EVELYN
I tripped over a small stool and crashed onto the cold marble floor with a jarring thud. A sharp cry tore from my throat as a pain shot through my ankle. I shifted instinctively to avoid further injury, and when I finally regained my balance, I realized I’d been in the center of Anna’s room.
My heart pounded against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing the surge of adrenaline. I braced myself for whoever might be inside—Anna, or perhaps her maid. If so, this would be incredibly awkward. But as my gaze swept across the chamber, there was no one in sight.
Silence hung heavy in the vast chamber, broken only by my ragged breaths and the dull throbbing in my ankle.
I felt a rush of relief. Perhaps it was just a mouse. The weather had been turning cold, and the vile little pests had
