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“It’s alright,” she un to speak about the past, the words tumbled out in a flow she couldn’t stop

“The day before I was due to leave, I decided to plead with et her to listen tohints about needing ued that I was to go This tirasped her chest and fell to the floor I screamed and shouted for help I can’t remember much about what happened, other than I was shoved out of the room”

The haunting vision of heron the bedroom floor rose unbidden in her mind’s eye It was so vivid, it could have happened just yesterday

“I waited and waited for news of her condition, although inside I think I knew she was gone When my father did request my presence in the library, he infor for her I could reh House until the funeral, but as soon as she was buried I was to depart to my aunts’ house in Bath I was to remain there until he sent further direction” Aht about that horrifying moment when her future was decided for her

Her protests were ignored, and she was ushered out by the faht of her father on that fateful evening was his rigid back turned he towards her as he stared out at the garden He sier

“As soon as round, I was bundled into the coach and taken to Bath” Amelia’s voice beca fro, but to no avail My aunts didn’t want me really Neither had married or had children, and had no idea how to deal with me I wasn’t a child Someone they could manipulate So they saw h the door, than they laid out numerous house rules, and immediately set me to work”

Alanced around the rooazes of the people there It bolstered her courage enough to allow her to continue

“I worked as their servant You see, they didn’t wanttheot the better end of the deal because they were being paid to have me, and used me as a servant they didn’t have to pay”

She paused briefly, as Edward swore

“I didn’t rateful s to do It also providedto live and cope as Sir Hubert’s housekeeper”

“What happened then?” Dominic murmured, held as transfixed by her story as everyone else “You obviously didn’t reet to Glendowie? Did you know Sir Hubert?”

Amelia shook her head “No I had been at my aunts’ for about a year, when I became aware of a certain male visitor who see of it, but after a while one of the staff overheard a conversation betweenmy dowry, and whether it would be released before or afterto draw a deal together, whereby they got a cut of my dowry if they persuaded my father the man was suitable Which he wasn’t But that didn’t matter to my aunts” Amelia shuddered at the memories that rose

“The staff felt sorry forreed to help me leave Bart, the coachman and butler, had a brother who ran a brewery cart He arranged for me to travel on the cart to the nearest post chaise, where I purchased a ticket out of Bath, and into freedoh to buy iven the money they had been paid to look afterother than themselves”

“Quite right,” Peter muttered, with almost fatherly approval

“Damned e towards the unseen pair