Millicent popped the seal on the letter she received. It was from her grandmother out east. She had written to Millicent because she was becoming ill.

Dear Millicent,

My time to pass is coming near. I wish to see you and your father very soon during my last few days.

With Love,

Grandmother

Millicent picked up the short letter and hurried to her father's office. She called for him, "Father?"

"Yes, Millie?" he peeked around a large bookshelf.

She held up the letter, "Its from grandmother."

He took the letter from her and read it, frowning, "We need to leave immediately. We'll leave tomorrow."

Millicent nodded, "I'll pack the bags."

"Andrew can do that."

"What?" she stopped at the door, staring at her father.

"He'll be coming with us, of course. I'm sure grandmother will want to meet him." her father explained, setting the letter down on his desk.

"Father.." she began, stepping back into the room. "Why are you letting him do this to us? Why are letting him come back?"

"Because...Millie I'm bankrupt. We need the money." her father pleaded for her to understand. He took her hands in his. "Please...just try to understand."

"No, you're the one who needs to understand." Millicent insisted. "He wanted to kill you. He took advantage of me. He needs to go."

"Who needs to go?" Andrew's voice sounded from the doorway.

Millicent closed her eyes, clenching her fists. "Nothing, Andrew. Father, please excuse me."

Millicent shoved past Andrew and hurried up to her room. Whether Andrew was being allowed to come or not, she would make this trip worthwhile. Her grandmother needed her and that's where she would put all of her attentions. Her father and Andrew were both just trying to be suck ups to her. Her father wanted her to grow close to Andrew, but it wouldn't happen. Millicent could never fall in love with a man like that.

......................................................................................

The stagecoach jostle and Millicent bumped shoulders with her father. Andrew was leering at her across from the stagecoach and her father was asleep. It was a miserable ride, and she still had three more hours to go. Andrew cleared his throat, "Millie I was thinking..."

"Don't talk to me." Millicent glared at him, crossing her arms.

"I want to apologize. For taking advantage of you that one night." he said, lowering her eyes.

She rolled her eyes at his little act. "It's too late for apologies. You threatened to kill my father, and I did what I needed to keep him safe."

"And I'm sorry I put you in that position."

"No you're not." she said. "Just stop trying, Andrew. You need to accept the fact you treated me wrong and I can't forgive that."

"I'm not going to stop trying. Ever." he said.

Great. That was just lovely. Exactly what she wanted to hear. Millicent turned to look out of the window for a better view than what was in front of her. She couldn't believe he was even telling her those things. He was "sorry"? He did something completely unforgivable. The only thing she could do was try to forget.

Millicent was relieved when they finally pulled up to her grandmother's mansion three hours later. She was surprised by the large turn out of people. There were at least ten other stagecoaches already there. Every room would be filled with people for the night.

When they pulled to a stop, Millicent could not have escaped that stagecoach fast enough. She accepted her bag from the driver and ran up to the front steps of her grandmother's mansion. She left her bag at the door and hurried up to her grandmother's room. She gently knocked before opening the door, "Grandmother?"

"Millie! Come in, come in my dear." her grandmother croaked, waving her forward.

Millicent edged into the room and took a seat at the side of the bed. Her grandmother looked frail and sick. She took her grandmother's cold hands into her own and smiled, "It's so good to see you. We just arrived but moments ago."

"Oh, my dear you must be tired." her grandmother said, worry crossing her own tired features.

"Not too tired to see my grandmother for a few moments." Millicent said, giving her a small, fragile hug. "How are you doing? Do you need anything?"

"You know exactly how I am, Millie. And I'm not going to lighten the blow by lying to you. I'm dying, Millie. I am old and have lived a good life." she smiled, wiping a tear that had been running down my face. "It was good getting to see you again, I must admit. I remember when you were a wee little child, running around this house like the little bundle of energy you were."

Millicent laughed. "I was a terrible child, grandmother."

"Yes, but you were also a sweet little girl. You remind me of myself when I was much younger." her grandmother yawned.

Millicent stood up, tucking the sheets around her grandmother's chin, "You should rest, grandmother."

"As should you, Millie." her grandmother closed her eyes.

"I will, I promise. Goodnight, sleep tight." Millicent smiled, remembering the old rhyme her grandmother told her as a child.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite."her grandmother responded.

"But if they do then take your shoe..."

They finished it together, "And hit them till they're black and blue."

Millicent smiled and stepped out of the room, gently closed the door. She nearly ran into the last person she expected to see as she turned to leave. Millicent's breath got caught in her throat, "Theodore? I mean Mr....what are you doing here?!"

Theodore was holding a tray of soup and bread while looking equally surprised, "I should ask the same of you. Mrs. Beattle was my nanny growing up so I'm here to take care of her during her last few days."

"She was my mother's mother. My grandmother." Millicent said.

"What are the odds..." Theodore shook his head. He tried to nudge past her. "Well it's past her dinner time so..."

"Oh, grandmother is asleep." Millicent explained.

"Already?"

"Sorry, it's probably my fault. I exhausted her with my visit." Millicent said.

Theodore shook his head, "No its fine, really. She can eat in the morning."

"I can take the tray back down if you want." she offered.

Theodore smiled and turned to go, "No...no it's fine Millicent. Really. But thank you."

Millicent watched him go, feeling slightly weak and out of breath. She couldn't believe her grandmother was the nanny to the man she fell head over heels for. And the man she wasn't ever supposed to see again, was now just a few feet away from her.

"Millie? Are you alright? You look as if you've seen a ghost." her father's voice broke her from her thoughts. He bumped past Theodore with their bags. "Sorry, good sir."

Theodore mumbled a reply and turned to look at Millicent. She looked into his eyes and said, "I think maybe I have, father."

Copyright © 2016 by Rosanna Parker

All Rights Reserved

So Theodore is back! Its about to get really confusing with the romance aspect of the story so I hope you're prepared for this emotional roller coaster, lol :) Please vote and/or comment if you loved this chapter or just the whole story in general or whatever :)

-Rosanna

Playlist for this chapter:

Little Do You Know by Alex & Sierra

Superficial Love by Ruth B

Can't Help Falling In Love by Haley Reinhart

Never Forget You by Zara Larsson & MNEK

7 Years by Luke Graham

Not About Angels by Birdy

Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor