A small traveling bag quickly filled with a few dresses, undergarments, toiletries, and jewelry to bargain with. She stuffed extra coins into a purse. Her hands trembled throughout the process. Every passing second increased the risk of discovery. At any moment, a servant might knock on her door.
When the bag was finally packed, she glanced around the room one last time. For years, this chamber had been her refuge. Yet ithad also been a cage. Everything her parents controlled seemed designed to keep her trapped. Amelia squared her shoulders and picked up the bag.
After a brief run-in with a household servant who promised not to raise alarm, Amelia stood beside a busy London street searching for transport. Rain still fell, though less heavily now. A passing hackney carriage caught her attention. She waved frantically until the driver pulled to a stop beside her. The man leaned down and eyed her suspiciously.
“Traveling, miss?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, heaving her bag up higher. She fished around inside for her coin purse. She held out some coin. “How far can this take me? I’m leaving London.”
His eyes focused on the money. “Far enough, I suppose.”
Amelia climbed inside without another question. The hackney carriage rattled away from London. At first, Amelia remained tense, expecting pursuit at any moment. She imagined riders appearing behind them carrying messages from her parents. She imagined being dragged back to London and delivered straight into another engagement. Yet no one came.
As an hour passed, exhaustion began replacing panic. The scenery outside slowly changed. London’s crowded streets disappeared. Villages and open countryside took their place. Rolling fields stretched toward distant hills. Amelia had no idea where she was going.
Oddly enough, I find that comforting.
For perhaps the first time in her life, nobody knew her destination because she herself did not know it. She rested her forehead against the carriage window. Freedom felt strange. Untidy. Frightening. Wonderful.
“What shall I do now?” she whispered.
The question lingered unanswered. Perhaps she could find work, maybe become a governess. Or maybe she could become a companion.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. The abrupt halt threw her forward. Confused, she looked outside. There was no village. No inn. No house. Only an empty stretch of road surrounded by trees. Unease settled in her stomach.
The driver appeared at the door.
“Out, miss,” he said with a scowl on his face.
Amelia frowned. “What?” She leaned forward to look him directly in the eye. Alarm flickered through her. “Why have we stopped?”
The driver’s expression hardened. “Because I want the rest of your money.”
Amelia stared at him. “I already paid you.”
“You’ve got more.”
“I do not.”
He laughed. It was not a pleasant sound. “A pretty lady in a pretty dress always has more.”
Fear tightened her chest. “I assure you, I have nothing else.”
“Let’s see.” He yanked the carriage door open. Before she could react, he grabbed her bag.
“Stop!” Amelia lunged forward out of the carriage. The driver began rummaging through her belongings. Her dresses landed in the mud. Her toiletries followed. Her jewelry purse appeared.
His grin widened. “Liar.”
“That is mine!” She shoved him. The action surprised both of them. For a brief moment, the man simply stared.
Then his face darkened. “You should not have done that.”
Amelia took a step backward. The road suddenly felt very isolated. The trees felt very close. The driver advanced. His gaze traveled over her expensive gown. Something ugly entered his expression.
“If you cannot pay with money, perhaps that pretty dress will do,” he sneered showing her crooked yellow teeth.
A cold wave of terror swept through her. “No.”
