"And she has yet to give a reason for her return?"
It had been three days since Annabelle's untimely return. She had yet to explain the reason for her return, a fact which had only increased suspicion about it.
"Father is just waiting for her to ask for something, likely money he suspects."
Becca gave a thoughtful nod as they approached a table in the garden. Ella's strength had been gradually returning and she had finally been permitted to take short walks in the gardens. "The timing seems...."
"Suspect." Ella finished her friend's train of thought.
"It can not be a coincidence that she returned home not long after William.. Well you know."
"Trust me the thought crossed my mind. Although there is no proof the two of them are together so it is possible it is just that, a coincidence."
"Maybe we are all just thinking it is far more sinister than it actually is and she truly wants to make amends."
Ella heard the shuffle of gravel off in the distance and turned to see Annabelle cautiously walking towards them. "I honestly hope you are right."
"But?"
"Given the past it seems unlikely."
Annabelle approached the table with her head down looking like a lost puppy. "May I join you?"
"I do not see why not." Annabelle took the seat next to Ella at the table never lifting her head. Ella and Becca continued to chat aimlessly while Annabelle sat quietly, clearly something on her mind. "So Annabelle you never told us exactly what brought up your return. I mean father made it perfectly clear that you were not welcome here anymore."
"Am I not allowed to miss my home, my family?"
"If you cared for your family you would not have acted how you did." Seethed Becca.
"Why must I have some ulterior motive and not simply want to try and fix the mistakes I have made?" Annabelle huffed.
Ella leaned over grabbing her hand, looking Annabelle in the eye. "I hope that is the truth, because if it is not, you and I are done." Ella rose from her chair and walked back to the house with Becca following close behind.
"You certainly did not mince words."
"I am tired of being the understanding one, the one who fixes everything."
"I can not say I blame you. What you have done to help your parents from being social outcasts is more than anyone else would have done." Becca said with praise.
"Enough of this sour talk. Are you going to tell me what is going on with you and Charles Hawthorne?"
Becca feigned a blush and Ella laughed with joy as they headed to the library, putting her conversation with Annabelle behind her.
******
For the rest of the afternoon Ella spent it trying to pry information out of Becca. Her friend continued to be unnaturally evasive about her growing connection to Charles Hawthorne, but Ella could tell Becca had become quite fond of him. Even as the two prepared for supper, Ella could not get the other woman to open up.
As they entered the hall heading to the dining room, Ella spotted James politely speaking with Mrs. Hunter and Annabelle. When he saw Ella he casually disengaged form the conversation and walk to her offering his arm. Becca left them and joined James' previous position with reluctance.
"I heard you accompanied mother to the village today." Ella asked with amusement.
"Yes, she wanted to buy some materials for knitting and I offered to carry them back for her."
"That bored here are you?"
"Not at all. It is actually nice to do something that does not involve paperwork or convincing stubborn old fools on something they will never agree on. Plus I rather enjoyed the company."
"Careful if mother hears you she may start to swoon."
James let out a robust laugh as he led Ella to the dining room, where Mr. Hunter was already seated. Everyone took their seat at the table in preparation of the meal.
"Darling if you were hungry you could have snuck something from the kitchen." Mrs. Hunter said with a cheeky smile.
"What makes you think I have not already have?" Mr. Hunter replied eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Annabelle I do not think I have asked this yet, but have you met anyone during your travels?" Becca broke the quiet of the staff service.
"Oh no! There has not been anyone I have become attached to unlike from what I hear about you, and my beloved sister." Annabelle said wistfully causing Ella and Becca to share a look of knowing and suspicion with one another.
As supper dragged on, everyone broke off into separate conversations. Ella and her mother discussed her trip to the village with James, while Becca question Annabelle about what she had been up to the last couple of years. Meanwhile, James and her father were deep in conversation and Ella could not help but smile at how comfortable he seemed with her family.
The service of dessert signaled Annabelle's tiredness of Becca's interrogation causing her to turn her attention to James. "James? I can call you James since we are family right?"
"Are we Mrs. Tyler?" He asked with narrowed eyes.
Annabelle's angered expression caused Becca to nearly choke on her tea as Ella held back a snicker. "What I am curious about is how you and Ella met? I find it all surprising considering she never leaves Knighton. Let us be truthful, you are above her usual sort."
"Annabelle!" Shouted Mrs. Hunter.
"Usual sort? What does that even mean?" Muttered Becca.
Ella controlled her anger and stared down her sister. "You are lacking your normal subtlety this evening Annabelle."
"I am simply asking a question that I am sure many other have wondered."
James rested a hand on Ella's, a soft smile gracing his full lips. "If you must know, I passed through sometime ago and stumbled upon Ella on one of her walks that she is so fond of. I joined her the rest of her journey home and was so taken with her that we kept up correspondence. I decided I was delaying the enviable and rode through the night to propose to her."
Ella looked at James, shocked by his story to Annabelle, and as he locked eyes with her, Ella was taken aback by the swirling emotion in them. Movement from across the table snapped her from his eyes and Becca leaned closer to Annabelle. "Ella would not stop talking about him and would recite his letters from memory. It was rather sickening."
Mrs. Hunter sighed as if pulling a beautiful memory from her mind. "I thought the whole process was romantic, falling in love through letters is wonderful."
"I would have preferred a normal courting. But when has anyone done anything normal in this family." Mr Hunter spoke on a chuckle.
Ella's lips twitched with a smile and turned to her sister. "Are you satisfied Annabelle?"
Annabelle hummed to herself. "May I see these letters? I mean you so willingly showed them to mother and Becca. Do not pretend you do not still have them either, I remember you keeping all the letters William sent you."
"I brought the letters to Hamsfield to keep them close."
"Why not recite one since you have committed them to memory."
Mr. Hunter slammed his hand on the table causing everyone to look his way. "This is hardly appropriate for the dinner table Annabelle."
"Of course father, my apologizes. I just wanted to get closer to my sister and her wonderful husband."
James shifted in his chair as Ella spotted a sly smirk on Annabelle's face. Ella rolled her eyes while pushing back form the table. "Father if it is alright I wish to take my leave and take a stroll in the garden before bed."
"Of course my sweet."
James automatically rose from his chair to pull Ella's out the rest of the way. "I will join you if you will allow it."
"I was hoping you would."