Richard arrived around eight in the morning. He did not want to waste a minute of his time visiting with Annabelle. "Who am I trying to fool?" he thought. Since he left for London he could think only of Annabelle's governess. He could not wait to see her again his eyes needed to feast upon her. He ached to be within a few feet of her. He had missed her so much.

Annabelle could not believe the man before her was her brother Richard. The last time she had seen him was at her wedding but that was several years ago. "Richard I am so glad you came to visit," Annabelle said showering her brother with sisterly hugs and kisses.

"It is so good to see you as well." Removing his cape and hat he had to admit he was just as happy to see her. Annabelle was his favorite sister. Clara was the sensible one but Annabelle... he could easily talk her into joining Juliana and himself on any one of their adventures as children."

"Is Cyril home?" Richard asked as Annabelle led him to the parlor.

"No, I am afraid not he goes to the office quite early to prepare for his cases at court, but I do expect him home earlier today due to your arrival."

"Oh, no bother that just means you and I have longer to visit." Richard smiled at her and settled in. Annabelle smiled back at him as she checked on the tea.

"Uncle Richard, Uncle Richard!" the two terrors called as they tore around the bend to see their Uncle, the war hero. Richard could not believe they were his nephews. Annabelle had two boys. He had missed a lot while he was away, but that left a very disturbing and puzzling question.

"I want to play with him!" the younger boy said as the older one fought with him saying "I saw him first!"

"Out of my way." the younger boy said pushing at the older boy's arm.

"Yeah." said the older boy shoving the smaller boy so hard he knocked him off the chair.

"Boys!" Annabelle scolded them, "Your Uncle is not a toy to fight over he is our guest and is going to be treated as such. Am I understood?"

With a heavy sigh coming from the both of them they answered. "Yes, mother." and sat on separate chairs but not before making a face at one another.

Richard laughed. "All right," he said, "You ..." looking at the older boy "What is your name?"

"Alexander Kane" the seven-year-old answered proudly.

"And you?" Richard asked looking to the younger.

"William" said the five-year-old.

"Both very strong names." Richard told them and they both sat up a little straighter in their chairs looking proud. And where is your sister?"

Annabelle nearly spilt the tea she was pouring as Richard's question to her son's caught her off guard.

"Sister?" Alex said, "we have no sister."

"Yes, there is just the two of us," William said.

"Oh?" Richard looked over at Annabelle for answers but she refused to meet his gaze.

"I want you two to go upstairs and wash up," Annabelle told her children. "Your breakfast will be ready soon and you are still in your night clothes."

"Do we have too?" the boys sang in unison.

"Up!" she demanded pointing the way for them to go and they raced from the room. Taking a cup of tea she handed it to Richard and sat across from him.

Frowning into the cup, wishing it were something a lot stronger than tea he asked, "Where is she, Annabelle? You deliberately deceived me. Where is Anna? Did she know I was arriving in London?"

Annabelle hated lying and she certainly could not bring herself to do so to her own brother. God how she wished Cyril was here. He would have handled this. Looking at her own tea the way her brother had moments ago she sighed and said, "She is not here. And yes she knew you were coming."

Richard sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. Annabelle could see the exhaustion written in his features.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she prompted hating seeing her brother in obvious pain.

Richard was not sure where to start. "She does still work for you?" he inquired. 

"To tell you the truth Richard she never worked for me," Annabelle answered. 

"What do mean? You wrote Mother telling her that you wanted Anna as your governess," Richard said in disbelief he could not believe Annabelle capable of discarding someone so carelessly.

"Yes, I did but not to leave her in a life of servitude but to give her a life of freedom." At her brother's look of confusion she thought she had better explain, "When she came here she thought the same as you. J...Anna," Annabelle stumbled, "was our saving grace. Clara's and mine. Things had always been bad there with Mother but when father had passed they only got worse. Anna took care of us. She was too young for us to think of her as a mother but she was like a big sister to both Clara and I. She looked out for us. Would cover for us if we got into trouble like most children do. She was our very best friend. When I heard she was still in Mother's service after we had gone long ago well I wanted to give her something back for all she has given me." Annabelle concluded with a sigh knowing that she was incapable of giving her friend the one thing, the only thing she knew she really wanted.

"Where is she now?" Richard asked a note of desperation in his voice, something that did not go unnoticed to Annabelle's trained ear.

"She does not wish to be found Richard. Especially by a man who is soon to be married," she told him rather emphatically rising to put her teacup back on the tray having quite lost her taste for tea.

Richard could not believe the amount of loyalty Anna had managed to instill into his little sister. The more he learned of Anna the more in love with her he became. "So you are not going to tell me?" Richard said rather cross.

"You are my brother and I love you but do not ask me to betray my friend to you?" Annabelle pleaded. She was close to giving in. Part of her felt she was doing them both an injustice by not telling Richard the truth behind Anna's identity. Luckily however instead of pressing the issue her brother had decided to let it go.

"I would not ask you do to such a thing little sister," Richard reassured her.

"So what news do you bring of the new love of your life?" Annabelle asked hoping to change the subject to a happier one.

"In truth sister, I have no love new or old it seems," Richard said as he closed his eyes for a moment too exhausted to continue talking.

Alarmed now by not only her brother's demeanor but his words she pressed, "But Richard, you are marrying this girl are you not?"

Opening his eye slightly he tried to straighten himself up. "Yes, I am and as soon as possible." As his eyes met Annabelle's his strength left him and the desolation of his situation was too much to bear alone.

"Oh Annabelle, it would seem I have made a terrible error of judgment." Richard rubbed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to ease the pain that rested there. 

"Tell me," Annabelle prompted.

Richard explained the situation as best he could without embarrassing his sister but when he told her she did not seem all that surprised.

"You have no memory of the actual act?" Annabelle asked not understanding how anyone could block out such a thing.

"None what so ever," Richard said rubbing at his eyes. God he was tired.

"Have you talked with Cecilia?" Annabelle asked although unable to find the flaw in her brother's story, something just did not seem to fit.

"I tried the morning after it happened but she just broke down crying. She refused any attempt at meeting. Then her father shows a month later demanding satisfaction," Richard told her, rubbing at the strained muscles in the back of his neck.

"Oh, Richard you didn't fight him did you?" Annabelle couldn't imagine anyone besting her brother in a fight, whether it be by hand, rapier or pistols.

"No, he seemed pacified with the idea of marriage." Richard said with a tone of resignation.

"Something is not right with this whole situation." Annabelle said not knowing how but the nagging feeling in her stomach was seldom wrong.

Richard shrugged there was little more to say other than, "I took her virginity. I have to do what is right."

Annabelle could not argue but still she felt there was more to the story. "Look talk to Cyril when he gets home he has a mind for these things. He can also procure your license for you. He is due home around three, I believe, so why not try and get some rest. The guest bedroom is on the first floor, down the hall, second door on the left."

"Thanks Annabelle, " Richard said grateful for the idea of sleep, "And thank you for listening."

"You are most welcome," she smiled. She kissed his forehead and sent him to bed like one of her sons.

Richard had a delightful evening with the family. He told the story again to Cyril who had the same reaction as his wife. However, he did not have anything to add only that he would have Richard's license ready by the next afternoon. While Annabelle and Cyril seemed in conference in the next room, Richard took this time to get to know his nephews.

"So Alex you like your tutor?"

"Oh, yes very much." Alex said enjoying having his Uncle's undivided attention. "What is your favorite subject?" Richard asked as they played a game of cards. "Reading," Alex answered with out hesitation.

"Reading?" Richard was slightly surprised at his answer because reading had always been his down fall when it came to his studies.

"Yeah...I mean Yes. That is why me and Willy were sad to hear that mother's friend was not going to live here anymore."

"She went away," Willy said as he roused from napping on Richard's lap. "She tells stories," Willy added sleepily.

"She does not tell stories," Alex corrected his little brother roughly, "She reads us stories."

Willy just shrugged his shoulders it meant the same to him.

Happy to hear anything else he could learn of Anna he asked Alex, "What kind of stories would she read to you?"

"Mostly stories of knights and dragons and magical things. They were really exciting," he said beaming up at his Uncle over his cards.

Richard smiled as he thought she could probably tell those tales in her sleep if King Arthur's Court was her favorite book.

"But she went away." Willy said again before snuggling a little closer to Richard.

"Yeah, but we can visit her whenever we want Mother promised." Alex reminded his little brother. "She even said that if we were really good we can stay overnight in the guest bedroom."

Willy was too tired to pay attention. Richard however was hanging on his every word. So, she must still be in London. Richard's heart began to race knowing she may be out there somewhere close. "So where does mother's friend live?" Richard asked his heart hanging by this thread of hope Alex was dangling in front of him.

Willy just shrugged and Alex looked perplexed. Richard could feel that hope slipping away and then suddenly Alex said, "I think I heard Father say something about moving her things to Jasper Street but we were never there yet."

Richard's spirit took flight. He rose from the chair picking up Willy gently and kissed him on the forehead before laying him on the sofa and tucking him in.

"Alex, you are a mighty bright boy." He said right before he picked the boy up and swung him about. Alex's shriek of laughter could be heard in the next room. Annabelle came in to check on them.

Looking at Willy sleeping form she said, "Come Alex, time for bed."

"Aww..." Alex began to pout. "Do I have to? Just five more minutes? Please?" He drew out the last word in a sing song manner. 

Richard took pity on the boy and said, "How about I tuck you in. I will even tell you a story."

"Nothing too frightening Richard," Annabelle yelled after him as he and Alex raced up the stairs. Shaking her head at them she gathered up her other little bundle he was getting heavier every day. "Time for you to go to bed too." she told Willy but he was too busy snoring to put up a fight.