Page 69 of Annabelle Enchants the Rejected Earl
Chapter 33
Annabelle wokeup early in the morning after a restless night of sleep. As soon as her eyes snapped open and she let in the cracks of sunlight proving that morning had arrived, she knew exactly where she had to go, what she had to do. Even though she had a throbbing headache that came from not looking after herself properly, she knew what wasright.
She pushed herself up, twisting her head from side to side trying to alleviate a little bit of the stiffness that sat there, then Annabelle stood on her shaky feet and she moved through her home with determination in herchest.
Surprisingly, since she had so much confusion racing through her body, Annabelle got herself dressed quickly. She did not wear anything fancy, anything to make her silhouette better or her face look nicer, instead, she simply pulled clothes onto her body and she went outside without thinking too much aboutit.
“Good morning,” Mark called out to her as she walked past. “It is very early, Annabelle, why are you out at thistime?”
Despite the fact that she knew it was probably very rude, Annabelle kept on walking. “Yes,” she called behind her back. “I have things todo.”
“Oh right, well...” Mark, in his typically nosy way, wanted to know what Annabelle was up to, why she was out of her usual routine, but he did not get a chance. She was gone before he could say anything, her feet moving at the speed of light. “Fine, I shall ask you later,” he eventually muttered to himself as she vanished into thedistance.
Annabelle would apologize to Mark later, probably. Now she only had one thing in mind and that was all that she cared about. She continued down the familiar path to the home that she had only been at a couple of nights before. Little did she know then that her life would change forever in ways that she did not expect. The proposal seemed to be the spark of dramatic events that no one could havepredicted.
It was not until she reached James’s home that she finally paused to take a breath. She stared up at the building, her heart racing, her mind whirring. The truth was Annabelle knew that she needed to be here, she was very aware that she had to speak to James, but she was not aware of what she intended to say. She did not yet know what her decision was, which she was only now realising was anissue.
What am I going to do? She thought desperately. What will I say tohim?
All of a sudden, the front door to James’s house creaked open and he stepped outside. Annabelle stared at him, feeling a rush of love racing through her chest. He was such a good man, a kind man, he would give her the best life ever. He did not deserve anything bad to happen to him, especially not the loss of afiancée.
But her heart did not skip a beat. Not like it did with Floyd. What was her body trying to tell her? That was what she was here to figureout.
Eventually, James seemed to sense the prickle of her eyes upon him and he twisted around to face her with a stunned look on his face. His eyes widened and his mouth hung open. It was normally he who instigated their meetings, he certainly had not planned anything today just before he left forwork.
“Annabelle?” He stepped closer to her with a weird sensation in his chest. There was something about this that made him feel like he was not about to like what would come next. “Are you alright? What are you doinghere?”
She parted her lips and tried to find the right words, but they would not immediately come. Instead, she needed to stall. “Can I please come inside for a moment?” Her fingers automatically twisted the ring around her engagement finger as if it did not feel comfortable there. “I know that you are busy and you need to get towork...”
“It is fine.” James stepped back towards the house, indicating that Annabelle should follow him. “You know that I will do anything foryou.”
Annabelle knew, which only churned her mind up further. “Thank you,” she whispered, before following himinside.
James led her all the way to the kitchen and indicated for her to take a seat. Annabelle sat a little too quickly, hurting herself as she slammed into the wood. She winced but did not complain aloud. She did not feel like she had the rightto.
"Is there anything that I can do for you?" James asked. "Would you like a drink or something?" He desperately needed to find out what was going on here, but there did not seem to be any obviousanswer.
“No,” Annabelle whispered. “I am fine, thankyou.”
She stared up at James through her eyelashes, wishing that this was easier. Her eyes followed him all the way to the seat where James finally sat but did not rest. His shoulders hunched up, almost around his ears, and his face appeared taut andstressed.
“I am sorry,” Annabelle started with a wobbly voice. “I know this must be a bit of a shock to you, me turning up likethis.”
“Yes, I am a little...” James started, but he stopped himself at the last moment. He did not want to upset a situation that already seemed very fraught. "Sorry, Annabelle, I might be acting strangely. I am just trying to work out what I can do foryou.”
Annabelle could not remain sitting for any longer, her restless legs simply needed her to stand so she did just that. Then she paced the room up and down while she tried her hardest to find the rightwords.
“James I... I am sorry to be here with this news.” The words fell out of her mouth, almost out of her control. Somehow, she just knew that this was not right and she needed to end it before it got too far. It was not wrong in the way that it had been with Watson, but still, it was not right. "I am so sorry to have accepted your proposal when I do not feel that it isright.”
“Wait.” James slammed his hands down on the table and he pushed himself upright. “You do not wish to accept myproposal?”
Tears filled Annabelle’s eyes. Even though it was the right thing to do it did not make it feel any better. “I am sorry, James, I did not think... I did notknow...”
James’s insides were twisted up in knots, he did not know what on earth was happening, but he could not stand to see the woman that he loved in such turmoil. Much as he was angry and hurt himself, he did the right thing and he stepped forward to offer Annabelle a much-neededembrace.
As Annabelle fell willingly into his arms, needing his comfort, she realized that was the closest they had ever been, it was the deepest physical connection they had everhad.
“What is happening?” James eventually asked wearily. “I need to know what is going onhere?”
