The day started off like any other, Annabelle did not notice even a strange tension in the air. Maybe if she had been looking harder, she would have seen that something dramatic was coming, but she was too focused on her work to think about anything else.

Even when Violet raced into Mr. Brentwood’s office and she told him that there was a man that really needed to see him, Annabelle saw nothing. Even when her friend gave her a desperate look, she did not read too much into it. Exhaustion was all of her, blinding her to anything else.

It was not until Mr. Brentwood moved back into his office with a shadow looming behind him, giving Annabelle a chilling sensation in her chest, that she started to sense that maybe everything was not quite right.

“Is... everything alright?” she asked Mr. Brentwood cautiously. “Is there something that I need to do?”

He had told her that he had clients coming in all day long, but she thought she had prepared for all of those meetings. Clearly somewhere she had forgotten something. Her heart pounded loudly against her rib cage, her breath balled up in her airways, her hands shook anxiously.

"There is someone here to see you," Mr. Brentwood replied mysteriously. “I think I shall leave the two of you alone.”

“What...?” Annabelle did not get visitors, she had not been aware of any of the staff members having people visiting. This was overwhelming, it had to be bad news...

And then Mr. Brentwood stepped away, and she became very aware of how terrible things were. “Father?” she gasped in shock. “What are you doing here?”

Otto said nothing, not until Mr. Brentwood stepped away from the room leaving him alone with his daughter, he had been searching for his youngest child for weeks, he had thrown a lot of money at a very extended search party, all to make this moment happen. When he had heard from one of his investigators posing as a client to see Mr. Brentwood based on rumours that he had a lady in his staff and confirmed that Annabelle was working in his house, he had started his journey.

This was his chance, he needed to get it right.

“Why am I here?” he growled once they were alone. “Why do you think I might be here?”

“Father.” Annabelle pushed her chair back and she leapt into a standing position. She should have planned for this moment but she had become so convinced that it was not coming so she did not bother. Now, panic spun through her brain too quickly for her to form a coherent answer. “Father, I am so sorry. I did not want it to get like this...”

“You have left me, your family, to come and work for someone else?” He screwed his nose up in disgust. “This is utterly unbelievable. Do you understand how embarrassing this is for me? Do you know what you have done to your family? To me and your mother? To your sister and her husband.”

Tears welled up in the corners of Annabelle’s eyes. She knew that she had affected everyone, it was the only thing that made her hesitate before she left, but it was something she had not wanted to think about as she started on with her new life.

“I am sorry, I did not want it to get to this.”

“So, why did it?” Otto was not in the mood to listen to Annabelle’s excuses. “Why are we standing in this office right now, talking about this?”

Annabelle breathed deeply. She knew that she needed to have the same conversation again. It had not made a difference every other time she had discussed it, but hopefully this time her father would understand just how important that was to her.

“Because of Lord Ashdown, I cannot marry him...”

Otto threw his hands frustrated in the air. “Are you serious, Annabelle? Do you understand how childish this is? You have run away from home because you are unhappy with a decision I have made for you.”

“I have my reasons,” Annabelle pouted angrily. She could not believe that she was still being accused of acting like a baby when she had started a life of her own. She was much more grown up now, surely? “He was inappropriate with me.”

“Right, of course. You have said this before. You do not like the things he said. So, you would rather be here, far away from home, in the middle of nowhere, working.”

“Yes, I would.”

Otto shook his head. This was taking defiance to a brand new level. “You came here with the stable boy,” he said in a matter of fact tone of voice. He did not need to ask, it was obvious. “But you are leaving alone.”

"I am not leaving." Annabelle reached behind her to grab onto the desk in a white-knuckled grip. If her father could not drag her out, then he would have to leave her there. "I wish to remain here. I am happy here."

Otto rolled his eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. “Annabelle, I am not hearing this, I am not giving you an option. You have run away, you have proven your point, now it is time to come home.”

“I will not. I do not want to come home.”

With her eyebrows knitted together and her eyes flashing angrily, Otto knew that she was determined, but that meant nothing to him.

“Stop being silly and get your things together. Your mother is at home waiting for you.”

“M... mother?”

That got Annabelle. Otto saw no point in telling her that Josephine was very unimpressed with Otto searching for Annabelle. He did not want her to know that they were barely speaking to one another now that he knew she stole money from him to help her daughter on this crazy mission. Annabelle did not need to know that their marriage was in a lot of trouble... unless he needed to use that to sway her to his point of view.

“What will happen if I come home?” Annabelle gasped pitifully. She was clutching desperately, trying her hardest to find any way to make her father see that this was not the right move for her “What will it be like?”

“Your betrothal to Lord Ashdown is still intact," Otto shot back at lightning speed. "He is not happy, of course, but since the wedding date has not passed, he is still willing to have the ceremony."

“He is?” Annabelle could not believe it. What sort of man would still want to marry someone who did not want it?

Then she remembered what sort of man he was. This would be just another factor he could use to make her life miserable. She imagined the disgusting things that he would say to her, especially if he knew that she ran off with Floyd. He would see her as damaged goods, even though she was not. All she had done was kiss Floyd, not that Lord Ashdown would care.

“But father, I cannot marry him,” she begged. She felt like she would fall to her knees by this point. “I cannot. That is why all this has happened. Why can you not see this?”

“I am not having this conversation with you anymore. Get outside and into the carriage. We are going home.”

Annabelle could feel her resolve weakening. Of course, she did not want to leave her current happy life, the last thing she wanted was to go back to her home, but she knew her father well. He would stop at nothing. Now that she had wrecked their reputation, he would do whatever it took to get her home again. Even if she left Mr. Brentwood’s house, he would follow her forevermore.

“No,” she said determinedly, ignoring her inner thoughts. “I will not.”

“I will bring men in here to pick you up,” Otto threatened. “You will come with me now, one way or another.”

He did not say it, but Annabelle feared that her life would be in danger if she did not agree.

“If I come home, I want my betrothal to Lord Ashdown to be cancelled. I wish to remain with Floyd.”

“No.” Otto did not even hesitate. He was not here to negotiate.

“Floyd will come back with me. He will be given his job back.”

“No.”

Annabelle darted her eyes from side to side. She felt the need to run, but there was nowhere to go. This windowless room was now her prison cell.

“Well, let me go and get my things...”

“No, I am not letting you out of my sight.” Otto refused to be tricked again. “You are coming with me this instant.”

“Then let me speak to Floyd...”

“No.” When would his daughter get this? She had lost every scrap of power. The sooner she accepted that the quicker this would be.

“I need to at least say goodbye.” Annabelle wanted to tell Floyd what had happened so they could concoct a plan together. “To Mr. Brentwood at least.” Maybe her father and his need for good manners would outweigh his desire to trap her.

“Mr. Brentwood already knows what is happening, he does not wish to see you again.”

“Right.” The tears in Annabelle’s eyes started to roll down her cheeks. She could not contain them anymore. Every way she tried to save herself, her father shot her down. She did not want to be dragged from this home kicking and screaming, especially not if Mr. Brentwood already hated her. “I see.”

“So, come on, let us do this the easy way.”

Annabelle did not feel any sense of pride as she followed her father meekly out of the house. This whole experience was supposed to make her stronger, she was supposed to be more independent and better now. But her father came along and she had reverted back to a pathetic version of herself.

But what can I do? She begged her brain. Please, think of something, quickly.

As soon as she stepped into the carriage, it was all over. But even as Annabelle followed her father to outside the house, nothing happened inside her brain. She felt as hopeless as she did before.

“Do not keep glancing backwards,” Otto commanded angrily. “That fantasy – if you can really call it that – is over now, it is time for you to get back to reality. Your wedding plans are coming along nicely. You need to get in the right frame of mind.”

She could hardly believe it; the wedding plans did not stop even though she was not there. Her father had so much confidence that he would find her and bring her back that he did not even halt.

As Annabelle got into the carriage and she dared to look back at the dream she was leaving behind, everything inside of her fell apart. She had lost, she had not even fought hard, she had given in when really she should not have done. Her working life, her freedom, her time with the love of her life was done. She had left him alone while she went back to her home to marry a man that she hated – unless she could get out of it in some other way of course.

Her adventure was over. It had barely gotten started, and it was done.

I am sorry, Floyd, she thought desperately to herself. I did not mean to leave you, I hope someone explains that to you. This was never my choice.

She could not even begin to imagine how heartbroken he would be to find out that she was gone. Maybe he would be so hurt, so damaged by the experience, that he would not even come looking for her. Maybe he would decide that his riding school was more important. She could not blame him for that.

I will always love you, and only you, Floyd Brewer. You will never know how sorry I am.