Jerking upright as a loud sound tore through the air, he turned sharply to the door, his cheeks burning as he stared at the firmly closed door. Shame washed over him, causing him to back away from the stranger who had somehow managed to reawaken something in him that had been buried for several months, and crossing the room swiftly, he pulled the door wide open.

“My lord,” a maid stood by the door, bowing her head slightly.

Clearing his throat, he stepped into the hallway. “See to her care,” he said, motioning to the unconscious stranger. “And once she is well, escort her out of here.”

He didn’t wait for the maid’s response before hurriedly making his way through the halls in a desperate attempt to get away from the woman and the feelings she had nearly succeeded in awakening in him.

*

A LOUD SOUND TORE THROUGH the air, dispelling the darkness and dragging Gretchen’s weary body out of its slumber. Pain reverberated in her skull, her limbs aching as she rubbed her head and blinked.

Where was she?

Her question was met with nothing but the sharp pain in her head as her eyes scanned her unfamiliar environment. It appeared to be a room, the soft surface underneath her feeling like a bed. For a second, she thought she was still on a ship on its way to London, but just as the thought raced through her mind, she was quickly reminded of the crowded dock and the rude travelers. She was reminded of Sue’s dress shop as well, tears springing to her eyes as the memory of being turned away from the shop drifted through her mind. She remembered how hopeless she had felt... how hopeless she still felt.

Where was she then? She pushed herself to a sitting position —a boarding house, perhaps? Why couldn’t she remember coming here, and why did the room appear too elaborate for a boarding house? Her gaze traveled from the luxurious gold draperies, to the fireplace, to the wooden vanity just beside it. The room did nothing to remind her of where she was and how she had gotten here in the first place. It seemed that the only thing she remembered was the disappointment that came with being turned down by Sue and having to stand out on the street—

Suddenly, she remembered; she remembered not only the disappointment that followed Sue’s rejection, but the pain that came with being knocked off of her feet and landing on her head on the pavement. It explained the pain she was experiencing, but it did not explain how she had gotten here.

Even as she sat trying to remember, a loud sound interrupted her thoughts, forcing her gaze to the closed door. She sat up straighter, a frown creasing her face as she listened closely to what appeared to be the sound of a child crying.

Where was she?

The question drifted through her mind for the umpteenth time. Pushing the white covers aside, her gaze immediately settled on an unfamiliar white nightdress. She rubbed her head —where were her clothes?