yours, truly | lord tewksbury

chapter four: premature goodbyes

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*!!Chapter Four: Premature Goodbyes!!*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

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The morning sun rose slowly yet it felt all too quick for Annalise, knowing that as the minutes ticked by, so did her time with Tewkesbury. Blinking open her eyes, she felt a heat against her back, turning to find herself wrapped up in Tewkesbury's arms. She'd fallen asleep an arms length away from him and had no idea how she'd managed to wind up in his arms. Closing her eyes she savoured the feeling, how right it felt to be in his arms, knowing that once he found out who she was, he'd probably tie up his running shoes and be off before she even had a chance to explain herself.

Tewkesbury began to stir with a groan, pausing momentarily as he felt hair tickling his chin. Looking down he saw Annalise laying in his arms and for a moment he felt home. More home than he had all those years in Basilworth Manor. Then her eyes met his and a faint blush spread across his cheeks, worried she'd flinch away after noting their position but she just smiled shyly up at him.

"Good morning, Tewkesbury." Annalise smiled, pulling out of his embrace, hiding her frown as she lost the contact of his arms.

"Good morning, Anya. Here, you have a leaf in your hair." Tewkesbury replied, leaning up and pulling the leaf from her curly hair before blowing it away with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"I did, considering we slept on the forest floor. Apologies for getting so close." Annalise blushed, avoiding his eyeline. It was so improper of her to have laid with him in such a manor, her brother would be furious. And the rumours.

"I can practically hear your brain working overtime Anya. We fell asleep, if it's rumours you're worried about, I don't think trees can talk." Tewkesbury smirked. "And Enola over there has more secrets than you can shake a stick at so I really don't think you have to worry about her telling the ton we had a sleepover in the forest." He winked, causing the blush on Annalises' cheeks to darken as she let her mind wander briefly.

"I'm sorry. It's just hard to let certain rules I've been taught to be broken easily. I'm sor-"

"I'm not sorry. That was one of the best night's sleep I've had in a long time. So as ungentlemanly of me as it may be, I'm not sorry Anya." Tewkesbury interrupted her, holding her hand and turning her face to meet his eye.

"O-kay. Apology redacted. Since you're so adamant, one isn't necessary." She smiled back at him as they both turned to see Enola looking at them curiously.

"What are you two babbling on about? Come on, we need to get a move on if we want to make it to London by lunch." She huffed, setting off to find more of the plants Tewkesbury had got them the night before.

"You heard the woman, we best get ourselves organised." Annalise stood, brushing off some dirt from her dress before making her way over to the pile of burnt logs, hoping to restart the fire.

The morning passed quickly and soon the trio found themselves standing on a dirt road kicking up stones as they waited for the next phase of Enola's plans. "So how long are we going to be standing here? It's rather tedious." Tewkesbury complained for the third time in what Annalise had counted to be the tenth minute.

"Now." Enola sighed in response as a carriage containing goats began to pull up near them. "Excuse me sir, are you heading to London by any chance?"

"Might be. Who's asking?" He grunted to the trio.

"Three anonymous beings who will pay for safe passage to London." Annalise replied, holding out two shillings to the man whose eyes lit up at the prospect of money.