"Whether your time calls you to live or die, do both like a prince."
-Philip Sidney
⚜️
After her confrontation with Mrs. Garth, Em carefully went downstairs and joined the guests once more. She knew she ought to find her mistress but the fear of bumping into Lydia hovered above her head. What if the lady would throw a fit when she sees her face? The events from this morning was far too fresh. Who knows what the new Duchess would do at a ball such as this one?
So, Em decided to stand against the farthest wall where she could tiptoe and make out Lucille's face from afar. Should the dowager would need her, she would fly to her aide.
For a moment it felt as if she was safe on that corner. No one threw her a glance nor cared to approach and start up a conversation. Em allowed herself to feel relieved—no matter how temporary it may be.
A group of gentlemen was moving around. She did not recognized anyone on that certain flock but she chose to look away anyways. It would be bad should she attract their attention seeing she was without chaperone. Once the men passed by, she started looking around. She saw the dancers jumping to the tune, the men and women exchanging meaningful glances while the wallflowers huddled amongst themselves.
It wasn't so bad attending the season this way—being an observer in one corner. But she wouldn't deny that it would have been better had she and Lydia had not crossed paths. She let out a sigh and failed to realize a presence come near.
"Well if it isn't little Miss Roderick.."
She stiffened. The voice, it sounded familiar. She slowly turned her head and felt her skin crawl at the sight of him. The hair on the back of her neck began to rise as she tried to summon her voice.
"Mister Stanley? Whyever are you here?"
His face contorted with disbelief but only for a moment. "You insult me with your question, Miss Roderick. Why am I here you ask? I was invited of course." Then he gave her that nasty smile of his.
"Why would anyone invite such a scoundrel like you?"
He tugged at her elbow and drew her close, their faces almost touching. "Watch what you say, you little smink! You wouldn't want anyone to hear that, would you? Because you'd not only be shaming me but also our host. Which, in case you do not know, is the bloody Count Mondiego. A good patron of my hotel."
She tried to pull at her elbow back but his grip was tight. "I am certain his lordship knows nothing of your ugly attributes." She hissed back. "And do not forget Mister Stanley, that hotel is not yours. You are but the manager."
His face darkened and his grip became tighter. "It would seem you grown some fangs while you were away, Miss Roderick. Why don't we test out just how sharp they are, huh?" He began to pull her away from the crowd and into an empty hallway. "Don't you dare scream." He said under his breath and pointed a penknife against her waist.
Em gasped and one of the guests turned to her. The lady's eyes looked at her questioningly but she feared what he would do. For all she knew he could puncture her sides any moment and she did not know how she could prevent that from happening . Stanley poked her none too gently and she was forced to smile at the lady to avoid suspicion. Once the lady turned away, Stanley dragged her with him.
***
Dathan was growing impatient than he already was. His eyes darted here and there but he couldn't find Em. He found someone else instead.
"Hanselworth!" He called to Gideon.
The knight was laughing with another gentleman but turned to face him. After the other guest excused himself Dathan asked, "Where is Emelia?"
"Upstairs, in the powder room." He replied nonchalantly.
"What is she doing there?"
"Whatever it is that ladies do, powder their faces of course!" Gideon smiled then hiccuped. "I'm sure she would come down any moment now."
"She had been gone since you took her for a dance. She cannot possibly be powdering her face that long."
Gideon placed his arm around Dathan and whispered, "You like her, don't you?"
"Of course! Why do you think I escorted her here?" He said proudly. "I am also responsible for her well being as she happens to be employed by my mother, the dowager."
The knight nodded. "That makes the two of us. I planned to court her and I am not taking a step back just because you happen to like her as well. I hope you can keep up, Davensport. You do know that the ladies adore me."
Dathan scoffed, "You are drunk."
"I might as well be, I am in a bloody ball, am I not?" He snickered. "Now I understand why you were so reluctant to allow her to dance with me. You were bloody smitten!"
Dathan lifted his arms away from him and sighed, "Call it what you want, Hanselworth. But I shall never deny my feelings for my mother's companion."
"Ah, yes yes. That loving mother of yours adored Emelia so much. In fact, everyone seemed to like her immediately." He paused and took another sip of wine. "Emelia is like a sunshine in a gray weather, light and charming. If no one knew she used to be servant I would wager that every men in here would be shuffling down her path."
"But not everyone wants a woman below their station. No matter how pretty the face is."
"Alas, I agree with you. Look at those lowly scoundrels chase those ugly rich women."
Several ladies near them gasped. Their eyes were as wide as saucers—totally shocked. Dathan immediately forced out a laugh, "Those were the lines from the play, right, Sir Gideon?"
"What?" Gideon's drunken eyes squinted at him. "What play?"
"You know, the one you always talked about. Scoundrels and rich women." He looked athen apologetically. "He's merely reminiscing the act, ladies and gentlemen. It was a good one of course. Rich scoundrels! Pretty women!" He almost yelled the last part before he pulled Gideon away from the staring crowd.
Once they were away and alone in an empty room, Gideon had cooled down a bit. "Say, Davensport, should I face her and ask for permission to launch a promenade?"
"Her? Who do you mean? And what promenade?"
"Your mother...."
"You want to promenade with my mother?"
"No! You idiot! Your father would have my head in an instant if I even thought of that."
"Then who?" Dathan asked.
"Emelia. I wish to have your mother's permission for her hand."
Dathan blinked, "You think so highly of yourself, Hanselworth. It is not up to my mother to agree or disagree. You do understand that it is Em who shall decide whether she would marry you or not."
But Gideon merely smiled, "We shall see, Davensport. We shall see."
***
Meanwhile
Stanley had dragged Emelia into an empty drawing room and before she could call for help, he had pushed her aside and locked the door. When he turned around, Em kept her distance and tried not to look terrified. She raised her chin and squared her shoulders.
"What do you want?" She asked.
Stanley gave her that menacing smile of his and it reminded her of what happened at the hotel once more. Em shook off the uneasiness that was creeping up her spine. She stepped all the way back towards the bookshelf with her hands behind her back. Her eyes never left her prey.
"You know Miss Roderick, I have always prided myself...a ladies sort of man." He began to say but he kept his distance for now. By the way he was standing, there no knowing when he would strike. She knew he could take long strides and could easily capture her. "Women are easily swept off by a pretty face and are obliged to think that attentions from such creature is a blessing. Therefore, when I give my eyes to someone, I expect something in return. And in all my years of life, no one...not one has ever turned me down. Now, I understand that you would like to think you did turned me down but I would like to call it merely your way of tempting me to pursue you. Correct me if I am mistaken."
"You are definitely mistaken, Mister Stanley." She said between clenched teeth. "I have never wanted nor planned to tempt you in any way. I know not why you would think so."
"Ahh, the common excuse you misses like to use. The very exact words indeed." He said shaking his head. "You willingly came with me up in the observatory, did you not?"
"Only because you tricked me! Otherwise I would never have gone up there with you."
"And did you not willingly pressed yourself against the wall so I could take you from behind?" He said, ignoring her previous statement. "Was it not your idea to do it under the rain?"
"You oaf-"
Em couldn't finish her sentence because he was suddenly upon her. His hand barred her sides and his legs blocked her own while his face sneered merely inches from hers. "What I want Miss Roderick, is the very thing you have promised to give me and then denied me at the end."
"I promised you nothing you bastard!" She screamed at his face. "Let me go!"
"You are not getting away that easily. We shall be here for a long time, Miss Roderick. Trust me, I am not one to finish early." He said before laughing horrifyingly. He then grabbed her shoulders and turned her around, he cared not that her face hit the books—hardbound books and that some of them have fallen down the floor. His right hand trapped both her flimsy hands under his grip while the other one grappled her layers of skirts. "I had planned a gentler way for our first time, Miss Roderick. But you made it so clear that you wished to be chased and hunted down. Now, I finally caught you. Squirm all you want but I am not letting you leave without this," he said as his hand cupped the v between her legs, "continues to drip with my own milk!"
"No! You have no right!"
"Perhaps not now but you can always marry me after we are found. Then I would have every right of you." He whispered against her ears. "After all, we are not far from the ballroom and anyone can walk in on us. Is that not exciting?"
"I will never marry you! You are a coward and a filthy human being!"
"Ahh, you sure are a feisty one. Women who fought back are far more exciting than I imagined. Perhaps, we could enjoy each other while this lasted. Or, I would have ample of time to break your spirit while we are at it."
Em kept struggling but she could barely take her hands free of him. He had also pressed her against the heavy bookshelf which restricted her movement. This cannot be the end. She won't let this be her downfall.
Tears stung her eyes and she could not stop them from falling. She prayed for help but who could possibly come to her aid now?
She felt her drawers fall down her legs and she buckled her knees together to keep them from going further down. This angered Stanley even more. To her shock, his response to this rebellion was bitting down on her shoulders.
Em screamed with the pain but then a loud sound of trumpets echoed from the ballroom. That was it. Her last cry for help, droned out by the noise from outside. Without her voice and her strength failing her, Em gasped for breath. She braced herself for the worse only for it not to come.
A loud crash sounded across the room and she was the force pushing her from behind was removed.
She opened her eyes only to realize that she had closed them in the first place.
"Emelia, are you alright? Oh lord almighty..." she heard a voice said. "Please, say something."
She looked around and found herself sprawled on the floor while a pair of arms supported her. Gentle looking chocolate eyes looked down at her.
"Miss...Pritchard?"
Evangeline breathed with relief, "Yes, Emelia. It is I. You are safe now."
"But...h-how?"
Her savior raised her head and she followed her gaze. A seemingly well-clad man was bent down another form who appeared to be unconscious. About how that all happened, Em could only imagine him tackling the attacker down. After all he seemed to be well versed in all forms of self defense.
"Alexi?"
The man turned and his expression calmed down upon seeing her. He gave one last look at the other man on the floor and let its head plop down the carpet, none too gently.
The prince bent down and gazed at her, "Say the word and I shall dispose of the man."
"What?!"
"Em, he defiled you. He ought to die."
"Alexi, you cannot possibly kill him like that." Em gasped. She was thankful that they saved her but she couldn't imagine murdering someone. "He is someone important around here. People from the law will look for him. You cannot be responsible."
"I have capable people to do that, Em. I do not have to get his filthy blood on my hands." Alexi replied nonchalantly.
"That is not what I meant!" She sat up, "Alexi, you cannot just kill people. It is against the law here and up there."
"For what he did to you, I say, no law ought to protect him." His eyes looked more determined than ever. "The bastard did not even deserve a duel, should I ensue one."
Em grabbed his arm, "Alexi please, I cannot let you take the matters in your hands. He will be punished for what he did to me. Let the authorities handle this-"
"-Emelia, you do understand how ruined you are once this gets out, do you?" Evangeline interrupted.
"I...but..uh.."
"If the guests found out they would not easily buy a story from a maid. There'll be a scandal. They'd think that you've seduced Stanley. You would be forced to marry him."
"But I did not!" Em retorted back. "He attacked me."
Alexi sighed, "You try and think of something. I shall check the door. We cannot be discovered here that window you broke may have caught someone's attention."
Evangeline nodded and while he walked away, she helped Em with her clothes. The place where Stanley bit her still hurt but the sleeves covered the area just fine.
"You broke the window?" Em asked.
"With a rock. Then the prince climbed through and knocked the sense out that man."
Em glanced at Alexi but he was not looking.
"I am so grateful you were around. I had screamed and screamed but no one came."
Evangeline held her shoulders and wiped her tears, "Hush. You are safe now. We happened to be walking around the garden and this room was well-lit, we could see everything from outside."
"Thank you, Evangeline."
She gave Em a smile, "You'd do that same if you were in my shoes."
"Perhaps not as effective but just as well, yes."
***
After she had dried her tears and put everything in place, Em turned to Evangeline. "We have to tell them this was all an ill conceived incident. Someone saw me when Stanley dragged me here."
"Can you point out that someone?"
"I may...not." She barely recalled the woman's face, let alone find her in a room full of guests.
"And even if you could find her, we have no way of knowing if she would back up your story. She may try and save herself from getting involved."
"But, I never wanted to be here. I did not want for any of this to happen!"
"And only us knew that. Now, you do understand my current place is with the new duchess. I cannot stand witness for you." Evangeline said. "I do not know what happened between you and Lydia but she had barred me from talking to you at all." She paused, "Well, she still thinks you are her husband's mistress and I am not supposed to be your friend."
Em was both thankful and sad that Evangeline was being honest with her. She could not tell her what happened in the library, not now, maybe ever. They may have formed some kind of friendship but her loyalty was still with Lydia. So she held her hand.
"You being here is enough for me, Evangeline."
"I want to believe it is. But what shall we do with him?" She pointed to Stanley. "We cannot leave him here. He could try and find another way to attack you again. What if there'll be no one around?"
"I do not know...and I have gone way too long from the dowager. She will be suspicious if I suddenly appear alone. I am disheveled both inside and out."
"We have to come up with something." Evangeline said. "But what can two women do at this rate?"
They held each other hands and were quite for sometime. The door creaked and they both gasped. Alexi assured them that he had his people guarding the hallway.
"Any ideas?" He asked them.
They both shook their heads.
Alexi sighed. "I have one."
***
One of Alexi's men came inside and helped drag Stanley's unconscious body into a chair. Em recognized the servant, it was the prince's valet. He kept his attention at the task at hand and uttered not a single word at them. Once they have finished whatever it was they were doing the servant bowed and left.
"I was a hypocrite with you, Em." Evangeline murmured. "I once called you a whore when it is I who was. This incident upsets me so much because I have dealt with men like Stanley. But I was never this helpless. I cannot forgive him for doing this to you."
"I appreciate your concern. But whatever do you mean about being a whore, Evangeline? We both know you are a proper lady."
She shook her head, "I...had a past life. One that I am not proud of now. I was a woman of the night."
"What are you talking about? There is no way you could be." Em said.
"Believe me or probably don't. Now, we cannot dawdle any longer." Evangeline caught Alexi's eye and nodded at him. "It is time."