Cora bolted up the stairs and ran into her room, waking up Amelia and hurrying over to the windows. He was approaching quickly now just a mile and a half away. She saw Declan coming from the stables and watched as Tavington removed a pistol from his belt and shoot him. She gasped in horror her hand flying to her mouth and real fear filled her. He knew. He must have known. What other reason did he have to shoot Declan? She turned around and looked at Amelia who was staring at her in confusion. "Tavington is here." She said. Amelia's eyes widened. "And he knows." "We've got to get you out of here Miss!" she cried. "Do we have time?" Cora asked, moving to the door "We do if we hurry miss." Amelia replied. She immediately set about packing a bag for Cora. "And what about you?" Cora asked. "Don't worry about me miss." Amelia replied. "I won't leave unless I know that you are safe!" she cried. "Miss Cora I can find my own way. You need to go." Amelia insisted latching the bag and handing it to Cora, who was still not convinced. "Go Miss." She said. " And were will you go? And what about the men! Angela and Ian and all the others I can't leave them here!" Cora insisted. Just then a loud bang sounded from the door. Cora gasped and spun around running into the hallway. They were trying to get in. She saw Ian and Angela bar the door and she hurried downstairs. "There are soldiers here Miss." Ian whispered. Cora stared at the door trying to think of where they could go. "The room. Go to the secret room. He shouldn't be able to find you there." She replied. "GO!" A loud bang echoed and the door arched but held. Cora dropped her bags and started hurrying everyone into the room, Amelia going in last. "Good bye Amelia." Cora said with a sad smile. "Bye Miss Cora. Maybe we will meet again." The elderly woman said smiling. "Perhaps." Cora replied giving her one last hug. "Take care Amelia." She whispered. "You too Miss. Stay alive now, ya here?" She replied. "I will, I promise." BANG. It startled them out of their bittersweet embrace. Cora stuffed Abigail into the room and closed the door. She ran into the sitting room and grabbed her bag heading toward the kitchen. Maybe she could sneak out trough the back and head into the stables. No it was too risky. She slipped down into the kitchen, walking down the stairs and closing the door. A loud thud echoed and she knew that they had broken in. The dull thud of footsteps echoed throughout the house, voices. "No one is here Sir!" a man called. "Check everywhere. It's a big house they could be anywhere. I want her dead, go." Came Tavington's voice. She shuddered and clutched her bag trebling slightly. "Find out where she was hiding those soldiers." He said. "There is no one here Sir." Another man called. "There here I know it. Over there by the mantle, check there for a switch of some kind. She was hiding them somewhere." Cora felt her heart stop beating as her eyes widened in horror. He knew everything. She moved toward the door leading to the outside, trying not to make a sound. "I found it Sir!" one said. She gasped and spun around. "No!" she whispered. She wanted to go up there and turn herself in. Face her charges nobly. 'You stay alive now ya hear!' she could hear Amelia's voice in her head. She had to keep her promise to her. She owed her that much. She pushed open the door and walked up the stairs slowly, smelling the cool night air. But then she paused. She couldn't leave them. "Check in the kitchen downstairs. Find her." She heard the thudding footsteps and the door to the kitchen open and she hurried out running like the wind toward the forest. She threw herself behind a bush checking to see if anyone had noticed her. No one had. A huge uproar drew her attention to the stables. Ebony was there. Bucking and whinnying like never before. Snorting and kicking like he was possessed until he was free and then he bolted into the woods. "Forget the Damned horse. Check the outhouse, the woods she can't be far." Tavington said as he walked outside alone. Cora waited till his back was turned and then sprinted into the safety of the woods diving behind the brush. She rolled then came to a halt again, scrambling up to see if anyone had noticed. As before she had been lucky. She heard a twig break and she froze. Someone was behind her. She waited completely tense, willing herself not to turn around. In the end her fear won out and she spun around as a hand slapped itself onto her mouth. She bit down a scream fearing the worst but then her eyes focused them selves on her attacker. Gabriel stared at her and motioned for her to be quiet. She forced her heart to stop pounding and herself not to throw her arms about him. A scream caught her ear and she turned to see Amelia, Ian, Angela, Tiffany and Nicole were standing in a line with all the other wounded soldiers. "Oh God!" Cora whispered in horror.