She didn't have much time.

There was only a small window of opportunity to get out of this unfeeling house that had only brought her misery. She rushed through the busy kitchens in her disguise, filthy all over tripping over the servant gown that was slightly too long for her short self as she blended in with all the other servants rushing around, it was approaching dinner time at Coldharbour House and the family would be feasting soon.

She was determined to escape. Right now.

Anne needed to remove herself from her Brother in Law's trap. George would see her go into a nunnery and take her vows so that all of her Mother's inheritance would pass over him and her sister. She couldn't let that happen.

As Anne worked her way through the kitchen she noticed a mallet on the worktop, she grabbed it and slid it under her sleeves. She thought it might come into play if needed, you never knew who was lurking and would notice her.

"You girl!" called one of the senior kitchen attendants "take this outside now"

Anne scurried over, she wouldn't be asked twice as she took the leftover scraps of food that would be fed to the animals later. Anne could not have asked for a more perfect opportunity to make her way out of the building and into the yard.

Anxiety built in Anne as she moved closer to her freedom. Who knew what would happen as she removed herself from these walls but at least she knew she had one ally, or hoped at least.

Anne looked around herself, the only obvious way out was the front gates – could she be so bold to try and simply escape through the front gate? She noticed two guards patrolling the gates, not as many as she expected but that was still going to be difficult to get around. However there would be no time for strategy, time wasn't something that Anne was rich of right now so she would need to improvise.

She looked down at the mallet in her hand, was she strong enough? Brave enough? It had to be worth the shot, even if it just sent George and Isabel a message though Anne was sure not to likely come out of this game on top if that was the case.

Anne whistled over to them. The guards both turned and looked in her direction and saw the 'servant' girl standing there smiling at them. One of them grinned back and headed in her direction, she moved round the corner to be out of site as he made his way round to her.

With the biggest force she could reach upon from her soul she took a swing at the guard around the head. It was a forceful blow, one to knock him off balance and fall to the ground. Success! Anne felt glad that she had learnt something from watching the knights train at Middleham Castle in her younger years, she even felt her Father would have been proud of that move.

Now to the other guard, she couldn't play the same trick twice and doubt he would fall for it too, the last thing she needed was him to become suspicious and raise the alarm. Anne knew time would be running out and her sister, Isabel would notice her missing. She would just have to take a chance.

Anne rushed around the corner and ran towards the other guard. Luckily the distance wasn't too great as the guard barely had time to react to the pretty servant girl running towards him.

"Please help me, he just fainted!" she exclaimed looking distressed. The guard wasn't sure whether to check upon his friend, it would mean leaving his post and his Master wasn't a forgiving one.

"Fine, I must be quick – do not open these doors to no one" he replied and she nodded.

As the guard turned away from her, Anne revealed the mallet from her sleeve once again and managed to fill herself with strength another time to land a forceful blow around the back of his head. Anne couldn't believe her luck and her courage as she watched him tumble to the ground. She knelt down to the guard and pulled the keys from him. She felt her blood pressure rising as she tried to find the correct key for the gate, finally a little click of the gate and it was unlocked. The taste of freedom was so close now.

Anne opened the gates, her pulse rushed and she held her only weapon, the mallet in position as she saw a line of horses with guards waiting outside. Her heart dropped as that freedom had slipped away too quickly, she hadn't even made it past the threshold. How foolish of her to think obtaining her freedom would have been so easy.

"Anne?" a knight on one of the horses trotted forward.

Happiness like no other filled Anne "Richard!"

He peered over her shoulder to guard laying on the ground behind her and slightly grinned "I came to rescue you…"

Anne smiled as he continued "Though I can see you have the situation under control"

There was a rush of activity behind her, coming from the house. Someone had noticed the commotion at the gate and more guards came rushing towards them. Anne looked panicked, she went up to Richard "Please Richard, I am in need of your gallantry now"

"Indeed you are" he teased as he pulled her up onto his horse. She wrapped her arms tightly around him as he signalled his horse and men to move forward.

Anne did not know where they were headed but she knew she was safe as she felt the gust of cold wind against her cheeks and took a glance at the setting of the sun. At the moment she was careless to the world, she was free.