**

PRESENT DAY

Matthew took cautious steps toward the red head who sat on the stairs of the front porch, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular. She still had on her wedding dress, although what was once a glorious dress had been reduced to a creased stained material.

Coming to settle beside her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into his embrace.

It had been a terrible day. After the mysterious woman —who Matthew later learned was Ellie's mother— had taken Ellie away, Ethan had immediately raced into the city on horseback to try to get the Judge to go back on his judgment. The wedding had automatically been canceled mostly due to the fact that Ellie was taken, and partly due to the fact that Gretchen wouldn't come out of the nursery having locked herself in.

The entire house seemed eerie and empty, even if several servants still went about their business trying to take down the decorations for the wedding reception as well as store the food so it wouldn't go to waste.

Several hours later, Matthew had been informed by the butler that Gretchen had finally let herself out of the bedroom and was seated on the front porch. Ethan still hadn't returned from town and the tension in the air was raw.

Gretchen sat still in his arms for a while and for a brief second, he thought she must have fallen asleep. The cool night breeze was the only sound Matthew could hear past his own breathing; Gretchen seemed to have stopped breathing.

He lifted his gaze to the darkened sky above that held several stars, longing for Ethan's return —for Gretchen's sake, he longed for Ethan to return with Elizabeth in his arms.

"She isn't a night person," Gretchen finally spoke. It was a soft whisper and but for the deafening silence, he wouldn't have heard her. "Ellie would play all evening and fuss all night. I think she hates falling asleep."Her voice shook as she lifted her head from his shoulder and turned fully to him.

He stared at the grieving woman who sat beside him. While her face was devoid of tears, her eyes had a haunted look in them; like a woman on the verge of madness.

"Gretchen..." He began but she shook her head.

"My arms," she stretched her hands out before her to elaborate her point. "My arms hurt so much."

He wanted to say he was sorry, to pull her close and wrap her in the safety of his arms, but even he was powerless to make any of this go away. So, he sat there, saying nothing.

"It's like they know she's crying at this moment and they long to hold her." Her tears began to drop as she spoke. "My heart seems to have lost its rhythm. My chest longs for the feel of a child's head nestled against it." She clutched her chest. "My ears, Matthew, they hear her cries loud and clear but I'm powerless to ease her pain."