Save me

17. Don't go.

"You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."-Jane Austen

pride and prejudice

Gilbert couldn't focus, there was something wrong.

Who was that man with her? Why did she smile at him like that?-the way he thought only she ever did for him? 

It was the same smile she made when Gilbert would make a joke-the same smile she would make when he gifted her fruit from the farm- the smile she made as she watched it begin to rain outside the schoolhouse window. It was a smile he knew. 

He knew it like the back of his own hand, he knew her. This man didn't. So why was she smiling that way?

Gilbert wanted to scold himself, he wanted to be angry with himself for being jealous, for being possessive-for wanting to ask Annabelle to recreate that smile he made for this man one more time just in the slight chance he hadn't seen that instead of...that-that smile it was her fake one.

 The one she made for teachers or Josie or any of the number of people she didn't like. He knew this because there would be a slight tension in that face he spent so much time staring at. But no- yesterday he knew. She was happy in that moment. That man had made her happy. 

And why shouldn't she be? He asked himself- she deserves to be happy, Gilbert didn't own her- he had not a single thing he could or would do to ever prevent her happiness. 

So why did he feel so unbelievably unpleasant? He wanted her to smile at Him. He wanted to know what this man dressed in an expensive coat and unworn hands had said to Annabelle before Gilbert had run into her. 

At first, he had only felt joy at seeing her- seeing her soft skin and long delicate hair bouncing around her like strands of silk with each step she took. How he was nothing but happy to once again be engulfed in her vanilla and lavender scent- but then he had to come out that door like an old friend and make her smile.

Bash chuckled and Gilbert felt himself snap out of the steam-rolling train of thoughts he was trapped on. 

"What-?" Gilbert asked

"You should see your face,"  Moody said- eyes gesturing towards Gilbert's whitened knuckles as he gripped their wood-chopping axe so strongly he hadn't even realised he was holding it. 

Gilbert grumbled- releasing the wood that his hand now ached from holding. Gilbert thought to his last day at the school from the term prior, watching his Annabelle look so focused on her work before quietly sighing and looking out the window to the Great oak tree outside how could she be so beautiful when simply doing such little things? She didn't deserve this anger- she deserved a soft unfaltering affection- supportive and trusting of her.

ANNABELLE:

Her Aunt rushed frantically around the room as she pulled Annabelle's ribbon tightly around her waist and tucked each loose strand from her hair into its neat place. "Okay you look as elegant as ever," She said but Annabelle sighed trying to control her evident wheezing.

"Oh my dear, you'll be out of it soon and you will be fine," She said before  kissing Annabelle on her forehead

"I know I will," Annabelle said holding her hand up to her chest and trying so hard to control it.  "Thank you, Auntie," She said before begging to walk to the grand door as the maids opened the door to the carriage of her grandmother pulling up in all its elegance. 

The carriage door opened and Samuel appeared next to her in his finest suit grasping her hand and each family member took place in a line of greeting. As the anticipation built finally out stepped her Grandmother of course as always fully dressed in layers and layers of skirt and lace. Fine silks coated her like some sort of wedding cake. Her hair was in the tightest bun and only the most dazzling jewellery covered her showing skin. An unreadable expression on her face and Annabelle curtsied as the many years of training in higher society came rushing back just at the sight of her grandmother.