"Elope, Felix. She wants to elope."
"Elope?"
"Yes, elope. You know, run off and get married."
"I know what elope means, Cecily." Felix sat down on the swing in the King's backyard. Cecily sat across from him. Felix was quiet for a few minutes as he thought this over. "How? How does she plan on doing this?"
"She's going to sneak out tonight after everyone has gone to bed. She'll go to Rose Cottage to meet up with you. From there, I don't know. She says she has that planned."
"Is she trying to get me killed? What is her father going to do to me once he finds out?"
"She told me to tell you that her father is not going to lay a hand on you. She'll make sure of it. Clive Pettibone is just going to have to accept you."
Felix sighed. He wasn't sure what to think. Yes, he wanted to marry Izzy; but no, he didn't want Clive Pettibone to come after him. Surely there is another way to go about this, he thought.
* * * * * * * * * *
Izzy lay in bed that night waiting for the rest of her family to turn out the lights and fall asleep. A knocking sound interrupted Izzy from her thoughts. "Izzy," Muriel opened the door and peeked in. "You asleep?"
"No," Izzy said quietly.
Muriel walked over and sat down on the side of the bed. "Just try to get some sleep, Izzy. Maybe things will be better in the morning," Muriel tried to sound hopeful.
"No, they won't, Muriel. You know how stubborn Father is. He won't change his mind."
"He is stubborn. So are you. Things will work out in the end, Iz."
"Mmm. Sure," Izzy replied sarcastically.
Muriel stood up and gave Izzy a kiss on the cheek. "We're all going to bed now. Things will be brighter in the morning," Muriel left without another word.
A half hour later when Izzy was sure that everyone was asleep; she got up, opened her window, gathered up her suitcase, jumped out onto the roof of their porch, slid down the trestle, and quietly slipped away into the darkness unbeknownst to the other people in the house.
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