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11. temper

Anne woke up not long after Diana had gone downstairs. It was still dark in the room, but the sun was filtering in through the curtains.

She'd had a strange dream, where she was in a white rowing boat out on a dark, endless lake. The shore was getting further away and she felt a niggling worry that she shouldn't have left the ground. There was a soft silence and all she could hear was the water against the boat. She felt a tug in her heart to look back and she glanced over her shoulder. There was a figure standing on the shore where the boat had left from. It was difficult to make out their face. There was thick, curling mist rising up from the smoky-black water.

Who was it?

Anne felt longing to go back and be with them. The figure waved to her slowly, as if saying goodbye and panic flooded her body. She was trapped, there was no way back. She desperately cried out but no sound left her mouth. She'd have to swim. Anne dived straight into the lake, forgetting she wasn't a strong swimmer.

The water dragged her thick skirts down and all she could see was the infinite, black water. Her bright red hair floated out around her hair like a flame. She was drowning. There was no way up. Anne opened her mouth and screamed.

She sat up, sweating and gasping for air, clutching the sheets tightly in her fists. She was awake.

The first thing she felt was a tense, sore pain in her side and a tightness around her waist. The first thing she thought was where am I? She suddenly remembered the night before.

The ride with Joseph, the crash, the knife, being lost... passing out. She looked down to her wound and saw that somebody had changed her clothes, and she felt a bandage around her middle. Who had done this? What if one of the riders had found her, or Joseph? They could have only bandaged her up to keep her alive long enough to threaten her or kill her themselves!

Anne was panicking, her imagination running away with the worst scenarios. She tried to stand up, the pain splitting out through her body as she forced herself to move, moaning at the effort. She had to get out of here!

"Woah! Stop!" Came a voice.

Suddenly hands were on her shoulders to slow her and Anne screamed, shocked and scared. She pushed away and lashed out and the hands grabbed her arms.

"Hey - it's me! Anne, it's me!"

"Don't touch me!" She cried, before tumbling off the bed.

A wave of mixed emotions flooded her body and she hit the floor hard. She felt sick.

"Anne!"

Gilbert was beside her in seconds, offering his hands to help her up. Anne felt very overwhelmed and confused and disorientated. She had still not quite recovered from the trauma and blood loss the previous night and the fear and panic from the nightmare. Her vision swam.

"I feel like I'm going to pass out." Anne murmured.

"Let me help you." Gilbert muttered.

Anne pushed aside his hands and tried to pull herself up with determination. But she was still weak and nausea hit her and her head spun. Her arms gave out and Gilbert caught her by the hands.

"Please - you need to lie down." Gilbert sounded frustrated.

"I can do it!" Anne said firmly.

"Why are you so stubborn?" Gilbert frowned, setting his jaw.

Anne stared at him for a moment, wishing there had been anybody except for Gilbert to help her at this time. She had forgotten how infuriating he was.