One

Chapter one

Amelia

I stared out of the window from my room, a sigh leaving my lips. It was a really boring day. My parents weren't at home and my governess had taken the day off, so I had nothing to do all day. Before they reluctantly left me at home, they had made me promise to not leave the house, which I did.

I got off the window sill, walking quietly out of my chambers and into the drawing room. I looked around before making my way to the door. When I noticed that there were no servants in sight, I made my way towards the door. I opened it and stepped out, the fresh air from outside blowing on my face. 

I stood at the door, contemplating whether to leave the house or not, not wanting any of the servants to catch me sneaking out. My parents had told them that they should report to them if they ever saw me going out. 

I promise, mother. I shall not venture too far from our home.

I let out a breath as I finally decide to leave the house. I close as I walk as quietly as possible till I'm far enough from the house. I ventured towards the old shack that my parents owned somewhere a bit far from our house, but still in our estate. 

My parents, Godfrey and Beatrice Whitlock were the Lord and Lady of the Whitlock estate. My family's estate was in a secluded area of our town. They were the very paranoid type. They thought that I was too young and too small to do anything myself or go anywhere myself, and it was probably because I was their only child. 

As a kid, my parents hardly let me out of the house for no reason. They had hired a governess to homeschool me, so I didn't have any friends or know anyone. 

I understood that they were only doing it for my own good, but sometimes I felt suffocated in our home and just wanted to get out.

I skip, humming a song as my skirts twirled around me everytime I moved, happy as I felt free. I didn't like wearing all the big dresses that my parents bought for me, as I didn't really leave the house. Whenever the people of the town saw my short dresses, they always sneered or looked at me like I had committed an abomination. After walking for a while, I finally sighted the old shack and walked to it. It was surrounded by the thick forest my parents warned me not to go into. I touched the door and the dust on it was thick, as it hadn't even been touched for a long time.

I pushed the door open and coughed a little from how dusty the insides were. I walked in and looked around at the things inside. There wasn't really much, there was just a few things inside. A dusty table and chair, some tools meant for building or repairing at the side, and just some pieces and planks of wood. 

I decided to put my time to good use by cleaning the place up. The place would be useful when I wanted to get away from the house and be on my own. I took the chair and table out and started dusting the dust off them with the small napkin that I found. My skirts were going to get dirty, but it didn't matter, I would just tell them that I fell on the floor outside the estate.

As I cleaned out the shack, I heard noise coming from inside the forest by my right side. I walked out and looked in the direction of it, but the sound had stopped. I stood there, waiting to see if I would hear the sound again, but I didn't, so I went back into the shack. 

I heard the sound once again, and I frowned this time. I went out and walked in the direction of the sound, stopping just before I could step into the forest. I was scared. My parents had told me scary stories about the forest. For all I knew, it could be a wild animal waiting to devour me.

I took a step back, the courage that I felt quickly deflating. Because I was closer to the sound, it sounded more human than animalistic, and that caught my attention even more.

I pray that I am right, but if I am not, it may be be the biggest misstep I have ever taken.

Huffing, I finally come to s decision to venture into the forest. I take the first step quite easily and the rest follow. I walk around for a while, following the sound to the source. I still looked around, to be aware ofy surroundings so that I wouldn't get any surprises. To my surprise, at a corner, behind some bushes, there was a young man laying on the first floor, groaning in pain. I gasped in shock as I see him, because of his state.

He looked to have been bruised and beaten severely. There was not a single space on the skin I could see that did not have a wound in it. His shirt and breeches were tattered as it was torn from the slashes he had received and from dragging himself on the ground.

From the looks of him, he had been that way for a while. I was scared of him, but he didn't seem harmful. All he did was groan and moan in pain. 

I slowly walked to him and bent down beside him. He looked up at me, his eyes glazed over. If I didn't do something fast, he would die. I take up courage and touch the man, but as I touch him, he groans louder.

"Sorry." I said and placed my hands on his elbows, trying to help him up. 

He was extremely weak, so helping him up was a hassle as I he was extremely. I take him back to the shack and lie him down I'm my birthday. I can't really talk about the soup.

She placed him in the floor, setting him down close to her. To see and others, and to be sure because on this side so often. I walk to the edge of the shack and pull out one of the wooden planks there. 

I arranged them down on the floor and moved moved to help the man move to on top themselves. I set him down on the wooden board and look back, looking at him for a while before deciding to treat his wounds.

I made my way back home, walking quickly so that I would get what I needed and quickly get back to the man. 

I sneak into the house, hiding till I got to the place where the medical equipment was kept. I opened the wooden box and pulled out some things that would need to treat the man's wounds.

When I had everything that I needed, I ran out of the house and back to the shack. I started treating the man's wounds, cleaning off the blood and dirt from his body and face. 

Behind all that blood and dirt that I had seen on his face, was a handsome young man whom I knew nothing about, buy decided to help. 

I took my time to clean as many places as my hands could reach. The only places I could not touch were the ones close to his privates. By the time I was done, he had passed out and was now sleeping soundly.

I took a step back wondering if I hadade the right decision in bringing a stranger onto my family's property. If he ended up being a criminal, that would be bad for both my parents and I. 

I decided to go back to the house to get him some food and clothes, so that when he wakes up, he would have some food to eat and clothes to wear.

I sneak in and put of the house again. This time, I had taken a pair of my father's clothing to give to the strange man.  I had sneaked into the kitchen and took two small loaves of bread and so that I could give it to the man.

By the time I got in, the man has already woken up, and was struggling to get out of the makeshift bed despite his deep wounds.