Alexander couldn't breathe. He couldn't do this. He collapsed on the floor. He could hear nothing but the distant sound of Alice shouting his name.

"ALEX," she shouted again. Alexander heard her properly this time. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I saw him" he said.

The Lady was confused "my son? You saw him. What happened to him?"

"Was he involved in the explosion that injured your back?" Alice asked.

"Yes," Alexander lied. He was thinking about telling the truth, but if he had any chance of seeing Emily he couldn't tell them that he was the reason Hans was dead. "He was killed in the same explosion. I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologise for," the Lady said. Alexander wished that was true. "Hans would have been grateful to escape the explosion. Someone was looking down on you."

"I only wish that I could say the same for your son" Alexander replied. Alice helped him to his feet.

"Is your injury the reason you ran away from the army?" The Lady asked.

"Yes it was," Alice replied "we came here to see his sister, Emily."

"Emily is your sister?"

"Yes" Alexander replied.

"Well of course you may see her, but we need to figure out what to do with you two. After all if Alex here is wanted for deserting he can't exactly go off somewhere down the country can he? No, you'll have to stay here."

"Really?" Alice asked.

"Certainly. Do either of you have jobs anywhere else?"

Both shook their heads.

"Very well," the Lady continued "then you shall both work here. Emily is in need of a nursery maid and we need a new footman as well."

"I've never worked in service before" Alexander interrupted.

"Mr Edwards will show you what to do I'm sure," the Lady explained "now then, I'll call Edwards and you can go and see Emily. I think she's in lessons at the moment."

The Lady went over to one corner of the room and rang a small bell. A few moments later Mr Edwards came in "you called my Lady?"

"Could you take these two to see Emily?"

"Should I not call the police. The boy's a deserter."

"I'm well aware of that. I have made the decision not to inform anyone. He will be or new footman and the young girl will be Emily's nursery maid for the time being." The Lady told him.

"Very well my Lady" Mr Edwards replied. Alice curtseyed politely and Alexander gave a small nod before they left the room.

Mr Edwards led them up a staircase and along a huge corridor. Then up another staircase and down another long corridor before they finally arrived at a small room with two desks inside it.

At the large desk at the front was a slightly older woman, she had steel framed glasses on which were hanging halfway down her nose. Alice heard Alexander snigger a little when he first saw her. She elbowed him and he went quiet.

At the small desk was a girl who couldn't have been any more than 9 or 10. She got to her feet when she saw Alexander. "Allie?" She asked "is it really you?" She looked as if she might cry.

She ran towards Alexander and the two of them shared an embrace. They both laughed and cried for several minutes before they were interrupted by the woman with the steel framed glasses, "what is the meaning of this?"

Emily turned around, still holding Alexander's hand "Mrs B this is Alexander. My big brother."

"I've told you before Emmeline it's Mrs Blanche," she scolded, before looking at Alexander "you wouldn't be Alexander Stuart? The boy who deserted the army would you?"

"Indeed he is" Mr Edwards replied.

"What does 'deserted' mean?" Emily asked.

Mrs Blanche came and took Emily's arm and pulled her away from Alexander. "It means he ran away from the army. It's a very cowardly thing to do. People who do it are supposed to go to prison."

"Her Ladyship wants him to be our new footman" Mr Edwards said, sounding horrified at the thought.

"Hmmph," Mrs Blanche said angrily "what is the world coming to?" She looked down at Emily. "Now listen here Emmeline, you are to having nothing to do with your brother."

"But.." Emily interrupted.

"No buts. That's my final word. He's a bad influence. He should be in prison. Why should he be any different than anyone else."

"He has a back injury," Alice explained "he was injured in an explosion. He saw the Lady's son die."

"Hans?" Mrs Blanche asked.

"Yes" Alice replied.

"That shouldn't make an ounce of difference. Anyway who are you?"

"Alice Brooks" Alice said giving a small curtsey.

"She's to be Emmeline's nursery maid" Mr Edwards explained.

"Oh I see. Well you can take her now then. I need a rest. But don't let him anywhere near her." She said, pointing at Alexander. With that she stormed off.

"Miss Emily's room is the third door on the right," Mr Edwards explained. He looked at Alexander "meet me in the dining room in 5 minutes. It's the third door on the left on the second floor. Understood?"

"Yes I think so" Alexander replied.

"The correct answer is 'yes Mr Edwards' make sure to use it in the future." He left too.

"I should probably go," Alexander said "it'll take me 5 minutes to find the right room." He left without another word. Leaving Alice and Emily alone.

"Do you like my brother?" Emily asked.

"Yes I like him" Alice replied.

"Yes but do you like him like him?"

"No."

"Yes you do. You have this sort of smile on your face when you look at him. He likes you too, he was staring at you the whole time no one was talking to him."

"Well yes. I like him a lot."

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"Yes, I am."

Emily squealed "awww, that's soo cute. How long until you get married?"

"What? Oh I don't know. We might never get married."

"I'd love to get married to a handsome prince. Like in Cinderella when the prince saves Cinderella from her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. A prince might save me from Mrs B."

Alice laughed "I don't think a handsome prince is going to be in Edinburgh when there's a war going on."

"You found Allie while the war's going on. He's your prince who came to save you."

Alice laughed again "it's more that I saved him. He'd be in prison if it wasn't for me."

"You must really like him then. If you saved him. In books it's always the prince who does the rescuing."

"Yes I do really like him."

"If he asked you to marry him would you say yes?"

Alice thought for a moment. "If he asked me when the war was over. I would love nothing more than to be his princess."

Meanwhile downstairs, Alexander was still looking for the dining room. He was opening door after door, wondering if he even had the right floor.

At last he found it. There was a jacket, shirt and trousers on one of the chairs. Infront of them, on the table was a note.

Please get changed as quickly as possible and wipe down the table with a damp cloth. Mr Edwards will be there in fifteen minutes to instruct you on how to clean silverware and lay the table for lunch. Thank you.

Alexander sighed. This was not what he had expected to do after leaving the army. But, if he had to choose between prison and this, this had to be better. Even if he couldn't see Emily at least he knew she was safe and being taken care of. Alice would never let anything happen to her and maybe she would sneak him in to see Emily every so often. He wanted to see both of them. As soon as the war was over he would try and do whatever it took to make them both happy again.