Chapter 1

"What are you doing Miss?" asked one of the servant girls.

"I'm taking this basket and eating in my room." I replied and walked out of the kitchen and up the grand stairwell to my room.

My name is Carrie Bells and I am fourteen. The truth is that I'm going to run away from this town. Earlier this winter a stranger came to town with this sickness trying to get help. Now in the middle of the winter everyone is dying from that sickness which is spreading like wild fire. My parents died a couple of weeks ago and now I'm an orphan like many others in this town but unlike them I am not yet dying. I've decided that I'd rather die by freezing to death than by the torturous way of this sickness.

I grabbed my coat and the basket and threw the rope of sheets out of my window and scaled the side of the house. It was late at night and everyone was either asleep or dying. I headed for the woods.

The woods behind the house are thick and said to be haunted for not even birds are heard singing in there. The trees are huge and tower above everything. I was climbing over huge roots and ducking under low branches. There's nothing to be afraid of I thought to myself. I spent the next couple of days walking though the woods in snow. I am freezing and have little food left. I am going to die and I won't even be able to see the sky when I do I thought. I look up ahead of me and I see it. A beam of light through the trees hitting a beautiful, small, crooked tree covered in tiny white flowers. I head to it and lie myself between two of the roots. I look up through the flowers and into the sky. "This is the way I wanted to die." I said to myself for there was no one there to hear me. Lying comfortably between these roots, looking into the sky. It's getting cold. I feel it creeping into my bones. Everything is going black. "Goodbye." I whispered before everything went black.

I heard something. I opened my eyes slightly. My mind was groggy. I saw someone bending over me. It's an angel come to take me to heaven I thought. He was a handsome angel. He picked me up in his strong arms. In the comfort of his arms I closed my eyes and let him take me to heaven.

Still groggy I barely opened my eyes and saw my angel bending over me again but this time I was in a warm bed. Heaven is so warm and welcoming. I also get to stay with my angel. Feeling relieved I closed my eyes again. I woke up at intervals still unable to understand what was happening. My angel fed me once or twice during the times that I was awake. My angel was always there when I woke up.

I woke up completely clear minded. Wait, I'm awake? I thought. I sat upright quickly, too quickly. I had to lie back down for the room was spinning around me. Room? I was starting to put the pieces together. "Where's my angel" I said quietly. "What angel dear? No. Never mind. Don't waste energy answering that question. Now you just sit up slowly and I'll put some pillows behind you and you can get some food in that little starved body of yours," said this little old lady. I did what she said and sat up slower this time. She came up behind me and put some extra pillows behind me and placed a tray with some tea, bread, and jam before me. I took the spreading knife and put some jam on the bread and took small bites savoring the flavor. After some bites I took a sip of tea, which tasted better than any other tea I've had. "Is that better?" the old lady asked. "Yes, thank you, but where am I? Who are you?" I asked. "Well my dear I am Mrs. Tobble and you're at White Tree Mansion. Master found you on his after dinner walk. He was quite worried about you. Hardly left the room after he put you here. I should go and tell him you are up but that can wait 'til later. Don't want him bothering you with chat 'til you are well again now do we? Finish up and go back to sleep. I'll wake you for dinner." Mrs. Tobble said and then left the room. Master. He must've been the person I thought was my angel I thought.

I finished eating but wasn't yet tired enough to go back to sleep so I took a look around the room. There was a beautiful oak desk with a matching oak bookshelf on one side of the room. Not that far away there was a small cushioned couch covered in pillows. The bed I was in was huge and had a beautiful canopy. There were also many pillows and a thick blanket and plenty of sheets. Well you were freezing to death when they found you so no wonder they have you beneath so many coverings I thought to myself. Next to the bed was a small oak table with a candleholder, some candles, and a box of matches. To the other side of the bed there was an oak dresser and not far off a make-up table with a beautiful shaped mirror.

I situated myself against the pillows and closed my eyes. Not soon after I closed them did I wake to Mrs. Tobble serving me dinner. " Tomorrow Master would like you to eat breakfast with him. I told him you are still a little weak but he wouldn't hear of you staying in this room by yourself. Truth be told Master hasn't anyone to talk to but the servants and he misses the company terribly." explained Mrs. Tobble. "Well I wouldn't mind meeting my savior and I'd enjoy the company too." I replied. "Wonderful I'll tell him right away. Now finish up and sleep and it will be tomorrow before you know it. Good night my dear." she said with a smile before leaving the room. And she was right tomorrow morning came before I knew it.

I woke up to Mrs. Tobble opening the big curtains and sunlight poured into the room. "Get up my dear and wash yourself. I'm going to go grab the dress Master wants you in. It's beautiful, I know you'll love it." She said and went to the dresser. I went over to the basin and used the cloth and washed up. I headed back over to the bed where Mrs. Tobble laid out a beautiful dress. It was navy blue with a silver satin bow. The neckline was high up my neck and silver buttons ran down my back. "It's gorgeous!" I exclaimed. "He hoped you would say that. Now come with me to the dining room. Can't keep Master waiting. He is very impatient." said Mrs. Tobble.

We headed into the hallway toward the grand staircase. We finally arrived to the dining room. There he sat in the chair at the end of the table. My angel. My savior. He looked no older than a year older than me. He had piercing blue eyes and dark brown almost black hair. He was quite taller than me 'bout half a foot. He was absolutely handsome.

"Ah! My sleeping beauty awake at last. Please take a seat." He said and pulled out the chair next to him. I walked over and sat down. "You look beautiful" he said. I looked up beneath my lashes afraid to look at him. I've never been around someone as handsome as he and I was very shy. "God help me." he whispered under his breath.

I was wondering about what he meant when Mrs. Tobble came in with a tray of porridge and milk. "You should be ashamed Master for you have yet to introduce yourself." exclaimed Mrs. Tobble. "Oh dear you are quite right." he replied to Mrs. Tobble then turned toward me "My name is Alexander Dirth and I am the master of White Tree Mansion." "You're the master? You are but fifteen how can you be master?" I asked. I saw his expression darken. "Excuse me sir. I shouldn't have been so rude." "It's fine it's just something we don't like talking about here. And please call me Alex. No need for you to call me sir or master. You are but a member of this household." "Really? I am to stay?" I asked. "Do you not want to stay? Would you like to leave?" he asked back. "No! I have no place to go and am grateful for you're offer. I would like to stay." I answered. "Well if you're going to stay, may I please know your name?" he asked me." "Carrie Bells." I replied. "Carrie. What a lovely name. I'm glad you've decided to stay. It can be quite lonely around here. If you hadn't noticed the only other people here are servants and they can be quite dull to talk to since they are worried about upsetting me." he explained. "I'm glad to be here too." I replied. He flashed me a beautiful smile big enough to see his dazzling white teeth. How I wished he would smile like that to me forever, but as quick as it came it went. "Let us finish up and then I will show you around." he said.

We spent the remainder of our breakfast in silence and we were each stealing glances at each other now and again. I sipped my porridge and studied his face. He looked tired but the sparkle in his eyes told me he was full of hidden energy. I didn't know whether it was my staying or something else that put light in his eyes, but God knows how much I wished it to be me who put it there. He put down his spoon and I looked away. "Come. Let us go for a walk." he said.

He took my hand and led me through the house. He started by showing me all the rooms but his and the servants. "This house has been in my family for generations." Alex explained. " It's very beautiful. I've never stayed anywhere this beautiful." I replied. "Where did you live before? Why did you leave? Was your family cruel?! Did you're dad abuse you?! Did they starve you?!" he asked getting angrier and angrier as the questions kept coming. "No! It wasn't like that! They're were the best parents I could've asked for!" I replied tears brimming my eyes. "Then why did you leave?" "I don't want to talk about it right now."

He stopped questioning me and led me through the rest of the house. Then we went outside and walked around through the woods for a while and then we came to the crooked tree. We sat down among the roots. "This is where I found not that long ago freezing to death yet you looked so peaceful. You were so close to death but somehow you made it" he said. There was mixed emotions in his eyes when he said it. I couldn't tell whether it was happiness or sadness but I'm sure I saw guilt in his eyes along with pain. Oh how I wish that I could stop the pain and only see happiness in those beautiful blue eyes. Oh dear, I'm in love with a boy that I've just met and he is a master of a house while I am but an orphan. He could never see me more than a companion but I'll treasure every moment with him I thought to myself.

"It's later. Now will you tell me?" Alex asked. I sighed. There was no way he was going to let this go. "I lived in a town in that direction." I said pointing toward the place of my home. It's not my home anymore. This is my home I thought. "In the begging of winter a strange man came to town. He was sick and he heard that our town had one of the best doctors in the area. Everyone thought it was nothing so everyone came to give him welcome. It was a highly contagious, unknown disease. When the doctor finally figured it out it was too late. People were getting sick and dying. It was spreading like wild fire. Many kids were left as orphans but they too were dying so it didn't really matter. A couple weeks ago my parents got it and it started spreading through the house. Soon after they died. I became on orphan and decided I didn't want to die from that disease. I saw what it did to them." my voice started quivering "They were in so much pain at first. Then they got this terrible rash that added to the pain. After that it got worse. The soon started hallucinating so the pain went away but it was scary to watch them in that state. They spoke of weird, strange things. Then at last they died. It was absolutely terrible!" I was bawling now. "It wasn't fair! Why did everyone have to die?! Why did that man have to come to our town?! There are other, better doctors out there! Why?! Why?!" I asked with tears running down my face.

I looked up and, through my tears, saw my dear Alex studying my face. "Come here." he demanded. I scooted myself towards him trying to suppress my sniffling. When I was just a couple inches away he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards him. "It's alright. Look on the bright side my dear." he said trying to soothe me. "What is the bright side to death?!" I exclaimed. "It brought you here!" he replied. He was right. Death brought me to a loving home with good people. It also brought me to my love. I couldn't hate Death for although it took away loved ones it gave me new people to love.

"I'm getting quite a chill. Let us go back inside." he said after holding me for a couple minutes. I didn't want to leave the comfort of his arms but knew it was time to leave. We headed back to the house. Alex held my hand the whole time. It's just because he feels pity towards you and is trying to comfort you. It isn't because he likes you. I repeated over and over to myself.

"What were you two up to?" Mrs. Tobble asked when we got back. " I was showing Carrie around the property" Alex replied. "Everywhere?" she asked back. "Almost everywhere." he answered back. I tried to stifle a yawn but Alex saw it. "Come. You need to go back to bed." he said. "I don't want to go back to bed." I said stubbornly. "You'll go back to bed this instant! Do you hear me?!" he said. "Fine" I said with the tone of defeat. "You shouldn't be so hard on her." I heard Mrs. Tobble say to Alex as I ascended the stairs. "I'm worried. That's all." he replied and left. I heard Mrs. Tobble follow me up the stairs.

I got into my room and slammed the door. I ran to the bed and hid my face in the pillows. Why does he hate me so? First he was kind and caring and next he is hard-hearted and stern. Did I do something wrong? Did I say something that upset him? I couldn't help thinking while the tears soaked the pillow. There was a knock on the door. "Miss, may I come in?" I heard Mrs. Tobble ask from the other side of the door. "Come in." I said with a crackly voice. She came in and sat at the edge of the bed. "My dear, why are you crying?" she asked. "I was just wondering how he could be so kind then stern the next minute." I said sniffling. Mrs. Tobble gave a little chuckle. "Don't worry about that my dear. I must say that until you are stable you shouldn't be with Master." she said. "What?! Why not? With whom shall I talk to?" I asked. "Well you could talk to Lily. I will assign her as your companion and handmaid. And I don't think it's good for either of your health for you two to be together. He will worry his little heart out and your emotions will be unstable. So until you are better you two won't be in the same room." she answered. She walked out the door without knowing the turmoil in my heart. How long will it be for me to get better? Until I am I won't be able to see my beloved. I will do everything to get better as quickly as I can.

No sooner did I finish my thought did I hear a knock on the door. "Miss? It's me, Lily. Mrs. Tobble sent me." Lily said. "Come in." She entered the room. Lily is a small girl about a year or two younger than me. She has short mouse brown hair and dark brown eyes. She is nothing to look at. Not ugly but not fine. Just plain. "What would you like me to do miss?" she asked. "I'm going to take a nap like Alex commanded so you may do what you must but first get a bell and put it on my side table incase I would have need of it." I replied. She left the room and I crawled into bed.

I woke up to the sounds of arguing from the hallway outside my door. "What do you mean she won't be eating lunch with me?!" I heard Alex yell. "Be quiet sir! Lily said she was sleeping and I would rather you not disrupt her. As I said before until she is well you two will not have any meals or conversations together and that's final!." she replied. I heard a deep scowl I heavy footsteps down the stairs. I heard a chuckle. "Young men. So impatient." I could help but smile. I looked over and there on the side table was the bell I asked for. I rang it. I heard steps stomping up the stairs. "Did I tell you to leave her alone?!" I heard Mrs. Tobble say. "What does the bell mean?!" Alex responded. "It is a call for Lily. Now get out of her way." "Can't I just see her?" "No. Now leave sir." Again I heard that cute deep scowl. Lily entered the room. "You rang miss?" she asked. "Yes. I believe it's time for lunch. Bring a tray so we may eat together please." I replied. She left the room and was back in a couple minutes with a tray of stew, bread, and tea. We went over to the couch and situated ourselves comfortably. "Master seems to really like you." Lily stated. "I don't believe that he really does. I'm sure I'm just another guest to him." "No Miss. I've never seen him so upset." "I believe that's because boys always want what they can't have so that's why he was so intent on getting in here because he was told no." I said taking a sip of tea. "And please call me Carrie." "Of course Carrie." We went on talking about each other. What we liked, what life was like for us, and so on.

In the middle of one of our conversations there was a knock on the door. "Miss, the doctor is here to see how you are doing." I heard Mrs. Tobble say. "Come in." In came Mrs. Tobble and a tall, middle aged man. "This is Doctor Howard." "Nice to meet you." I said. "Oh dear! What are you doing out of bed? You won't get any better sitting there." Doctor Howard exclaimed. He had me go back into bed. "Now let's see. Oh dear. You are terribly pale. You seem to have a fever. What did you do today?" "I ate breakfast. Then Alex and me went for a walk. Then I rested." "Dear you shouldn't have gone out yet." he said. "I'll be back tomorrow to see how you are doing. And remember to not get out of this bed unless to relieve yourself. Understand?" "Yes sir" He and Mrs. Tobble left the room and as they opened the door I saw a mid-pacing Alex look up. Quickly the door was closed. "How is she Doc?" I heard him ask. "She is extremely pale and is running a fever. And taking her for a walk in her condition was not a good idea sir." Doc replied. "Damn! Will she be okay?" "If she stays in bed, rests and eats well she should be fine. "Thank you Doc." "Now I would like to take you two gentlemen to the dining room and serve you some dinner." Mrs. Tobble said. I heard them descend the stairwell. "May I serve you some dinner Carrie?" "Yes please Lily." We ate diner in silence. After we finished Lily said, "Don't worry Carrie. You will be better soon." "I hope so Lily."

Lily helped me change and then went to the servant chambers and said she'll wake me for breakfast. I got into bed and fell asleep. Sometime in the middle of the night I woke up and there was a floating light. I sat up and got a better look at what the light was. It was a candle being held by my dear Alex. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "Hush. I wanted to see you. Lay back down you need your rest." he whispered back. I did what he said and laid back down. He came over and stood next to the bed. "Are you just going to stand there?" I whispered. "Come lay down. There's room enough for you." I said scooting over. He looked hesitant then decided to take my offer. He lay on top of the bed next to me. I turned toward him. "I didn't mean to wake you. I couldn't stand being not able to see you all day." he whispered to me. "It's okay. I missed you to." I whispered back. He propped himself on his arm and looked down at my face with a half smile. "Come on, go back to sleep." he said. "No. Who knows how long it will be until I see you again." I replied. "I'll stay with you for a while but I'll have to leave before dawn or Mrs. Tobble will have my head." "Fine." I said. I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing. When I was about to fall asleep, I felt his hand run through my hair. Lily awakened me just as she promised and I was feeling happier than I ever remember feeling. "Beautiful day isn't it Carrie?" "Yes very beautiful."