Forced to Love

As the day went on,
Annabell noticed the weather change.
Instead of the cold snow, it was raining. While she was going in and out of consciousness, she could hear the rain tap on the top of the coach.

She was extremely uncomfortable. Her shoulder hurt like it never had before, and she could feel that her dress was stuck in the reopened wounds on her back. Annabell tried to move her hands to loosen the dress, but the pain in her shoulder became unbearable and Annabell surrendered for the dark once again.

When the coach reached the border to Tabitha, Annabell was conscious. She could hear indistinct voices outside. Suddenly the door opened and the coachman lifted her of the floor and took her outside. It was a terrible weather! The wind blew rain in her face, so she could not see anything. Soon she was located in a new coach.

The coachman hesitated a moment. “I’m sorry for this, Miss.” He said. “There is no reason for you to be treated like this.” He looked at her tied arms. Annabell did not answer, she could simply not find her voice. “Eh, Well.. Goodbye Miss.”

The coachman retreated form the door, and now a new person peeked in from where the coachman had left. It was a big, middle-aged man. He was dressed in a big cloak and had a gentle face, and brown curly hair.
He tossed one glance on her. Annabell could see the pity in his eyes. “Oh, poor girl! What have they done to you?” Annabell just looked at him as a shiver ran through her body.

The big man climbed into the coach. “Hello Miss. I’m Thatcher. I’m a coachman at his Lord Darshias estate. I’ve been sent her to get you home to Darmont. For your protection we also have a dozen guards”
Annabelle only nodded as another shiver went through her body. “Miss, can you turn around so I can untie you?” Finally Annabell regained her voice, and whispered quiet “Yes… thank you mister.” Thatcher did not reply, but soon her arms were free. “You are freezing, Miss! I think I have a spear cloak, let me get it for you.”
”Oh, no!” Annabell replied, “There is no need, I will be fine.”
The coachman snorted. “I have been ordered to make your travel as easy as possible, Miss. So I would be happy if you accepted my cloak. I don’t want you to get a cold. It seems like you are ill enough.”
Annabell received the cloak and thanked him for his kindness. As the coachman left her,
she could hear him mutter something about
“No food… Only bones… What will my Lord say?”

Soon the coach was moving and with the cloak around her shoulders, Annabell's shivering soon came to an end. The rain was pouring down her window, and the wind shook the coach. Outside it was completely dark, all the snow was gone.

After something that seemed like many hours, the coach finally stopped in front of a large mansion. The door was opened before Annabell could prepare herself of anything, and as she saw the mansion, she was overwhelmed. It was not fair to call Darmont a mansion.
It was a castle. Not a cold, abandoned ruin like her old home, but a castle.
In every window there were lights, and despite the terrible weather, the yard swarmed with activity.

A servant helped her down from the coach, and followed her to the castle. “His Grace will receive you in his study at once, Miss Barlow. If you will follow me please..”

Annabell followed the servant through a maze of doors and corridors before he knocked on a door and entered. “My Lord, Miss Barlow.” The servant introduced her.
Annabell walked slowly in to the room, while looking on the floor.
She was terrified.
What kind of man was this?