Glimpses of Love

Chapter Ten

When Henry had left London months before, he had told the servants he would return the following week. He never came that following week. Anna waited for him, every subsequent week. She waited, not knowing which week. Now, sitting in the corner at the reception for her nevew to be born, she wished that the next week would be today. She knew he wasn't coming, but she couldn't help wishing for it.

"My lady," She looked at Lord Calcutt, who had reached her with lemonade.

"My lord." She smiled at him. She took the lemonade he handed her. "Thank you."

"It is a joyous celebration."

Anna nodded. She looked at Will and Eve. They were so happy. She thought of such a moment for herself. Henry was with her.

"I am glad you liked it."

The man cleared his throat. "Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about something private." Anna noticed that his cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Of course," she said. Anna had witnessed this many times. Lord Calcutt was going to open his feelings for her. Anna paused for a moment and looked at him. He had a beautiful face, reassuring. His chocolate brown eyes were always warm. It was as if there were no walls to his soul, no secrets he kept to himself. There was something soothing about his presence. Anna felt a twinge of bitterness. She hadn't thought a single peaceful thought about Henry lately. But it wasn't like that before, chatting with the young man made her happy. She never felt restless when she was with him. Until that night, when he suggested she marry Noah. It was after that night that everything happened. It was as if Henry had deliberately wanted to disturb that peace, to destroy all her hopes.

"Then I will be waiting for you in the common room."

Anna nodded. Everyone was out in the garden enjoying themselves and the house was empty except for the servants in the kitchen. Lord Calcutt left. Anna waited for a few minutes and then, unnoticed by anyone, she made her way towards the house. It was then that it happened, the moment she lost control of her body. Her eyes opened wide in disbelief at the sight she saw and then slowly closed. When the image disappeared, she shook her head. She grimaced with an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. She felt the muscles in her legs trembling like jelly. She opened her eyes. It was real. Henry Acklam, he was here. She took a deep breath. There was a buzzing in her ears. It was a sound that seemed to swirl around her head. She felt the need to hold on to something.

"Calm down," she whispered. Just then Henry's bright green eyes found hers. Anna turned round in alarm. She pressed her palm to her stomach as if to relieve the feeling in her stomach. He shouldn't be here, he shouldn't have come here. She made a fist with her hand on her stomach. Her fingernails were hurting her palm. Yet she was grateful that this painful sensation gave her the opportunity to focus on something else. She scratched her palm harder. Her focus should be on this, not Henry. So why couldn't she move? Why wasn't she making her way home, going to Lord Calcutt?

"My lady,"

She took a shaky breath as his soft voice filled her ears. She released her hand and let it fall to her side. She took another deep breath as her nostrils flared. She turned around, putting what she hoped was a casual expression on her face. Not slowly, but suddenly. The longer it took, the more agonising it was.

They locked their eyes. And that was it. Their eyes met and there was no need to speak. Henry wanted to tell her what had happened with just his gaze. But there was something else there, in her eyes. A wall. Henry felt the hardness of that wall through her darkened gaze. That hardness hit that wall, that those eyes looked at him differently. He swallowed. He felt a lump in his throat. When he had decided to come here against all odds, hoping to see the young woman, of course he had imagined something else. He had planned to make everything all right. What a fool he had been, believing it would be so easy? It was only when he entered the Keighleys' garden and his eyes found her that all the pain seemed to be behind him. Seeing her was like finding his soul again. As she stood there in the distance, her honey-foam hair falling in curls down her bare back, Henry had spent a few moments thinking how beautiful she was. He wanted to look at her for a long time. But then he remembered how much he wanted to see that pale mole on her cheek, how much he wanted to look into her moss-coloured eyes. His feet had stepped towards her before he had given the order. His lips had called out to her before he gave the order. For a moment, he believed he could deserve her. That he could be closer to her than anyone else. Until he met her walled gaze.