Annabel felt the physical weight of her promise to Victoria. In the wing of the mansion that was now hers, she sat on the edge of the big strange bed.
As he guided her to the room Carson's touch had served as a silent source of solace.
Despite its beauty, the room felt chilly like a gilded cage that was about to close. The tiny screen of her phone, a lighthouse of the world beyond these walls, was what Annabel reached for.
She hovered her thumb over the call button as she saw Fred's contact name. She needed to hear his voice, she knew he was a friend she could rely on.
She put the phone to her ear and pressed the button. The call went straight to his voicemail even though it had connected.
“This is Fred.”He spoke in an overly upbeat tone “Leave a message and I'll get back to you.
