Amelia urged her horse on faster and Ethan did as well after they'd both finished eating by the stream. They'd been riding for over a half day and within a few hours, they'd reach the house. Then they'd know whether Miranda and the baby would be hiding there…or whether or not Carlton would have sent men to check the place out.

They'd have to prepare for that, if Carlton had men waiting to ambush them. He'd turned almost desperate in the search for his wife and child. Amelia figured he didn't like being one-upped by a mere woman. But Amelia knew that Miranda had been made of tough stuff. Even back when both of them had been younger working at the big house. They'd been cleaning linens and washing floors together and talking amongst themselves when no one was watching them.

"Miranda…you know anything about this party tonight?"

Her friend looked at her reddened hands rubbing them against her dress.

"Just that the Lord of the house is hosting some new businessmen that are helping him get rich," Miranda said, "we'll have to make sure that they're happy and entertained."

Amelia sighed putting her cloth down. Her back hurt a bit from being up since dawn to do the housework on this special day.

"He seems to like you."

Amelia looked down at her own chapped hands.

"I don't know about that," she said, "He just asked me if I needed anything."

Miranda put a hand on her hips.

"That means he's taken an interest in you…well don't spend too much time with him or the wife will complain and you'll be out on the street."

Amelia frowned.

"But I'm sponsored…"

Miranda shook her head.

"Only as long as you don't make trouble and carry your weight in the workload…otherwise you're out of luck."

Amelia had found her life in America much different than what she'd expected when she'd first stepped foot on the shore of the harbor in San Francisco after months spent on a boat.

"If he tries to get you alone…make an excuse to get out of there," Miranda said, "Say you have to go to the kitchen to help serve food."

"It's not like that…"

Miranda looked serious.

"It will be…he picks one of us for a while to amuse himself," she said, "and then he moves on when the wife gets suspicious."

Amelia just shook her head. She just focused on the chores they'd given her to do. Honestly, she was too tired by the end of the day to do much of anything but sleep and occasionally do some reading or staying up to talk with the other women.

"I won't give him the chance," she said, "Besides his wife will be with him most of the time that he's not talking business. Alice will keep us busy enough too."

Miranda didn't look convinced and Amelia knew her friend was just looking out for her. But she had to show she could look after herself like she'd promised her parents.

But as it turned out, Miranda had been right….

They rode until the sun started moving towards the horizon and Amelia knew they were approaching the house where Miranda might be hiding out. Ethan pulled the reins on his horse and stopped so she did the same.

"What is it Ethan?"

He looked at her.

"I think it's just a couple miles more."

She just nodded.

"So we have to be careful then in how we approach?"

"Yes in case Carlton has men waiting for us," he said, "We don't know if he's not checked to see if his wife and child are there."

"No we don't Ethan but we can hope it's too obvious… for him to come looking."

They started riding again more slowly in anticipation that it might get riskier if there were men waiting for them.

"You let me go in first."

She just nodded and they rode single file down a trail with trees lining either side. The water of a nearby stream flowed over rocks nearby.

Amelia turned to look at Miranda, as they walked back in the room where they both slept at night. Moonlight shone through a sliver of window showing from the curtain.

"Miranda…I want to get out of her."

The other woman just looked at her.

"You know that it'll be hard to make it out there on your own," she said, "You don't have enough money saved."

Amelia sighed.

"I don't care…I can't stay here anymore. I can't have it hanging over my head."

Miranda shook her head at her.

"He's a powerful man and you know that means getting what he wants from anyone…any woman."

Amelia's mouth became a firm line.

"Not from me. I don't care what he thinks he wants," she said, "I'm not interested. Even with all that's promised."

"He doesn't mean it Amelia," Miranda said, "It's all empty promises and then it'll be threats."

Amelia moved closer to the window and nudged the curtain open.

"I don't care. I have my own plans for the future and they don't include spending my whole life here."

Miranda sighed.

"There are some cousins of his that will be at the next party," she said, "from back East. I wonder what they'll be like."

Amelia shrugged.

"Probably the same…aren't they all in this social circle? And they'll expect the same out of us."

Ethan glanced over at her as they reached another clearing. It couldn't be much longer from here.

"So Miranda's your closest friend?"

Amelia nodded.

"When I came here some years ago, she was my first…and only friend."

Ethan paused.

"I hope we can find her soon," he said, "but even if that happens, she'll still have to face off against her husband and he has all the legal rights."

"And all the power and money…I know Ethan but I'm going to do whatever it takes to help her," she said, "I owe her that much and more."

Ethan arched a brow at her as if expecting more but she fell silent. Some things weren't to be talked about if they were ancient history.

"We'd better keep on going," she said, "I think we're almost there."

The two of them continued on down the mountain trail keeping an eye out for any sign of trouble.