Her parents

*Ben*

I've ridden my motorbike like a madman all through the day and into the evening in order to catch up with the bus. When I finally do reach it, I discover she's disembarked in the first village at which it has stopped. Naturally, by the time I return there, she is nowhere to be found.

So where the bloody hell has she gone?

She isn't going to return to the country estate. Of that, I'm fairly certain. In no mood to explain the situation to my father, I've sent the cars and servants back to New York while I carry on to her childhood home. I think it's unlikely that she would seek out her parents for help, but I'm hopeful they can shed some light on where she might seek refuge.

Having attended a couple of balls at Beaumont's country estate, I'm familiar with the area and seek out the parsonage near the church. After knocking on the door, I glance around, my chest tightening as I study the towering oak that brushes up against a window on the uppermost level. I imagine Skye bold, b