I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

Chapter Twenty Six

He placed Annabelle on the floor and stood back to watch her. Her eyes were fiery. Her lips were pursed and hands were slowly forming into fists. His chest hurt from the candle stand she had thrown at him. He wondered if it had caused any kind of bruising.

'First you try to kill me with glass.'

'And you with a band of thieves and a two candle stands.'

'Neither count because both incidences were not my fault.'

'So you say you are innocent? So what may I ask did Angelo want?'

'He saved your life, so he told me. He sent your friend Lord Conrad onto London to receive medical attention and brought you here.'

'Why?'

'He wanted to fall into my good graces after rising from the dead so to speak.'

'Did you know of my accident before it happened?'

'Yes.' She said with her head low. She had owed him at least that. To inform him his life was in danger.

'Why did you remain silent?'

'Sir Ashton one too many a time has made false claims I assumed this time would be no different.'

'And yet you accuse him of killing his brother,' there was something in her eyes. They stayed focused on the floor. He wanted to ask but was afraid of the answer he was to receive. He still wanted her, but first he had to know if he was sleeping with the enemy.

'Angelo is alive and well,' he said more to himself than to her. 'What shall become of us now?'

She looked up at him. Not sure what the question meant. 'I am sorry but what do you mean?'

'Your lover is alive I only presume I should expect you to be sneaking off to town for the most absurd reasons so you can shack up with him in a hotel room.'

'I am a respectable woman George,' she yelled. 'Do not plant your indiscretions on me. I will not have my name tarnished. I was raised a Christian woman of good virtue. When I entered this hell I was as pure as the sun that shines upon these lands. Adultery is a sin, I hope you know that.'

'It was merely a question.'

'A rather foolish one. Get out of my way,' she marched towards him. The only motion she got from it was being lifted off the ground once again. This time he placed her on the bed. She sat up and scurried to the other side. 'I do not understand you. You do not want to love me and you do not want to leave me. Am I here to appease you? Or do you feel pity I will not find another man willing to take my tainted hand and make an honest woman out of me?' it was her turn to ask the questions.

'Why would you say that?' he asked as he took off his cravat and then started with the buttons on his shirt. He had already discarded her corset in his study. Now all he had to was take off her dress or raise it depending on how difficult she would be.

He cursed himself for being in want of this woman before him. He should be interrogating her. Somewhere within himself, he believed she would never do such a thing. She had relations and friendships he would never approve of and had disrespected him in more ways than one by entertaining her ex lover in his home but he still wanted her. The thought of Angelo taking her away from him made him angry. The thought he could have died and she would be free to go back to the man she swore her heart to angered him. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and know that she is his and his only.

'Lord Markham would have married me.' She said hoping to deter what she knew was coming. He was discarding his clothes with great efficiency.

'His mother would never approve. I have had the unpleasant pleasure of meeting her once. Her nose is so far up in the air it's a wonder that old hag can breathe with the insects flying about.'