Quote:His eyes were like black beads as they stared at the unwitting girl in the crowd. He'd finally found her, and now she would die. A slow smile played on the shadowed lips of the gentleman as he rapped the top of the carriage with the head of his cane; and then he said in his silken voice, "See that girl? I want you to follow her once she leaves the market. No questions asked and there will be a handsome reward..."

Pippa had her head down as she counted out money to pay for goods. She'd bought a bit of fabric to make a dress for herself, for she'd let out the frocks she already had, and the seams were starting to strain as her waist began to thicken with pregnancy. She had enough to make two different frocks, one, a Sunday gown of modest but good material, and a blouse and skirt outfit that would grow with her, as well as some undergarments. She had no choice but to part with her hard earned wages.

The summer heat was starting to get to her, perspiration forming and glistening upon her forehead. She looked to Douglas' man, who was not far behind her, watching over her. She nodded and he took the parcels despite her protest.

Once home, she entered the kitchen and cleared the table, pulling out the spare frock she had in order to trace it for a pattern.

Quote:Stupid little girl, he thought as he watched her enter the house from the back. It burned him that she'd gotten away from him those months ago, but now after searching for her, she was there and he was hungry for her blood. He licked his fat lips and felt that familiar burn of lust whenever he thought of snuffing the life out of every last one of her family members, she being the one who gave her the most burn. He fairly drooled at the thought of watching the light dim in those seductress eyes of hers.

He rapped on the roof again and made his exit from the scene before someone would suspect something.

She shuddered. Something was off and she didn't know what. She moved away from the table and through the house. She peered out the back door, but nobody was there. She could hear the rattle of hooves and wheels as they moved away from her, but she didn't suspect anything about it. Pippa wrapped her fingers around the tops of her arms and she took a shaken breath. She then moved to close the door.

For the next hour, she would look over her shoulder, check the doors and windows, and feel paranoid that something wasn't right. She couldn't concentrate on the gown and put it away for later.

Then she paced.