He thought of her decision to stay with Elizabeth, even sacrificing her comfort f0r the little baby, and in that second, Ethan found himself desperate to have her stay on as Elizabeth’s nanny. Perhaps he could offer her the job? He wasn't certain of what she was doing in London, but her accent when they spoke the evening before, told him she was an American. He imagined she had only just arrived at London and hoped she was in need of a job, because heaven knew he was desperately in need of a nanny.

**

THE PERSISTENT CRIES of a child pulled Gretchen out of her slumber. With a hand placed on her forehead in a useless attempt to still the headache that was now speedily rising, she pushed herself to a sitting position, her gaze scanning the unfamiliar room in confusion. Blurry images of white walls, white ceiling, and white curtains, filled her eyes. She continued to scan the room until her eyes fell on the source of the noise; a naked infant and the tensed back of a visibly frustrated woman in black.

Finally remembering where she was and more than that, what she was doing here, she pushed herself to her feet and waited for a few seconds for the image before her to stop spinning.

“Oh, good morning, miss. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to awaken you but Elizabeth is having a sour morning as always.”

Gretchen's gaze moved from the unfamiliar woman to the wailing child who now had on a diaper as she laid on the changing table. Elizabeth, she thought, finally remembering the child’s name, even if she decided then that she preferred her own made-up name; it was close enough to Elizabeth and could even be said to be the shortened version.

“What's the matter, Ellie?” She cooed, turning to the child. Lifting her off of the changing table, she pulled her close and wrapped her arms around her, before planting a kiss on her raven hair.

“As always, nothing. Elizabeth is just one really cheeky child.” The woman hissed, making her way to where Gretchen stood with a dress for Elizabeth in her hands. She took the baby from Gretchen and began dressing her. “Lord Williams wants you to join him for breakfast. I'll see to the rest of Miss Elizabeth's needs for the rest of the morning. Of course getting her to eat is where the problem lies.”

Gretchen frowned at the brunette with quite a mouth on her. “She's not that bad.”

“You're right,” she turned to Gretchen. “She's worse, which explains why her mother felt the need to dump her on our doorstep. With a runaway bride and a cheeky baby, Lord Williams is simply the most unlucky man in all of England.” The maid declared, causing Ellie's cries to intensify.

Shocked and terribly upset, Gretchen walked over to her and snatched the baby from her hands. “Well, that is enough!” She faced the woman whom, in that second, she decided she didn't like. “How dare you treat a baby so poorly?!” She half yelled. “Sure, she's a handful,” she hugged Ellie to herself. “But, there could be a reason for that. Perhaps she hates milk?! And a mother who would abandon such an angel? She's the demon! Now, if you'll excuse us,” she turned around sharply, completely annoyed as she began making her way to the door and paused before it, turning back to face the woman. “Do pass across the message to Ellie's father... Williams, is it? Mr. Williams?” When the woman didn't respond to her question —choosing instead to maintain her position across the room, glaring at Gretchen— she turned and pulled the door wide open. “Have him know that Elizabeth and I will be joining him shortly.”