Second Chances; A Regency Story (For Anna)

[Annabelle Hennessy]

As Alasdair strolled toward her, Annabelle stood and smoothed down imaginary wrinkles on her fine skirts. She inclined her head when he approached, masking the fluttering unrest inside. Pleasantries were the last thing she wished to share, but she didn't think it wise to talk about anything more in case any ears were turned to their exchange. "I congratulate you on such a fine evening, Mr. Blackwood. Elizabeth and I are most grateful to have received an invitation.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Alasdair paused, his mind forced to abandon the strong urge he'd had to ask Annabelle to dance. It was a bad idea, he knew, what with the distracting need he felt to touch her, and so many curious and observant eyes in the room, but he was impulsive by nature, and would have asked, if only she hadn't decided to make polite conversation.

"Thank you," he said, his gaze lingering on hers when he ought to have been looking around the room, feigning fashionable boredom. There were times he wished he had such a skill. "It has been my pleasure to have you in my home." The polite words hardly registered, even in his own mind, as he spoke them. His mind was miles away, in a field of late-summer grass, with the forbidden memory of a kiss on his lips.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle glanced around at the other groups formed before making a brazen decision. "I wish to take a stroll around the room, would you be inclined to accompany me?" Anna realistically had no such wish. She truly only desired to have a few moments of private conversation however, and a stroll would provide such an opportunity. If she didn't act on furthering their relationship in the direction she wished, she feared her opportunity would be lost.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

If Alasdair was startled by Annabelle's forwardness, it did not show, possibly because his nerves were already stretched toward breaking simply from being near her. He nodded his acquiescence and offered her his arm without further ado, embarrassingly eager for whatever contact she might grant him. He was struck dumb by that very contact, and unable to speak.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle did her best to ignore her own reaction to his contact, which wasn't too hard considering the amount she was focused on what she was about to do. The light comments she made while still in earshot of others hardly made sense. When they had traveled a decent distance down the room Annabelle glanced around, perhaps not as covertly as she thought she was being, and stopped next to one of the room's large windows. Gesturing with her hand to the view, she hoped to draw Alasdair's attention to face away from the others. "The weather has been remarkable this year....." She paused for a moment to harden her nerves, then continued before he could make the required polite response. "Forgive me for being so bold, but I think we both know I didn't ask you over here to talk about the weather."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

"Didn't you?" Alasdair asked. He looked down at Annabelle from the corner of his eye, but remained facing the windows, as though inspecting the nighttime gardens. She was bold, and he wasn't sure what to make of her. Boldness was one thing in a man, but quite another—and entirely unexpected—from a woman. "Do speak freely," he offered, as though any part of him believed she wanted his consent to speak.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle glanced at Alasdair, feeling as if he was simply humoring her. She nearly lost her nerve and hesitated before slowly dragging out what she wished to say. "I know we haven't known each other long. But we have connected rather well.... I feel there are aspects of our friendship that cannot be ignored. And for once I do not wish to ignore them." Anna stared at her hands as if they were the most interesting puzzle she'd ever seen, a deep blush expanded across her otherwise pale complexion. "Please forgive me, I have never done such things. And if I am wrong in my assumptions pray do forgive me, but I thought perhaps.... If you were of a like mind, that is, if you were willing...."

Annabelle swallowed and softly blurted out the words that she'd been stumbling to say for the last few minutes. "I would simply request a private audience to discuss a possible arrangement, if it pleases you, to deal with these unexpected....developments."

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Alasdair's heart leapt, then stopped hard, leaving him nearly breathless at her words. He was thrown off-guard, both by her blunt words and the similarity they held to his forming plans, however secretive they might have been. If the children approved, it would be all he needed. He felt certain that he'd made the correct decision.

"I would be quite willing," he said after a time, when his impulses were tamped down as they should be. "Shall I call on you in the morning?" He would know by then, and, whatever the decision he came to, he would be ready to proceed.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle didn't believe her ears when he affirmed that he would be quite willing. It took a moment for the implication of his words to sink in and realize that she had just set things into motion. She wasn't sure that a morning call would be suitable for such talks, and had expected a secluded rendezvous, but didn't want to question it for fear of ruining everything. Annabelle trusted Alasdair's judgement, since men were far more experienced in these sort of dealings, and would leave the details to him. "I would like that." Annabelle couldn't hide the relief and excited anticipation for tomorrow, and she looked up to Alasdair with a brilliant smile.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Alasdair's heart leapt again, and stayed aloft, fluttering like that of a young boy for his first crush. It was painful, but it was bliss, and there was such a mixture of feelings that he was unsure if he could find them. "Do you dance?" he asked, glancing back to where others were still enjoying the music. He was unused to needing such self-control, after years of seclusion.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Annabelle nodded the affirmative and allowed herself to be led out onto the makeshift dance floor where a few of the others had congregated. Her skin tingled with anticipation at each warm touch from her partner. Thankfully the music remained lively and the contact wasn't anywhere near as intimate as a waltz or else she might not have survived a single song. When the song was over, she accepted the invitation from Mr. Sterling as a partner for the next number, unsure if she was thankful for the chance to breathe again or resentful at the loss of contact with Alasdair. Mr. Sterling proved to be just as entertaining on the dance floor as he had been at dinner and managed to distract her from her own thoughts.

After a few more numbers, people began to say their goodbyes. Annabelle collected her sister and joined the parties preparing to depart. As much as she wanted to stay and speak with Alasdair that evening, she knew it would be best to wait until the morning as he wished and not draw attention to their association any more than necessary. Elizabeth reluctantly said goodbye to her new found friend with promises to call upon each other soon and joined her sister for a relatively quiet ride home.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Alasdair could not help watching Annabelle as she left, and perhaps a goodbye or two had been distracted. He stood for some minutes when the parlor had emptied, and the subtle touch at his sleeve awoke him from his reveries with a start.

It was Cara, who had watched him far more carefully than he could have known, and she told him that Annabelle was the one, that Aidan had peeked in while they were dancing and given his approval as well. She wanted the guidance for her own Season next year, and she wanted Elizabeth as her sister.

When he was at last alone for the night, he sat, making his preparations. A late note was sent, requesting an audience with Annabelle's father early the next morning. Things would move quickly, and it was for the best.

As he lay in bed, exhausted, but enlivened, guilt crept in, murmuring in his ears and drawing attention to the empty space beside him. He would marry for the children, he told himself. That was all. But the guilt remained. He liked Annabelle, found her boldness refreshing, and found himself profoundly attracted to her. But Michael...

It was nearly dawn before he came to a compromise with himself. He would marry Annabelle, giving the children the strong female presence they needed, but he would keep his distance. He would not allow his attraction to control him, and in doing so, would soothe that part of him which could not let go.

He was still dazed in the morning as he dressed himself, having fallen asleep for some short time and waken with the same thoughts in his mind. He only hoped that Annabelle's father would agree to meet with him, his last hurdle. Then it could be done, and he could worry that much less about Cara's eventual coming-out.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

When the pair returned home, Anna having denied Elizabeth any tidbits to satisfy her various comments spoken to pry information during the carriage ride, the younger sister went straight to her bedroom to come up with another angle. Annabelle knew her younger sister wasn't blind and might wonder about the handsome stranger that had briefly stayed in their home, but had hoped that she would be too busy with her own season to give it a second thought. Now that Elizabeth had met Lady Cara, Annabelle knew that she wouldn't be as easily distracted and would have to be cautious to keep her liaison with Alasdair a secret. Distracted with her own thoughts, Annabelle ascended the stairs to her own quarters without noticing the glow coming from beneath the door to her father's study. He'd remained in the country to see to repairs on some tenant buildings and had been expected to arrive at some point in the next few weeks, but without a specific date of arrival his return to town was far from her mind.

The Honourable Gabriel Hennessy sat at his large mahogany desk sorting through the correspondence that had yet to be forwarded to their country estate. Besides managing the untitled estates graciously passed down to him, Mr. Hennessy had supplemented his income early on by learning the ways of investments at an early age. He'd instructed his staff to hold off announcing his arrival to his daughters until the morning so he might get a grasp on the most recent financial developments. His seclusion was interrupted some time later by a knock on the door followed by his butler presenting a missive that had just arrived.

After accepting the letter and dismissing the man, Mr. Hennessy put aside his work to address the note. It was a rather odd hour to receive a message, especially one with unfamiliar handwriting, and his curiosity was piqued as he slid open the parchment. As usual, his eyes glanced down to the signature at the bottom before taking in the rest of the brief request. After racking his brain for the correct reference to the vaguely familiar name, Mr. Hennessy's eyebrows drew together in concern.

He'd trusted his oldest daughter to the unwanted task of chaperoning her younger sister, feeling that she was much better suited to the task than himself and hadn't want to bother his sister-in-law whom had just married off the last of her offspring two years prior. It was perfectly respectable for Annabelle to take up the duty and he'd thought she was experienced enough in the ways of the ton to assist in Elizabeth's pursuit of a respectable match. He now knew how wrong he was to trust her in this matter. He would meet with Mr. Blackwood in the morning, but if this was Annabelle's idea of a potential suitor for his Elizabeth, then he would have to set matters straight. Too frustrated with this turn of events, he left his business unfinished in favor of a glass of Brandy in his quarters.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Alasdair spent more time than was likely necessary checking the folds of his cravat and the lines of the more subtle and dignified clothing he wore today. He was fully aware of his reputation, as well as the likelihood that he would be turned away at the door, but he hoped that he would have a chance, and he would not look the eccentric he was.

He arrived promptly on time, having left his cane behind, having left the carriage behind and simply ridden over. He didn't want the memories of Michael for his own peace of mind, and didn't want reminders of the duke for Mr. Hennessy. He stood at the door, waiting.

[Annabelle Hennessy]

Upon the announcement of Mr. Blackwood's arrival, Mr. Hennessy pushed aside all pretense of working with the numbers before him and asked that the man be shown into the study. Out of ingrained courtesy, not earned respect, he stood behind the desk waiting to greet his visitor. He'd always preferred to dress for the situation, and as usual for town, was wearing an unremarkable khaki waistcoat with a stiffly tied cravat. His wavy sienna colored hair was cropped short and combed neatly behind his ears. His slightly darker eyes showed not an ounce of his friendly nature as the interloper appeared.

With an inclination of his head, Mr. Hennessy addressed the man as he entered. "Mr. Blackwood, I must admit to being surprised by your request for a visit. Please enlighten me on how I might be of service." Mr. Hennessy's tone was intended to be as intimidating as it came across, despite the obvious size disadvantage he had to the younger man.