Collection of Older Works

Flashbacks of a Fool: Chapter Two

Chapter Two

The thudding hoof beats on the sodden turf served as little distraction. Drawing the carriage curtains to a close, Annabelle settled bitterly into the surrounding darkness penetrated only by her silent sobs and that of the whining horses pulling her away from her first and last love. Suppressing the heaves that ebbed and flowed, wracking her body, Annabelle replayed the moments just barely passed. What on earth had happened? Could she truly trust the figments torturing her mind? She shut her eyes tightly. She dared not because digesting the fragments being offered her meant that the brooding gentleman at the bakery had indeed been Nathaniel. And it couldn't have been. Not her Nathaniel...

...But it was, and the painful truth was undeniable. However, as the carriage jerked to a stop marking the arrival at Melbourne House, Annabelle swallowed the crippling ache. Her tears would have to wait. Overcome by the dampened illusions, Annabelle entered the modest home desperately seeking to hide in her dark and damp chambers, when—

"Martha." The sound of Mrs. Melbourne's voice halted her steps. "I trust you’ve delivered the dresses and the matter has been rectified."

Gathering her words and the strength with which to speak them, Annabelle nodded timidly. "Yes ma'am. The gown for this evening is being brought to her as we speak. The rest will be ready in the morning." Annabelle struggled through the soreness suffocating her words, her eyes focused solely on the mahogany runner beneath their feet.

"Wonderful," Mrs. Melbourne uttered in her usual bitterness, misery after all being her normal nature. Yet, there was something about her distant stare that told Annabelle there was more to Mrs. Melbourne’s tone that her common cynicism.

"Now hurry along and help Beatrice prepare an additional chamber. Word has been received that our guest intends to bring along a visitant of his own." She scoffed in repugnance. "He might be an Earl, but status does not mean you can forgo manners and courtesy."

Annabelle nodded absently as Mrs. Melbourne delved deeper into her tirade on proper manners and etiquette. And while Annabelle had little trouble detecting Mrs. Melbourne’s disgust whenever uttering the word guest or visitor, Annabelle could not will herself to care. Who his lordship decided to bring without invitation meant little to her. She had seen Nathaniel. Was there anything else more important?

“Why are you still here?” Mrs. Melbourne’s hiss cut through Annabelle’s thoughts. She had forgotten all about the woman though she stood right before her. Cursing inwardly, Annabelle curtsied. She would have to try harder not to lose herself to thought. She couldn’t bear the memory of Nathaniel to also endure another reprimand.

Doing away with herself instantly, Annabelle hurried up the stairs, taking little time to deposit of her cloak in her chamber before going to Beatrice.  Turning onto the second floor corridor, Annabelle stopped, seeing Madeline bluster from the room being prepared.

Darting back from whence she came, Annabelle listened as Madeline made her decent then made little noise in reaching Beatrice.

“What on earth!” Annabelle gasped, frozen for a moment at the doorway. In haste Annabelle rushed into the room to help her fellow maidservant Beatrice stand from under a pile of linens.

Annabelle untangled a sheet from the young maid’s apron, "Are you all right?

Beatrice seemed shaken, but managed a weak smile. "As good as I'll be until we get that wild boar married," she spoke for Annabelle’s ears only.

In a fit of much needed laughter, Annabelle knelt beside Beatrice assisting in refolding the bundled sheets as Beatrice explained, "Miss Madeline was told that Lord Hamilton is to bring a guest. Well, she stormed in here demanding we prepare the furthest room from his lordship so his attention would be on her solely. Does this poor man know the type of woman he’s to marry? Madeline is so desperate for a husband she may be bold enough to sneak into his bed chamber in the dead of night!"