fair Gwen. I love my father but I will not submit. I will run away. But I will not submit." said Regina with spirit as she sat up in bed.
Gwen's eyes widened with horror, "No Miss Reg you mustn’t say that. I'm sure it was the fever that made the master say such a thing."
Regina was already up on her feet, gliding about her room, pulling out gowns and putting them pell mell into a trunk, "I cannot risk my life Gwen. I will leave tonight, and you will come with me. Call me a hackney. Instruct it to stand at the back entrance. Once the household is asleep, bring the driver in through the servant's quarter and he'll carry our luggage down."
Gwen reached out to put a hand on her mistress's arm, "You are perhaps being too hasty Milady, it might be something you regret."
Regina clasped her friends hand in her own, her eyes wide with fear, "Gwen, if I stay here I will be packed off with that. . . .that fool of a man. You know how Father is about wanting heirs. It tears me apart to leave, but I simply cannot stay."
While emotionally more mature than Regina, Gwen too was not more than a child. The idea of an unhappy marriage blurred her judgment and fueled her into padding out of the room to do Regina's bidding.
Gwen's objective's were easily achieved since the household had retired.

Regina meanwhile had finished packing. She'd even put in her old gowns so Gwen wouldn't be lacking.
Luckily, her parents had always let her handle huge amounts of cash. As a consequence, Regina had managed to save 3000 pounds. She had been saving small sums from her allowance so she could donate it to a shelter, but she needed it more to rescue herself right now.
Tucking the money and her jewels into a reticule, Regina set about planning a disguise.
She lifted the lid of a heavy silver powder jar. It contained the finest scented talc from France.
Dumping some onto her palm, Regina ran the powder through her raven black hair, leaving her hair gray and full.
It may seem simplistic. But it was amazing the change hair color could cause in a person's appearance.
Tucking her newly greyed hair into a pretty blue bonnet that matched her travel gown, Regina proceeded to wait patiently for Gwen's return.
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He sat in the stateroom of the ship, Elizabeth, a luxury ship.
Sipping the expensive wine, his thoughts shifted from the newspaper lying open in front of him to the girl he'd held for a few short minutes at the Mayfair's ball.
She'd felt so soft and delicate in his arms. Her tender mouth in a slight 'o' when he held her close to him.
But most of all, he remembered her eyes. Bright and expressive they'd captured his heart.
He shook his head as he laughed. He'd met some of the most beautiful women in the land but had never been bothered to think about them. And here he was nooning about the girl he'd held for just a few moments.
But there'd had been something refreshing about her.
It was a pity he had to head for France today else he'd have pursued her. But there was time enough.
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Regina was helped down by the old driver and she immediately gestured for him to go about playing his part in her escape.
Emitting a long suffering sigh, the man turned and walked to the ship docked, Elizabeth and hailed one of the crewmen.
Regina and Gwen stood next to the two trunks, huddled. They strained their ears to listen to what passed between the two men, but the tousled wind muffled the sounds of what was already a whispered conversation.
The crew member walked up the gangway, and came back ten minutes later with a lantern and another man. As the three men conversed, the driver pointed to Regina, who was praying fervently that the captain of the ship would buy her story.
In a few long strides, the middle aged man was standing in front of her, a respectful expression on his face, "Ma'am, I believe you need passage to France to visit your son who has been taken ill?"
Regina replied in what she considered a suitably sad voice," 'Tis terrible young sir. I must hurry to his side immediately. It was a blessing when I heard a maid say her brother worked on a ship that sailed for France today. So I hastened here to see if I may find place aboard."
What she said wasn't entirely untrue. She had indeed hatched this plan because she'd heard the kitchen maid say her brother worked on a ship that was sailing for France.
The man replied gravely, "It is well then that you have caught us in time. We set sail at daybreak. We have second stateroom free Lady White, will that do?"
Regina smiled with relief, "That will do very nicely thank you."
The captain indicated that the crew member should take care of the luggage, while he escorted the lady and her maid to the ship.
Gwen cracked a smile when she saw the look of dread on the man's face as he looked at the three massive trunks.
Regina had been meticulous in her planning and in execution even though time was scarce, they would not be suffering any inconveniences during their journey.
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He was woken from his slumber by the sound of dragging of heavy objects.
Always alert, he slid out of his chambers and into the corridor.
The steward, was huffing and puffing as he half dragged, half carried a heavy trunk to the stateroom next to his own.
"Willy! Who's coming aboard so late at night?" he asked leaning against the oak rails.
The man, Willy mopped his brow, "Some old biddy with ants in her drawers so she can get to her grandson."
Smothering his laugh, he re-entered his room. Shedding his clothes, he fell onto his bed, and welcomed sleep. He would need it since buying race horses was one of the most strenuous tasks a noble man worth his salt would undertake.
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Once the Captain had made sure the Regina was comfortable, he invited her to have breakfast with him and his wife in the morning and left.
They waited till his footsteps died away which was when, both girls burst into soft, nervous giggles.
"'Tis unbelievable that we were not caught. I had always hoped for an adventure, but this is too much for my nerves," laughed Gwen once she'd caught her breath.
Regina laughed delightedly as Gwen helped her to dress for bed, "Enjoy it Gwen as will I. I never could have imagined that I could sneak out of the house without getting caught."
Gwen smiled as she opened the side door to her own smaller chamber after blowing out the candle, "And best of all, there's no danger of wife hunters on this ship!"