Free Shattered Dreams by Rebecca King Page B

yard; anything
was better than this. She was thankful for Zack’s candle, but
studied the small speck of wax, and knew that she needed to
preserve as much of it as she could if she ever wanted to be able
to see anything in this blasted place.
    She
settled into bed, still fully dressed, and stared at the ceiling.
It was horrifying to lie there and listen to the man lock the
doors, because now she felt truly trapped.
    First
thing tomorrow morning, she was going to get out of here, and pay
her dues. Then, she would decide what to do with the rest of her
life.
    With
that promise easing her doubts and fears for now, Tilly settled
down and tried to find some way to get warm.
     
    She was
there; hidden in the shadows beneath the cedar tree on the front
lawn. Her eyes were wide with fear as she stared helplessly at him.
Her silhouette was encased in a soft white mist that swirled
hauntingly around her, higher and higher it crept, until she
started to disappear from view.
    He tried
to reach her, but couldn’t get his feet to move fast enough. His
chest heaved as he tried to run as fast as he could, but unseen
hands held him back.
    A cry
escaped him when he saw the tears that streaked her face. He wanted
to help her. He needed to help her. If only he could get to
her.
    The
darkness was going to swallow her any moment now, and he couldn’t
stop it.
    “ Come back,” he called when she turned around and started to
walk away. “Come back, I will help you.”
    She
didn’t turn around and, within seconds, vanished into the
mist.
    Harry’s
eyes shot open, and he stared blankly at the canopy above the bed.
His heart pounded in his chest, which heaved with exertion as he
waited for the fog of his nightmare to disappear. His heartbeat was
loud in his ears, but he couldn’t focus on anything other than the
haunted look of helplessness that had been in her eyes when she had
left his house earlier that afternoon.
    Although
he knew that she wasn’t going to be there, he climbed out of bed
and made his way to the window which overlooked the front lawn.
Nothing stirred. Moonlight bathed the garden in an eerie glow, but
there was enough light to know that she wasn’t there.
    He knew
she wasn’t there, and couldn’t possibly be. He knew exactly where
she was; and that left him deeply unsettled.
    The
coolness of the glass against the fevered skin of his forehead did
little to settle his thundering heart, but he remained where he was
for a moment while he tried to get his thoughts into some semblance
of order.
    Even
through the gloom he could see the tall, dark outline of the
building on the horizon, and wondered how she was. He hated to
think of her being in such a desolate hovel, even for one night,
especially while the Dandridges’ were asleep comfortably in their
nice, warm beds; beds he himself had provided.
    He had
already discussed what had happened with Barnaby. They had agreed
that first thing tomorrow morning, they were going to pay a visit
to the poor house, and would not leave without Tilly.
    When he
did turn around, he eyed the bed with keen disinterest. It was
futile to try to get any more sleep; his desperate need for a
brandy was more than he could ignore. He snatched up his breeches
and made his way to the door.
    He
quietly made his way downstairs, but didn’t bother to take a candle
with him. On the day he had moved in several months ago, he had
learned the layout of the house until he knew it like the back of
his hand, and could traverse the hallways with his eyes closed. It
held him in good stead tonight, because he was able to pour himself
a brandy, and take a seat before the now cold fire in total
darkness.
    Guilt
weighed heavily upon his shoulders as he slumped into the chair. He
took a deep slug of the brandy and sighed, but even the shadows
reminded him of her.
    It was
then that he realised that he didn’t want her back so she could
stay in the servants’ quarters. As far as he was concerned, she
wasn’t a