Chapter 17
Luckily for Annabelle,the transition had not been too difficult so far. The bed and breakfast in the countryside was so luxurious it was almost likehome.
“Where are we again?” she asked Floyd for what felt like the hundredth time since they arrived three days before. They had chosen to stay put for a few days to allow the dust to settle. The fear that the Hathaway family would come looking for the pair was still veryreal.
“Ashbridge,” Floyd commented anxiously. “We are not far enough from Londonyet.”
Annabelle rolled her eyes, she did not like Floyd’s negative attitude, it upset her a little bit. This was so exciting to her, it was the wonderful adventure that she had always secretly wanted to go on. Sure, she had been very nervous at first but the more time that passed, the happier she felt to be away. Gone was her father’s oppressive gaze, wedding dresses were nowhere to be seen, all she had was Floyd and the rolling hills that stretched out as far as the eye couldsee.
“We need to move soon and we shall have to start looking for jobs. Have you had any thought about what you might like todo?”
“Maybe I could be a governess somewhere?” Annabelle shrugged in a noncommittal way. “I do not know, I am not sure. I will figure that out as we find a home looking for staff. Will you work in the stablesagain?”
“Yes, I suppose so. I am in no position to open my own stables just yet. I will need to work somewhere until I have themoney.”
Annabelle did not worry too much about Floyd’s words, she knew that they would find their place in the world soon enough. With the money that they had left over, they could use that as a starting position. She did not understand his need to panic. In Annabelle’s eyes, they would befine.
“Where would you like togo?”
“Somewhere further away from here. Maybe into the countryside. Do you think we should have gone further to startwith?”
“It does not matter now, does it?” Annabelle asked with a smile. “We are here, it is only worth worrying about where we gonext.”
“Yes, you are right.” Floyd wished that he could take on Annabelle’s carefree attitude, he loved the way she saw everything as fun and exciting rather than something to fear, but with his knowledge of the world, he knew how challenging the future could be. “I wish my parents were still alive. We could go and stay withthem.”
As Floyd made that quiet comment, Annabelle’s ears pricked up. She suddenly realized that she had not ever asked Floyd about his family or his life. She had fallen for him without even knowing too much about him. At least they had all the time in the world to learn all about one anothernow.
“What has happened to your parents?” she asked in a caring tone of voice. “I am terribly sorry, I did not know that they were no longeralive.”
Floyd flicked his eyes towards the ground, he did not like talking about this. He only brought it up now because it was only fair for Annabelle to understand just why he was so afraid. “I did not ever get to know my mother,” he started with regret lacing his tone. “She died while giving birth to me. As her first and only baby, I must have destroyedher.”
“You sound guilty about this, as if it was your fault.” Annabelle was stunned, there was not any way in which she could see that as Floyd’s fault. It was clear from his expression that he carried it around with him. “You cannot help that happening, it is one of those unfortunatethings.”
“I suppose so.” Floyd did his best to shrug it off. “My father always blamed me and I guess that is why I truly blame myself.” He sighed, despite himself. It was difficult not to talk about this without dredging up some very sad emotions. “There is...” he stammered uncomfortably as he readied to share a part of himself that he had not done for a very long time. He would have preferred to do this in a very different way, much sooner before they ran away, but he never seemed to find the right moment. “There is something that I never toldyou.”
“There is?” Annabelle felt nervous, she was not sure what to expect. The way Floyd was acting, it seemed to be something very dramatic that was about to come herway.
“I only did not tell you because I never told anyone,” he said, trying his best to reassure her. Maybe himself too. “It is hard for me to think about now.” He breathed deeply, trying to steady himself. Annabelle froze as she readied herself to hear something that she might not like. “I am not... I am not just a stable boy. Notreally.”
“Excuse me?” Annabelle whispered. She hated to think that she had given herself over to someone who was not honest with her, but it seemed that was what hadhappened.
“I am not simply a poor stable boy. I did not grow up in that way. I am... Iwasan Earl once upon atime.”
Annabelle did not know how to process that, so she remained in silence as she waited for Floyd tocontinue.
“My father never accepted me because my birth killed my mother. He thought I was the devil, or something equally as awful.” Floyd shook his head as tears filled his eyes. “He threw me out of the house, five years ago, at sixteen years old which is why I have been working with horses eversince.”
Annabelle slid her hand into his as she listened with an open heart. She was stunned, of course. There was no way she could learn this shocking information and not be, but it washimand she still loved him. Floyd was peeling back his layers for her, and she liked to learn everything new about him. There was nothing that he could tell her that would fully put her off him. Annabelle was fully in the throes of love; this was the happiest that she had everbeen.
“That is terrible, Floyd.” An idea popped into her brain and she spoke it before she could think properly. “But maybe we should go and see him now. Maybe the time apart will have changed hismind...”
“He died when I was just turned eighteen years of age, before I could make things up withhim.”
“Oh, I am sorry.” Annabelle felt terrible. She had spent the last few days trying to escape her family whereas Floyd had no choice. His parents were taken away from him in a cruel way, in the midst of an argument too. Leaving him with no closure at all. “Whathappened?”
“From what I heard he got sick,” Floyd said simply. “It happened very quickly.” He turned and gave Annabelle a smile, proving that he had not forgotten about her in his moment of self-reflection. “It is fine, I have lived my life just fine without him. Or the money I could havehad.”
“You do not think he would have called you crazy for running away with the Lady of the house?” Annabelle replied teasingly. “Even if you did still have your title, I am sure he would have thought you mad. I think you would have been in a whole lot of trouble with him, should I have ever methim.”
