Three years ago...

Ysabella was due to depart with her husband for their honeymoon, thus Ralph was in earnest to have a word with his sister.

After she said her farewells to their mother and their siblings, he cautiously approached her. Clearing his throat, he uttered, "A word, Ysa."

Ysabella's brows were arched high in curiosity when she turned to face him, a smile on her lips. The besotted fool had finally succeeded in shackling the most notorious rakehell in Wickhurst. Of course she was triumphant! "Yes, brother?"

He cleared his throat again. "About your friend from Blucksley—"

"Oh, please, I have been warned about this," she said with a wave of her hand. "No, Ralph, I shall not divulge any information."

His eyes rounded in disbelief. "You have been warned? By whom?"

Ysabella shrugged. "Emma, among others. Now, do not pretend that you have not bugged them about our dear friend. I am aware that you have been going around asking about her. I am not the first person to yield, brother."

"But what is there to keep? She is no criminal, is she?"

Ysabella chuckled. "Well, she is a very private person. That is all I can say. Unless she gives us the freedom to talk about her, I can say no more."

Ralph fumed.

His sister had a mischievous look on her face which turned into a mocking pity. "Forget her, Ralph. She is not one you can easily dally with. Go and be with your mistresses. I am sure they can help mend your slightly broken pride."

"Broken pride?"

"Yes. Do not say it is your heart that is broken because I know you. You are not one who falls in love. She is merely the first female who made it quite difficult for you, thus your broken pride." Ysabella reached out to tap his shoulder. "It shall pass, brother."

With a wink, Ysabella turned to join her husband and their family.

*****

"Sophia."

Sophia did not utter a word, but when she heard Durley's voice, Ralph witnessed the first beautiful thing since their entire journey down the facility.

He knew Sophia was almost blind and could merely see shadows, but her pale olive eyes spoke the most. They rounded with disbelief, watered with relief and reflected the love and longing she had for her brother. And Sophia was also smart. She dared not speak a word of anything that may give them away. And she knew her eyes would betray her for she bent her head, her shoulders shaking in silent tears as her hands tightly gripped the iron bars.

As Durley's half-sister to his father's colored slave, Sophia was half-white, half-colored. And she was beautiful. Nicholas was never lacking in praises where his fiancé's beauty was concerned and Ralph could certainly agree. Yet now, Ralph could not see the same woman who had graced the Everard mansion more than a year past. She was wearing naught but rags, her once-beautiful skin covered with grime and her dark, curly hair a wild mess.

Ralph knew right then that it was the best decision to have not brought Nicholas along for one look at Sophia and his brother would have killed the two guards with his own two hands.

"Release her," Durley ordered, his voice cold and murderous, his eyes not leaving his sister.

"My lord, we were given orders not to—"

"My words are as good as Osegod's, gentlemen. Release the woman and the child."

The guards looked at each other until one of them nodded and the other reluctantly stepped forward to unlock the cell door. Sophia jumped away and back into the shadows when the child hidden in the dark started crying again. Ralph saw her scoop the child in her arms but they both remained in a dark corner until the guard swung the cell door open.

Durley turned to give Ralph a look. It was not one that asked permission. It seemed more like, "I am about to commit another crime and you cannot arrest me." Before Ralph could even send an answering glare, Durley said, "Cover the child's ears, Sophia, and close your eyes."

His words caused the two guards to flinch in alarm and as Durley lifted his hand, Ralph did the only thing he could and pushed him away. As Durley stumbled, Ralph pulled his hand out of his pocket and shot the guard close to him on the thigh and before the man fell on the floor, he shot the one by the cell door on his right arm. "No more killing for you, you bastard," Ralph said, pointing the weapon at Durley.

Durley's murderous eyes bore into Ralph's. Ralph cocked his pistol and Durley lifted his hand holding his gun. It was enough for Ralph. He turned to the two guards and kicked the other guard's weapon down the corridor when he attempted to reach for it. Pointing his pistol at the two men who seemed both confused and furious, he said to Durley, "Get Sophia and the child."

Durley did not need orders for he was already rushing inside the cell to guide his sister out the door. Sophia stepped back into the light and out the cell door, a child in her arms. One quick glance and Ralph was certain the child was Aurora's. The little girl was crying, her features not like any child Ralph had ever seen. Her facial features were coarse and even her cry sounded hoarse. As far as Ralph knew, the child could now be aged nine, but at her small frame, she looked younger. The rest of the Town had reasons to not want a child who looked like this one, but Aurora must have had her own reasons to keep hers.

Taking his eyes off the crying child, Ralph ordered the two guards to enter the cage while Marcus grabbed his sister close and wrapped her and the child in his arms. "I found you. I found you," he kept murmuring in his sister's shoulder.

Sophia had finally let her tears be heard but it was not as loud as the child's. As Ralph locked the two guards inside, Sophia leaned away from her brother. "She is not well," Sophia brokenly said. "Marcus, she needs her mother. Where is Aurora? Thank goodness she found Nick!"

"We shall talk the moment we are somewhere safer," Ralph said, stepping away from the cell.

Sophia turned to him with a frown. Her tears traced a clean line down her face. "Ralph?" she asked, squinting to see more of him.

"Yes," he said with a sigh.

"Where is Nick?" she asked, her hand smoothing the crying child's hair.

"Currently in a bloody mess, but unfortunately very miserably alive," Durley answered impatiently. "We must go."

"But the other prisoners—"

"They shall be dealt with after we take you away from here," Durley said, voice insisting. "Come, Sophia." He turned to Ralph. "Go and get the bandit."

Ralph's jaw tightened. He hated to leave Durley alone with the two guards still alive inside the cell, but he also hated the thought of Alex alone inside that bloody cage.

He nodded and ran to get to Alex before more guards could discover their presence here.

*****

Alex carefully stepped out of the cage, her heart hammering hard against her chest.

Picking the locks was the easiest part, certainly, but the escape would prove to be quite challenging. If this was what Durley had planned for her, she would rather face the bastard's pistol than stay in this horrid place.

She heard footsteps running toward her and she pressed herself against the wall, hoping whoever it was would run past her and give her enough time to escape.

And run past her he did.

And it was Ralph.

Alex was about to call out to him when he skidded to a stop and whirled around to face her, his expression surprised. "How the bloody hell—"

"I'm a bleedin' bandit, guv," she snapped at him. "Where's Durley? Did'ye find Sophia? The guards?"

He ran back toward her and grabbed her hand. "Yes. Durley is with her. The guards replaced her inside the cage. And we do not have much time. We must get the bloody hell out of this place."

"But the other prisoners—"

"We can only rescue enough, Alex," he said, pulling her down the corridor, seemingly distracted by their current predicament. He slowed down and motioned for her keep quiet when she attempted to argue. They pressed against the wall as sounds of more footsteps grew nearer. "It is them," Ralph said with relief after a child's cries echoed down the hall.

Alex was suddenly filled with immense relief. The child! The child was alive!

She did not wait for Ralph to pull her out of the corridor. She rushed past him to follow the crying voice until she found her in a colored woman's arms.

Sophia.

Bloody hell, they made it. Aurora's dying plea had finally happened.

Alex and Ralph ran faster to join Durley, Sophia and the child by the entrance of the lift. She could not take her eyes off the child who was inconsolable, eyes shut tightly as she cried. Her hair, very much like her mother's, was almost black with grime. Her small plump hands gripped tightly at Sophia's filthy clothes, perhaps in fear.

Alex's eyes watered. She wanted to take the child, to whisper in her ears that her mother died begging for her to be saved. However Aurora escaped from this place and into the Dark Forest outside, they may never know. But she did—she did for this child.

Sophia tightened her grip around the child, whispering soft words as Durley pushed the button of the lift and the doors parted for them again.

"Are you certain you do not know where Aurora passed through when she escaped?" he asked his sister.

Sophia shook her head. "No. I merely know she found a way into the Dark Forest without having to go through the passage. It could be a hole, a hidden door. But I am not certain."

Durley turned to Ralph, his jaw tight. "We do not have much time to search for it. There are more guards lurking somewhere. We should take the risk by going back aboveground."

Ralph nodded and they all filed inside the lift. With a crying child and more them inside, the small space brought them all close together. Alex cleared her throat as she looked at Sophia. "I'm Alex," she said. "I found Aurora."

Sophia turned to her, her eyes searching, narrowing to see her clearly. And then she nodded her head, understanding in her eyes.

Perhaps later they could talk more.

*****

Before the door even parted for them, both Durley and Ralph had their pistols at the ready. Alex spotted the same weapon the guard from earlier placed outside the lift doors. As she was about to go for it, Ralph grabbed her by the arm and muttered, "Dare not."

"I told ye, guv, I hate usin' me teeth," she gritted back.

"In their eyes, you are a prisoner, bandit," Durley said to her before he grabbed her away from Ralph. Pushing her forward, he followed her out of the lift. Ralph and Sophia did as well.

"Stop!" a loud voice said from out of nowhere.

"Step back," Durley ordered Sophia who hid behind her brother, head bent close to the crying child.

Alex lifted her head just in time to see three men running toward them, all of whom carrying the same weapon that lay just a few paces away.

"What is the meaning of this, Lord Durley? Where is the guard who came down with you?" demanded one of the guards as they all pointed their weapons at Alex, Ralph and Durley.

"Currently doing the orders I gave him belowground. As to what you are seeing, I have been given orders myself to relocate the prisoners somewhere unknown aboveground," Durley said, his voice calm. "Your facility has been compromised."

"We were given strict orders never to allow any of the prisoners to leave," one of the guards gritted out.

"As I have said, this facility has been compromised," Durley said, stepping forward. "If you do not believe me, then call whoever has the highest authority in this place so we can have a chat."

The two guards looked at the guard in the middle, the one who was pointing his weapon directly at Durley. One of them stepped forward and whispered something in the middle man's ears.

With his gaze unwavering, the man nodded and the other stepped back to walk away.

Alex was getting restless.

Someone with higher authority was here.

How the bloody hell could this be more complicated?

"How do you plan to kill them all?" Alex heard Ralph whisper beside Durley.

"I am currently out of plans and I am not quite certain I can kill them before they can." He let out a breath, loud enough for the two remaining guards to hear. "I do not have all the time in the world, gentlemen," Durley uttered impatiently. "Osegod is waiting for my return after I settle the prisoners to a secure location."

The two remaining guards did not offer a reply. They simply stood motionless and focused, their weapons firmly pointed at them.

"Where is the person I am to talk to?" Durley demanded after a while. "I do not appreciate being apprehended in this manner, gentlemen."

"I shall beg for your pardon the very moment we confirm of this change of location, my lord," one of the guards said. "But at the moment, I simply cannot allow more prisoners from escaping."

A few more moments of tense silence followed the guard's statement before they heard footsteps coming back into the hallway of the large estate.

This time, Alex noted that there were more pairs of feet. And as the men emerged from the corridor they came from, she started to fear for the worst.

*****

Ralph stiffened when he saw the large group of men coming toward them, but it was the man leading them all that sent shivers up his spine.

He did not know the man too well, but he had heard of him and merely met him once during a ball.

One look and Ralph had no doubt who was approaching them. Clad in a smart, long black coat, his black hair brushed up his face in perfect fashion, the man was a walking epitome of disaster waiting to happen.

He was far younger than Ralph had expected. He could merely be a few years older than Ralph himself, yet his dark, cold eyes spoke of danger.

Bloody tarnation, Ralph silently cried out in his head.

David Trilby, the Lord of Thorne.

If the stories about him were to be proven correct, if it was true that his estate held dark secrets such as slaves being beaten to death or servants disappearing, then Ralph would no longer find it unbelievable. The man's very presence in this facility said it all. And the fact that he was a Trilby was enough to make Ralph believe anything horrible.

"Durley," Thorne's low, powerful voice said. "You asked for me?"

Durley scoffed beside Ralph, shaking his head. "Of course. I ought to have figured it would be you, David."

Thorne's dark eyes travelled from Durley and to Alex. He made a slight motion of tilting his head to the right to see more of Sophia behind Durley before he straightened it to look at Ralph squarely in the eyes.

It was quite frustrating to not gather anything from the man's gaze. And it was equally infuriating to know that their fate did not rely on him being a Town Guard but on Durley's ability to manipulate this man.

"To what do I owe the honor of this spectacle?" Thorne asked as Durley continued to walk forward.

"Orders from Osegod," Durley uttered, stopping before Thorne.

Thorne's eyes traveled to Sophia and without looking away, he said, "Orders to take away the Everard's wench?"

"Yes. A private chat, David, if you may?"

Without a word, Thorne turned to lead Durley away from everyone else.

They talked low and short. At one point, Ralph saw Thorne looking at him before he faced Durley again to say something.

One guard was still pointing his pistol at Durley's head paces away while the other had his pointed at Ralph. The child had stopped crying, but Sophia was growing more restless. Ralph turned to see her trying to wake the child.

Something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked Sophia.

"She had fallen asleep. She needs food. She's too weak," Sophia sobbed, cradling the child closer.

Ralph swallowed, growing impatient.

Durley and Thorne turned to throw him a look. They were talking about him. When Durley turned to walk to him, Ralph prepared himself.

"We have been offered to pass freely on one condition," Durley muttered under his breath for only Ralph to hear. With his eyes locked with Thorne's cold, empty gaze, Ralph listened to Durley's next words. "None of us can speak of his presence here, most particularly you." When his jaw tightened, his entire body in disapproval, Durley added, "Believe me, Beechworth, he shall know the moment you tell anyone."

"And what bargain did you offer?"

Durley smiled. "I do have my ways, Beechworth."

Ralph considered the situation and made a quick decision. He could not quite figure out why Thorne was personally aboveground or what Durley told him which could have been the truth or something else entirely, but one thing was for certain. He had no other choice. "I give my word," he said with a nod. Before Durley could turn to go back to Thorne, Ralph stopped him by saying, "But Durley, whatever you are planning with the Trilbys, do make it certain my family shall be left unharmed."

Durley smiled, eyes veering to his sister. "So long as one of my own is with the Everards, you have my protection," he said under his breath before returning to Thorne.

Not long after, Thorne turned to his men and ordered, "Let them go."

"My lord?" the guard pointing his weapon at Durley asked with alarm.

Thorne did not repeat his words. He simply stared at the man who cowered, dropping his weapon to the side. He motioned for the other guards to disperse as Thorne walked away without another glance back.

Ralph was gritting his teeth as he watched Thorne disappear into another corridor.

Durley guided Sophia toward the exit doors while Ralph grabbed Alex by the arm.

As the guards watched them walk away, Ralph said to Durley, "The guards belowground shall talk the moment they are found."

Durley replaced his pistol inside his pocket. "I assure you they will not." When Ralph gave him a look, Durley rolled his eyes. "Fret not, Beechworth, I spared them." He looked over his shoulder at the closing doors of the large estate and added, "Thorne shall take care of them, I believe."

*****

The very moment they arrived back to the cottage, Sophia fed the child with the food available in the pantry while Ralph and Durley argued over staying or not.

Durley reassured everyone that Thorne would dare not go after them, nor would Osegod have any way to get to them now. The League knew where they were, thanks to their bloody bracelets, and they would be found soon for it was certain they would not meet the three days given to them. Ralph reluctantly yielded, tired as hell, but not without saying, "If we all do not wake up by the morrow, I shall find a good place in the afterlife to challenge you on a duel, Durley," to which Durley merely scoffed at.

After nearly an hour of more sobbing and arguments from the adults, the child was full enough to fall peacefully asleep in Sophia's arms.

Durley joined his sister when she went to put the child in bed.

Alex and Ralph stood outside Durley's bedchamber, not quite certain how they could help as brother and sister talked inside, tones hushed.

Alex left Ralph outside the chamber door to return to their room moments later, saying she was not fond of eavesdropping.

"You can be free above here, Sophia," Ralph heard Durley whisper to his sister. "I can help you disappear."

Sophia's silent sobs seemed endless, her silence making Ralph feel uncomfortable.

It took long for her to reply, her tears choking her words. "No, Marcus, I cannot live aboveground." Ralph did not realize his relief until he heard Sophia add, "Belowground is where you are. Belowground, Nick is waiting for me."

Ralph lifted his head and leaned it against the wall, closing his eyes. He allowed a long sigh of relief before he pushed away from the wall to join Alex.

They shall depart first thing on the morrow.

It was time Sophia went home to Nicholas.