She sat on the last stair near the foyer, staring at the drawing-room door. A gentleman had arrived, and her mother received him behind those very doors.

The look on his face made it evident that he was bringing bad news, and as much as she hated to admit it, every day as of late, there was bad news, and she was worried at what it could be this time.

She feared the worse. Could it be news of her father? If it was...she preferred not to know. Saddened by the thought, she lowered her head to look at her now trembling hands that became sweaty.

When it came to her father, as of late, nothing surprised her. His disappearance was common, and she grew accustomed to his absence because when he did show up, it was to let her mother know he lost more money at the card tables.

It's already been seven months since he's been gone. Her mother, by the third month, stopped waiting up for him; by the fourth, she stopped crying at night. By the sixth, she began to thin.

She watched as Agnes; their maid passed her with a tray of tea towards the drawing-room. She anxiously watched as she entered, and her breath hitched in her throat as she saw a glimpse of the gentleman quickly say something to Agnes. Her heart began to race as she saw her mother hold her hands to her chest. He quickly grabbed her as she slumped to the floor.

"Mother!" she gasped.

Quickly she stood and ran towards the door only to be stopped midway by Gretchen, another maid.

"No child, it's best that you not enter," Gretchen held her tight.

Evangeline frowned and tried to pull away from her, but Gretchen's hold was tighter.

"Please, Gretchen, what is wrong with my mother?" Evangeline began to panic.

Agnes, after a while, ran out of the drawing-room through the foyer towards the entrance door. By this time, the whole house was in chaos. When she returned, she gave strict orders to take Evangeline out to the garden.

"No! I am not going anywhere until you tell me what is wrong," she refused to move.

Worried glances passed between the two servants. Not wanting to worry her anymore, Agnes held Evangeline's hands and gave her a reassuring smile hoping it would convince the young girl before her that everything was alright.
Even when, in truth, it wasn't, she sighed in her head.

"There are no worries, love. Your mother has just been feeling under the weather. But soon, Dr. Conor will come to see her. You watch she will be right as rain." Agnes rubbed her shoulders, slowly turning her towards Gretchen.

Not feeling convinced, she shook her head then turned once again, insisting that she go see her mother.

Before she got any further, the front door opened, and Dr. Conor entered.

Agnes left her side and greeted the doctor and showed him towards the drawing-room where she was kept out...Again...
~•~•~•~•~•
Hillary sat in a horrified state and listened to her husband's solicitor.
They had nothing left...
All of their possessions.... gone. He gambled away everything.

"Everything!!!" She whispered.

Wesley looked saddened at the woman before him. She slowly raised her finger to her temple and touched it gently as it began to throb and hurt tremendously.

He swallowed hard and looked at her again.
"Hillary, there is more...and it worries me deeply," his heart sank at the thought.
Her eyes slowly raised to look at his.
There could not possibly be anything worse. Slowly the ache in her head weakened her as she listened to Wesley.

He squeezed his eyes shut, clearing his throat before nervously continuing the harrowing news.

"It seems that when Oliver continued to lose and had no more to cover his debt, he made an agreement with Raynaud Locksley..." his voice shook.

Impatiently she waited for him to continue.

"Oliver must turnover...." he wiped his brow and tried to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat.

"What must he turnover Wesley?" Her eyes met his.

"It is not what...but who"? he whispered.

Slowly her eyes widened in fright and horror, and she raised her hands to her chest, willing her heart that beat furiously to her chest to calm itself.

" He must turnover, Evangeline" his voice was barely audible.

She blinked in disbelief at what he was saying. The room began to spin before her eyes. She stood needing fresh air; she stumbled, not able to move. Quickly he held out her hand as Agnes entered with a tray of tea.

"Agnes, quickly call Dr. Conor," he ordered.

Hilary's eyes fluttered shut as she slumped and fainted in his arms.  He steadied her in his arms, lifting her up and gently placed her on the nearby sofa, then began fanning her.

Shaking his head, he sadly began to apologize. 

How could Oliver do such a thing?

>>><<<<

Evangeline, after a long day of waiting was finally given a chance to see her mother for a short while before bedtime.

She stood by the door to her mother's room, not able to walk any further. Her mother looked so fragile lying there as if life had been sucked out of her.

Weak sleepy eyes caught her concerned gaze. Hillary's faint smile beckoned her to come closer.
Evangeline slowly walked over to the side of her bed and climbed in to lay beside her.
"Everything will be alright, love," Hillary kissed her head and closed her eyes as her tears fell.

Evangeline rested her head on her mother's shoulder and felt her mother's arms around her. Slowly she fell into a deep sleep by her side. Hillary lies awake in so much pain, distraught and weak as her tears continued to fall. Her heart could not bear any more of it.

She squeezed Evangeline as tight as she could and listened to her baby girl sleep.
"I will watch over you always, my sweet child," she whispered.

Hillary, beside her sleeping angel looked up and felt the numbness overtake her. Slowly her heart quieted down to weak pulses and thumps. She slowly closed her eyes, and with her last breath, she let heavenly sleep claim her.

<><><><><><>

Evangeline was awakened by furious shouts in the foyer. Who could it be, she wondered, at this late hour? Silently she rose from her mother's side, trying not to wake her and crept from the darkroom to the door. Opening the door only a slice, curiously she stepped out into the hall and near the stairs.
"Hand over the girl now!" The burly voice ordered.

She frowned at the angry voices and carefully sat close enough to see three men standing before Agnes.

She watched as Agnes nervously shifted and frantically shook her head.

"I can not," she cried.

The man before her furiously yanked her close by her wrist with a curse.

Frightened, Evangeline covered her mouth to drown out her cry. But it was too late they heard her. Three heads turned to look up at her.
"There she is. Bring her." The one holding Agnes ordered, and the other two men followed.

Quickly she stood and ran scared towards her mother's room. She shut the door and locked it.
Running to the bed, she climbed beside her mother and shook her to awaken her.

"Mother, wake up. Please. " she cried.
The door handle began to shake violently before they began pounding on the door.

Crying, she continued to shake her mother.
"Mother, please, there are men here trying to get me," she sobbed hysterically.

She leaned back in horror and looked down at her mother.
"Mother!!!!" She called out again.
Absolute horror overtook her as she shakily touched her mother's cheek.
Letting out a heart-wrenching scream, she snatched her hand back from the cold, stiff skin of her mother.

By this time the door splintered as it was kicked in, and strong arms encircled her waist, yanking her off the bed. She screamed and fought but she was no match for the man that held her and carried her away.
Gretchen ran towards her and tried to free her but it was effortless.
"Evangeline!!!!" They cried and fought with the men that were taking her.

She watched as one of them brutally back-handed Gretchen to the floor before the other shoved Agnes as well.

Kicking and screaming she was tossed into an awaiting carriage. Fear gripped her heart as the three men joined her. She frantically banged on the window watching Agnes and Gretchen run after the carriage after her.

She screamed and banged her hand on the door trying to break free.
The crude voice behind her order another.

"Shut her up will you!"

Before she could grasp what he was saying harsh hands turned her around and she was faced with two dark eyes before he slapped her hard rendering her unconscious.