I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

Chapter Thirty Three

'Sarah what is the matter?'

'Anthony, she is pregnant,' she breathed.

'What?' Lord Edwards looked upon his daughter. He remembered his wife had looked the same way the first few weeks of her pregnancy. Her face pale, her lips dry, her eyes held dark circles around them. Her fingers were slightly swollen when he looked at her closely. He smiled. Like her mother the morning sickness had not befallen her.

'Are you sure?'

'I am a woman Anthony, I know the body of a woman, do you forget the life I lived before you met me? I tended to one many young girls looking for refuge from their fathers after falling pregnant. My dear Annabelle is a woman.'

 She smiled.

'We must wait for her to awaken before sending word to her husband,' Lord Edwards stated in a tone that allowed no arguments.

His wife nodded her eyes not leaving her daughter. She looked up, as if to see the heavens, and prayed a silent prayer.

'Your wife has not returned?' Arthur was standing at the door of George's study. 'Conrad is on his way, with his fiery wife.' His words did little to sway George. He remained seated behind his desk staring at a bottle of brandy. 'I believe we are close to solving this mystery George.'

'She left me Arthur. She left. No luggage, she just left!' his hand moved over the bottle sending it from the table to the floor. His eyes were burning fire. 'She walked out of the study and left!'

'You made her leave. Your constant doubt and temperament. I know not of a woman who would stand a lifetime of it. Even my very own sweet Clarisse.'

'She did not look well Arthur,' his tone soaked in worry.

'Do you care for the woman George? Because if not, let her go. Let her go and be happy. Let her live a life where tears and pain are not what she awakens to every morning. Let another man love her so she may know what love feels like.' Arthur regretted his words almost immediately. George was on his feet and in front of him, holding onto his shirt with such force. His breath, heavy with alcohol, his eyes red from drinking. He had been drinking since his wife left. Not leaving his study and not eating.

His mind working through all Angelo had come to tell him. Clarisse had assured him Annabelle was not at fault but he refused to see it. His rage, the fact a mere woman would defy him, would not let him believe she was innocent.

Clarisse stepped into the room an expression of amusement on her face. She rarely saw George turn to violence. She just hoped her news would quail his temper. 'Let the man go George, he is not responsible for your current woes,' she stated as she walked past the two men and placed herself on his seat behind his desk.

George unhanded Arthur and dropped himself on the seat opposite Clarisse. Arthur remained standing where he was. It allowed him a view of his lovely lady. Today she donned a dress. A deep blue that hugged her bosom revealing just what he wanted to see.

'Sir Ashton,' she began. She was never one to begin with an opening statement like Arthur loved to do. He was standing across the room watching her. She could feel his eyes on her, 'is responsible for defiling Lady Sarah Edwards before her wedding day. His age, his real age is five and forty, however his youthful looks make him appear as one could be five and twenty. Lady Edwards has no recollection of who did it. The trauma of it all, I do not think it is something she would like to relive. She pulled away the seal on the envelope she carried while eyeing George. His face was one of shock. 'Lord Markham has spent some of his well years at Barrignton,'

'Barrignton?' Arthur interrupted.'

'Yes, Barrignton,' she replied irritated. 'He is not one of sound mind. His father however, is the one with a hunger for revenge. He is an old sickly man dying from what I was able to gather. His wife neglected him. He was set to marry Lady Edwards and she was to stay at his manor as his slave to society, but as a wife to him. The marriage would not be registered in any church or court but would be as equally legal and binding. When Lord Edwards came along, Lady Edwards found her way out of the snare of the elderly Lord Markham.

He saw her as his prize his own possession. You are free to imagine his feelings at the announcement of an engagement in the local papers. There was a ball and every noble and respectable person was talking of the engagement.'

'Where does Sir Ashton come in?' Arthur asked.

'He was in a drunken state, Lady Edwards was walking home, she insisted on helping a young lady deliver a baby. Knowing full well the dangers of being a woman and that of color walking the streets in the dark. He attacked her and Lord Markham being the inquisitive happened upon them.'

George had not spoken a word. He listened intently. These two men had something against his wife's mother, but he did not understand what it had to do with Annabelle.

Clarisse looked at both men making sure they were still alert before she continued. 'The elderly Lord Markham soon took ill after Lady Edwards married. He has been that way since. He instilled his hate for her into his son and the young Lord Markham vowed to destroy the family. Like we heard the two men talking Arthur, Sir Ashton has been paying for his mistakes. When he was unable to secure Annabelle's hand, Lord Markham made well sure she would be introduced to his brother who had a little bit more charm.

Annabelle took a liking to Angelo and soon enough she was in love,' George stirred in his seat. The thought of his wife being in love with another ached him dearly. He missed her presence in his home. 'Angelo soon unraveled the ploy and was to tell Annabelle that fateful night. Lady Edwards, had never taken a liking to Angelo as he had no title, being the child of a bastard. This is what Ashton and Markham used to their advantage. It was not Sir Ashton who informed him she wished to speak to him that fateful night, it was Lord Markham. He had hoped to kill them both but the guards foiled his plans. He had to make due with Angelo being dead. Annabelle came to hate Sir Ashton, he had to be satisfied with that outcome.'

'What do we make of Angelo, now that he has returned from the dead?' Arthur asked.

'He is here to claim what is his. I spoke with a lady who Beatrice ired. She swore to me the woman was only looking to instill Angelo back to his rightful place in society then rob him blind as she has done with her other men. Angelo however is tired of always being kind. He has decided Annabelle will be his,' she turned to George, 'at whatever cost.'

'Who tried to kill me?' George asked. Her answer would settle any and all doubts he had about his wife.

'Lord Markham. Your death would bring great suffering to Annabelle as Angelo's death had. I am afraid he will not stop until she has lost someone.'

Arthur who had been listening intently knew the only way for them to put an end to Lord Markham's plan was to make all of England believe George was dead and Annabelle grieving. It would cause a moment of comfort. Only in comfort did people make mistakes. This plan had worked for him in the Americas, it would do well in England, because all women did was gossip. But first he would have to speak to Annabelle in private.