Anne with an E The Next Chapter

April Showers Bring May Flowers

"What ever happened? Where is Diana?" Mrs. Barry shouted as she saw James in the foyer of their grand entrance.

"I'm terribly sorry ma'am but you're daughter is a lost cause. She's tangled herself with that vicious brute and though I nearly had her ready to leave with me, he came in and assaulted me"

"Oh heavens..." Mrs Barry shouted and took James's face in her hands examining the bruises and cuts left by Jerry's vengeful fists. "I'll get my husband and we will go straight away to collect her. William, William...make haste, James has been hurt and we must go get Diana.

Mr Barry ran into the foyer to see what was happening and found a muddied and soaked James Andrews in the hall looking rather insulted and angry. "James what happened... is Diana alright?"

"She most certainly is not. I'm very sorry Mr. Barry but I would not marry your daughter now even if you offered to pay me. She is completely out of her mind and prefers to live with that savage than to have a promising life with me. She is completely hopeless and useless to me".

"Mind your manners in my home James... you'll not speak of my daughter that way" Mr. Barry responded, feeling surprised at James' sudden turn.

James hovered in the hallway awkwardly and rubbed at his now swollen face.

"There must be something we can do...why don't we got back and talk to Diana together" Mr. Barry said trying to gather up enough hope to get the three of them working together.

"Oh we can't leave in this rain... look it's coming down like mad right now. Let's let James clean up and we can't go when the weather clears.

James knew he couldn't go back to that house even he wanted to. He had felt Jerry's rage and didn't plan to test that again. "I won't go back there Mr. Barry. That mongrel has threatened to break my legs and I need both my legs sir. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to clean up, collect my things and go. Oh and he wouldn't let me take the carriage back".

Mr. Barry stepped aside and let James by, but something didn't sit well with him. He went to the parlour and sat there, while Eliza paced back and forth crying and lamenting Diana's behaviour. He sat quietly thinking about the things he knew about Jerry Baynard. Hard working, helpful, charming, kind, warm...these were all things Mr and Mrs Cuthpert had said to him a few nights back. They never said anything about him being ill mannered or brutal. But Diana had said that he didn't know what James was really like and Jerry had alluded to some impropriety on his part. Mr. Barry felt that whatever had gone on between Jerry and James, that somehow Jerry could not be entirely responsible. He felt a sudden skepticism about the young man in his home and couldn't wait for him to leave. Without thinking, he stood, feeling suddenly propelled to go to his daughter to make sure she was ok.

"What is it William..." Mrs. Barry asked when he made his way to the door.

"I'm worried about Diana... and Jerry" he said cautiously.

"Jerry!!! Whatever for? Did you see what Jerry did to our poor James? Why on earth would you be worried about Jerry? Have you lost your mind?"

"ELIZA... I wonder how it is that you've gotten yourself so worked up about a man we barely know and you don't seem to have a fleeting thought about your own daughter. Did you ever stop to think that perhaps we should be giving her the benefit of the doubt. She's always been responsible and level headed. If she doesn't want to marry James, there might be a good reason for it!" William said sternly.

Eliza floundered under her husband's glare and quick tongue. She couldn't find the words to respond but managed to let out a few words before he stormed out of the room "I...I can't manage this scandal William..."