Page 385 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

And now . . .

He shook his head. Her life was just one tragedy after another.

“Anna?”

She didn’t lift her head, and he walked over to kneel next to her. He brushed her hair back from her face. “Anna. It is time to eat.”

She got up without speaking. Her hair was a mess, and she wore jeans with Alex’s sweater hanging down past her knees.

Wilhelm took her into the bathroom and brushed her hair, then went into the closet to find something for her to wear. He returned with a long sweater dress and helped her into it. Her skin was cold, so he searched the closet for something to keep her warm. He found a sweater and slippers, put them on her, and then led her downstairs.

Lunch was a subdued affair. Even little Derek and Sofie, usually such vibrant children, were quiet. They knew their Uncle Alex wasn’t coming home anymore. Gretchen sat quietly, feeding Otto some sort of mush. She had calmed down dramatically the last few months, which had surprised and pleased Wilhelm quite a bit. He needed to speak to Kurt about her, though. Well, he needed to speak to Kurt about many things.

Anna sat next to Wilhelm in Alex’s place and stared at Otto. Wilhelm had forgotten about the whole fiasco from their wedding day. Perhaps it hadn’t been a wise decision to have the little boy at the table.

Maurice sat at the other end of the table, next to Ilsa. Wilhelm had invited him to stay so Wilhelm could tend to Anna and Ilsa wouldn’t feel neglected. Ilsa and Maurice spoke softly together. Maurice clearly adored Ilsa, and Ilsa was very fond of him. Wilhelm was glad Maurice was there for her.

Ilsa and Wilhelm had talked before he’d arrived home and they had decided together that making sure Anna was okay needed to be Wilhelm’s priority. Ilsa would be alright. Their loving family surrounded her. Anna didn’t have anyone else, and she needed someone to lean on. The most logical person was Wilhelm, especially since he was her Master.

Wilhelm glanced again at his wife and then at Anna. Perhaps Anna would be more comfortable if she stayed with him during the night. He didn’t want her sleeping alone, and it wasn’t appropriate for Kurt to sleep with her right now. At least, not until he was accepted into The Brotherhood.

Yes. He would keep Anna with him. Maybe with his attention, she would feel comfortable enough to start talking again. It worried him that she wouldn’t speak.

The rest of the afternoon, Anna sat with the rest of the family in the upstairs sitting room while they talked about their favorite memories of Alex. She sat silently next to Wilhelm, lost in her own thoughts. They mostly spoke in English, but would occasionally slip into their native tongue. She preferred them speaking in German, so she couldn’t understand what they were saying. Hearing them speak of Alex was more painful than she thought possible, though she didn’t want to offend anyone by running away.

Her palms were bleeding from her fingernails. But she hadn’t cried.

“Anna, would you feel more comfortable staying with me in my room?” Wilhelm asked her after dinner.

She’d gone with him into his study so he could finish a few things before bed. He’d said he needed to get in touch with the world Elders. There was a special Gathering that occurred when Elders or Sons died.

Anna furrowed her brows. Where would Ilsa sleep?

“Ilsa is staying with Maurice. I thought you might not be comfortable staying in... the other room.”

The idea of staying in Alex’s bed alone was heart-wrenching. Being with Wilhelm gave her an element of comfort. She nodded.

He sighed. “I am glad. I like having you with me.” He looked down at his desk for a moment. “Do you want to stay here while I send out the email, or do you want to go to bed?”

Anna thought for a minute. Sleep was a relief. She wished she could sleep all the time. “I think I’d like to go to bed,” she whispered.

Wilhelm’s brows shot up, and he gave a soft smile as he stood. “Kommen Sie.” He walked around the desk and held out his hand. “I’ll get you settled in and then come back and finish up.”

Later, Anna lay in the darkness, alone in Wilhelm and Ilsa’s bed. Anna had fallen asleep briefly, but the old house made strange sounds. She appreciated the warmth of the blankets, as the room was quite chilly. Ilsa had personally come to reassure her that she didn’t mind Anna staying in her bed.

The door opened and she sat up. Wilhelm walked inside and closed the door. “I did not mean to wake you,” he said softly.

“I was already awake.”

He walked into the bathroom, returning a few minutes later in a pair of blue-stripped pajamas. He crawled into bed and Anna curled up next to him, resting her hand on his chest and her knee on his thigh.

A wave of desire swept through her body. Sex. Sex would help her feel better. But would Wilhelm think poorly of her if she touched him? She moved her fingers lightly on his chest over his shirt. When she ran her fingers over his nipple, he inhaled sharply and grabbed her hand.

“Wilhelm...” She opened her mouth several times before coming up with something to say. “Please...”

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her palm, then turned onto his side. His lips captured hers and he pulled her close.

In desperation and despair, they shared their grief and found comfort in one another’s arms.

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