Prologue

Blackwater Manor, the home of Lord and Lady Valentine, for generations the Valentine name had lived in this glorious estate. For centuries they ruled over Yorkshire, perch perfectly atop the hill that overlook the small town of everyone respect the great Lord Valentine and his wife, but respect does not necessarily come hand in hand with likeness. They treated their staff well enough, ensuring that they had a roof over their heads and an acceptable salary to keep them going, medical attention if it was require.

But under no circumstances did they engage in a close relationship with their servants.

That was completely out of the question, servants where just that; servants. They were not friends; you could not confide in them, tell them intimate secrets. You had a place in society as a Lord, to maintain the status quo between the classes.

The Valentines had made sure that their staff knew that, and for their first few years of running the estate that was all they knew. Until that fateful night when they met Victoria Vega, she would change life as they knew it forever.

Holly Vega was a widower; her husband had passed away so suddenly that she still had trouble coming to terms with his passing. It had been like any other night. He had come home from his job at one of the local farms, they had chatted about their days and when it was time for bed, she kissed him and they fell asleep, only he never woke up the next morning. In that moment her world had crumbled, everything that had seemed so certain seemed to melt away; she no longer had an income, no family to turn too. Her husband's family refused to accept her from the moment they met her, they believed he married beneath himself. Not a day passed that she didn't think of the life they could have had together. Maybe he would have stopped the cruel fate in store for the young woman.

Then she found out she was going to have a baby and she knew that would have to find work of her own, she had to provide for her son or daughter. She had to surge on in memory of her husband. She was evicted from her house when she reached her first trimester, completely penniless, she had pawned off all that she had held dear to her, including her wedding ring. She tried to find work but no one was looking to hire. For months she lived on the street, desperate to find a job. Some people took pity on her, feeding her scraps of their dinner, sometimes letting her stay if the weather was particularly frigid. But it was useless, money was tight for everyone, no one could afford to have a tenant who could not pay them any rent.

Then she had her beautiful daughter, she did not think anything could be so perfect until she had held Victoria in her arms. It had been a painful birth, she was completely alone and terrified when her water had broke. No one came to help her so she had to have her daughter alone and for one petrifying second she thought that Victoria had not made it. She was so silent when she held her in her arms. But then she had let out that ear-splitting cry that made her mother laugh with relief. Looking into her beautiful blue eyes, she knew she had to protect her; she deserved a better life than the one she was leading.

So on the blackened night of November 7th, 1894 Holly Vega wrapped her daughter up in the only shawl that she owned and began to weakly walk up to the manor. She knew it was only an idea a fool would come up with but it was the only option she had or her daughter would die. When she reached the back of the large Manor, she stopped outside the servant's door, holding her daughter close to her and kissed her cheek one last time.

"I love you." She mumbled, "I will never forget you."

Setting her daughter on the step, she placed the small letter on top of her and dashed off, her hastened footsteps echoing around the court as she concealed herself into the shadows to wait. Moments later the door swung open and one of the maids stepped out. She was a pretty thing, Holly Vega thought, a good age and well fed. A woman she could trust would take care of her daughter. The maid peered around before she noticed the small child who had started to gurgle, searching for food. She gasped at the child, scrambling to pick her up before calling for the head butler. Holly sighed with relief as she watched the door slam behind them, they had let her inside and maybe they would be kind enough to keep her.

Solemnly she turned away from the estate and walked back down the large path, the heavy rain masking the large tears that were running down her cheeks as she left her only daughter forever, praying that she got the life she deserved.

Immediately the small baby was brought straight to Lord Valentine who was beside himself at the sight of the small child. Lady Valentine had almost fainted on the spot when she heard the cries of a small infant. She grasped her bump as she waddled over to her husband, to peek behind his back at this strange occurrence.

"She was just left there!" he exclaimed, as he kept the child at arm's length, staring at it as if it was a weapon.

"Yes Sir." Abigail, the maid who had found her answered, "I want to look after her." She bravely stated.

"Watch your tongue!" Lady Valentine replied quickly, "You forget yourself."

Abigail held the child closer, "Please I know I can look after her, as she grows I can train her to take over me once I retire. She will be no trouble I will look after her at the cottage. You will not see her after today until she is old enough to work."

Lord Valentine stared at the young maiden, startled by her courage to take on the job of being a mother to a child that was not even hers, then he actually glanced at the child. He felt his heart convulse when he saw the child staring back at him with those big blue eyes and he folded.

"Very Well."

Lady Valentine squeaked behind her husband, "My darling—"

He silenced his wife with his forefinger, "It would be most cruel to abandon this poor child. We would be no better than her mother. Abigail if this child interferes with your duty in anyway, I will have to let you go." He warned her, "I will have no choice."

The maid dipped her head respectively, "I will Sir. Thank you so much."

She rushed off after that, taking the child back down to the kitchen. The other servants stared at the baby then back at Abigail, their eyes wide with shock.

"Abi, you intend to keep this child?" One of them asked.

"Mrs. Grey can you please warm some milk for the child. She is parched." Abi asked, ignoring the looks she was receiving, "She deserves a chance to live, her mother explained that in her letter."

One of the servants, propping his feet up on the table, scowled, "What else did she say in this letter?"

Abi fished the letter our of her apron and chucked it over to him, "Read it yourself." She retorted quickly, "I am not ashamed of myself."

"No you needn't be." Mrs. Gray replied as she passed Abi the warmed milk, "She is precious. What is her name?"

Abi smiled down at the child, who eyes were closing as a result of the warm milk that was now flowing through her system, "Victoria, her name is Victoria."

From that moment on Victoria Vega was a member of the Valentine staff family and after a while they all grew to love the young child as much as Abi, she had this strange effect on them all, she was a beacon of hope for the staff, a sign that maybe anything was possible. They each took turns looking after her, demanding to hold her, feed her or play with her, there was hardly a minute that she was not put down. But as far as Tori was concerned her mother was Abi, the pretty blonde maid, with the curly hair that she loved to wrap around her dainty fingers.

Two months after the arrival of this astounding gift they were blessed with another miracle; Lady Valentine had given birth to a gorgeous daughter, a Miss Caterina Valentine. She was a splendid addition to the Valentine family and Lady Rebecca was most excited for Caterina to age under her wise teaching, where she would learn the importance of anarchy and the joys of being a Lady.

Little did they know that their daughter was destined to not be like other children of her class, for she was blessed with the power of thought, something which most of the upper class lacked. She would be creative, practically untamed, and more importantly...

She would find a true friend in Victoria Vega.

Okay so I started the prequel to please those who have been practically begging for it! I won't name any names ;) they know who they are.

And yes I will continue them alongside each other but because my exams are coming up I am uncertain how often they will be updated!

But I will try my best!

Love xoxoxo