I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

chapter two

'No-one my dear Annabelle, I believe that was Sir George, only one of the wealthiest men in all of England and if what the women say stands true, he does not disappoint in appearance. 

'You may marry him if you feel that way', she replied coldly.

'Come now my dear Annabelle, I meant not to offend you'

'Then stop speaking such evils in my presence I am a lady'.

'I apologize my lady'.

They walked for a while in silence. Lord Markham keeping sure their path was nowhere near the edge of the forests. He took hold of her hand again and kissed it. He had had his eye on Annabelle for quite some time, he wanted her to be his. He needed her to feel what he had been feeling all his life. He was of the impression she held affections towards him and he would use that in his favor.

She turned her soft hazel eyes to him and he felt he was on the brink of melting. They touched his skin so softly, his heart pounded a little before he could catch his breath to reply.

'Lord Markham, I have a feeling and I do hope it is wrong, but did mama speak to you about Sir George. When you came in you regarded him as though you were sorry to have interrupted. And I fear if it wasn't for my desire to leave his presence you would have bowed and gone your way.'

'Nothing escapes you my dear Annabelle.'

'My mother raised me to be observant. I am only doing what I was told.'

'Yes she did speak to me briefly. She stated how much you want for a husband.'

'I want of one Lord Markham but not him. I was under the impression you had affections in my direction, pray tell if I am wrong, your visits here may be cut short for they would be wasting both our time.'

'Do not speak to me like that dear Annabelle. You know all too well nothing would make me quit your presence even a husband. It is true I do have affections for you but you know your mother does not approve, and I cannot fight her. It is not in my capacity.'

'Then why are you here?' she had stopped walking and taken her hand from him, her hazel eyes burning through his.

It was this look he dreaded on his way to her house. She was never one who could be lied to. He knew all too well what she would do when he told her the news and he hoped this would only hasten his plans. 

'My dear Annabelle', he finally spoke. His voice choked and quiet. "I have already been married.'

The look of shock and horror on her face pained him very much. He had not intended for it happen that way but circumstances beyond his control had caused him to take a wife. She had not been cautious and was now with child. Her father had not wanted to hear of a sum of money assigned for her upkeep. The wedding took place a week after the news was announced and Lord Markham regretted ever looking her way, for it was Annabelle he had set himself to marry and was sure it would have happened if this tragedy had not befallen him.

He had locked her away and rightly so. He did not need anymore distractions. She lacked nothing and neither did her child. 

Annabelle had her eyes glued to him not moving from him for a long while. When she finally managed to pull them from his face, she raised a hand to his cheek. He caught it before the impact with such force, she winced in pain. She saw what she thought was a momentary look of pure hatred in his eyes before he schooled his features and lowered her hand. 

'Do not raise your hand to me Anna. I did not choose this.' She shivered at the use of her name. Lifting up her skirts and running from him seemed the only reasonable action and so that is what she did. He watched her a long while, calming his emotions. When he came back to his senses, he walked slowly back towards their home whistling with every step he took. 

He opened the doors screaming for the  Annabelle's mother, who came to the top of the staircase with a rather unamused look upon her face. 'May I ask Lord Markham why you need to announce your presence in such a fashion?' she questioned him.

'I apologize my Lady but Annabelle ran into the trees and for I know not how to navigate through them on my own I thought to seek out your help or perhaps that of your husband.'

Lady Sarah quickly gathered her skirts and came down the stairs heading for the door shouting for Ronald. There was much commotion in the house and no one noticed Sir George was still there. He watched in amazement at the fuss being made over a spoilt maid running into the trees. Her father ran past him then stopped when he realized who he was. 'I apologize for this Sir George I was under the impression you had already left.'

'If this matter is as important as it seems sir, give me a horse for your land may hurt mine, I will help with the search.'

'Most certainly,' Lord Edwards replied and signaled Sir George to follow him.

Sir George mounted his horse and rode in the direction of Lord Edwards only to break away from the group just before the trees when he noticed a piece of cloth moving further away from the edge of the trees. He kicked the horse to make it go faster and sped off into the trees.

After five minutes of riding he decided his feet would be the best way to find Lady Annabelle. He slid off the horse and walked slowly making sure not make much noise. 'All this for one stupid girl,' he held onto the reigns of the horse as he looked about the trees for the cloth he had seen before.

'Yes, all this is for me,' a voice behind him stated

He spun around almost falling from the sudden movement his body had. His eyes landed on Annabelle's, she was looking at him with such intensity and something else he had never seen before.

'May I ask what it is you are doing here?' her hands were placed neatly behind her back. 'I was under the impression not wanting to spend your day in the company of servants you would have excused yourself from this manor'.

He watched her mouth as she spoke, and as if not waiting or caring for his answer she turned around and walked away but not before George noticed the blood on one of her hands.

'And where do you think you are going with an injured hand?' he asked waking slowly as not to catch up with her should she run.

'I don't suppose you have bandages on our persons that will aid my injury', she stated still walking and not bothering to turn back.

Sir George stopped walking and looked at her frame becoming smaller and less visible as she disappeared in the trees.

He hated her, but for some reason he wanted to know where on earth she found the right to carry such air with him and in his presence, Sir George Devonshire, the keeper of all women and the lover of none. He watched her walk until he could see her no more, then he heard a shout, 'Lord Edwards, we found her.'