Chapter 5

The next morning, Anne refused to let her servant do her hair as she always did. She was feeling fiercely independent and had an adrenaline rush from the events of the previous night. She noticed the time - it was time for breakfast or Aunt Bertha would call up to her and force her to come down. She felt she couldn’t tell a soul about the true nature of Sheldon. Who would believe her? She put on one of her favourite gowns and went downstairs to join her sister and Auntie at the breakfast table.

‘Oh there you are! Must you be late every morning? I was just telling Wilma about the Boer war. Have you heard?’ Bertha announced, her teacup was placed perfectly between both of her palms.

Anne rolled her eyes, laid out her napkin on her knee and prepared herself for more news. One of the many servants of the Spenbourne household poured her some almost cold tea and gave her a plate of kipper to start her day. She tucked in eagerly.

‘Yes? What about the war? Please tell me it’s over? I am growing rather tired of hearing about it.’ Anne replied. But Wilma seemed almost intrigued by the news.

‘I have just read in the paper that our British troops have been defeated at Ladysmith! Can you believe that? Aren’t we supposed to be in charge of the blacks? And yet they are beating us? Ha! What is this country coming to!’ Bertha chuckled to herself.

Wilma shook her head and looked almost disgusted.

‘We don’t call it the Boer war now anyway. They are saying it's called the Second Freedom War. I say good on them! They have been under our influence for far too long, maybe we should lose.’ Wilma expressed. Bertha’s face almost burst with shock.

Anne tried to get a sneak preview of the newspaper that was neatly under Bertha’s arm, but she couldn’t see. She had hoped that Sheldon’s threat last night was an empty one and that her past had not been plastered all over the papers.

‘Oh Wilma. Everyone wants freedom but that is not how the world works! The British Empire is at stake here. We need to gain back our control over South Africa. Queen Victoria knows what she is doing, I have every faith in her.’ Anne responded, gracefully chewing her kipper as she spoke.

‘Ha. I never thought I would agree with Anne here but it looks like I do. But politics and war are never good subjects to discuss at the breakfast table, too morbid. Let’s move on.’ Bertha demanded.

‘Yes. How about changing the subject to you and Sheldon, sister? I noticed you two were left alone for a long time yesterday. Do I hear wedding bells?’ Wilma laughed and even hoped to be correct.

Anne put down her food, and stared at nothing but her Aunt Bertha’s 1851 lace tablecloth. The two servants that were standing stationary by the window even looked on edge with anticipation. Anne felt Bertha’s eyes all over her, as though she knew what really went on in that room.

‘Wedding bells? Far from it. I do not wish to marry the young Sheldon. Perhaps in another life. But I believe we are not well suited.’ Anne announced, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

‘Oh? Why the sudden change of heart? I must say, it does seem strange. You looked as though you loved the young man not two days ago.’ Bertha said with a heightened tone and interest.

‘I prefer not to speak of such matters. Now, if you will excuse me. I have suitors to find.’ Anne wiped her mouth and excused herself from the table. She felt many sets of eyes on her as she left the room.

Bertha held her teacup out and let one of the servants refill it. She then looked at the impressionable Wilma.

‘She would never admit it, but I think we both know why Sheldon is not interested in her. You should convince him to be with you before the erratic Anne changes her mind.’ Bertha side, with a smirk on her face that could shatter the glass in every window of the house.

‘How would he know of Anne’s past? Nobody has said anything to him. Maybe they are just not suited. And I certainly do not want my sister’s leftovers. I will find my own suitor when the time is right.’ Wilma said forcefully, which was a rare occurrence. She too got up from the table and went to walk out of the room.

‘Not so fast. Perhaps Sheldon has been put off of Anne because of this.’ Bertha smiled at Wilma and passed her the newspaper.

Wilma tried to shake off what she was reading, but it had already gone down into her mind too deeply. She read the text and hoped that it was not really talking about her sister. The headline read “Anne Spenbourne rejected by the best suitor, Sheldon Winchester.” Wilma had no choice but to read on as her eyes could not find their way off the page. She felt her body sink back into the chair. She continued to read the article about her poor sister. It read:

“It is to the utmost shock that the young and beautiful Anne Spenbourne would behave in such a disgraceful manner. Mr. Winchester claims that Anne inappropriately proposed her virtue to him, with no intention of marriage. It seems that her desire for the young Sheldon was too overpowering for her to handle. The real question is how many other men has Anne had in her bed over the years?”

‘No, I cannot read any more of this! I believe that my sister is pure, as pure as the Virgin Mary! This cannot be true! Sheldon must be trying to destroy her in some way!’ Wilma yelled as she crumpled the newspaper up and threw it onto the dining table.

‘And why would a man of his importance do that to an innocent woman? It makes no sense. I do not like what I read either, but it must be true! But you can use this to your advantage.’ Bertha suggested. She let her words fester in the air and then she continued, ‘take Sheldon for yourself. Impress him! Make him believe that you are the better sister. It will work in both our favours. What do you say?’ Bertha asked mischievously.

‘I cannot think of this right now! My poor sister has no idea that someone in her own town has told the papers a pack of lies! Sheldon is evil, he must be! I do not want him either!’ Wilma stormed off upstairs to Anne’s bedroom.

Anne was sitting on her bed, staring outside watching the rain hit the window. She felt as though her whole world was crumbling viciously around her. Wilma entered in a hostile state.

‘Anne. I do not know how to tell you this but—’ Wilma tried to speak but Anne finished her sentence.

‘I am in the papers, am I not? Sheldon has made me out to be the village harlot. I swear, none of it is true. He is just tired of me humiliating him by not doing as he says.’ Anne explained. Wilma smiled with encouragement.

‘I swear, I never believed a word of it. I just wanted to say. I think Aunt Bertha was going to keep it from you.’ Wilma said. Anne didn’t look surprised at all, she almost laughed as she knew she was right all along. Bertha didn’t care what happened to her, she never did.

All was interrupted when Wilma noticed George Winchester coming up the garden path, looking even more well dressed than usual.

‘Isn’t that Sheldon’s father? Oh no, I hope he is not here to cause trouble.’ Wilma worried.

Anne could not hear her words. She went dashing down the stairs in the hope to feel those butterflies in her stomach that she felt when she first set eyes on the amazing George. Would he remember her, she thought. He had been the centre of her dreams since they met a couple of nights before, and setting eyes on him again would raise her happiness levels for almost a week, almost.

‘I do not mean to be a bother Bertha, I just wanted to apologise on behalf of my son. His behaviour brings shame upon my family and I can only say how awful it has made me feel. I know your niece is a woman of beauty and virtue, and not what Sheldon says she is. Please, may I speak with her?’ George pleaded at the front door but his words were falling on deaf ears.

‘I am afraid what she read in the papers has caused her to be incredibly tired. She wants nothing more to do with the Winchester family, I am so sorry.’ Bertha said with a wide smile on her face, the happiest she looked since inheriting everything from her brother.

Anne pelted down the spiral staircase and came to a sudden stop when she got to the bottom. All attention fell on her. She moved her hair from her face and greeted George with a nervous smile.

‘Did I hear my name being mentioned Mr. Winchester? I do not blame you for what your son has told the papers. It is a matter between me and him and no innocent party such as yourself is to blame.’ Anne said. She felt surprised that she could get any words out near him.

Bertha laughed at the looks that George and Anne were darting back and forth to each other.

‘Maybe you should explain to George why you have been giving his son sexual favours?’ Bertha said, still smiling.

Anne froze on the spot. The nerves that she had been keeping under control were no longer her own. She felt her heart sink so far down into her body that she felt nothing anymore. She had never felt so humiliated as she stood there wondering what to say. The look on George's face was one of shock, heartbreak and disgust all rolled into one disaster. How did Bertha even find out?