Anne with an E The Next Chapter

Departure Time

"I will not go with you . You have no claim over me" she shot back at him.

"Of course not, but I fear you've lost your way Diana, I am merely here to remind you that you do still have duty and honour and your parents expect this of you. Society expects this of you".

He was warm and smiling and she remembered what Ruby had said. He hadn't hurt her. He'd been tender and caring towards her and although he'd been cruel in leaving her behind, he hadn't been so terrible. She relaxed a little thinking a little explanation might make it clearer for him. "James, it's not that I've lost my way, I've simply chosen to follow a path of love. You wouldn't want to live with a woman who's heart doesn't belong to you. I could never be a proper wife to you if my heart belongs to another. Haven't you ever been in love?"

His brown eyes softened and she could see him recalling a person or a time where perhaps he'd felt what she was feeling for Jerry. "You have loved before, I can see it. Well then you can understand that I must follow my heart".

"Diana, really" he said with a gentle laugh and a smile. "You sound like a schoolgirl".

"Yes and I feel like one. I've never been more excited to start my day...to start my life. Everyone should be filled with this feeling. I'm not sure how anyone can go on marrying someone they don't love" she said with a sort of modern conviction he couldn't understand.

He leaned against the door looking pensive and kind with his eyes cast to the floor. He slowly raised his head and his eyes met hers. "Diana, I understand the feelings you have, but we need to grow up. Couldn't you grow to love me that way?"

She felt terrible then... maybe she'd misread him and perhaps he really did have a wish deep down to start a life with her. She felt badly for him in that moment and felt perhaps an apology was in order.

"James, I'm sorry. I'm not sure what my mother has told you but we don't really know one another and perhaps you've been lead to think the wrong thing. I have been committed to another for some time. Not in the traditional way you might think, but anchored to him with my heart. I'm terribly sorry about my parents promising something that could not be. To be fair, they didn't know themselves until recently"

"Yes, the farm hand... they told me".

"Yes" she said blinking softly and smiling gently... "his name is Jerry".

In one step James was close to her. His hand touched her face like a nervous 14 year old boy. His face was close to hers and she could smell the clean, crisp smell of his aftershave. "Diana please, lets not speak of him" he said urgently as if to erase Jerry from her mind. "Listen to me, I can be everything and more to you and we could have a safe and comfortable life together". His hands held her face as he looked deep into her eyes, his forehead almost touching hers. "You and I can be powerful and successful together... we are a wining combination" he said smiling and looking slightly emotional.

Diana tried to pry her head back but he held her firmly now. She waited a moment, unsure what to do next and she heard him breath harder as he looked at her mouth. He leaned in then, hard and fast, and kissed her mouth with reckless abandon. Shocked by this, she whimpered a bit and then pushed him back making him tumble.

"I'm sorry" she whispered "there will never be an us".

He snickered then, his face changing from passionate young lover to a wicked older brother.

"Do you think that life will be better to you because you've found you're one true love? You've had all but 5 minutes to play this fairytale game with him" he laughed out loud.

"Oh but you have much to learn... "he laughed again, pacing the kitchen floor. His voice rose a little and he wagged his finger..... "granted, yes, you'll have an exciting summer"he laughed as he imagined the scenario "the two of you locked up in the pretty little farm house. It will be warm and sunny and you'll both be ravenous for one another. He won't be able to keep his hands off of you and you'll survive on fresh air and bits of fruit". She flinched at his description of her and Jerry, seeing it playing out clearly in his mind felt like an invasion of their privacy.