Christine's knees gave out and she crumpled to the floor. Her eyes blurred terribly and her mind was screaming along with her throat. Raoul was sprawled head first down the first flight of stairs, like he had fallen up them. A dangerous pool of red was dripping disturbingly down from his head, which was hidden by his arms. Christine tried to drag herself towards him. Her breathing was ragged and horse. Her head banged violently, making her almost faint. She almost collapsed again, when the same strong arms yanked her roughly upright, and away from Raoul. She screamed his name and tried once more to get out of the drivers grasp.

"Please, Mademoiselle, please! It's not safe! We have to leave NOW!" His grip was now aggressive, and she cried in pain, but still turned to see her lover once more, fallen from life and grace, before being dragged back through the doors, and out the De Changey house. The driver hoisted her onto one of the carriage horses backs and jumped on after her. He reared the horse quickly around and they cantered away from the Estate. Christine heard a massive explosion as they speeded away, and turned to see the flames almost reaching the sky. Only a few minutes before, and she would have been there.

It was dusk, and the sun cast a dramatic shadow against the trees that they flew past. They had been joined by the maid, who was waiting for them further down the road, obviously coaxed to do so by the driver. Christine was now in a state of shock. They had ridden for over an hour now, and she had given up. The only thing that held her to the horse was the drivers arms under hers, holding the reigns. He had said nothing to her as she had screamed with tears cascading down her face, when she had threw up violently with shock, and now, as she hung lifeless in his arms. No thoughts were in her head now, just a silent acceptance of her utterly shattered life. Dusk turned to night, and still she thought nothing. Not the fire, not her lucky escape, not even the nightmarish picture of her fiancée, laying there, his hair mattered with blood, and the awkward position he lay in, as if trying to run away…

As the night turned colder, they arrived in a small town just outside Paris. Raoul had taken her there once; it was a nice little place, but now in the dark, seemed eerie and ghoulish. She felt she should belong here, feeling like a ghost herself, forever now to wander as a pain filled ghost. What else did she have now but memories?

Christine hardly noticed when the driver lifted her down off the horse, and passed her limp form to the maid to support. She didn't even notice when the driver strangely hit the horse, making it gallop away into the darkness, neighing in protest. They entered into a small building, the door only being small enough for one person to pass through at a time, and having to stoop low. It was a tiny cottage with 2 floors. It had a rickety interior, looking like something from a children's nursery rhyme. Christine noticed none of it.

The driver lit a fire as the maid helped her into a seat next to it. Christine could feel again and again the cold stab of loss and pain. She felt she had been driven mad by it, and felt no will to carry on existing. She cuddled her knees up to her face and wept quietly. The driver sat on the arm of the chair and put a supposed comforting hand on her head.

"I'm sorry mademoiselle, I truly am. Can I get you anything? Tea…." He stopped as she just ignored him, still sobbing, and shaking dangerously. He frowned, and knelt in front of her. He brought down her hands from her face in his strong grip. She looked awful. Her hair was in disarray, her face was pale and drawn, and her eyes rimmed red and bloodshot. Her lip quivered as he spoke.

"Ma'am, I understand your upset, but you have to take in now, that we are in danger."

Her eyes filled now with confusion. Danger? They had fled the house in time, what danger could there be now, what did it matter anyway? She had nothing left. Nothing.

Sensing her distance, the driver shook her slightly to make her focus.

"Mademoiselle," He raised his voice. "I have to explain, that fire, was no accident."

"What…." Her voice was barely a whisper. "An….acc...yes..yes it was. You saw! Raoul is dead..Raoul." She sobbed again. He only persisted.

"Ma'am, LISTEN!" He shouted almost impatiently. She jumped, tears falling silently and rapidly. "It was not an accident. That fire was caused by someone who was looking for something, or someone. "

"How...HOW DO YOU KNOW?" Christine suddenly screamed with new found anger. How did this man know anything, what was he talking about, someone? Someone wanted to hurt Raoul? "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? RAOUL IS DEAD, DEAD! AND WHAT YOU ARE…"

She was suddenly muffled by a hand over her mouth. He looked darkly at her.

"Think about it," He hissed, "It was a warm day, with no need for fires or candles. Why then was the fire upstairs, hmm? And why, why would a man in his right mind run towards a fire, up the stairs?" She was greeted by a fleeting memory of her husband sprawled disturbingly upward. Her heart turned, and she opened her mouth in protest

"But…may…maybe he was trying to…" She stopped. Her blood turned cold, and her heart to lead stone. If the fire had been no where near Raoul where she saw him…why then…

The driver recognised the grim dawning on her face. "And why then…" He said in a whisper. "Was he lying with a bullet wound in his head?"

She gasped in terror, as she began to shake more violently, clenching her small hands, making her knuckles turn white. Her eyes turned wide with fright, and her breathing became short and breathless. He was…killed? The driver held her hands grimly, and made to say something, before suddenly, outside in the black night, they heard the approaching sound of running horses…