Chapter 8

3 months later…

‘Hurry along, we don’t want to miss the show now do we! And keep that Mildred on her best behaviour! Where is Wilma?’ Bertha yelled to her bored niece.

‘She’s probably out with Sheldon again. I told you, we need to stop this before it gets any further.’ Anne pleads. But her words fall on deaf ears.

‘Wilma is young! Sheldon is interesting to her, it will wear off. Are you jealous or something?’ Bertha said, she powdered her nose in the mirror as she spoke.

'Jealous of Sheldon? After everything he did to me! Absolutely not. He blackmailed me for months, remember? I just do not want poor young Wilma to become infatuated with him. He is no gentleman.’ Anne explained, worried for her sister’s wellbeing.

Anne knew she had to protect her. Because against Sheldon, Wilma didn’t have a chance. He couldn’t get to Anne anymore so he went for an easier target to get to her, or so Anne believed.

‘I told you to stop it with all that blackmail nonsense! His mother has weeks left to live, do not make his life any more painful than it needs to be! Perhaps he will marry Wilma.’ Bertha replied. She grabbed her genuine leather purse and headed for the front door. Anne sighed and reluctantly followed.

‘It is not my aim to make his life more painful! I am the one who had to talk down the rumours of me giving my virtue to him willingly. Most people in Oxford and even London believe I am a whore!’ Anne exclaimed, her voice screeched towards the end.

Bertha sighed and looked deep into Anne’s eyes.

‘And those rumours were true, were they not? Sheldon enjoyed telling me what you two got up to a few weeks ago. Your fumblings in the bedroom.’ Bertha replies with a look of smugness in her eyes.

‘I had to! He said if I did not do as he said, he would tell every man in this city that I was offering my body for money and then I would have no chance of marriage! Or do you not care that your own flesh and blood was blackmailed into doing things with that man!’ Anne cried, she wanted her aunt to show some sympathy, something she had never witnessed her show before.

‘No, I cannot say I do care. You were silly enough to get yourself into that situation in the first place. I would be surprised if you did not go the full way, you seem the type. Now, enough bickering. We need to get to the Oxford theatre Royal before our show starts.’ Bertha plumped her hair up with her gloved hands and headed out of the front door.

Anne felt such a deep hatred that she couldn't ignore. Just as they approached the horse and carriage, Wilma and Sheldon turned up. Wilma’s arm was neatly tucked under Sheldon’s.

‘Oh you managed to join us, how splendid! Please, share our carriage. There is plenty of room.’ Bertha said with a sudden wide grin on her face. She kissed both of Sheldon’s cheeks and waited for them to get in first.

‘We did not want to miss this, did we, my love?’ Sheldon said, staring at Wilma and smiling as he spoke.

‘Absolutely not. Sir Charles Santley has always been one of my favourite opera singers. I cannot believe we will finally see him!’ Wilma laughed as she spoke.

‘I see you two are still spending a lot of time together then.’ Anne sniggered, making yet another dig.

‘Yes, I had enough of used goods. I wanted something brand new and pure. In fact, we are to be married.’ Sheldon proudly announced. Wilma smiled at his side.

‘Married! You have only been courting for a month! You should not marry a man that speaks so terribly of your sister like that.’ Anne tells her sister. But romance spoke louder than Anne’s words. Bertha said nothing, she smiled brightly at Sheldon and looked away.

‘Well my dear Wilma, I knew you would not disappoint. Call this opera concert a congratulations from me.’ Bertha said, soundly overly nicer than usual.

Wilma happily drowned in her aunt’s approval. Something she never thought she would get. The carriage finally arrived at the Oxford Royal Theatre. Anne stared at her sister and wondered how she fell for Sheldon’s fake charms. Anne then noticed her friend Mildred waiting by the theatre door for her.

‘Oh thank goodness, the face of someone I do not mind seeing.’ Anne told Mildred.

‘It is good to be wanted. Let me guess, your sister and that charming, gorgeous young Sheldon.’ Mildred said, biting her lip as she stared over at Sheldon who was walking slowly behind them.

‘He has asked my sister to marry him and she has accepted! After I spent hours crying to her a few weeks ago about how Sheldon blackmailed me into, well you know. The Winchester’s influence in this city is too great, it feels impossible to over power him.’ Anne explained, letting her emotions flow to her best friend.

‘He would not have to blackmail me. I would happily fall in between the sheets with him. That soft skin, them piercing eyes and wavy hair. He is perfect. Lucky Wilma I say! And great fortune for your family too. Did you, you know, go all the way with him?’ Mildred asked intriguingly.

‘Almost. I was almost forced into losing my innocence to him but luckily, a maid walked in and interrupted us. Then I kept avoiding him. He knew I was winning so he brought my sister into it, this is the result. Now I will be stuck with him forever as my brother in law.’ Anne whispered as she and Mildred walked into the theatre and took their seats.

Bertha, Wilma and Sheldon were at the other end of the same row looking excited for the concert to begin.

‘I find you lucky too. At least it gave you some experience before you are wed. I would give anything for him to even look at me. But I think he likes his women with some brain power and that, I do not have. Just plenty of energy and a high drive for, you know what. So you doing things with him already has not put Wilma off?’ Mildred said as the stage was being set up for the show.

‘I do not view myself as lucky, but forced. I felt disgusting each time afterwards, I feel I am tainted for my future husband now. I did think that me getting there first with Sheldon would put Wilma off but she is smitten with him. He is all she speaks about. I have tried talking to her but we just argue and she goes back to him. Only she can save herself from this one. He has a violent streak too, I want him far away from her.’ Anne described.

‘It is quite steamy I must say. Two people that clearly hate each other, secretly at it. I bet it was passionate, was it not? You cannot tell me you did not enjoy it, just one bit? And what of his father? I remember you two were growing close.’ Mildred asked, the opera singer began to sing in the background but they didn't take notice.

‘We were but his maid told him that we were caught doing things and we are not married of course, we have not spoken since. And the matter that he has a dying wife he needs to tend to.’ Anne said sympathetically. She refused to even consider enjoying anything sexual with Sheldon.

‘A dying wife? That could work in your favour! Maybe you should marry the father instead? He is a good looker for his age. And you would own half his fortune and become Sheldon’s step mother! Then you would have power over him.’ Mildred laughed as she spoke.

‘I would also be preying on a grieving widow and I would have to become my own sister’s step mother. That would be too messed up. I shall avoid the whole family as if they were the plague!’ Anne exclaimed. She went quiet and finally paid attention to the opera singer.

Once the show was over, Sheldon had arranged a quick celebratory drink at the Winchester household to celebrate his engagement with both families. Anne couldn’t help but wonder if it was to spite her, but she agreed to go anyway. Mildred and Anne parted ways once again.

‘I would like to raise a toast to the Winchester family and the Spenbourne family coming together to create the next generation! I am tremendously happy for the young Wilma to become my wife.’ Sheldon declared, smiling and holding his glass high in the air. George held his glass wonkily. He almost fell to one side and lost his balance. Anne glared over at him, but he didn’t make eye contact. She noticed he was blind drunk and could hardly stand straight.

‘Yes! Let’s all congratulate the man who made it his mission to destroy his new fiance’s sister’s life! What do I have to celebrate, ay? A son that does not deserve his inheritance and a dying wife who does not love me! ’ George said in a drunken slurred voice. Wilma’s face went sour out of embarrassment.

Anne could not help but still feel something for George every time he stood up for her, even when intoxicated. Their eyes finally met.