Chapter 22

‘What?’ George asked him.

Anne could see the doubt forming in his eyes. Would he ever believe her over his precious son and heir? Would their unborn child ever be as valuable to George as Sheldon was? Or would her life be a constant competition for recognition?

‘Surely you do not believe him? Can you not see? They have cooked this plan between them all along! I thought my Aunt attacked him and left him for dead but I see it now!

They planned this together to blame it on me, it is their way to get me out of here for good!’ Anne pleaded her case.

‘No. you have ruined my life enough. I will not have you come into my rightful home and accuse me of these preposterous things! Why would we want to ruin you? You are marrying my father! Please, father. You have to believe me. Anne did this to me to kill me off, to have you all to herself.’ Sheldon said. He even forced a slight tear from his wickedly attractive eyes.

‘I need a moment to think. My heart has already been through the mill this past day, I cannot take anymore right now. One way or another, this constant bickering between our families needs to stop.’ George answered calmly. He left the room in a hurry, leaving the two alone.

Sheldon took in a deep sigh of mixed emotions and looked around the room. Until they finally made eye contact.

‘I have had my eye on you for a few years now, you know? Since the Queen’s diamond jubilee in 1897. You were only young but I could see potential in you.’ Sheldon told her.

‘Potential with what? Being the perfect housewife? Doing everything you say? I was just 14 and I did not know much then but I do now. I know what you have both been planning behind our backs. I will not let you ruin my whole family like you did to my poor sister.’ Anne cried.

‘You are missing the point. You may not have realised yet but I know a lot more about you than you may think. As you know, my father and your late father were good friends. I heard a lot of their conversations. I know about your gambling problem, Anne. And how your father covered it up to protect you.’ Sheldon blurted out.

Anne felt her heart sink and shatter like fragile glass. Why had George not mentioned that he knew of her fragile past? Was it not something she deserved to know? What if other members of the public were to find out about this? Would George leave her? Would their baby be born out of wedlock, ashamed and abandoned?

‘Not many people know of that awful time in my life. My father wanted to protect me, I never knew that George knew of it. He must love me and accept my past. What is your point here? I will not let you blackmail me again, I have grown wise to you.’ Anne confidently answered, determined to show no fear.

Sheldon began to smirk and the room filled with tension. He got up from the sofa and swiftly walked towards Anne. he placed his arm on the wall above her, cornering her off from the rest of the room.

‘My point is nothing about you shocks me anymore. I find you exciting, my match even. I believe we are better suited than you and my father. I will not judge you as he may. I have done far worse, we suit one another.’ Sheldon whispered to her.

She tried to take his words in but she felt herself becoming distracted by his musky natural scent and his irresistible good looks. She eventually realised he had stopped talking and she needed to reply.

‘I see. So what you are saying is you and my Aunt planned this to trap me. I either agree to marry you or you make me out to be a monster to the world by saying I harmed you? I cannot believe this! We are soon to become family. I am carrying your step brother or sister and this is how you treat me?’ Anne answered viciously.

‘I thought you would admire my efforts? I thought you would be impressed by the lengths I would go to, just to have you all to myself. We can pretend the baby is mine, there is gossip about us anyway. Everything will neatly fall into place.’ Sheldon explained calmly.

She stared into his eyes as he spoke as though she was under his spell. She didn’t look away once or blink. She knew with every fibre of her being that she hated him for everything he had done to her and her sister, but there was still something about him. A mysterious darkness that she ached to know more intimately.

‘That is madness! I will not let you blackmail me again! Why do you even want to marry me? I am marrying your father, I am carrying his baby and you are already married! Please, do not talk of things like this.’ Anne desperately cried.

‘Oh Anne! My father is old and boring! He has never put a foot wrong in his whole life! You need someone more exciting than that, someone to challenge you, love you wildly! He cannot possibly keep up with you, my mother hated him for the same reason! I want you, only you and I have for years! I will get you one day. I am tired of my father taking everything that is rightfully mine, how dare he try to take my future bride!’ Sheldon yelled passionately in her face.

She watched his hair gently sway as he spoke. She noticed his eyes glistening with each passionate word. Anne knew she hated him but she still felt that niggling attraction eating away at her. She knew he was no good for her and George was the one she wanted to be with but she always found temptation in her way even when Sheldon was at his worst.

‘Okay yes, you may be right about some things. I do like danger, passion and excitement but that does not mean that I cannot lead a perfectly suitable life with George. He cares for me, I can feel it. I will not let anyone ruin that.’ Anne told him.

Sheldon sighed, laughed slightly and looked away trying to hide his grin.

‘You may want to forget what happened between us but I do not. Yes, my original advances were too much, I came on too strong. But I think we both recall that you kept coming back for more. Not all of our sessions were due to blackmail, remember? There were times when you could not resist me because I light a fire in you that you cannot put out, just admit it!’ Sheldon continued to yell passionately.

Anne didn’t dare to speak, for she didn’t know what would come out of her mouth. Just as she was about to finally answer, she got a feeling that someone was behind her. She turned around and noticed George in the doorway with tears in his eyes.

‘You told me that he blackmailed you! That he was the enemy, my own son! But from what I hear, you did not exactly put up a fight! How do I know that baby is even mine?’ George exclaimed.

Anne had never seen him so angry and for once, Sheldon didn’t have a smug look on his face. He looked as worried as Anne.

‘Of course it is your baby! You were the first man I ever laid with, I swear!’ Anne cried.

‘Then why keep so many secrets from me? You cannot have us both Anne! We do not come as some sort of package! You cannot have me for my personality and status and him for his body and looks! This is not how marriage works!’ George yelled. He began to go red in the face and Anne didn’t know where to look.

I am not the only one that keeps secrets around here. You never said my father told you everything about me! You know about my horrid past and yet you said nothing!’ Anne cried, her eyes began to fill with delayed tears of misery.

‘That is different! I was trying to save you the embarrassment and shame! But you, you seem to be in love with both my son and I and cannot decide who you love the most!’ George yelled.

The room fell silent and all eyes were on Anne. It was the first time in her life that she was lost for words.

‘This is it, Anne. Time to choose. A life of boredom and rules with him or a life of excitement and danger with me. What is it going to be?’ Sheldon said calmly.