The proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct it, and learn from it.-Stephen Covey

Hannah softly closed the door on her way out, finally releasing the breath she has been holding all night. She placed her head on the door, all the tension in her body releasing. She had to clear the ballroom before anyone wakes up as she was expected to do last night.

She felt butterflies in her stomach at the memory of last night, the kiss, the dance, everything was a dream and she couldn't believe she was lucky enough to live a fairy tale no matter how wrong it was and how soon her demons will devour her. But the memory will always remain untainted and she will keep feeling these beautiful emotions as long as she can before she seeps into the darkness of what she has done.

But fate was cruel to her as she came in face to face with the fiance of the man she left behind.

"Follow me," She heard Caro speaking. She saw her walking away and Hannah felt like she was walking to the doors of hell and she might deserve what was coming her way.

She walked behind Caro, her thoughts crashing on each other. She stood inside her chamber for a long time looking at Caro's back while she gazed out of the window the first rays of sun finally making an appearance.

Both women stood in perfect silence, Hannah flinched at every small sound that made it to her ears. The chirping of the birds and crowing of the crows, the rustling of the leaves with the morning breeze, her safe heaven was becoming her own created hell. She was looking at her feet her hands tightly clasped together, she held herself back from closing her eyes tightly and covering her ears with her hands and scream her heart out.

"Look at me," she heard Caro say softly and she wanted to cry. She was drowning in shame and disgust.

"Hannah, look at me," Caro said her patience waning.

She looked up expecting rage and disgust but her heart broke when all she was hurt on Caro's face and she didn't know how to react. She knew how to face disgust and rage but hurt made her vulnerable and the intensity of what she had done hit her full force. She should have never followed her heart, it led her to broke someone else's.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Caro whispered her tears on the verge of spilling.

Hannah opened her mouth to say something, anything but she didn't have any words to express the storm going inside her. 

"Despite what everyone thought I always believed you are nothing like your mother," Caro said patiently, "Don't make me regret believing in you."

The tears finally spilled down Hannah's face, she wanted to say sorry but it seemed so inconsequential and couldn't even measure up to a single ounce of hurt she gave Caro.

"Remember one thing Hannah, you could never become anything more than a mistress or maybe that's what you want to be," Caro spoke up again after a moment, "Now get out."

Hannah stood there frozen unable to move a single muscle, Caro sighed and made her way out of her chamber.

Hannah needed to escape, she had to go away far from here. When she came to her senses she found herself on the floor, her tears uncontrollable and the first snow falling outside. She ran away from Caro's room like she was on fire despite the cold that seeped into the room and her bones.

She stumbled through her way, walking for hours now, unaware of her surroundings, making way through the falling snow. Her feet were blistered and her body freezing. She found herself in front of the orphanage.  She felt relief for her brain screaming for the pain in her body more than the pain in her heart.

When she next opened her eyes, she was in a dingy room the pungent smell of disinfectant making her gag. She was in pain, every nerve in her body on fire. She tried to sit up to recognize the room she woke up in, the bowl beside her clattered on the floor with a loud noise.

"Ah, you are awake," Someone said from her right, "Sit still, now. Let me bring the concoction."

A young boy brought a mixture in front of her nose and she flinched at its smell.

"You have a fever, missy, drink it, you will feel better," He said shoving the pungent concoction towards her.

"Where am I?" She asked her voice hoarse.

"D. Smith's clinic, missy," He said, "You were frozen half to death. How did you even end up at that abandoned building? You should be careful, the men wandering there are not to be crossed with. You were lucky I was finding herbs for the doctor and found you."

 "Thank you," She said, "I would like to go back."

"Missy," He said exasperated ready to deny her but her face told him she won't listen, "Alrighty, I will take you back to your home."

She was grateful the kind boy offered her his pony while he walked in front chattering her ears off while she directed him towards the manor.  She soon realized everything was silent and she opened her tired eyes to see the Raymond manor standing in front of her.  The boy was looking at the massive structure with his mouth agape.

"What is your name?" She asked weakly.

"Huh," He said not looking away from the manor, "Gus."

He coughed and looked at her back.

"Gustav," He said wonder-filled in his eyes, "You live here. This is like the king's palace."

"Are you new in the county?" She asked again.

"Yes," He said, "My pa passed away a fortnight ago and I had nowhere else to go than come to my cousin, doctor Smith's wife. I arrived last week."

Hannah took him through the back road to the stable, the sun was setting on the horizon. The stable master assured Hannah he will feed Gus and arrange for his bed for the night.

She stumbled through the corridors and made it to it her chamber to sleep off her fever and exhaustion but she was soon visited by the lady of the manor with the butler Mr. Johnson on her side. She was overwhelmed with dread and ready to be thrown out of the manor and the shame that will follow her for dallying with the Kentshire heir had her head spinning.

"Where were you?" Lady Ida asked, "And what happened to you? Why do you look so pale?"

"I fell sick, milady," Hannah said weakly, "I didn't want to worry anyone, so I was on the way to visit Dr. Smith for medicine but my health got worse. I came back as soon as I was myself. Dr. Smith's helper Gus is in the stable he brought me here, milady."

The lies fell from her mouth leaving a bitter taste, she prayed for forgiveness for the deception.

"You had us worried," Lady Ida said her voice softening, "Do not disappear on your own like that ever again, Hannah."

Lady Ida warned, she could already feel the crack in the trust that she build over the time she started working at Raymond's manor. She could hear all these people saying her parent's sin didn't matter but here they were quick to judge her and put her at the same place as them at the first sign of a mistake.

She was feeling much better after the night's sleep and was back to work the next day but everyone's eyes had a doubt and distrust in them more so than ever before. They used to think she might be like her mother but now they were starting to believe in it.

It seemed Lady Caro hasn't spoken to anyone increasing her shame manifold. Everyone was watching her like a hawk but no one questioned her yet. Mr. Johnston notified she won't be attending to Lady Caro but helping in the kitchen instead.

She was not the lady's companion anymore but a mere servant, maybe it was for the best she steer clear of everyone.