"Mr Coachman!" I huffed, trying to catch him before he set off. He stopped momentarily, confused at the sound of my voice. Before yesterday, not many people had come into contact with me.

He furrowed his brow as he looked down at me, out of breath and clutching my painting, standing at the edge of the carriage.

"What is it, little Miss?" He asked, turning around in his seat to face me properly.

"I want to go and find the foal." I said firmly, holding onto my rolled-up painting as though it were a lifeline.

"Miss Bella…" He sighed.

"Please." I begged, looking up at him. "You said we weren't to intervene, but it is our duty." I said profoundly and he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"What has you figurin' that?" He asked in his thick Southern drawl. I knew he was reluctant, but I couldn't go another day without at least trying.

"We are the stewards of the Earth, Mr Coachman. We were put here to care for it. The mare was asking for help by not attacking us." I explained.

"She was too weak to. It wasn't a sign from God, girl." He sighed, though I could see he pitied my tired-looking self. I was passionate about this.

"Please, Mr Coachman. I won't ask for anything else. You were going out anyway." I sighed, without another argument. I had conceded to appealing to his kinder nature.

"Your father won't allow it. Yesterday you were chaperoned." He said.

"Wait here." I said, clicking my fingers and running off inside.

"Miss Bella!" He called after me, but I was already inside and heading for my goal like a bat out of hell.

Sliding down the corridors, giving no notice to the funny looks I received, I headed straight to the servant's quarters and was quickly apprehended by the person I needed.

"Slow down, Miss Bella, you'll hurt yourself!" Alice said, grabbing under my arms to stop my slipping. "What has you in such a fluster?" She asked, exasperated.

"I need your help! No time to waste, come with me!" I said, grabbing her arm and pulling with all of my might. She protested, but couldn't pull back or she would injure me.

I managed to get Alice outside and let out a breath when I noticed the coachman still there.

"I have a chaperone!" I called to him. "Alice will look after me, won't you?" I said, turning to her with a wide look of innocence and pleading.

"This is what was so urgent?" She huffed, putting her hands on her hips.

"It is important, Alice!" I sighed, rubbing my temples. Why did no one understand the urgency and importance of this? "Please do this for me. I swear on my mother that it's the most important thing to me of all time!"

"Slow down." She sighed, kneeling down to look at me on the same level. "What is it that you need to do so badly?" She asked.

"Yesterday, when we were on the way back from town, we found a wild mare and foal, but the mare wasn't going to make it. We just left the foal there, when we could have helped." I sighed, tears coming to my eyes. "Now Mr Coachman says he won't take my unless I have a chaperone and it's really important." I sighed, wiping my eyes roughly. I didn't want them to see me cry.

Alice looked up at the coachman with a sigh, rubbing my back. I looked down at the floor for a few moments before being slightly jolted. Jumping, I realised that the coachman had reached down at was picking me up from under my arms and sat me next to him at the front.

The door to the carriage clicked a moment and I couldn't help a small smile as I realised that they had agreed to my request after a silent conversation of looks. I didn't want to manipulate them, but I really did genuinely want to go and find the foal. It deserved a chance.

"For the record, my name is Edward." The coachman leaned over and said as he flicked the reigns and got the carriage moving.

"Thank you, Edward." I said in a small voice. I felt victorious, one step closer to saving the foal.