Annabel
John’s heartswelled and he burst into tears—unexpressed tears that belched from the well of grief that still lay deep within him. And as he sobbed, he felt the last savage vestiges of anger and sorrow begin to melt away. It was the last gift he would receive from his firstwife.
* * *
Elizabeth was sittingon her father’s lap as the carriage drove toward Susan’s family home. She had ribbons in her hair that Susan had lovingly woven into a crown atop her head. She was excited to be visiting Susan’s parents again. She’d had such a fun time when she’d been therebefore.
“Are your sister and brother’s families going to be there too? Elizabethasked.
“No, dear, just my Mamma, and Papa. It’s going to be a short visit. We want your father to meet my parents and tell them about ourengagement.”
“That’s nice. Will there becandy?”
“Perhaps. Mamma always has a few surprises tucked away somewhere in thehouse.”
The carriage arrived at the Wilton house and Mamma came out to greetthem.
“Where’s Papa,” Susan asked as she stepped out of thecarriage.
“He’s in the barn. I’ll go findhim.”
Then John stepped out of the carriage with Elizabeth and Mamma stoppedshort.
“Oh, Your Grace… We weren’t expecting you.” Shecurtsied.
“Mamma, we didn’t want a fuss. We just want to have a chat withyou.”
Mamma seemed flustered. She turned in several circles and then headed toward the barn, calling out, “I’ll just fetch your father, and we’ll be right back. Go oninside.”
“Let me go with you,” Elizabeth screamed, as she jumped out of John’s arms and ran afterMamma.
“Elizabeth!” John shouted. But she wasgone.
“She’ll be fine,” Susan insisted, laying her hand on John’s arm, and then took it, as she led himinside.
Papa came into the sitting room first, drying his hands with a towel after washing them in thekitchen.
“Your Grace,” he said bowing slightly, “Care for a smoke? Got me some freshtobacco.”
“No thank you, but please yourself. We just stopped by to give you all some goodnews.”
Mamma came trotting in from the kitchen carrying a bowl of soup. “Have you eaten? Have some soup. Just made it this verymorning.”
“Mamma, stop,” Susan insisted. “We don’t need anything. We just want to talk to you and tell you our goodnews.”
“Oh.” Mamma seemed flustered and didn’t know what to do with the bowl, so she returned to the kitchen and came back with Elizabeth trailing behindher.
“Sit, both of you,” Susanordered.
“You have news?” Mamma asked, wide eyed andbreathless.
John stood and addressed her parents, “Squire… Mrs. Wilton, I’ve come to formally ask for your daughter’s hand inmarriage.”
* * *
When the uproar was over,after the announcement to her parents, Susan whispered to John she was going to see Katherine. He nodded and turned back to her parents to tell them the tale of theirromance.
Susan was more than apprehensive as she headed toward Katherine’s home. She arrived in the village and knocked on the family’sdoor.
