April 1862
“Well I found the play rather enjoyable, did you not James?” Caroline asked as they entered the town house. James watched as Caroline slid off her satin gloves and discarded them on an end table, instantly he walked over and folded them placing them back so that they were straight.
“What have I said about that brother?” Caroline scolded and continued to take off jewellery and place them with the gloves. “James, what is wrong with you lately?” Caroline asked concerned.
“I do not know Caroline.” He mused, that was in fact a complete lie. He knew exactly what was wrong, he missed her. It had only been three days since she left; he had never missed or thought about someone as much as he did about Anna. She invaded his every thought, during business meetings, during dinner with friends, visiting the library. Her musical laugh played in his dreams, in his dreams Anna was herself. She was simply walking in a field, touching an admiring the long grass, dressed in a plain blue dress a blue that matched the sky. Her hair tumbling down her back moving as she did, her face was bare free of any make up that she was forced to wear. The smile, that he only saw her wear when around him, was permanently on her face and every now and again she would laugh that glorious tune.
“I think I know.” Caroline teased and made her way towards the stairs, giving instruction to the ladies maid as she did. “If you love her then go after her.”
“Caroline…I do not know what love is. Have you ever seen it?” James sighed, his shoulders sagging.
“No but I do not need to see it to know that love exists; you read about it, you feel it. Tell me what you feel when you’re around her.” Caroline countered.
“I do not think I even know, any words that I attempt to string together become jumbled and confused in my head. I do not know how but as soon as she is around everything is clear, I know how to talk to her. I have this huge desire to protect her, hold her. I fear if I get too close my heart will become audible to her ears for it does not slow down at all in her presence. She can make me smile whilst doing nothing; she can make me laugh with her expressions, her mannerisms, the way her speech slips into whoever she was before this beautiful woman. I cannot get enough of her…”
“Then dear brother I fear you are in love. Do not let her know it, I was talking to Celia before they departed and she does not want Anna involved with a man, let alone married. Give it time.” Caroline smiled, kissed him on the cheek and left for bed. As the realisation of his feelings hit him James became more and more ecstatic.
The pale stone gravel in the grounds of the Lords Club kicked up that Lord Rotherham’s carriage as it rode over, gently pulling to a stop and a footman ready and waiting to unlatch the door and let the young Lord out. Though he was not the oldest James was still one of the richest and most powerful, and yet the older Lords did not seem to enjoy his company. Perhaps they envisaged James to be the duplicate of his father, what they received was the complete opposite. It was because of the older Lords distain for James that he found himself in the company of the Lord’s sons. All of them a similar age to him yet none of them as mature or as worldly. James sighed, the building was rather inconspicuous from the exterior apart from the fact that it had been built in a private area it was a boring building, yet the inside could easily match the design of the palace. Marble covered every inch of hallway, real gold fixtures on every door and large, rather extravagant, chandeliers hung in every room.
“Rotherham! We were not expecting to see you at all whilst you were in London, business and all that. Come we shall go and get some wine.” The son of Lord Bennett; Howard Bennett, greeted him the instant James walked into the room. Once the pair had retrieved several drink they stationed themselves at a table surrounded by many of James’ friends. He was given the same reception that he received from Howard, all of them astonished that he was even at the club; for it was a well-known fact that he hated it there. On an adjoining table there were many faces, young faces that he did not recognise. All of them were drunk and it was not even noon, they were discussing the ladies of the season; ranking the top ten catches. James found it all rather childish yet he kept one ear strained on them just in case Anna’s name was mentioned.
