Betrothed

Chapter 14: Caroline

**It has been about three weeks since Allie's meeting with Lord Thomas. Quentin and Nikki have been meeting in the forest regularly. Lord Wembley has made three more advances at Nikki. Allie has been spending time with Lord Thomas and their betrothal has been announced. Maddie and Allie help Quentin and Nikki get time together whenever they can.

I sit here reading a book in the library while my husband, Brandon, paces back and forth in front of the fireplace. After fifteen years with him and fourteen being married to him I have found that the Jernigans have some patience issues.

"Brandon will you please sit down already. You are giving me a headache." I tell him rather impatiently.

"My apologizes my dear for your headache. I just do not see how you can sit still at a time like this. We are awaiting news of our firstborn daughter!" He replies a little more loudly than he should have.

"Shhhh! Quiet your voice." I tell him. "You know that our other children are unaware of their older sister's existence."

"Sorry darling, it is just that last month Mister Spalding said that he was close to finding our daughter. I cannot help but to think that this week he might have found her." He says and I just sigh in response.

Fifteen years ago, while Brandon and I were still courting, we had a little too much of my father's wine and one thing lead to another. I got pregnant from the mistake and when my father, King Alexander, found out he was not to happy. Being as couples should not do what we did before marriage my father could not let anyone know about the pregnancy. He hid me away for nine months, I only had contact with my father; my mother, Queen Ivy, who for the most part hated me for being a girl and not another male heir like my brother; my brother, Harold, who also hates me; and also Brandon. Once the baby, a beautiful little girl, was born my father took her away. he told me that he gave her to a nice couple who could not have children to raise her, I knew better though. For the past fourteen year, since Brandon and I were married, we have been trying to track our daughter. We have not had much luck until recently when we hired Mister Spalding who claimed to be the best investigator in the kingdom. Last week he came and told us that he had tracked our daughter to a village about a three-quarters day ride from London where we live. He said to give him another month to find out which girl she is exactly. So now we are waiting in the library, anxious for news on our daughter. Just then Mister Spalding walks in.

"Lord Brandon! Princess Caroline! My apologies for keeping the Master and Madame of the lost child waiting!" He hastily bowed rather awkwardly with all of his files.

"You are fine Mister Spalding." I reply. "Please come in and have a seat."

"Thank you Madame. I am happy to tell you that I lave located your daughter!" He exclaimed gleefully. Brandon and I both stare at him in shock before I start crying. I was beginning to think that we would never find my daughter.

"You found our baby girl!" I cried to him. "Mister Spalding I do not know we can ever repay you."

"It was my pleasure to help find this missing child Madame." Mister Spalding replied.

"Well, Mister Spalding, where is she? Who is she?" I look to my husband as he asks the important questions; it is funny because now he is being the calm one. Mister Spalding handed the file over to my husband.

"It is all in here My Lord." He said. "Name, appearance, address, occupation, etc."

"Thank you Mister Spalding. I think that will be all we need you for tonight. My wife and I would like to view these in private." Brandon told him.

"Of course Master. Let me know if you need anything else. Goodbye." And with that he left out that door and I went over to Brandon. We both stared in shock at what we found in the file.

"We must go find her at once." My husband tells me and I nod in anxious agreement. I go outside to find one of the staff and ask them to summon the children to the library. Five minutes later they are all assembled in the room. I look at them; my two sons and two daughters, soon to be joined by one more.

"Grayson, Willow, Avery, Tobias." Brandon said. "Get ready, we are leaving for Harrison in ten minutes."