Snippet #1496588

Hearing Lady Mayfair’s reproach coming shortly after the question she had posed to Captain MacCraigh, made Anna feel a bit at fault. In all appearance the lady seemed to take the air of a mother scolding her son, and that amused Anna, she couldn’t be more interested in his answer. Yet, it didn’t come.

‘Clever fox’ she thought to herself, asserting the Captain’s way of handling the situation, ‘avoiding to answer my question and not saying a word in reply to Lady Mayfair is the correct way to go about the position you’re in.’

Most people would retaliate and demand respect because they considered themselves troubled beings, but the Captain kept his mouth shut and only raised a brow. Admirable, though he would have been one of the few entitled to such an answer. This made Anna even more convinced that there were enough interesting people present at this manor as to not bore her to death, the way all noble parties did.

“Still, I apologise for your troubles, Sir MacCraigh. Was the room not to your liking?”

Again, curiosity took the best of her and she waited to see his answer, studying both of her companions.

"Na, Miss Mayfair, there was nae a problem at all with the accomadations. I jes'... dinnae sleep well anywhere, tha'sall. I'll err... I'll not bother ye any further."

At that moment he seemed to have given up and head for the manor.

‘Well, that’s no fun’ she broke out in her mind, like a disappointed child seeing his friend leave because mummy yelled at him.

Her amusement was cut short by the roar of a beast calling out to the Lady’s first name. Anna’s face took on its usual seriousness and a frown creased her forehead. At the same moment, the Captain stopped and beat Anna to making a suggestion.

"Lady Mayfair. How would ye feel about joinin' Miss Penclave an' meself on a pleasant late-night walk around the manor's grounds? With all the wee bits o' paper ye buried me with from across an ocean, I'd like ta think we'd 'ave plenty to discuss."

As soon as he finished talking, Anna met his eyes when they flickered in her direction. And, as if through a telepathic connection, she understood and agreed to his intentions.

‘Though’ she moved her eyes back on the lady, ‘you won’t accept the invitation, will you, Lady Mayfair? He is much too important to you to have it fall apart now…’ she said, carrying a mental discussion with the noble woman. She didn’t know what their quarrels were about or if she had actually pin-pointed what the woman’s actions would be, but somehow she couldn’t picture the lady running away from her husband’s roar.

Anna would have reinforced the Captain’s proposition, had it not been for the arrival of the maid bearing disturbing news that put Anna on thoughts. She listened carefully to what the maid said and an idea crossed her mind. She opened her mouth…

“Maybe I can help, Lady….”

She and the maid spoke in unison, but Lady Mayfair was long gone and didn’t hear her offer, or the maid’s suggestion. The maid followed her shortly afterwards, leaving Anna with the Captain in the garden.

Guessing the Captain might object and follow Lady Mayfair in, she turned to him and said in a sigh while turning her head, again, to look at the Moon.

“It’s pointless… to try and make her stay, let her go. People like her devote their entire being to their spouses. Her whole atmosphere speaks of unfading love, even her garden and that little flower your eyes kept straying off to. If you’d like I’ll elaborate.” she turned back to face him for a short period of time, before staring the Moon down again and going on.

“The Lord won’t dare do anything to her, with all this commotion there are bound to be other guests and the whole staff of servants present to stop him should he touch her with the faintest of ill intention. This house is packed with wolves and lions, you and I included. Besides, didn’t you want to put your mind at rest?” her eyes fixed themselves on him again, “Given the situation, I’d strongly advise against it.”

If anything, she seemed to be talking to the Captain as if she were some sort of doctor and took it upon herself to keep the Captain’s health on the right track.