******** The carriage pulled away from the curb, my lonely trunk and I the only discernible things on the street at such an hour of the foggy evening. I could feel the chill creeping in through the thin cotton of my old finishing school uniform. I hadn't wanted to try Ella's patience by keeping the dresses she'd ended up paying for thanks to my family's debt, so I had only packed my old uniforms and the single, outdated ball gown I had been planning to wear that night. No longer than a minute or two after Ella and the girls had left, a pair of maids entered the room. They efficiently packed my belongings back into my trunk, a footman appearing out of nowhere to lug it down the service corridor and out the service entrance near the stables. I hadn't even had a moment to sneak into Ella's room to steal back my necklace, let alone sneak down to Audra's to beg for a new disguise so I could attend the ball. Whoever the palace maids were, they knew that I was to be escorted out as quickly as possible, which they did, depositing me in a carriage with instructions to take me to my family house in Highcastle. I had squeezed my eyes shut, nails digging into the palms of my hands as the carriage passed through the palace gates. I couldn't think about the fact it would be my last ride through those gates. I found I couldn't breathe at the prospect of never seeing Andrew again. And yet, here I was. Standing on the curb, I looked up at the house looming out of the shadows before me, dark and foreboding when compared to its neighbours. Along the block, warm golden light spilled out from sitting rooms onto the street, the promise of warmth and shelter infinitely more inviting than the cold stone facade I was staring at. Xavier had warned me that they'd let staff go at the house, but this looked more as if they'd gone and already closed it up. I hoped he hadn't already left the city, given that there was nary a candle to be seen in any of the windows. Clearly we were in much worse circumstances than I'd thought. I drew in a breath, leaning down to seize the handle of my trunk. It made an almighty racket as I dragged it up the walk to the stairs, heaving it up one step at a time. I knocked the big brass knocker, waiting. I desperately hoped Xavier was in so he could at least keep me company on the most miserable night of my existence. My breath was coming in plumes and I rubbed my arms to ward off the chill of the late summer air as I heard the door being unlocked from the inside. Xavier pushed it open, lighting the front step with a single candle. "Well this is certainly unexpected," he said, taking in my dress and trunk, "What on Earth happened Libby?" "It's a long story," I said. He sighed, throwing the door open. Xavier handed me the candle so he could pick up the trunk and drag it inside. As we entered, I had to fight back tears once again. Most of the furnishings had been carted off, probably to auction, and none of the lamps were lit. This house, this glorious house that had once been my winter wonderland and spring paradise was now nothing but the skeleton of old memories. The chill followed us in, adding to the emptiness. "The front room's bed hasn't been packed up yet, I'll set you up there. I'm warming some dinner in the kitchen just now, if you're hungry," Xavier said, abandoning the trunk beside the door and preceding me down the dark hallway towards the kitchen at the back. The hearth fire was burning, a pot of something bubbling over it. At least this room had only minimally changed, save for the obvious lack of staff. "Food would be splendid," I said. "I also went ahead and took the liberty of opening this," he said, taking up an expensive bottle of Father's scotch and pouring more into an already half-empty glass, "Decorum be damned, would you like some?" "Need you even ask?" I said, plunking myself down across the massive wooden countertop from where Xavier had set a lonely place setting for one. He dug around one of the cabinets, pulling out a weathered looking little cup to match his own. I smiled ruefully at drinking such expensive liquor from such a cheap vessel. "What happened?" he asked, looking over at me as he sipped his scotch. I inhaled, swirling my cup before taking a fortifying sip. "Ella found out I'd been sneaking around to see the prince," I said, "He disguised me as an American diplomat's daughter and danced with me all night last night," Xavier sputtered and spat out his scotch. "The prince?" he exclaimed. I nodded miserably, staring down into my drink. "Libby, you were supposed to be catching a husband, not a prince!" he said, hopping up to give the stew a stir. "I wasn't trying to catch him! It just happened all on its own!" I cried, burying my head into my arms, "He was the only person there that was halfway decent, the only person that didn't mind me acting like myself. I couldn't help that I enjoyed his company, but then it turned into us sneaking notes and him inviting me on rides..." Xavier was still stirring the stew, a frown on his face. "You're angry," I said finally, when he didn't speak. His jaw muscle pulsed when he sighed. "I'm not angry," he said, returning to the table to take a drink of his scotch, "But this doesn't bode well for you. You do realize that now you'll be forced to marry whatever moneyed old codger they choose?" A wave of nausea so intense crashed over me that I very nearly gagged. I choked down a gulp of scotch instead. "No I won't," I said flatly, "I'll find a way to go back or I'll find someone else to marry me," "Does anyone else know?" Xavier asked, ladling out two bowls of stew. "Emily perhaps, Andrew's siblings, and one of the seamstresses," I said, "But Ella promised she wouldn't tell anyone if I left, so here I am," "Then here's to hoping we can talk Vile Edith around to save the family," Xavier said, cing his cup with mine as he served us, "Because without you in the Season, there's a slim chance you'll marry high enough to save us," "It's not fair that this has fallen onto my shoulders," I said finally, pushing my stew around in silence as I mulled over Xavier's words, "I'm no crown jewel of a daughter, how can they have expected me to come up with some rich fiancé in a matter of weeks?" "Of course it's not fair," Xavier said, "When I said you were their last hope, I wasn't lying. They've been trying to find a solution for some time now and with you hurrying off to join Ella at the palace, they had to seize the opportunity," "Well I suppose they'll have to seize another," I muttered, eating a spoonful of the stew. Xavier had done a remarkably good job at replicating cook's beef stew, right down to the chopped vegetables and spices.