“That would be wonderful.”
Perhaps this mysterious Uncle Gabriel could explain where she was, how she had arrived here, and why she had been sleeping in his house. Those seemed like important details. She had only taken two steps when the door suddenly opened.
An elegant young woman entered. She appeared to be around sixteen and possessed dark hair and striking features. The moment she spotted David, her expression tightened.
“David!” the woman said. The boy froze. “You should not be speaking to strangers,” she continued.
David looked unimpressed. “She is not strange.”
The young woman ignored him completely. Her gaze shifted toward Amelia. The look she received was cold enough to freeze a river. Amelia straightened instinctively. The silence stretched, then stretched some more. Apparently, introductions were not forthcoming.
Finally, the young woman spoke. “You do not belong here.”
Amelia opened her mouth. Closed it. Then opened it again. “Good morning to you as well.”
The young woman remained entirely unimpressed.
David sighed. “Valerie, you are being rude.”
Valerie.
At least now Amelia had a name. Valerie folded her arms. “You should not be alone with her.”
“Why not?” David asked cocking his head to the side. Valerie looked at Amelia up and down, then lowered her voice, though Amelia could still hear. “Because we do not know who she is.”
David pointed at Amelia. “Her name is Amelia.”
Valerie looked as though she regretted asking. Amelia almost smiled. The young lady stepped forward and took David’s hand. “Come with me.”
“But I was talking,” he complained with a whiny groan as Valerie escorted him.
“You may survive the loss,” Valerie replied.
David groaned dramatically. David glanced back at Amelia. Then Valerie swept from the room with David in tow. The door closed behind them. Silence returned. Amelia stared after them. She had awakened in a strange house, met a charming child, been accused of being a governess, and been insulted by a hostile young lady all within ten minutes.
Something told her the day was only getting started. Slowly, she began pacing the room. Every few moments, she glanced toward the door as though expecting someone to enter and explain everything. Unfortunately, life rarely cooperated so conveniently. The only thing she knew with certainty was that she could not remain pacing in circles forever.
She stopped beside the window and folded her arms tightly. Her first instinct was to return home. Any sensible young woman would do exactly that. Then reality struck her with unpleasant force.
Home is no longer an option.
The moment she returned to London, her parents would seize control of her life again. Her mother would cry, lecture, and manipulate in equal measure. Her father would become furious. Then they would drag her straight back to the Duke of Mansfield and force the engagement forward. Amelia grimaced at the thought.
“No,” she muttered aloud, shaking her head. “I escaped one prison only to walk willingly back into another?”
The idea was absurd. Terrifyingly absurd. Which meant her family would likely approve of it. A sigh escaped her lips. She had money for perhaps a few weeks at most. No home. No employment. No plan worth mentioning. The future stretched before her like a fog-covered road.
“Excellent,” she muttered. “Everything is proceeding terribly.”
Unable to sit still any longer, Amelia cautiously opened the bedchamber door. The corridor beyond was quiet. Sunlight spilled through tall windows and illuminated expensive carpets and polished wood. Whoever owned this house possessed considerable wealth. The architecture alone made that painfully obvious.
She wandered carefully down the corridor. Every few moments, she glanced behind her. She still knew almost nothing about her mysterious rescuer. For all she knew, she had escaped one dangerous man only to find herself dependent upon another.
The thought made her stomach tighten. Suddenly, a loud bark shattered the silence. Amelia gasped. A huge dog came charging around the corner directly toward her. Every terrible memory from the previous night returned at once.
The road. The struggle. The fear. The barking. Amelia froze.
“Oh no.”
