AN: Thankyou for all the reviews! I loved them. And yes, I will be updating in very very short chapters. I'd like to keep them short and sweet… just to keep you on your toes. I didn't upload this as a one-shot cause I wanted to hear feedback and see if there was any way I could lengthen this story. This is probably the longest chapter so far… if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear em. The story's been written, but new ideas wouldn't hurt : ) they might lead us to a sequel or to a new story even.
Ddani-right on!
Trory or rogan-no not really : ) reviews are a nice incentive though.
SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING RIGHT AWAY! Internet connection is really slow right now.
R&R! Encouragement is encouraged. Flames are healthy and get rid of germs.
Disclaimer: if
I owned GG, I would have alternate episodes featuring Trory and Rogan : )
FOREVER AND ALWAYS
Two days later, Rory and Steph sat in the sitting room as they shared a late brunch. They chatted about the latest news and both were startled when Stephanie's butler entered the room with a calling card in hand. Obviously very agitated, he handed the card to Steph.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but a very persistent gentleman insists that he must see Miss Rory at once. He says his name is Mr. Yearling and he's-"
"Tristan's solicitor." whispered Rory in shock and pain… "What does he want, Smithy?"
"Smithers, ma'am," he stiffly corrected, "I asked him and he said he was here on official business and he had papers for you to sign." His eyes betrayed his stiff tone and the sorrowful gaze that he and Stephanie directed at Rory was almost her undoing.
Making up her mind quickly, she wiped off the non-existent crumbs at the side of her mouth and glanced up at Stephanie who nodded wordlessly. They had talked about this already.
Stephanie saw the look on her friend's face and nodded. It was time. Turning to address the butler in clipped tones, "Smithers, please inform Mr. Yearling that Lady DuGrey has gone out with Lady Rothschild and should be back by this evening. Make sure he has departed and then summon Lily to me."
Nodding his assent, Smithers went on his way.
Rory turned to Steph, tears in her eyes. "I hope this works. I hope I haven't misjudged Tristan and his love for me."
"Rory, that man never even noticed other women even when he thought that you were betraying him with another man. He loves you." Stephanie tried to reassure her friend as best she could. God knows when they would talk again.
Rory smiled at her friend and stood up from the table just as Lillian, her lady's maid entered the room.
"Miss, is it time already?" Lily had seen Smithy telling Tristan's solicitor that her lady was out. That could mean only one thing.
"Yes, Lily. It is. Lady Stephanie will tell you what to do while I pack." Rory made her way out of the room and went up the stairs to her room. Things had to be done very quickly.
Back in the sitting room, Stephanie sighed as Rory made her exit. She wished things hadn't had to come to this.
"Lily, your mistress is now packing and the reason why she is doing it alone is because she does not want any news of her departure to reach Tristan before she has reached her destination safely." Stephanie held up her hand as she saw that Lily was about to protest at her words.
"Listen very carefully, this is not about Rory not trusting you enough… she cares for you very much, and as such, she would rather spare you having to be in the middle of this squabble with Tristan." Seeing that her words had calmed the maid down somewhat, Steph continued, "I understand that you have family in Wales? Well, Rory wants you to go to them and she will call you back, if you still want to return, as soon as her disagreement with her husband is over."
Lily heard her words but it failed to sink in at first. 'I get to go home? While my lady is suffering, I get to go home?'
Shaking her head slowly, she was perplexed to see that Lady Rockefeller smiling at her gently. "Rory was right, you are very loyal. It really is for the best, you know. We don't know how long this feud between them will last and Rory doesn't want the people around her even more involved. If Lady Hayden were still around, I don't think Rory would even tell her the things she's planned."
Lily sighed, "With all due respect, your grace, I don't think Lorelai would take kindly to the title and furthermore, if she were around, Kalen would have never had the guts to do what he did. His stepmother had this way of instilling fear in the hearts of her step-child and biological daughter. Lady DuGrey and Lord Hayden would have never been this foolish."
Intrigued, Stephanie motioned for Lily to continue voicing her thoughts.
"Rory and Kalen were very close as children and got into a million scrapes, but a glance from Lady Hayden was sure to keep them in-line and on their toes."
Stephanie shook her head in wonderment, "Then it's a pity I never got the chance to meet this formidable-sounding lady. The way everyone talks about her, she must have truly been one of a kind. You may start packing for your trip to Wales now."
Lily opened her mouth to protest, but Stephanie cut her off.
"It may not seem wise to leave Rory to her own devices now, but this is what she wants, and I am not going to stand in her way. She has enough problems."
"Alright, my lady. If you'll excuse me." Lily curtsied before hurriedly exiting the room and, after a furtive glance at the closed sitting room door, made her way up the stairs quietly to her lady's room, where she saw…
Nothing. Rory wasn't there.
Biting back a sob, she made to turn around and head out of the room.
"She's already gone, isn't she?" Lily jumped at the voice behind her. Stephanie had heard the maid creeping up the stairs and followed her.
The two women stared into the room that had once housed the woman they both loved, one as a sister and the other as her own child.
Rory was gone. And she wasn't coming back.
AN Lily is in her 40's... Rory and Stephanie are 21 and their husbands and Rory's brother are 29. uh... Kalen is pronounced Kay-len... in later chapters he will be referred to as Kayle.
