I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

Chapter Thirty Seven

George stormed into her room, Annabelle was seated by the window with a book in her hand. She turned around as she heard her door slam shut. Surprise registered on her face when she realized the person that had come in.

She slowly closed the book and placed it on her lap not rising from her sitting position. George walked towards her and sat on the window ledge opposite her. She kept her eyes away from him. Her father had demanded he stop his ascent to his daughter's room but he did not care for what her father thought. His wife had hidden away from him for far too long. He was going to demand she speak with him and now that she was carrying his child he was not going to leave her at her father's house this time. Knowing his wife he knew it would not be an easy task talking to her. With Angelo and Sir Ashton and Lord Markham he had far too many problems to worry about. He needed his wife. He wanted his wife.

'Why have you refused to see me?'

'I want to spare you the embarrassment of looking at me every day,' she answered simply, her tone bored. 

'Annabelle', George went on his knees, 'I have no way to apologize to you for what I said when I was last here. It was ungentlemanly of me and as your husband such words should never be spoken.'

'But they were spoken Sir George,' he noted the use of title, her hazel eyes bore into his. He felt his heart falling away. Her eyes held such sadness and there was no trace of forgiveness in them. She was about to say something when a knock sounded on her door. 'Enter.'

Amelia her new lady's maid made her way into the room and stood still, she had not expected a man to be in the room at that moment. She bowed and placed the tray she was holding on the table. 'Your mother insists you drink your tea today my lady. It is not right for a woman in your condition to not eat often.' She bowed and left.

Annabelle noticed a piece of paper she had tried desperately to hide as she was exiting the room. 'Amelia,' she called to her, 'please hand me the paper in your hand.'

Amelia froze. Her hands fumbled under her apron. She slowly approached Annabelle and handed her paper and received a wave of dismissal. George noticed the panic on the girls face as she was leaving the room. The door closed behind her and he turned his attention to his wife who was undoing the string from a small envelope. She pulled out a paper on it, instructions. She read them slowly under her breath and let out a gasp when she reached the end. George took the paper from her hand and read through it.

'Who is Beatrice?' she asked him when she noticed his face had registered the name when it came out of his mouth.

'She is the woman who nursed Angelo back to sound health.'

'The woman who...' it registered to her. 'Why is she trying to kill me?'

'The herbs would not kill you, simply weaken you and make you easy to persuade. I cannot protect you when you are this far away from me Annabelle. You do not have to forgive me but please think of our child. You must love him even though he is not yet here.'

'I will not return with you George. I have once again had a taste of joy and freedom, I will not condemn myself to a life of misery and sorrow again.'

'Is that what I gave you? Misery and sorrow?'

'You do not trust me. You have convinced yourself I am unfaithful. You are currently living with another one of your mistresses.'

'Clarisse is not my mistress Annabelle. She is an old friend...'

'I do not care what you call her.'

He held her face in hands, 'She is an old friend I called on for help. She chose a rather unconventional way in life. She is looking into Angelo and his brother. She is here to protect us.' He dropped his head in shame. 'She informed me the letters were a forgery.'

'You believed her word not mine?'

'I was blind with rage Annabelle.'

'As am I in this moment. I no longer wish to continue this conversation George. Please leave. Now that I am no longer attached to you, Angelo will see no need to end your life. You are safe.'

'Anna...'

'Do not call me that.'

'My love. I am dead without you. Please.'

She watched him for a moment. 'I am not going back with you George. If you feel you must protect me you will do it here. In my home.

George thought it over a moment. It was a small price to pay. He would send his horse back and send for his clothing. While he was away someone needed to run his estate, or he could have his papers delivered daily. There was an empty study he could use.

Annabelle watched him making his decision. She would not let him leave. Not again. After her conversation with Arthur she was terrified. All she had wanted was to live a simple life. Why had Angelo not died? She felt guilt build up in her because she wished he was dead. She wished Sir Ashton would disappear and Lord Markham would be arrested and she could go back to her quiet life.

'I will send my horse back, may I borrow a stable hand.'

'Do not talk of my staff in that manner. They are not items to be borrowed. You will go to the stables and request one of them to return your horse.' She stood up placing the book carefully on the chair. 'Are you coming?' she asked as she headed to the door.

Amelia entered the old tavern. The wood was falling apart and it smelt of urine. There was a woman standing behind the counter cleaning ale that had been spilled by one of the drunken men. He was now fast asleep and snoring. Amelia pulled her cloak closer to her body as she noticed the men staring at her. There were a few women in the tavern, by profession they were harlots. The cheap women of England who preferred to sell their bodies rather than find decent work.

Her mother had been one. She remembered the times their small shack had been graced by different men every night. The noise they would make. They would hit her mother and leave her with hardly enough tot take care of them both.

She was lucky to have escaped from the grips of that profession. She could not imagine selling her body to a different man every night. It was disgusting. As she approached the counter she hated herself. She was only doing this because her mother was sick and dying and in need of aid.

'Did she take the tea today?' the woman asked. Amelia shook her head. 'Did you try shoving it down her throat?' she asked as she poured ale into a glass.

'The lady is very suspicious. She does not eat or drink anything I give her. And it is getting harder to sneak in and out of the house without being noticed. Today a stable hand stopped me and asked if I worked there because he had never seen me before.'

'She must have Angelo's child not the child of that bastard,' Beatrice hissed.

'I know it none of my business but what war do you have with the young miss? She is quite the pleasant lady.'

Beatrice shot her a look of annoyance, 'Do you think I make enough from these harlots. They have no idea their worth. I would sleep with all these men if I had to but I am colored and many of them not even drunk would take me to bed. We women have talents dear Amelia, and we must use them to the best of our abilities. I need to survive. If the lady has Angelo's child, I will be the one take care of the bastard. Doing away with the foolish woman will be far easier if I am already in that house.' She smiled to herself picturing her victory. She would no longer have to bear the breath of old dying men and run the tavern. She would be comfortable. Angelo was a fool, all men were fools. She was glad her mother had taught her her trades. 'Did you get everything on the list?' she asked turning her attention back to Amelia.

Amelia nodded. She did not want to anger the woman who seemed to need a doctor.

'You will go back tomorrow and try to get her to drink that tea. The smallest amount will do just fine for now. Now get out of here. A pure girl like yourself should not be ruined by the likes of me.' Amelia turned on her heel and left as fast as she could, she would not tell her she had already been discovered. She needed the money. Her mother's very life depended on it.