Chapter 1

 

'What do you think you are doing!?'

Victoria turned slowly, with a shiver, in response to the deep, rich, but angry toned voice of the Marquess. She panicked, not knowing what to do. She had been caught red-handed!

'I...I was just looking at something?' She said the first thing that came into her head, but was annoyed at herself for not being able to come up with a more convincing lie!

'You mean inspecting my family's silver collection,' he said sarcastically. Victoria had no doubt that he did not believe a word that she spoke. 'And, pray tell, what is in the bag you are holding so tightly to you?'

'What bag?' Victoria's mouth went dry.

'That bag!' He dragged the large brown bag roughly from her shoulder, not taking no for an answer.

A silver candlestick fell out and landed on the ground with a loud thud! As the walls echoed, Victoria prayed for the ground to open up and swallow her, so she could disappear. She looked up into some very dark eyes that stared straight at her disapprovingly, after noting the other valuables that were in the bag that she had once been holding.

'I am so sorry,' she sputtered. 'I needed the money! That is why I took those things! I would have paid you back...eventually!'