Annabelle’s eyes flickered open. For a brief, wonderful second, she imagined herself back in the servants’ quarter with Floyd's body wrapped around her, but soon the reality crashed down on her shoulders once more, reminding her that everything was terrible.

No, I am still at home, still planning a wedding that I do not want, still hated by everyone.

Annabelle’s life back in London was awful, she could not stand it. Not one person had dared make eye contact with her since she returned home and it was starting to destroy her. It was almost as if she had a terrible disease that no one wanted to acknowledge. As if she was about to die and no one knew what to say to her about it.

I am stuck here now. I had my chance at escape and I failed.

Annabelle barely focused on everything that was going on around her, it was all too horrible for her to emotionally deal with, so instead, she lost herself in her imagination for a moment, where everything was so much better.

Floyd Brewer, the man that she loved more than anything in the world, had not come looking for her. Not that she knew of anyway. She had not wanted to get her hopes up too much that he would in case her plans did not work out as she desired, but it was still very hard to accept that he had simply moved on without her. It made her realize that maybe love could not solve any problems.

Where are you now, Floyd? What are you doing? Are you still working for Mr. Brentwood?

Annabelle did not want to know what had been said about her among the staff when she got dragged away. She felt certain that the gossip would be rife and that the rumours would be varied and wild. Maybe someone would even happen upon the truth. Maybe, Violet, she knew her better than anyone else.

“Annabelle?” Josephine’s voice rang through her bedroom, causing her to bolt into a sitting position. “Do you have a moment?”

She had not seen her mother much since she had been home, and certainly not alone. Annabelle suspected that her father was making an effort to keep them apart so they could not plot anything ever again.

“Mother,” she gasped desperately. “Oh my goodness.”

She swung her legs to the ground and padded across the floor. At least her mother was looking right at her, that minute of genuine human connection felt like everything to her. Annabelle held her arms wide to hug her mother, which was a gesture that Josephine accepted gratefully.

She felt like she had let her daughter down by allowing Otto to come after her in her new life. Maybe she tried, unsuccessfully, to stop him, but to Annabelle, that probably would not mean anything.

“Annabelle, I am so sorry that I have not been able to see you before. It has been challenging for me...”

“Oh, I know,” Annabelle muttered into her mother’s chest. “I understand. Father is not happy with any of us. I am sorry that things have become challenging for you too.”

Josephine was taken aback by this idle comment from her child. In all the years that Annabelle had been alive, she had never really known her to think about someone else before herself. It was not that she was a selfish person, just that her worldly view had been constructed in a way that caused her to put herself first.

“Oh, I am sure that it will be alright,” she replied shakily. “Your father and I will find our way back to one another.”

Annabelle nodded. She wished that she could think of something reassuring to say, but nothing came to mind. She did not share her mother’s confidence that everything would work out.

“I do not know what to do now,” Annabelle admitted to the only person she felt comfortable talking to. “You gave me an opportunity to leave all of this behind and I failed. Now, I am right back to where I started.”

Josephine stroked Annabelle’s hair in the way that she used to do when her girls were young. That always cured their tears back then, but this was a much bigger issue than a scraped knee.

“I am sorry I cannot help you again, I wish I could.”

Despite knowing that was never going to be a possibility, Annabelle’s heart sunk. “I know, Mother, you have already done so much for me. I do not expect you to put yourself on the line again.” The wedding was on, there was no way to deny that now. Somehow Annabelle would have to accept it. “Thank you, Mother, I appreciate everything.”

“I...” Josephine had some terrible news that she did not know how to share. “I wish I did not have to tell you this, but I believe it is better that you are prepared.”

Annabelle twisted her neck to look at her mother. She could see a terribly sad expression on her face which turned Annabelle’s gut. Everything had been awful for a while now, but judging by Josephine’s face, it was about to get a whole lot worse.

“Your father has invited Lord Ashdown to the house to speak with you. He wants to ensure that everything is going to his plan.”

“Oh no.” Annabelle shook her head vigorously. “I do not want to see him today, I cannot.”

Josephine pursed her lips wishing that she could do more. “I understand,” she said carefully. “But you do have to get married to this man. I understand that he is awful but there is no longer anything that we can do. You need to find a way to get used to him.” She did not like delivering those words to her daughter, but there were not any other options.

Annabelle sighed loudly. “I know that you are right, it just feels so difficult. I do not know how to act like I am not repulsed by him. I do not want to anger father further.”

Josephine stood up and walked over to Annabelle’s clothes. The long, flowing, shapely dresses that she had left behind when she ran. They were the one thing that she thought she would be glad to see again when she got home, but looking at them now they felt constrictive and terrifying. The colours were lovely, the jewels sewn into the material were great to look at, but if they led her closer to Lord Ashdown and further away from Floyd, then she did not want to be blinded by them.

"You can start by dressing nicely. Hopefully, the rest of it will be alright after that."

Annabelle could not argue, she did not have the strength. Instead, she moved over to her mother and allowed her to talk fashion with her. At least thinking about what tight, heavy garment she would wear was better than thinking about him.

* * *

Annabelle glanced down at her dress, wondering if it gave her the right silhouette. Despite the fact that she did not want Lord Ashdown to be attracted to her at all, she did not want her father to notice that she was trying to repulse him.

Her mother chose her the tightest corset she owned which slimmed her waist and widened her hips. Then she had selected a golden coloured dress with a low shoulder, bertha neckline to reveal a lot of her milky white skin. Her modesty was covered with a pretty, pale lace so she was not too exposed, but that did not shake off the vulnerable experience she was left with. The skirts fell out past Annabelle’s waist and dragged along her feet, even as she sat down on the chair, opposite her father and Lord Ashdown.

“It is wonderful to have you back,” Watson said very insincerely. “We were all so worried about you.”

Annabelle knew that he was lying, she knew that she had a lot coming to her, but she nodded for now. By keeping her eyes fixed downwards for most of this conversation she could pretend to herself that most of it was not happening... but of course, it was.

"And, of course, I am over the moon that we can carry on with the wedding planning." Lord Ashdown shot Otto a well-timed look. “That is... if the wedding is still happening?”

“Oh yes, it is,” Otto said firmly, almost threatening Annabelle with his words. “Everything is still happening as before.”

“Good...” Watson left his words trailing. What he wanted was to be left alone with Annabelle, he just needed to manipulate Otto to leave the room.

“Oh, would you two like to spend some time alone?” Otto fell straight into his trap. “Come on, Josephine, let us go.”

Josephine did not want to leave, but she could not disagree with Otto again. She had gone behind his back once and it failed, she could not do it again. She tried to give Annabelle an apologetic look but her daughter would not even meet her eye.

In that moment, Josephine felt like she had lost Annabelle forever.

Annabelle’s heart thumped painfully in her chest, her stomach twisted and churned with sickness. Lord Ashdown had gotten exactly what he wanted, and that terrified her. Now she would just have to sit here and listen to him hurt her with his terrible words. Watson knew how to use his words well.

“We really were so concerned about you,” he said softly once the door had closed behind Annabelle’s parents. “It was a terrible, frightening time. It was just so good that your father was willing to throw everything into looking for you.” Annabelle bit down on her bottom lip to keep all her expletives inside. “He has also leaked the story that you were kidnapped, so everyone has kept their reputation as it once was.”

He did not! Annabelle wanted to argue. That did not sound like the sort of thing her father would do at all. Yes, he was protective of the family reputation, but he would be much more likely to rise above it. This was clearly something that Watson had done himself.

“And luckily for me, I can still marry you.” Watson grew angry, he was not getting any sort of reaction from Annabelle. He wanted to make her uncomfortable, and he was willing to throw everything at it. “Even if you have become a dollymop.”

Annabelle’s eyes snapped up at Watson. Now that she knew more of the world, she knew more of what these sorts of comments meant. It sounded to Annabelle that she was being called a prostitute.

"Or maybe you are more of a three-penny upright." His lips curled upwards into a smirk as he realized that he was getting to her finally. “That might be more you... willing to get what you need in any way possible.”

“Leave me alone,” Annabelle pleaded in a whisper. “Please, you know it was not like that. My father has told you I was working in an estate.”

“Right.” Lord Ashdown nodded gleefully. “With the stable boy. That is almost as bad.”

“Maybe you should not marry me then...”

“Oh no, I will marry you. Of course, I will. Then we can have a lifetime of... happiness together."

Annabelle knew that was a threat. Watson did not need her for happiness, she would simply be there on his arm at social events. Her only duty would be to have his children and to smile when required of her.

“You could have any Lady as your wife.” Annabelle’s voice raised, but she no longer cared who could hear them. “It does not have to be me.”

“No, it does not. But I want it to be you.” Watson ran his eyes suggestively up and down Annabelle, reminding her of all the times he had touched her body without her permission. “I believe that you will be the most fun.”

Annabelle could hardly breathe, it took all of her effort to push herself up and to storm from the room. If she had to marry him then she did not want to spend time with him now. Not when she did not have to.

There would be plenty of time for that...