Falling in Love All Over Again

Chapter 8

"Mrs. Bates, did you tell anyone about what you saw?" Thomas asked her.
"No." she replied calmly.
"Well, your husband knows somehow."
"You leave him out of this. I won't have him being dragged into this. He didn't see you steal the wine, I did. Your battle is with me, not him."
"If he tells Mr. Carson, he'll be sorry." he told her angrily as he walked off.

Anna cried because she was didn't want him to hurt Bates. She left the servants hall. She went into a room to clean some shoes and closed the door, so she could cry in private. Bates walked in, and she rushed into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her.
"Anna, what is the matter?" he asked with concern.
"I saw Mr. Barrow stealing some wine and..."
"You don't have to say anymore." he told her calmly, "He'll regret threatening you." he said with a hint of anger in his voice.
"What? Do you plan on seeking revenge? I don't want you to..."
"He can't get away with what he's done."
"He won't," she looked up at him now, "We'll report him to Mr. Carson. I wouldn't want Mr. Barrow to hurt you. That's what I was afraid of. I've heard that you two don't get along. And he kept telling me that he'd get you in trouble. I tried to tell him that his battle was with me, but he wanted to get you into trouble."
"So he never threatened you directly? He only threatened to get me into trouble." he asked her with a hint of relief in his voice.
"Yes. He told me that he would get you into trouble."
"Well I'm relieved if he's only threatened me. I don't care what he does to me. It's you that i'm worried about." he said relieved.
"Well I care about what he might do to you. I don't want anyone to harm you. I love you..." she said crying again.
"Oh Anna, I love you too." he told her softly.