The year was 1803, the place was London.
The city was thriving, flourishing with the bustling of the newly launched railway line.
Here, in the heart of the city lived Miss Amber Cunningham, a young girl of twenty one, a well known, smart and accomplished debutant. Miss Cunningham was the daughter of of the Earl of Devonshire, Sir Richard Cunningham owner of the sizable Devonshire estate. Being of marriageable age, her father was eager for her to find an advantageous match. But little did her know, his daughter had lost her heart a long time back to the son of a neighboring estate. Sir Samuel Griffith, Baron of Bloomington. Amber and Samuel had plans to marry after this last season, combine their estates and live peacefully.
All was going well, Miss Amber had avoided the schemes of the Society Mama's and was waiting to go back home to inform her father of her inevitable courtship and then marriage to Sir Samuel. But three days before the season was going to end, came a person that sent all the Society Mama's into a frenzy. Sir Barthamelow Pittsbury, Duke of Hampstead and personal advisor to King George III. A distinguished gentleman, twice the age of Miss Amber. He created quite a stir by announcing he was finally ready for marriage.
Sir Barthamelow took a shine to Miss Amber and approached her father with an offer for marriage. Not one to resist such a profitable offer from a Duke, the Earl agreed readily. Notably, Miss Amber was not pleased with this decision. Knowing her father was not an agreeable man she thought it was bet to approach the Duke and be truthful to him about her feelings and engagement. Joyous, she went to Riverfield, home of her lover to inform him about the recent developments. Unfortunately, to her dismay he refused to grant her audience, claiming that she had already been promised to another man and he would never stoop so low as to meet with a claimed woman.
Heartbroken and deeply hurt by the incident she went back home only to be faced with the most shocking news of her life - her father in a fit of drunken bravado gambled away his estate, leaving them both penniless. Unable to bear the guilt, her father took his life and left Miss Amber to fend for herself. Miss Amber had no choice but to turn to the Lord and enter the nunnery. It was a few years later that she found the identity of the man who had taken her home away. It was Sir Barthamelow Pittsbury, the man because of whom her life had changed for the worse. Furious, she vowed revenge.
Knowing the Duke was a patron of the arts she snuck away from the nunnery and under the guise of 'Sherriford', a man, she joined a theatre group. Sherriford worked hard, gaining enough favors till 'he' went from stage hand to understudy and finally to being an actor. Forging the proprietor Brinsley's name she sent tickets to the private box on the opening night. The night could not come fast enough. It was the moment Miss Amber had been waiting for. The play was based around the workings of a circus. There were people walking on tightropes and tigers being tamed in cages. The people gasped and screamed, taking delight in the chaos on stage. Taking advantage of the chaos, Sherriford stole away a knife, slinked to the corner of the stage next to Sir Barthamelow's private box and screamed "My name is Amber Cunningham, you killed my father, stole my land and destroyed my life, prepare to die!" Taking aim she let the dagger fly, crying tears of triumph and she saw her dagger hit its mark.
The screams from the private box were masked by the screams of the crowd. But when the chaos died down people were horrified and no one knew where the young, bright actor had vanished. He had slipped away into the night, never to be heard from ever again.
The city was thriving, flourishing with the bustling of the newly launched railway line.
Here, in the heart of the city lived Miss Amber Cunningham, a young girl of twenty one, a well known, smart and accomplished debutant. Miss Cunningham was the daughter of of the Earl of Devonshire, Sir Richard Cunningham owner of the sizable Devonshire estate. Being of marriageable age, her father was eager for her to find an advantageous match. But little did her know, his daughter had lost her heart a long time back to the son of a neighboring estate. Sir Samuel Griffith, Baron of Bloomington. Amber and Samuel had plans to marry after this last season, combine their estates and live peacefully.
All was going well, Miss Amber had avoided the schemes of the Society Mama's and was waiting to go back home to inform her father of her inevitable courtship and then marriage to Sir Samuel. But three days before the season was going to end, came a person that sent all the Society Mama's into a frenzy. Sir Barthamelow Pittsbury, Duke of Hampstead and personal advisor to King George III. A distinguished gentleman, twice the age of Miss Amber. He created quite a stir by announcing he was finally ready for marriage.
Sir Barthamelow took a shine to Miss Amber and approached her father with an offer for marriage. Not one to resist such a profitable offer from a Duke, the Earl agreed readily. Notably, Miss Amber was not pleased with this decision. Knowing her father was not an agreeable man she thought it was bet to approach the Duke and be truthful to him about her feelings and engagement. Joyous, she went to Riverfield, home of her lover to inform him about the recent developments. Unfortunately, to her dismay he refused to grant her audience, claiming that she had already been promised to another man and he would never stoop so low as to meet with a claimed woman.
Heartbroken and deeply hurt by the incident she went back home only to be faced with the most shocking news of her life - her father in a fit of drunken bravado gambled away his estate, leaving them both penniless. Unable to bear the guilt, her father took his life and left Miss Amber to fend for herself. Miss Amber had no choice but to turn to the Lord and enter the nunnery. It was a few years later that she found the identity of the man who had taken her home away. It was Sir Barthamelow Pittsbury, the man because of whom her life had changed for the worse. Furious, she vowed revenge.
Knowing the Duke was a patron of the arts she snuck away from the nunnery and under the guise of 'Sherriford', a man, she joined a theatre group. Sherriford worked hard, gaining enough favors till 'he' went from stage hand to understudy and finally to being an actor. Forging the proprietor Brinsley's name she sent tickets to the private box on the opening night. The night could not come fast enough. It was the moment Miss Amber had been waiting for. The play was based around the workings of a circus. There were people walking on tightropes and tigers being tamed in cages. The people gasped and screamed, taking delight in the chaos on stage. Taking advantage of the chaos, Sherriford stole away a knife, slinked to the corner of the stage next to Sir Barthamelow's private box and screamed "My name is Amber Cunningham, you killed my father, stole my land and destroyed my life, prepare to die!" Taking aim she let the dagger fly, crying tears of triumph and she saw her dagger hit its mark.
The screams from the private box were masked by the screams of the crowd. But when the chaos died down people were horrified and no one knew where the young, bright actor had vanished. He had slipped away into the night, never to be heard from ever again.
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