Elizabeth took Francis's hand in hers and placed the ring he gave her at the center of his palm.
They were in the library of Trenwith.
"I know that no manner of apology however grand can be of any meaning to you, but allow me to speak and say that you are a good man. You deserve a woman who will truly love you forsaking all others. My heart belongs to Ross and always will. You know this. We believed him dead. And now discovering that he is very much alive, I will never abandon him."
"But, you will abandon me...". Francis scowled.
"Francis, I...I truly apologise for the pain this causes you. I..."
"No. Go. Speak no more. Leave me."
Elizabeth swallowed the feeling of a lump in her throat and looked down as she exited.
Her mother met her in the hallway.
"What have you done?" She glared wickedly at her daughter. Elizabeth gave no response and continued walking.
She then yanked her daughter by the arm. "Answer me, you stupid, stupid girl!" Then Mrs. Chenoweth snatched Elizabeth's wrist and examined her fingers noticing her ring finger was bare. Francis's gift of a ring as a sign of their betrothal was gone.
"You may not do this! You would leave fortune and comfort for that scoundrel... that reckless man! How dare you! Why, you ungrateful little..."
"I love him, Mother! More than anything..."
"He can offer you nothing!" Mrs. Chenoweth snarled.
"You're wrong." Elizabeth replied. She moved away from her continuing her path down the hall.
"Have I not raised you better than this? You willingly choose a life of squalor over luxury. And in doing so, you condemn me to such a life as well! Everything I have done was to make you a grand lady, and all for nothing! Where is your gratitude! You selfish, beastly girl! Elizabeth, if you walk out that door now, you will bring nothing but shame upon this family, and I will have nothing more to do with you." Mrs. Chenoweth warned.
"So be it, Mother." Elizabeth looked at her mother's angry expression.
Her mother strided aristocratically slowly towards her and stared at her daughter in silence frowning. Elizabeth in turn looked at her mother's face in silence. Mrs. Chenoweth then raised her arm swiftly to strike her daughter harshly across the face.
Elizabeth gasped but resisted tears and lifted her face once more to look foward. She would not allow her mother the satisfaction of an intense reaction, so she chose to revert back to ladylike composure.
After another moment of silence, Elizabeth spoke, "Goodbye, Mother."