She'd heard everything. Every. Single. Word. Unbeknown to both Graeme and John, Anna had settled on the top step of the stair case listening to the heated feud taking place in the kitchen below. She had heard how John had fought her corner, even saying how lovely a lady she was. But that detail retreated to the corners of her mind. What had struck her with most force was Graeme. Though a silent witness, she had been shown a new side to her supposed beloved. Anna had felt the sharpness of his tongue against his brother who, for all Anna could conclude, was a fine man. I'm struggling to think of a finer one, Anna distantly thought for a moment. John had not raised his voice once, nor shot out a foul expletive. Graeme, however, had emptied all of his verbal shells in to John Bates and even Anna herself. She was indeed wounded. A casualty of Graeme Bates' words if ever there was one. To John, however, this was nothing out of the ordinary.
Anna busied herself with getting herself ready for the funeral. The service was due to begin at 10:00 and it was getting later, much later than she had anticipated. It was now 09:04 and they would all need to be making tracks soon. The church was not far by any stretch but one wouldn't have found it very agreeable having to squeeze in behind the coffin itself. Though I am sure Violet would have laughed all the same, scolding us for lack of punctuation, Anna had giggled at the thought, reminiscing fondly about the late character.
'Anna, Anna!' Graeme had screeched from the bottom of the stairs. 'Are you almost ready, my sweet?'
To these words, Anna had creased. How dare he belittle me and then talk to me like that as if nothing had happened, she had thought, not even satisfying Graeme's line of inquiry with a reply.
'Silent treatment,' John had pitched in, looking smugly at Graeme as they both stood, clad in black, waiting for Anna to descend.
'Forgot I asked for your opinion, Johnny. Oh, that's it, I didn't,' Gray shot back as reply, sour as ever towards his half- brother. 'How about you let me deal with my bird, yeah? 'Cause after all, that's what she is. My bird.'
John could only crumple his face at the vile sentiment of Graeme. Bird, John thought, Bird? They only glared at each other now. The sound of Anna's foot falls upstairs the only break in silence.
'I'm coming now!' Anna had bellowed to the men down below her some few minutes later.
'I want you gone, remember?' Graeme had told John firmly.
'I would not dream of forgetting it,' John dryly replied.
Anna now descended, dressed in a simple outfit. Black trousers, black top, black shoes. Black. John thought how beautiful she still looked despite the occasion and its dress code. He looked fine himself. Clean shaven and slicked hair, John was quite the figure stood at the bottom of the stair case, eyes seemingly transfixed on the lady descending them. He could only shake his head in awe. Um? John quickly thought and looked away towards the lazy kitty stretched across the bottom step.
Sensing some tension between the two brothers, Anna spoke, 'Shall we go then? It's 09:20 and I don't want to be on a collision course with the coffin.' Her attempt at jovial conversation was not lost on John and he gave he a slight raised smile as way of response. She glided past, taking the car keys from the hook and taking a final glance at her appearance in the mirror.
'You're still there, Anna. Now, can we get a bloody move on?'
'Of course, dear,' Anna had said, exasperated. John picked up on her tone in a heartbeat.
'I'll drive as I'm going back to work straight after so no drinks for me, I'm sad to say,' Anna had said as they made for the door.
'Should've down right told them you weren't working today, Anna, like me. They can't stop you, not for a funeral. I would've liked to see them stop me. Ha, imagine?' Gray had given it large as he locked the door behind them, chucking up a middle finger at the cat for good measure.
The drive was not long to the church, a mere four miles, give or take. Anna drove, Graeme took to the passenger side whilst John sat contemplatively in the back seat. No one seemed particularly keen on the idea of conversation so they all sat, virtually silent, the whole way. No words were spoken but a conversation was being had. One too many times, Anna had caught John's eye in the rear view mirror and on no occasion had he deflected his stare. He couldn't. His eyes would not allow him to be distracted. He was spell bound, unable to fight the curse that Anna had bewitched him with. She felt it, too, though she never gave herself away. Graeme, naturally, took no notice; more concerned about whether the rain that was threatening to fall would discolour his suit or flatten his hair. He was oblivious to it all. Perhaps that was a good thing. If Gray knew, it would only spoil the illusion, John thought and he couldn't have that.
Anna tried not to get too distracted, with driving and all, but she was conflicted. She wanted to look. She needed to look. Something was happening here. Anna didn't know if it was because John defended her or Graeme was in a foul mood at the moment, or if she was tired, or if she looked alright, or, or, or. She drove, half seeing, half blindingly perplexed at this stranger's ability to bewitch her so easily with just a look. She just wanted to…
'Anna! For God sake, you've just missed the bloody turning for the church! It was right there!' Graeme huffed and puffed, his anxiety mirroring that of when they'd gone to see Robert and Cora only a week earlier.
'Oh, oh, sorry, I'll just – ', Anna's dazed words were tripping over her teeth.
'Yeah, you will! For the love of God, turn around!' Gray spat, disgusted by his girlfriend's stupidity.
'Calm down, Graeme, will you? No harm done,' John spoke now, trying to ease his brother's foul temper.
'Pipe down, John, what's it got to do with you?' Gray exclaimed, not hesitating to lash out at him, either.
It has everything to do with him, Anna thought.
'There, look, we're here now and with time to spare,' Anna defended herself, quite embarrassed and red faced. 'I'm sorry, Gray, I don't kno-,'
Graeme had already left the front seat, quickly exiting just as Anna pulled in to the car park which was already quite full. Taking a deep breath, Anna tried to compose herself and looked in the mirror once more. There he sat, still, not moving an inch until she did. The spell was not broken at all, only halted. She had to look away but she couldn't. John spoke softly, slowly, and he did not glance away,
'We should, ah, g-, go in, I reckon,'
Anna could only nod and agree, any hope of a verbal reply lost in a hazel fog. He took his fingers to the door handle and pulled, allowing fresh air to seduce his face immediately as the door swung open. Much needed, John thought. Anna missed his presence almost immediately. She felt lost without it there. Snap out of it, Anna! For Heaven knows, only trouble can come from this, she chastised herself as she watched John's formidable figure tread towards the church. Getting out of the car, she saw the hearse pull slowly in to the church yard; her cue to scurry to the closest available pew she could find.
'There you are, where were you?' Graeme gestured to her through gritted teeth. Anna chose to ignore it, taking her place next to John. As they stood and waited for the glossed coffin of Violet Crawley to pass, Anna's mind drifted.
What was that, she thought, desperately trying to work out what had transpired between her and John. There was no time to think now. The organ bellowed as Violet Crawley's final journey in this life began. There were sobs and sniffs but Anna couldn't quite muster it. Her mind, no matter how much she tried, was very much elsewhere.
The procession passed her pew and Anna gave a mournful smile to Robert and Cora as they clocked them through watery eyes. Robert almost did a double take when he recognised the large figure of John Bates stood behind Anna, so bold and strong. Anna turned to look round, John glared unblinking. He bowed his head and Robert did the same. Robert passed them now, slowly progressing to the alter where the Vicar waited patiently. Anna still looked behind, not turning her gaze away. John looked down now and gave her a weak smile. It was only the Vicar's booming voice that broke her reverie. They all now sat in unison in a dull echo.
'Family, friends, I welcome you here this morning to celebrate the life of our dearly beloved mother, sister and companion, Violet…,' the Vicar had begun. His words only blurred sound to Anna. She sat, almost in a trance, next to John who looked on at nothing in particular. Anna watched him for a moment; watched as he breathed in and out and how he wet his lips. She's watching me, he brooded, without giving himself away to the blonde figure below him.
I can feel her watching me, I like it. Graeme coughed beside him as if he knew what his older brother was thinking. Thank God he doesn't, John mused.
Anna had well and truly looked away now, off put by Graeme's fit of coughing. Think of Violet, and Robert, and Cora, and John, and… oh, no, Anna seemingly exhaling her feelings to which John bent down and asked,
'Are you alright, Anna?'
He didn't quite ask it but breathed it in to her ear, leaving his scent in the air between them. She could only nod. If she dared speak, she would give the game away. Their game, and a dangerous one at that. What happened in the car had just not gone away. Would it ever go away, Anna thought, feigning interest to the latest prayer.
She bowed her head now, along with all the others, who had done so before her. She put her hands to her side and gripped the bench underneath her. For grounding, Anna professed to her conscience. It was then she felt it. His little finger against hers. Her heart was well and truly pounding now.
What on Earth was going on?
He fiddled with it, placing his above hers and grazing it up and down. I daren't look, I mustn't look, she fought herself inside her mind. Anna wasn't backing away as she should do. This was Graeme's brother, after all. John did not even attempt to cease his ministrations, only getting bolder as he did so. There were two fingers upon her hand now, desperately trying to hook whatever flesh he could find.
In the blink of a moment, everyone stood as Violet was taken behind the satin curtain, to leave this world and venture to the next. A chorus of miserable sobs filled the space as the likes of Robert and Cora said farewell to the witty lady who Anna had got to know quite well. She did not cry, for she didn't have the capacity to do so. She was sobering to reality after being drunk on the affect of a man she barely knew. The crowd began to filter out, bottle necking to the yard beyond where the sun had peaked through the clouds to greet them all.
Anna followed suit with John closely behind, grazing his knuckle against her back once or twice. I'm sure it was accidental, Anna thought naively as if forgetting what had transpired over the course of the morning.
Anna needed fresh air, now more than ever. Making her way outside, she gulped down all of the air that her lungs could take. She was hot and clammy and needed a moment.
'Hello, Anna,' a mournful American tone graced her ears.
'Oh, Cora,' Anna said, pulling her close friend in to an embrace worthy of such a day. 'How are you? I know it seems a silly question- ,'
'No, it's not. Not at all. She's not hurting anymore and we must be thankful for that,'
Anna could only nod her head in genuine agreement.
'I'm sorry I can't come to the house but I have work today and I wasn't able to take the time off and I…' she stopped right there. He was coming towards them.
'Anna, are you- oh, John! John, hello,' Cora cried almost in awe. 'I'm so glad you've made it. Robert and I are so pleased,'
'Hello, Cora,' John said calmly, taking his old friend in his arms for a conservative hug and cheek kiss. 'I wouldn't have missed it. I'm sorry for your loss, Violet will be sorely missed,'
Cora nodded warmly, tears glazing her icy eyes.
'I'll find Robert and he can say hello,' Cora strolled off, wiping her eyes, to find her grieving husband amongst the crowd.
It was just Anna and John stood now. It wasn't awkward but it wasn't pleasant. It was tense. After a moment John spoke,
'Anna',
'Alright, boys and girls. Fucking boring that, wasn't it? Not much fun at all,' Graeme had stormed over, chewing like a farm beast, on a piece of mint chewing gum.
'They're not meant to be entertaining, brother,' John almost hissed, exasperated as ever with the man that stood before him.
'Yeah? Then why does it have the word fun in it, eh?'
John could only look away, repulsed at his juvenile response. Anna stood equally embarrassed.
'Well, if my eyes deceive me, I will not seek the truth! John Bates, my old friend!' It was Robert Crawley, bounding over to John, opened armed and smiling.
'Rob, my good man,' John replied with as much enthusiasm as he had been shown himself.
Graeme looked on, scolded, like a child who had been told to eat his greens or he would not have pudding.
'I'm very happy to see you, very happy indeed,' Robert enthused.
'If only it was under better circumstances, eh, old chap?'
'Indeed, indeed. Are you coming to the house? It has been years,' Robert pleaded to John as if asking for a sweet.
'I was going to head off, actually, I don't want to out stay my welcome,' John beckoned to his brother beside him, Robert nodding in a knowing response. Anna could not bear to look for fear of revealing herself.
'Nonsense! I rarely see you now you live in London, it may be years until we next see each other. Please come?'
Anna braved a glance towards John who was stuck between a rock and his younger brother's girlfriend. He conceded,
'Alright then, but only for an hour or two,'
'That's the spirit! Anna, my love, you know how to get there probably better than I do, would you mind taking these gentlemen there now? We won't be far behind, Cora and I,'
'That's fine, Rob,' Anna smiled, however sad she felt not being able to join them.
'Right we are, then, I'll see you all in twenty minutes or so,'
'Rob, I ca-', Anna tried to say that she wouldn't be joining them, only for it to fall on deaf ears as Robert and Cora walked towards the church again.
'I'll tell him, Anna, don't worry,' John assured her.
'Right, come on then, to the booze!' Gray laughed a loud, not caring for the sombre mood that surrounded them, and waltzed to the car.
'Ready?' Anna said to John, not quite catching his eye.
'Yes, I am,' he replied deeply. Anna felt warm all of a sudden. Too warm.
Anna didn't look in the rear view mirror once on their drive to Robert and Cora's house. She would not risk it now. She drove, and she drove, and she drove, until they were finally there.
'Here it is, cheers babe,' Gray broke the silence and grabbed Anna's face between his soft hands. Kissing her harshly, Anna twisted her face underneath his and had to pull away.
'Gray,' Anna said, shocked and almost hurt by what had just happened. What must John think, Anna thought.
He looked out of the window, deep in thought, when she chanced a look in to the back seat.
'Ready then, Johnno?' Gray said, smiling a devilish smile.
'Yes. Thanks, Anna, I'll be seeing you,'
'Bye, John.'
She watched them enter the house which was already open to guests and waited for them to disappear in to the crowd. Anna needed to leave, now. But not without…
There it was. John glanced back before entering the Crawley's house and Anna stared right back. She wasn't turning away and she didn't want to. She couldn't. She was bewitched, well and truly.