Anne's heart sank while she murmured agreeing sounds as Eliza gushed on and on about all their activities in Boston, not at all happy about this new future. Nor was she excited about breaking the news that she had no intention of following along. They'd never understand her desire to return to her family home and her beloved piano. Well, she couldn't afford that home, anyway.
"How is Dad?" Anne managed to squeeze in when Eliza took a breath.
"I already told you, he's loving Boston! Said we should have moved here ages ago."
"What about his pills—"
"Anne, he's a grown man! Honestly, you treat him like a child. He can take his pills all on his own. I set up a timer on his phone so he never misses it. Oh! There's the doorbell. Gotta run. Tell everyone how much fun we've been having, all right?"
Eliza hung up and Anne stared at her phone. A timer. Her job for the last year reduced to a simple timer.
But then, her father hadn't really needed her as much as Anne needed the excuse. It had been her way of avoiding making decisions about her life. But now her excuses were gone. Her father wouldn't let her go back to taking care of him, especially since Eliza seemed to have taken over that role and her father always preferred her over Anne.
Anne sighed. There wasn't even a reason for her to go to Boston and be with her father and sister. In fact, she had no reason to be anywhere. No one needed her. Oh, Mary would love to have her indefinitely, but they didn't really need her. If Anne left, their lives wouldn't fall apart. They would soldier on. It was Anne that had need of them. To give meaning to her sad life.
She trudged down the hill. She needed a major change, to be that strong and ambitious girl like Russelle wanted her to be and like the girl Rick now had his eyes on. Unfortunately, being that strong and ambitious girl boiled down to needing a career and she had no desire for that. Maybe she should become a nanny for other families? At the same time, though she loved working with children, being at the beck and call of strangers didn't sound very enticing. She had enough of that with her own family. Nor did she think it would impress Rick—not that he was a factor anyway. Besides, being a caretaker would break Russell's heart and Anne wasn't sure she was quite ready to do that to her godmother.
Anne sighed. She wished she had more ambition, like Louisa or Rick. Then maybe she'd know what to do with her life. She was too much of a follower, wishing to please and take care of others instead of blazing forward as their leader. Even during college, she had followed her charismatic friend, Livvy, letting her make the decisions and gladly supporting her wild ideas.
The thought of Livvy reminded her she had yet to write that belated email. Maybe Livvy might have an idea of what type of career Anne should pursue.
Alas, despite the written email, the dilemma of a career haunted her all day and the next morning found Anne lying in her bed, taking survey questions. The internet promised it could find the perfect job for her if she answered correctly. But it kept pointing to caretaker jobs or worse, a school teacher, a job that would mortify Russelle. On the plus side, Anne could see herself as a teacher. Especially if she worked with young children. She didn't think she could handle bossy teenagers, but if she taught in elementary school with sweet, innocent children, it could be a good job. It wasn't an ideal career choice, but at least it was something to think about. Russelle would lament it brought in no money, but Anne had grown up with money and it hadn't brought any lasting happiness.
"Mary!" Charles' voice rang outside the cottage. Anne frantically threw on some clothes and headed down the hallway just as Charles barged through the front door. "Mary!"
"Charles, everyone's asleep—"
"We got it! Anne, we got it! Rick's boss liked it and we're to meet her co-worker and maybe even her and sign the papers!"
"Her co-worker?"
"Yeah, a Mr. Knightly or something. He's in the area, in Lyme, about an hour away, and wants to meet me!"
"Charles, that's wonderful!" She hesitated for a second. "W-will Mr. Wentworth also be there?"
"Yes, we're to meet the guy for lunch in Lyme. "Mary!" Charles called, running down the hallway. Anne remained frozen in her spot. She wasn't supposed to meet Rick again! Didn't fate remember she was trying to get over him? This development was not helping that goal!
And yet, what if fate was trying to get them back together? Well, how was that supposed to happen when he wouldn't even talk to her? She could throw herself at his feet, begging for forgiveness, but there wasn't much she could do if he rejected her.
Charles' two sons tumbled out of their room, confused by the commotion, but that spurred Anne to action and she worked on getting them dressed. In the background, Charles and Mary argued from their room. Mary didn't like the idea of being left behind while Charles met the prestigious Mr. Knightly. She wanted to come, too. She was the wife; it was her right. Charles brought up the boys, but Mary offered Anne as the solution. Anne sighed with relief. She would not have to meet Rick, after all. The adorable boys would save her.
Alas, the elderly Musgroves were against the notion of Mary going along with Charles. They were well aware of the fuss Mary had caused during yesterday's walk and while Rick may now be used to her temper tantrums, they feared this Mr. Knightly would not be as forgiving. Forcing Mary to stay was out of the question since Mary would be offended, dredging the incident up for years. Neither did they trust her own husband to ensure she stayed in a happy mood. Instead, they resorted to Anne, apparently believing she had superpowers over her sister and insisting she go along. They would take care of the boys so there was no reason for her to stay. And she was leaving soon; the trip would be a thankful gift for all her wondrous help.
Hiding her dismay, Anne did what she did best: give way to others. A change of the plans occurred, however, when Louisa and Rietta discovered a road trip was happening without them; they insisted they must come, too. But Rietta was reminded she had already made plans with Chase. Louisa, on the other hand, had nothing to do, and Charles, guessing Louisa had an extra reason for wanting to go and not at all opposed for a relationship to blossom between his sister and Rick, was more than happy to let her join.
A half an hour later, Anne found herself in the back of Charles' car with Louisa, on their merry way to Lyme.
Charles, overly eager to make a good impression, had allotted himself two hours to travel the one-hour drive and they found themselves arriving far too early. A quick text exchange with Rick informed them he was early as well and the dreaded moment of meeting him once again confronted Anne. To make matters worse, Rick wore a slick suit that highlighted the sharp angles of his body. He looked good. Too good. Anne wanted to throw her hands up in the air. How in the world was she supposed to get over such a good-looking guy? This was totally unfair!
Greetings were exchanged but she was spared having to make any conversation with the good-looking Rick since Charles launched into a long apology for not wearing a suit as well. Rick soothed his fretting, declaring Mr. Knightly wasn't the type to judge a man based on his outfit. Besides, Mr. Knightly would prefer seeing Charles in the outfit he would present himself to the guests.
"And Charles looks good in anything," his wife suddenly piped up. Apparently, she didn't like Rick out-shining her husband. Charles stood a little straighter at that.
"But why are you in a suit?" Louisa teased, practically glued to his side.
"Honestly? To make a good impression. I briefly met Mr. Knightly once, but doubt he'll remember me. I'd like to make a better impression and make sure he gives good feedback to my boss." He struck a pose as if his suit could turn into a cape. "Do you think it will work?"
Louisa giggled, unable to come up with an intelligent reply. Mary rolled her eyes. And Anne struggled to keep her eyes on anything but Rick.
Since Rick had been to Lyme before, he offered a quick tour to take up the extra time. The group gobbled up the suggestion and trooped after him, Louisa next to Rick, Mary with Charles, and Anne bringing up the rear. She
didn't mind. She wasn't in the mood for conversation, anyway. And this estrangement, with him never looking at her and she rarely speaking to him, was becoming normal. Maybe with time, her heart would no longer race when he was in her presence and she could be as calm and unaffected as Rick already was.
The tour wound to a close and they hurried to the fancy restaurant to meet the prestigious Mr. Knightly. Rick had dropped that the man wasn't just a co-worker of his boss, but also ran a smaller company of his own, or rather more like a charity where he helped fledging inventors find the money and inspiration to find success.
"Is there a way to apply for that help?" Charles asked.
"Sorry, Charles, but it's mainly for younger people, like Louisa's age."
Louisa beamed. "Maybe I'll sign up for it!"
"You have to be interested in inventing first!" Charles teased.
"You never know, maybe I could be!"
The waiter led them to a round table and Louisa made sure to sit next to Rick. Anne focused on making sure Mary wasn't near where Mr. Knightly would sit, but to her dismay, when she finally sat down, found herself directly opposite of Rick. Anne fastened her eyes on the menu and refused to check if Rick's eyes ever fell on her. She was sure they were always on Louisa, anyway.
Another few minutes and the waiter brought over a tall man dressed in easy slacks and a polo shirt. Rick stood up at once and Anne couldn't help noticing the change in his demeanor. Much more professional, almost like a military man acting toward his superior. Another side she didn't know about him.
Mr. Knightly heartily shook Charles' hand and, once everyone was seated, launched into a series of compliments for his property. Charles puffed out his chest so much, Anne feared he might turn into a balloon and float away. The entire group relaxed as well, and Anne decided that must be a trait of Mr. Knightly. He seemed the type to be genuinely interested in everyone he met. She could see why he had started that side business of helping others. He was also very intelligent, asking questions that kept Charles on his toes, yet never in a way that made Charles' nervous. Anne decided she liked Mr. Knightly. He would be a fascinating fellow to converse with. Too bad she wouldn't be given the chance.
Unhappy, Anne let her eyes roam around the rest of the restaurant, only to be startled to find a pair of eyes on her. Those eyes belonged to a rather handsome man about her age, also dressed in a suit tailored to fit him well, and he smiled and leaned forward as if hoping to start a conversation. But he was two tables over! And a complete stranger. Anne dropped her gaze to her hands, aware that an embarrassed flush was reddening her face. After a few moments, she dared to check out the stranger, only to find him still staring at her. He raised his glass and gave a nod. If he had a hat, he probably would have tipped it at her like in those old movies.
Anne froze, not sure what to do. Flirting had never been a strong point of hers. But, gathering courage, she gave a slight tilt of her own head and smiled before averting her eyes. Except hers fled toward Rick. And to her utter shock, she found his gaze on her. She immediately focused on her half-eaten plate before her, her heart thumping loudly in her ears. Why was Rick looking at her? He had never done so before!
She dared another glance at him and saw him staring at the handsome stranger as if stunned that someone could have an interest in her. She sat taller and raised her chin. She may not be as ambitious as Louisa or as pretty as her sisters, but she did have some merit. Merit that Rick, himself, had once cherished at one point. And if a handsome stranger was kind enough to silently pass on some compliments, then Anne would take them, no matter what Rick or anyone else thought.
At that moment, Rick's eyes jumped to hers, but this time, Anne held the gaze, daring him to condemn her once more, and it was Rick who dropped first. Anne smiled, feeling like she'd won a major battle. Rick may never remember this moment again, but she would. She was done with him being done with her. Okay, yes, she'd officially been done for a while, but now she felt a fire in her bones. She truly was done this time. She would make Rick sorry for refusing to forgive her and find someone else that would drive his memory to shame. And if that someone happened to be that handsome stranger, so be it.
Invigorated, Anne boldly swept her eyes toward that handsome stranger. Alas, the man ruined her moment of triumph, for he had already left, and she barely caught sight of his broad back heading out the door. So much for that. Still, it was nice to have someone express interest in her. She just wished she'd had the chance to determine if she'd be interested back. She debated whether trying to scamper after the man, but she couldn't think of what to say if she found him. It would most likely end up extremely awkward and nothing remotely romantic like in the movies.
Everyone suddenly rose to their feet and Anne realized the meeting must be over. She'd been so distracted by the handsome stranger that she hadn't kept tabs on the conversation of her own table.
"Congratulations, Charles!" Rick said once Mr. Knightly had departed. "You're officially a part of the Hartfield Corporation!"
"What happens now?" Mary asked. "When does the money start coming in?"
Anne flushed at Mary's lack of tact, but Rick carried on as if unsurprised by her question. "Your property will be put into our system and in a few months, you'll start having guests sign up."
"A few months?" Mary did not sound pleased.
"The farmhouse isn't finished yet," Anne offered, hoping that would placate her sister. It didn't really matter since Louisa seized control of the conversation.
"What about you? Will we see you again?"
"Yeah, I'll have to come by and approve the finished farmhouse so you'll see more of me."
"Oh, good!" Louisa said, and Rick grinned as though pleased she was eager to see him again. Anne stared at her empty plate and tried not to wish he'd look at her like that.
"I can't believe this is happening!" Charles exclaimed. "Thank you for everything, Rick!"
"It was your place that sold the deal, not me."
"But like Mr. Knightly said, you're the one that suggested it."
Rick laughed. "It is my job to do that!"
"And what about my cruise?" Mary demanded and Anne resisted groaning. Mary could be so single-minded sometimes.
Charles started to appease his wife, but then abruptly asked, "Anne, when are you available next?"
"She's leaving?" Rick asked as if shocked she went anywhere.
"She's supposed to leave for Boston tomorrow," Mary whined. "But you shouldn't go, Anne. Just stay here for another two weeks and we'll leave tomorrow!"
"Mary, I can't leave tomorrow. I have the farmhouse to finish!"
"But who knows where Anne will be in the next couple of months and I—"
"Let's discuss this outside?" Anne said, pushing her sister and Charles toward the exit, well aware of the stares they were gathering in the restaurant.
"How about we celebrate first?" Louisa asked, apparently not caring how many people stared at them. Then again, her eyes seemed to only find Rick.
"What could be fun in Lyme?" Mary asked, apparently dubious any fun could be had in the area.
"You know the area, Rick," Charles said. "Have any recommendations?"
"Well, if you don't mind driving for a bit, I have a friend who has a horse farm—"
"A horse farm!" Louisa exclaimed as if he had announced the location of Santa's home. "Oh, we have to go. I love horses!"
"I don't like horses," Mary stated, but everyone pretended not to hear.
"Let me see if he's available," Rick said and headed outside the restaurant, phone to his ear.
"I don't like horses," Mary repeated as the group followed after Rick.
"You don't have to ride them," Anne offered to appease her sister.
"They smell."
"I'm sure they'll have a nice place devoid of smells where you can be happy."
"I doubt it."
Rick ended his phone call and turned with a big grin. "We're in luck! He's actually in town, running er
rands and since he has a big van, he can pick us all up and take us over. He's heading over here now."
"A van?" Mary began in disgust.
"It would be easier than driving three vehicles over there," Rick answered in a forced, polite voice.
"And we can all sit together!" Louis exclaimed, her eyes showing who, exactly, she intended to sit by. Mary's lips curled into a frown, but Anne, not wanting a scene, intervened. "And Mary can have the front seat." She shot a glance at Charles and Louisa, hoping they'd agree. To her relief, they pounced on the proposal with glee, urging Mary to take the front seat. Surprised by the sudden attention, Mary's frown disappeared, and she seemed pleased with the new arrangements—until the gray van arrived.
It had definitely seen better days. Several parts of the van had a different shade of gray, indicating repairs had been done but apparently not enough money invested in finding the original paint color. Luckily, the layers of dust and crusted mud helped to hide the different shades of gray, though Anne doubted Mary would have seen that as a plus.
Rick threw open the main door, revealing an equally unwashed and unvacuumed interior, with a pile of trash hastily scooped together in the front. Anne hastened Mary to the front seat, praying it was in better condition. To her relief, it was cleaner, but also well-worn, the seat's covering fraying in several areas.
"Rick!" A man in his thirties waved from the front seat, a big grin on his face and friendly, jovial eyes. "Welcome!" He swept his grin to the rest of the group. "So glad you can all come!"
"Everyone," Rick announced, pointing to the driver, "This is my good friend, Harv."
Everyone introduced themselves—Mary even managed a polite smile—before piling into the van. Rick, as if to ensure Mary was in a good mood for his friend, made the effort to help her into the front seat like a gentleman. Anne smiled, pleased he was willing to humor her sister's moods still. As he clambered into the van himself, his eyes caught hers, though. She immediately looked away, embarrassed. There were no empty spots beside her anyway, Charles having planted himself next to her. Rick soon settled himself in the empty spot beside Louisa instead and Anne couldn't help wondering what would have happened if there had been an empty spot by her. But she dismissed the idea as soon as it popped up. Hadn't she officially renounced being in love with him? Why was she still hoping that he would suddenly remember his love for her and sweep her off her feet? She had to face facts: it was over. Once she endured through today, she would leave for Boston and never see him again. And that was what she wanted, she told herself firmly, no matter how much her heart protested.
Persuading Him: A Modern Persuasion Retelling (Pemberley Estates Book 1) Page 13
