**

“ETHAN,” JULIET SAID nervously.

He shoved past her and walked into the room. His eyes scanned the simple hotel room furnished with a Queen's sized bed, a single sofa, a wardrobe and a dresser. The walls were a plain white color with flowery curtains hanging from two windows.

A few seconds of standing there and his eyes finally rested on what it was he was looking for.

“Elizabeth,” the sight of her took his breath away, and forced his feet forward until he was leaning down and picking her sleeping form up.

“Lord Williams, you cannot take her.” Mr. Harrison called.

He knew he couldn't just retrieve Elizabeth without going through the right channel of the law, but he wasn't sure he could walk away from her either. He cradled her against his chest, his heart rate speeding at the sight of her. Elizabeth nestled against him, her soft breath tickling his skin. It was incredible to think just how much he missed her and how much he hated to think he couldn't just take her with him.

“You cannot be in here, Ethan. Get out or I'll take her away from you forever.”

He turned to his backstabbing ex-wife. “I shall fight you.”

“I know.” Juliet's eyes twinkled with humor.

“Why are you doing this, Juliet?” He half pleaded and Juliet shrugged. “You know you don't care; you couldn't care less if you tried. Do you even know her name?” He yelled, frustrated.

She walked over to where he stood and retrieved the baby. “Get out —you and whoever that is! And until you have a court order, do not return!”

**

“I'LL GIVE YOU A DIVORCE.”

Gretchen heard Ethan's words over and over in her ears until she could no longer stop the tears that welled in her eyes from falling —she didn't want a divorce; she didn't want to lose him. Yet, she knew she had done nothing but push him away. The longer she sat in the nursery musing over their conversation that afternoon, the more convinced she was that it was all her fault; she had let her emotions get the best of her.

She stood on the balcony overlooking the manor, hoping that he would appear. She had seen him ride out that afternoon and hadn't seen him since then. Had he gone on another journey just to avoid her? Had he abandoned her?

She wrapped her arms around herself, a shiver racing down her spine. It felt so lonely standing there without a child or a husband; her entire world was crashing down around her and she was powerless to stop it. The two people who meant the world to her were being taken away.

A carriage finally appeared that night, carrying Ethan. Relief flooded her body as she watched him climb out. For a brief second, he lifted his eyes to where she stood on the balcony, as if sensing her presence. She could feel her heart skip a beat as his eyes came to rest on her. Tearing his eyes off of her sharply, he walked into the building, leaving her standing there, hurt.