Releasing the latch that secured the door, he pulled it open, the weight of the door almost proving to be too much for his weary body. He stepped back as the door gave way, revealing Jacob’s aged face.

A small frown immediately pulled on the edges of his brows as he took in the butler’s disheveled appearance; his silver hair stuck to his wrinkly forehead, held bound by the liquid that was now dripping off of his face. His blue eyes spoke of urgency and while he stood before Ethan with his hands clasped before him, seemingly waiting patiently for the command to speak, he seemed rather anxious to make his mission known.

Ethan nodded once, giving Jacob the opportunity to address him.

"There's a problem, my lord," he said, "a child was left on the front porch. No one knows at what time this event occurred but the maids were left with no choice but to bring her in, considering the intensity of the late night's rain."

Ethan blinked, confused. He heard Jacob clearly –perhaps too clearly– but his mind seemed unable to comprehend the words being spoken. A child; it was the most absurd thing he had heard his entire life.

He rubbed his throbbing forehead. "This child was abandoned?" The words barely formed on his lips, confusion and fatigue making it nearly impossible to speak as his eyes searched Jacob’s for signs of foul play. It was true that the butler had worked for him for five years and proved his allegiance in those years, but Ethan couldn't help the feeling of suspiciousness.

Jacob shook his head. "A note addressed to you was found in the child's basket.”

"Where is this note?”

“It is with the child, my lord. She is with Adeline right now. If you are willing, I shall take you to her." Jacob bowed slightly.

Ethan thought of rejecting the offer because he was uncertain he ever wanted to set his eyes on the child. On the contrary, his first instinct was to send her off to the orphanage where abandoned bastards like her belonged.

Yet, rather than go with his instincts, he nodded his head in acceptance of Jacob’s offer –he would see the child and read the note. For reasons that transcended his understanding, someone had the audacity to abandon a bastard on his doorstep while simultaneously addressing a note to him. Not only did the fool’s actions upset him, it gained his attention and created some sort of curiosity in him that could only be placated once he had read the note and taken a look at the child. Once his curiosity was put to rest, he would get rid of the child.

He followed Jacob through the dimly lit hallway of the building –an old castle-like building restructured to appear a lot more modern. He had only purchased the building in fulfillment of the promise he made to Juliet who had once had a silly childhood dream of living in a castle.