Bella's Beastie

Sir Gerald is the young incompetent owner of his family estate. He has a 7-year-old very disruptive daughter, Fiona, whom he leaves to the 'women' to rear. Because all Fiona's nannies leave, he kidnaps Bella's father as he returns from London and sends a ransom note to his three daughters, one of them to take his place or else. Bella goes to Ebony House and finds it impossible to control Fiona without the father's cooperation. She is about to try and escape when Fiona goes missing. Bella discovers her unconscious from a fall and Gerald allowed her home for 2 weeks. She delays until a devastating fire wrecks the cottage. They flee to Ebony House for refuge, but Gerald is missing. Bella finds him in the grounds about to kill himself because he has lost everything.