Anna has been gone for several minutes now to take an aspirin and John began to worry about his wife. Perhaps she had fainted. He turned to Mrs Hughes, sat next to him. "It's been a while since she's gone, Mrs Hughes, I ought to see if everything is okay", he said as the Housekeeper gave me a nod, still focused on Dame Nellie's singing.
He limped his way out of the room to the stairs heading to the kitchen and the Servant's Hall. He hoped Anna was okay and she wasn't unconscious somewhere. He knew he hadn't been kind to her earlier nagging about her being nice to Mr Green so he also wanted to take this opportunity with them two alone to apologize to her.
He was almost downstairs when he suddenly heard screams from the Servant's Hall. It was Anna. He headed to where the screams were from as quick as his knee allowed him to. When he finally enter the Servant's Hall, his eyes widened with an enraged expression to the scene before him : Mr Green was trying to kiss Anna while holding her wrist so she wouldn't push him away. Her face was covered with bruises and ravaged by tears. She tried to get away from his hold, crying for help. John's blood boiled. Without any hesitation, he jumped to Green and grabbed him by his shirt "You bastard, don't you dare touch my wife !!", he screamed as he punched him in the face with his fist.
Anna screamed with shock "John !"
Her husband wasn't listening to her pouring out his anger on Mr Green with his fist. The other man was bleeding all over his face. He couldn't give the slaps back because John was too strong and imposing. The other valet tried to get away but couldn't because Mr Bates now was a beast. He was in a white rage and nothing could stop him. He wanted to kill this monster for touching HIS wife.
"Don't kill him please !"Anna begged with a cracking voice.
"Darling, he tried to… he hurt you.." John explained without letting go of Green who was almost unconscious at this point.
"If you kill him, you'll hang. John, listen to me please", her begging was so desperate.
He looked at his wife. She was smiling at him but still had tears in her eyes. Her beautiful face was badly marked. That vision broke his heart. How could he have let her end up like this. He should have protected her. He looked at that bastard and sighed. He wanted to kill him but he couldn't do that to Anna, not after everything they've been through. If he hanged she wouldn't survive it. He decided to let go of Green and headed toward Anna. He took her in his arms. She hid her face in the crook of his neck and began to sob. He tightened his hold and whispered "it's okay darling, i'm here. It's okay", stroking her back. Her sobs tore his heart. She must have been so frightened. They stayed like this several minutes until Anna calmed down.
"My darling, i'm so sorry" he said as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes glowing from the tears. He stroked her face. She whimpered when he touched the bruises. "I'll heal you". He took her by the hand and they headed to Mrs Hughes' office where the first aid kit was.
Before leaving the room, he glanced at the unconscious Mr Green leaning on the table. That bastard deserved worse but for now John had to focus on his wife.
He had her sit on a chair near Mrs Hughes desk while he searched for bands and some healing pomade. When he got them, he posted himself in front of her and took her small face in his hand as he applied the pomade and then the bands on her bruises. She whimpered a little but she softened when he looked at her with a smile on his face. John took Anna's hands into his and pressed a kiss on them. "There you go" he said while she stood up again.
"Thank you John" she offered him a kiss. The kiss was chaste but it longed for a moment. Anna tried to forget the sensation of that awful man's lips on hers with the lips of the only man she ever wanted to kiss. John knew it by the way she kissed him and brought her closer to him. When they parted, she looked down.
"I should have listened to you. I should have not let him flirt with me. It made him think I was interested", she said sadly.
"Anna, nothing that happened is your fault. That bastard didn't have the right to do what he did. You did nothing wrong"
"But you warned me…"
"Darling, I was only jealous of him… It was silly. I never thought he was a danger to you. I should have protected you instead of snapping at you. It was childish", he explained.
"You know, I love you and I wouldn't want any other man. You're the only one for me and he couldn't bear it…. He couldn't believe I was happy with you but I am"
His blood boiled once more. That asshole really deserved death. Such an arrogant little bastard. He softened when Anna took his hand.
"Anna, I promise you I'll never let anyone else ever touch you. You're my wife and I'll protect you"
They kissed once again but were cut by someone coming downstairs. They walked hand in hand toward the Servant's Hall where they found Mrs Hughes confused with the vision of Mr Green, still unconscious.
"What happened here ??" the housekeeper turned to the couple.
"Mr Green…" Anna began to speak but was cut by a furious John.
"He tried to force himself on Anna, Mrs Hughes"
"Did he ?" Mrs Hughes was outraged and turned to Anna to see if it was the truth. Anna nodded shyly before turning her head, ashamed. She squeezed John's hands. The housekeeper's eyes widened. "I'm going to tell Lord Gillingham" she said, taking Mr Green by the arm before dragging him upstairs.
"He deserved worse," John growled, clenching his fist.
"John…" her voice was soft.
"Sorry… should we go back upstairs love ?" he asked, giving her a warm smile.
"Yes, even though I think we missed the concert" they laughed softly and headed back upstairs.
Anna grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together. It would be hard to forget this awful moment but she was happy that it was over.
John smiled at their hands laced together. He had been mad coming downstairs but now she was safe with him, like she should be. "My wife" he thought as he looked at her.