24. Zeth
Zeth
Two days proved to be enough time for Amby to teach me a thing or two about love.
We found a few occasions to meet in the laundry when it was just us, without responsibilities, or sisters, or cares.
Amby recited some poetry examples for me, and I worshiped twelve more spots on his beautiful body.
I never guessed that kissing the inside of his wrist while he held his book would be so sensual.
I even dared him to keep reading while I disrobed us and knelt to distract him with my mouth.
Feeling his soft skin under my lips as he watched me with pink cheeks and a hot stare… bliss. I rather enjoyed poetry.
When Amby wasn’t around, I pondered phrases and scribbled romantic words onto the backside of can labels until I wrote something to read at the salon. And then, the morning of the salon, Millie received a gift from Anna; the top hat Millie must have shown her while shopping.
Anna shouldn’t be buying my sister incredibly expensive things to woo herself into our family.
It reminded me that I’d yet to clear up our courtship status.
Reciting personal poetry for Amby in front of Anna would be wrong.
She had treated me kindly. I wasn’t a cad.
It was past time to end my con for her hand.
So, I walked over to Anna’s estate that afternoon to dissolve our courtship.
I was let in quickly to wait in her front hall while the butler went off to find her.
To occupy myself, I read through the lines of my poem for the salon tonight.
I was glad for the distraction, as the rude butler hadn’t invited me into the parlor or offered me snacks. He should’ve at least taken my cap.
The grandfather clock nearby ticked. And ticked…
I refolded the sheet of paper that held my heart and tucked it safely into the breast pocket of my brown jacket, then peered down the hall for some sign of life.
None. The large estate felt hollow today.
In that unease, the weight of my decision to court Amby pressed forcibly against my chest. So much so that I had to close my eyes and remind myself to breathe.
I didn’t fear falling for Amby. I was confident in his love for me.
It was all the other consequences that made my knees weak.
I chose him over a comfortable life in the Winters estate.
I didn’t know where I would work, or if I could work.
I worried that Amby’s dad would hate me and disown Amby.
I was terrified that dear, old Somerset and Sons Bank would suddenly demand my taxes in full to claim the laundry, tossing us into the streets.
And my decisions could ruin Millie, right when she was starting her own life.
It would be so easy for the town to sabotage her too.
I still couldn’t believe that I tried to con Anna into marriage, going so far as telling her I wanted to arrange one between us.
She never refused. Instead, she continued meeting with me while telling Amby she just wanted to be friends.
Now, I was tossing her over with no explanation except for a simple, we do not pair well together.
There was a risk in telling her I chose Amby.
Anna could become upset and gossip about me to the whole town, spoiling my chance to win over Amby’s dad.
It only took one person to ruin your life.
I needed her understanding, especially since she and Millie were close.
Best-case scenario, I hoped to befriend Anna.
She was nice to be around, when she wasn’t spouting annoying quotes that belonged on embroidered pillows or running me over with her peppy little car.
Where was that fucking butler?
The man went to tell Anna of my arrival and was making me wait on purpose.
Inhaling deeply of the lightly perfumed front entrance, I calmly hung up my cap to make myself welcome.
I tugged on my vest and nodded with a confidence that I sure as hell didn’t feel and strolled down the hall on my own.
It wasn’t the first time I let myself in.
I could find Anna and talk to her before the butler returned with reinforcements to kick me out, or whatever he was up to currently.
I just knew he wasn’t baking me fresh cookies.
Each door I came to opened easily, and I peeked inside to find fancy front parlors and sitting rooms all in different colors.
In the hallway, I encountered that nice little table and Chince vase which caught my attention a few weeks ago.
Today, it was overfilled with pink roses that reminded me of my Rosie.
My interest at the picnic had only been for money, but I still couldn’t believe Amby thought I returned to Everdeen to steal Anna’s vase.
He was close, though. I did plan on selling it after marrying Anna.
I had calculated a number of items that day and tallied quite a substantial amount before Amby interrupted me with his adorably flustered presence.
I would always pick Amby over that vase.
I opened another door, this time to a beautiful library filled with wall-to-wall bookcases and wide windows with the curtains drawn.
I was about to close the door when Anna’s blonde head popped up from a massive desk.
She blinked her blue eyes at me to rid them of slumber.
I held onto the doorknob and tried not to smile at the red crease in her cheek from sleeping face-first on a book.
“Oh! So sorry, Zeth. Were you waiting long?”
“Not at all,” I fibbed politely. When she sat back in her chair to wave me in, I joined her, keeping the door slightly ajar to avoid rumors.
Reaching her desk, I felt very tall. “Forgive me for interrupting your work, but do you have a moment so we may talk before this evening’s social?”
“Yes, I was actually hoping to visit you. Then I became distracted with the estate finances.” Anna gestured at the column of blurry ink entries.
Before I could read any of them, she closed the thick book and rose to join me by the two leather chairs facing the desk.
When she motioned for us to sit together, I found mine had a decorative pillow propped on the seat.
Flowery, yellow and orange fabric formed a rectangle, and over that, delicate stitchwork… ‘Pick up the lemons that Fate sends and start a lemonade stand.’
You have to be fucking kidding me . I knew I’d conjured up the idea of quotes on pillows, but I didn’t expect Miss Annabelle Winters to actually own embroidered pillows.
She probably jotted out sayings and sewed each thread herself.
Sipping tea in her matching tea set room while stitching out nonsense in her spare time.
And that quote, what lemons did Fate give her?
I moved the atrocity to rest against the chair’s foot before taking the seat for myself.
“Do you like these armchairs?” Anna asked, stealing into my annoyance. When I glanced over, she continued, “They belonged to my father. He and Mother passed away last year in a carriage accident. Very sudden… but they left me so many fond memories.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She blinked, and I felt like an absolute ass for not seeing her struggles.
Yes, she had money, but that didn’t make her life perfect.
While my mum’s illness drained me over months, I couldn’t imagine how painful it must have been for Anna to lose both parents at once, in one day.
Like me, she was probably overwhelmed and angry at her inheritance.
I bent over to retrieve the pillow and tucked it behind me, understanding a little better. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Anna. You’ve done well holding up on your own.”
She blinked again, only this time it was to clear away moisture as she smoothed her hand along the desk, probably also her father’s.
Giving her a moment, I eased back to appreciate the leather chair.
It was lush, smooth, and firm, but not as nice as Amby’s rocking chair.
Crossing my legs, I examined the shelving around us too.
Leather spines lined the walls. Around… two hundred books, give or take twenty-five.
Old and expensive volumes that would make any collector proud.
There was also a gold-framed map of all the Commonwealths, with Caldor being the smallest one on the Northeastern coast. In the corner of the room sat a mahogany side-bar filled with cut crystal.
Anna’s father was a man of fine tastes. No wonder she liked this room enough to nap.
Anna wasn’t asleep now. She sat on the edge of her armchair like a prim miss. She even folded her hands together on her knees as she watched me. When I turned to her, she deliberately opened her mouth to say, “Zeth, I’m so glad—”
“Anna, allow me to say something first, please.”
“Oh,” she replied softly, and I could tell she wasn’t used to people interrupting her. “Alright, you have the floor.”
That phrasing sounded like she dabbled in politics. She was such a stickler for rules in school, I could just imagine her leading a town hall. I wondered what did interest her and realized I never bothered to learn. She deserved better than a selfish prick like me. Now, to part with her kindly…
“Anna, I made my intentions t—” Anna’s face pinched. “—toward you clear—” Now her fingers twisted together. “—from the beginning, but—” My worries cranked a notch higher with each reaction. “I’m fairly certain you’ll agree that I…”
I… was messing this up. I should stop speaking as aggressively charming Zeth, as Amby said I acted. He told me to be myself. It was worth a try… “Fuck, I’m sorry, Anna. Turns out that un-arranging a courtship is difficult.”