Ralph rode his curricle blindly, not knowing where he was going. He barely even registered the pedestrians as he speeded forward.

He'd have thought he'd gone numb. But there it was, the acute pain. More unbearable than any injury of the flesh and he'd had his share of them.

How could have Alice betrayed him? Why didn't she tell him? Hadn't he proved it time and again that he was worthy of her love, her trust?

He wanted to tear off Bates's limbs apart for daring to touch his wife, for so much as breathing the same air as her.

All the same, was it wrong on his part to leave without even giving her chance to explain?

But you did give her a chance, she just didn't have any explanation.

Before he knew it, he was outside Fortescue's opulent townhouse. He desperately needed some answers and for some reason, it felt like his sister would help him find them.

Never in his life had he confided in Rosalyn, he'd never found the need to.

"Ralph...What a pleasant surprise!" His sister smiled, coming to kiss his cheek.

"I wish to speak to you."

"Are you alright?" She asked, concerned, leading him to her husband's study.

"No, I'm not."

"What is it? Is this about Alice?"

Ralph nodded solemnly.

"There's something else you should know..." he said, leaning against the table.

Rosa motioned him to go on.

Ralph told her everything. He told her about how hard it was for him when his parents had died, about how Wolf had found him, everything about his profession.

And for the first time in the history of England, Rosalyn Orford...no, Rosalyn Fortescue had been rendered speechless. Her mouth hung open with shock.

And then, "Oh you're a spy! How dashing," she gushed, clapping her hands to her chest.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She swatted his arm in a not so playful manner.

"To keep you safe."

"Pfft," she said dismissively. "Alice knows?"

He nodded.

"At least she knows," she huffed.

"Rosa..."

"It's alright, Ralph. I'm actually quite pleased that you aren't as boring as I'd believed," she grinned.

Ralph chuckled, but the sound was empty. Rosalyn immediately sobered.

"What is it with Alice?" she asked.

Ralph sighed and then told her. She was silent.

"I don't know what to do...I thought she trusted me. Clearly, I was wrong."

"Ralph, tell me something. Why did you keep your secret for all these years?"

"To keep you safe, of course," he shrugged, a bit annoyed at having to repeat himself.

"Alice wanted to keep you safe too," his sister smile softly. "She loves you, Ralph. And she trusts you more than she trusts herself. You've got it all wrong."

"Really, Ralph. For an intelligent man, you behave quite idiotically at times."

Ralph's eyes widened.

"When did you get so smart?" his lips pulled up in a slow, but real smile. Rosalyn grinned too, mirroring her brother's happiness.

"You do love her, do you not?" she asked hesitantly.

"More than anything in this world," he replied, sincerely.

"Good," Rosalyn sighed, sitting back on her chair, satisfied.

"I'm such an idiot! She needed me to comfort her and I walked out. I'm going to find her," he hollered as he practically ran out.

"You're welcome," Rosalyn said, although she was quite certain her brother was already gone.

She smiled softly and rubbed her now prominent belly before dozing off right there.

***

"Alice! I'm back, where are you?" Ralph called out as he walked in through the door.

"My Lord, the lady isn't at home," Johnson said.

"What do you mean she isn't here? Where else could she be?"

"She left in search of you, she hasn't returned yet..."

"Good god! Alright, I'll go find her," Ralph dismissed him, walking out.

That night.

Ralph returned home drenched.

Alone.

He hadn't found Alice, he'd looked everywhere. All her friends and her parent's place, the war office, the parks, the bookstores...everywhere.

She couldn't have left him. He knew she loved him. And Johnson said she'd left in search of him.

Ralph could come up with only one explanation and that made his stomach churn with dread.

"Johnson, any success with finding my wife?" He asked his butler, trying to remain optimistic.

"No, my lord. But one of the servants saw Lady Alice being kidnapped," Johnson said, his voice laced with worry.

Ralph felt his breathing become more laboured. "Call the witness," he said with some difficulty.

After hearing what the maid had to say, Ralph was no more closer to Alice than he'd been a few minutes ago. He knew that Bates had taken her to be sure.

But where?

And what scared Ralph the most was that Bates hadn't kidnapped Alice with the intention of extracting ransom. He wanted Alice indefinitely. There was no telling if they were still in London.

Ralph wanted to cry, rail at everyone around him. For the first time in his life, he was utterly helpless.

He set his jaw.

Alice needed him and he'd find her somehow, even if he had to turn the entire world upside down.

Meanwhile...

Alice opened her eyes slowly. They felt heavy. She closed them again.

Why was her throat so dry?

"Water," she tried to say but she couldn't make a sound. There was a foul tasting cloth tied to her mouth. She tried to move her hands to remove the disgusting thing from her mouth but her hands were tied too.

What?

And then she put in all her strength to pry open her eyes and keep them open this time.

The place was dark and not very pleasant smelling. She moved her stiff neck this way and that.

"You're awake," came a voice from somewhere behind her. Alice closed her eyes in exasperation.

The idiotic man had gone and kidnapped her. Really, he was only digging his own grave.

Bates was walking towards her now, she could here the clicking sound of his heeled boots against the wooden floor.

"My poor darling, you must me thirsty," he murmured, moving to remove her gag.

"You mustn't scream, not that anyone is around to hear you," he warned, untying the knots at the back of her head.

Alice coughed once the gag came off her mouth. She quickly accepted the glass of water he offered.

"Why have you brought me here?" She asked, once her thirst was quenched.

"To marry you, of course," he replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You forget that I'm already married, sir," she smiled sarcastically.

"Oh that can be remedied easily," he laughed.

And for the first time, Alice felt the panic rising in her.

She was stuck here with this dangerous, deranged man. And she didn't know where 'here' was.