The Characterisation of Annabelle le Roux

Chapter Seventeen: Subtle meanings

It was evening when Annabelle came into the Mamlishes's compound. The high walls reached upwards into the skies. The guards let her past and she walked straight into the auditorium.

The Lesser lord George was waiting for her. "I received your note" he began "You want to negotiate interest rates and debt repayment"

There was silence so the Lesser George said "You can begin speaking immediately"

"Can't we be given an extra hour every day to work so that we can pay back our debt faster. Health care is so expensive if you must pay for it yourself and more so if you must take time off work to go to the clinic. The clinics are not open after hours which makes it difficult to go there in the early stages of disease. The whole city is unsanitary as a result."

"You know Annabelle." Said the Lesser Lord George "This reminds me of the last day that I saw Phoenix. Such a sad day for everybody, life is so fragile. Death can come and fetch anybody."

Annabelle stopped dead in her tracks. "Murderer" she said eventually. "Shameless too. Have you no understanding of correct decorum. Don't lie with your fake crocodile tears. Don't you know that I know that you murdered him."

A hush came over the auditorium as every pair of ears turned to listen to the exchange between Annabelle and the Lesser Lord George.

"Did you just accuse me of being rude! I am not rude. I was giving you condolences on your loss and reminiscing on the fond times that Phoenix and I spent together."

"Fond times?" said Annabelle. "I know that Phoenix never thought of them as fond"

He stopped and looked around "Carter, please bring me the whiskey" he said with a flick of his fingers. "Phoenix was always a laugh to be around, remember Leda" he nodded towards one of the women who was standing along the sides of the hall "Remember that time when ...."

"My youth army is outside the building. I'm warning you" hissed Annabelle.

"Now, now I don't know why you keep talking out of turn like that" said the Lesser Lord George "And threatening me too. I am here in good faith. You have done nothing, absolutely nothing to get me to trust you and then you act like I am the one who is the problem"

"Whiskey was the last thing that Phoenix drank" said Annabelle darkly.

"There is not much to celebrate when somebody dies, but at least I can take comfort in knowing that I showed him a little kindness before he passed" answered the Lesser Lord George ignoring Annabelle's tone.

"You wrote a pamphlet celebrating his fall" replied Annabelle. "You posted it the announcement on that very column" she pointed across the room.

"Come on Annabelle, your rudeness is wearing me thing. You are embarrassing me too. Stop bringing up gossip," said the Lesser Lord George his hand moving rapidly "Also, you are quite wrong, it was not an announcement but rather just a copy of a letter that I am required to write as part of my responsibilities on the island. Raynor Colter is required to be kept abreast of conditions on the ground here in Zilby."

The server came with a glass of whiskey and presented it to Annabelle. She took the glass.

"Why don't you also drink some of the whiskey that you are offering me." She said.

"Oh no, I couldn't, you understand, I am not allowed to drink on the job." Said the Lesser Lord George.

"I am not a fan of whiskey either" said Annabelle.

"I was not aware, how about liquor. I have Amarula. Imported. It was a gift from the Lesser Lord Filch. He thought that maybe he could set up a market here, but then the Lowly Lady Leda mentioned that his overlord has a cotton mill back on the mainland and then I found out that marula manufactures collect marulas from gardens where they may use pesticides. These pesticides have killed butterfly larvae! Imagine the cruelty, killing the young of butterflies, just so you can drink a smooth alcoholic beverage."