Seaking shelter

*Skye*

It's the very worst place I could come, but I have nowhere else to go. Knocking on the servants' door, I hold my breath, striving not to think about what might have gone through Ben's head other than a great deal of pain considering how much he'd imbibed when he awoke this morning to find me gone. Would he have even cared or would he have thought good riddance?

A servant opens the door, blinks at me, furrows his brow, and I know he's trying to place me. "I'm here to see Miss Sophie."

"What is the nature of your business?"

"It's personal." In my bag, I have several calling cards that Ben had given me when we arrived in New York, in the event I made morning calls.

He had such faith in me garnering the love and respect of Society, of being welcomed, of being accepted as his wife. Instead, I've merely managed to ruin his life. And I'll ruin it further if I hand over a calling card and anyone discovers that Mrs. Archer is very familiar with Mistress Row. "Just inform her that