Chapter 1
The graceful sound of expertly composed music filled the room with a sweet melody that transported all who heard it to another place and time. Even the people on the street stopped for a moment to rest in the embrace of the soothing song as it drifted out of the open window and into the afternoon sky.
Charlotte Grey’s slender fingers danced over the worn keys of her favourite pianoforte. Years of playing her favourite songs had left very noticeable grooves in the yellowing ivory. Her father had wanted to buy her a new piano, but life had intervened, leaving her at the mercy of her uncle.
She sighed, thinking of her parents and how they had encouraged her to practice as often as she could. The viscount had harboured many musical talents of his own before his untimely demise.
A light breeze drifted through the open window drawing room window, gently tousling her dark brown tresses as she flicked them back over her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were intensely focused on the keys as her mind wandered far away from the song she had learned by heart.
A melodious lullaby that reminded her of her mother and the grace she had brought to all who knew her, until that night …
The night she had lost her parents had been a stormy one with fierce bolts of lightning and raging winds. She had been lying awake reading a book by candlelight when a frantic knock sounded on the door.
“My Lady! You must come at once!” She could still hear the note of panic in the maid’s voice as she shut her book and pulled back the covers. The manic pounding had continued relentlessly until Charlotte answered in annoyance.
“What’s the matter, Ana?” she had called out to her lady’s maid, wondering what could have possibly happened in the middle of the night. The house had been quiet and peaceful besides the persistent attempts of her maid to arouse all and sundry.
Her parents had gone to a ball at their uncle’s insistence, leaving her behind to nurse the headache that had been plaguing her for days after a cold. Her uncle had been more than just a little annoyed that she couldn’t attend but had ultimately relented when her father stepped in.
“There’s a man downstairs saying that he needs to speak with the lady of the house at once,” Ana’s frantic voice carried through the door like a hungry bird boring for bugs with unrelenting force. There was something very unsettling in the woman’s voice that made Charlotte uneasy.
“Could he not leave a message and come back in the morning?” Charlotte frowned as she checked the position of the moon in the sky through her open bedroom window. It had to be past midnight already by her calculations; she had left the window open to allow the sounds of the raging storm in the distance to distract her mind from the headache.
“I did suggest that, but he was most insistent that he needed to speak with you at once. I think it’s best that you come down and speak to him, My Lady,” Ana seemed to hesitate for a second, keeping quiet as if there was more that she wanted to say but didn’t know how to say it.
Feeling a wave of panic run through her body, Charlotte quickly slipped her feet into her slippers and reached for the white silk gown that hung over the back of the chair in front of her dresser. There had to be something wrong if someone needed to see her in the middle of the night while her parents were away.
My parents …
A cold chill ran down her spine as she thought of them being away for the night. She was almost certain that someone would have alerted her already if anything had happened; the ball they had attended was not too far away, after all. Hurrying to the door, she pulled on the handle to reveal the white face of her beloved maid.
Ana’s blonde hair was tousled and messy beneath the nightcap pinned to her head. One hand clasped the front of her gown in the hopes of preserving some form of modesty after being dragged from her bed at an unruly hour. Her doe-like brown eyes were wide with concern.
“I’m sorry to have woken you at this hour, My Lady, the constable was most insistent,” she gulped before flicking her tongue over her dry lips. It was clear to Charlotte that her maid had been in the throes of a deep sleep when she’d been aroused.
“The constable? You never mentioned that the man is a constable.” Charlotte froze with her hand on the door as she looked at her maid.
Ana returned her gaze with all the sympathy and understanding in the world, her usually rosy cheeks pale with fright. “We best see what the man wants, My Lady, before we jump to any conclusions.”
Understanding the precariousness of the situation, Charlotte quickly nodded and hurried ahead, rushing down the hall and taking the stairs two at a time without looking behind her. The main hall felt deserted and cold as she waited for Ana to catch up with her lantern and point the way.
There was a certain coldness about the entrance hall late at night; it felt almost criminal to be downstairs without the watchful gaze of the butler to oversee things.
“I left him in the drawing room, My Lady,” Ana huffed breathlessly just as she caught up to Charlotte. A semblance of colour had returned to her cheeks thanks to her hurried steps.
Charlotte hadn’t even realized she had been running as she turned to the shut door of the drawing room, where a single sliver of light was emanating from beneath the wood. Pushing the door open, she took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Please let them be okay …
She said a silent prayer before opening her eyes.
The constable stood as soon as Charlotte entered the room, holding his black bowler hat in his hands. His black coat was neatly pressed with silver studs, accompanied by light grey breeches and polished boots. “I’m sorry to have drawn you out of bed at this hour, My Lady,” he said respectfully and bowed his head. The solemn look in his eyes made Charlotte’s breath catch in her throat.
“Has something happened to my parents?” she asked the man without the formalities of greeting. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was far more demanding than any kind of propriety.
Keeping his eyes downcast, he squeezed the brim of his hat between his finger and thumb before looking Charlotte in his eyes. The sadness she saw reflected there was confirmation enough for her.
“Oh Lord,” Charlotte clutched her chest and sat in the nearest chair before her legs had a chance to give way. It suddenly felt to her as if all the warmth and happiness had been sucked from the world in the space of a few simple words. She wanted nothing more than to go back to bed and wake up early to realize that everything had been nothing more than a bad dream.
