I Am A Lady #Wattys2015

Chapter Nine

'He came to our estate even I begged him not to. I knew it was too dangerous.  Ashton made him believe I had wanted him to come. My mother had planned on having him arrested. She hated him because he was the poorer of the two and she believed he was taking advantage of me because of my dowry.'

'Was he?' Sir George asked. 

She shook her head, tears falling from the motion, 'No, of course he wasn't. Angelo loved me for who I was as a person.'

'Are you not the same person now?'

She shook her head again. 'Would you remain the same if you were me. Pain changes you,' she smiled a faint smile. 'If you had met me before he died, I was not as rude or stubborn as I am now. You, maybe, even would have liked me.'

Sir George regarded her openness and vulnerability. He like her now, the way she was. He would of course have preferred she be a little more tame but he knew he would not enjoy this any other way. 'You are perfect the way you are now.'

She turned to him, caution in her eyes. Ignoring his statement, she went on with her tale of sorrow, 'my father was heart broken for me, I... I was praying no harm would come to him. He called my name from the courtyard, he shouted. There were gun shots. That is when I saw a dark figure heading into the trees and two others following. By the time I got to the river, all I saw was what was left of him. His lifeless body floating on the water. I swore never to enter, never to remember, never to know.'

'And yet your father has his portrait in his study?'

'That is not my father's study and I painted that portrait it is only fair it hangs up. It's the most beautiful thing I have ever painted.' She stopped talking and looked lost. Her eyes became emotionless. There were no tears in them but Sir George knew she was crying.

'I apologize for making you re-live such a terrible ordeal.'

'You did not kill Angelo, and an apology is not yours to give. If you do not mind I would like to return. I do not quite fancy this place.' She didn't wait for him to approve of her departure, she began walking back to the house.

Sir George followed behind her making sure to keep enough distance between them. He had wanted to give her her space. 'If that room is not your father's study, then what is it?'She had mentioned it on a number of occasions but never clarified on who's study it was.

'That Sir George,' she said softly, 'is none of your business.'

Her tone marked the end of the conversation. 

Sir Ashton was waiting for her in the parlor, when she walked through the doors with Sir George behind her. His eyes drifted from Lady Annabelle to Sir George. The look of scorn on his face said it all. He was angry she had given so much time to Sir George. 'Anna, I think it's time for our guest to leave,' he said through clenched teeth.

Sir George immediately took his place in front of Annabelle. 'I believe the Lady and I were on our way to talk to her parents,Isn't that right darling,' he said turning to face her. He gave her a smile almost invincible.

Lady Annabelle was grateful for the efforts Sir George was putting in to protect her but the fact that she did not love him remained. She did not want to marry him anymore than she wanted to marry Sir Ashton. Her heart had not healed and her mind was not ready and Angelo was still the only man who she would ever confess to having taken a hold of her heart and she wanted it to stay that way. She returned his smile. He turned to face Sir Ashton and gave a courteous bow of his head then lead Lady Annabelle to the room he now knew was not her father's study.