She was dressed in a soft English gown someone managed to find for her. The sleeves were off and a square had been cut out of the back to keep it from rubbing against her wounds. Her hair was neatly tucked under the scarf, except for the two curls, and she closed her eyes when she tasted the wonderful stew one of the women brought for her noon meal. The woman even made sure the chunks were small enough to swallow without chewing much. It seemed like a lifetime since she'd eaten a full meal and she couldn't hide her enjoyment, which she could see, pleased the woman immensely.

Katie had been in and out all morning, putting more salve on her wounds and fussing over her like a mother hen. Anna couldn't remember a time when anyone, except her father's servants when they were allowed to, had ever cared about her so much. She felt content and warm and yes, even loved -- which worried her. This was an altogether different world than the one she grew up in. Her world offered only harshness, pain and sorrow. How long before this world fell apart?

When Anna finished her meal and the woman took it away, she was alone for the first time. She tried not to think about her troubles and looked around at her surroundings instead. It was a large room, much larger than she realized. The furnishings were made of dark wood, colorful drawings hung on the walls and the bed was near enough to the hearth to keep her warm at night. Fresh flowers floated in a bowl of water on the table. She took her time standing up and found she wasn't nearly as sore as she thought.