I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

Chapter Twenty Eight

'A master Angelo is here to see you ma'am,' a voice sounded from behind her. She was in the gardens taking care of her plants while her husband was away. When he arrived home she had planned on not letting him out of her sight. She was much happier. A part of her had feared he would continue to believe she was responsible for what had happened to him. Maybe he was and was simply testing her, but she did not care. She was happy. He had shown her more affection in the days that had passed than he had ever shown her since they had been married.

She found comfort in his arms and felt safe when she woke with his arms around her.

'Anna,' Angelo's voice came. The man excused himself. She felt a pang of guilt for not knowing any of George's servant's names. She had spent time with them but she did not know their names.

'What do you want Angelo?' she did not bother to look up. She knew his eyes would be fixed on her and she had not the strength to confront him just yet. She still jumped a little inside but not for love.

'I came to talk Anna.'

'You had a chance to be honest Angelo and you chose to lie why should I believe you have found the truth now?' she attacked the weed with such force, the shears tore through the glove and scratched her skin. She cursed under her breathe. Angelo just smiled. She had not changed. Still the same Anna, yet she was different because she was not his.

'Do you need help?'

She stood up and looked him in the eye. Once those eyes had blinded her but now they seemed cold and unfriendly. She noticed there was a woman standing a distance away. She did not belong to the household and looked rather frightened. Her hands fidgeting with the bows on her dress. 'Who is she?'

Angelo turned and motioned Beatrice forward. She came towards them, her walk was graceless and sloppy. She was not a woman of title. Probably a nurse. Annabelle noticed her finger nails had suffered from biting. 'This is Beatrice, Anna, she is the woman who nursed me back to life.'

'It is a pleasure,' Annabelle said kindly but not noting neither her name nor appearance to memory. 'You will forgive me Angelo but why are you here?'

'He only wants me to tell you the story my lady,' her eyes moved back to Beatrice. Her English was soft but not elegant. Where had she found him? 'You have one hour Angelo, my husband will be home by then and I will not be able to refrain him if he wishes to kill you.' She turned and walked towards the house. 'I would not mind killing you myself,' she mumbled.

They sat in her husband's study and Beatrice relayed the story of how she had found Angelo. She said he was almost died and nursing him back to life was not easy. Her story was convincing and Angelo did not once interrupt her while she spoke. Maybe she was speaking truth or maybe she was merely relaying what Angelo wanted her to hear. Either way she listened patiently.

When Beatrice finished talking and Angelo took over Annabelle noticed her eyes wander around the room, taking in the heirlooms that stood in place. Her gaze however was not one of fascination of intrigue. It was more sinister. She looked like she was calculating something. Her eyes shone when they landed upon the bookshelf. She had seen something. 

She had an uneasy feeling in her stomach about Angelo's friend. Beatrice was not a woman to trust and the fact that Angelo trusted her only warned Annabelle there was something amiss.

'Thank you for your explanations Angelo, but I must insist you leave.'

'May I call on you tomorrow?' he asked as he kissed her hand. Annabelle noticed Beatrice roll her eyes at his statement.

'I think it best you call on me only when my husband is home Angelo. I am now married and cannot do as I please anymore.'

'And when has something so fragile as that ever stopped you?'