LADY ANN'S FOLLY: Chapter Eight - Part Four

Merry Christmas Finnfans! 

I hope you are surrounding yourselves with Christmas cheer in one way or another. 

You'll never be able to understand how much your support means to me. It's the light I always have to cling on to no matter whatever else is happening. Thank you so much.

And to celebrate this wonderful time of year, here's an early release of tonight's episode of Lady Ann!!!! 





Mavis and Lord Hurley disembarked from the train at Birmingham New Street Station along with Gladys, the maid, and Richard started to march toward the stairs leading to the exit.

“Aren’t we gettin’ on another train?” asked Mavis.

Richard stopped, his back to her, and sighed. “I told you Ann dear. We are breaking our journey here tonight. We’ll go the rest of the way to Nockton Vale in the morning. There aren’t any trains this late going out that way and it will be nicer to arrive at Crackshaw fully refreshed and in daylight. I think you’ll be favourably impressed by the grandeur of the house.

Mavis smirked to herself. “I don’t chuffin doubt it.”

“What was that?”

“Nothin.” She followed him up the steps as Gladys struggled on with the luggage, desperately trying to call a porter to help.

They made their way to the Queen’s Hotel that adjoined the station and booked into adjoining rooms. Birmingham was a thriving place, the second biggest city in the country and by far the most incredible place Mavis had ever seen. Just the journey south by rail had been astounding. She was being shown a lifestyle she had nary imagined. There was so much bustle and here in the hotel there were so many well off people. In Griply it had only been the Nevilles and the occasional traveller who showed any signs of wealth. Here those signs were everywhere!

Richard dealt with the hotel staff while Mavis looked on but as she waited she became aware of the way she was standing. She wasn’t stood as she normally would be, all chest and hips and sass. She was standing decorously, hands clasped lightly at her waist, feet close together, posture erect and somewhat... repressed.

She frowned, disconcerted, and made herself stand in a wider pose, something more familiar to her. That was more like it, but it made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She didn’t like the feeling. She had an instinct to stand more primly but she resisted it.

When the room details were finalised they were led upstairs, a porter carrying the luggage. Mavis settled into her room, dazzled by the space and luxury. It wasn’t as high a standard as Griply Hall but it was a thousand times better than the shabby inn rooms at the Dog & Pony. She laughed to think of them compared to the kind of opulence she intended to enjoy for the rest of her days.

After half an hour she grew bored, wondering what Lord Hurley was up to and went to the adjoining door. She tried it, frowning to find it locked, and tapped with a bent finger, thinking of Richard's handsome face and trim figure.

When he opened the door he looked perturbed; even irritated, wearing a smoking jacket over his shirt and trousers. “Are you alright Ann? What is it?”

Mavis gave him a suggestive leer. “I was just wonderin what you was up to in there is all,” she said. “An tryin to imagine somethin better we could be doin together.”

He stared at her, genuinely perplexed. “What?”

Mavis walked her first two fingers up his chest, her accent wavering between hers and Ann’s. “Perhaps we should take advantage of this solitude now we gottit. Wha’dya say?” Her hand reached his neck and she ran her fingers into the back of his hair.

“Ann please!” he stammered, stepping back. “I really don’t think that’s appropriate, do you?”

Mavis stepped over the threshold into his room, allowing the strap of her dress to fall off her shoulder. “I should bloody well hope not. Appropriate is the last thing I want to be tonight.” She smiled and winked.

Richard crossed his arms. “Ann. I’m serious. Stop this ridiculous charade this instant. You’re only making a fool of yourself. I expect better behaviour from my fiancée.”

“Really?” asked Mavis, stopping, disappointed, frustrated and angry. She gestured down her body. “You’re saying no... to this?”

Richard flapped his mouth open and closed. “You know very well that we aren’t married yet and that this kind of behaviour is entirely inappropriate.”

Mavis folded her own arms, pouting, glaring at the impossible man. She hadn’t expected this in the least.  “What’s the matter with you? Can’t you see how beautiful I am?”

Richard flapped his lips again.

“Forget about it,” snapped Mavis and walked back to their adjoining door. “I’ll see you in t’mornin. G’night.”

Richard looked after her as she banged the door shut behind her and on the other side of it Mavis sat gloomily on the edge of her bed, wondering what the real Ann was doing back in her body.