[CW: reference to domestic violence]
Anne bit back her tears as they rolled out of Castleton station. Alice hadn't heeded Tobias' warnings. When they had left the Appleton brothers and Alice had shown her around, Anne had begged and begged her not to provoke her husband anymore. The way her sister had acted during the short, uncomfortable lunch had shocked her. The way she behaved and spoke and the things she talked about generally disturbed her. What had happened to Alice?
Alice had hardly paid attention to her pleas, had even seemed irritated by them. But she had finally agreed to follow her husband's orders while Anne was there so that she could stay. For Anne's sake, she had said.
The afternoon had been more pleasant, if that was the right word. Alice seemed hardly there and utterly miserable, but towards the end of the afternoon, Anne felt she had been able to draw her sister out of her shell a little. She had managed to get Alice to play a few games with her, and there had been at least a few shadows of smiles. Seeing the baby had been uncomfortable, or rather, seeing Alice with the baby had been. Little Emma herself was delightful, but Anne couldn't help but observe that although Alice held the babe in her arms and talked quietly to her, something was missing, though she still struggled to express what it was. Still, he afternoon had given her hope that with time she could help Alice get better.
And then they had been called for dinner, and Alice had refused to speak when Tobias tried to pull her into the conversation, and then when she did speak, it had been a repetition of the afternoon: she had been impertinent and had seemed hellbent on getting a rise out of her husband.
She had gotten it alright. Tobias had not responded to her during dinner, but that evening he had come to Alice's room while Anne had been there, and he had raged at her. Alice had just glared at him and Anne had been hurt that she had still looked cold when Tobias decreed that Anne would go home. Did Alice care more about provoking her husband than about keeping her sister close? Anne's own tears and pleas had not softened Tobias' heart.
So here she was, fighting the tears while the distance between her and her sister grew. She couldn't shake the uncomfortable question: If this was what happened in front of guests, what happened when there were none? How long before Alice pushed her husband too far? How long before Tobias' angry words turned into a raised hand? A fist? Or had they already? She knew now that Alice would never tell her if they had, and that put more distance between them than the accelerating train.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it with her sleeve, lest her travel companion would see.
Anne bit back her tears as they rolled out of Castleton station. Alice hadn't heeded Tobias' warnings. When they had left the Appleton brothers and Alice had shown her around, Anne had begged and begged her not to provoke her husband anymore. The way her sister had acted during the short, uncomfortable lunch had shocked her. The way she behaved and spoke and the things she talked about generally disturbed her. What had happened to Alice?
Alice had hardly paid attention to her pleas, had even seemed irritated by them. But she had finally agreed to follow her husband's orders while Anne was there so that she could stay. For Anne's sake, she had said.
The afternoon had been more pleasant, if that was the right word. Alice seemed hardly there and utterly miserable, but towards the end of the afternoon, Anne felt she had been able to draw her sister out of her shell a little. She had managed to get Alice to play a few games with her, and there had been at least a few shadows of smiles. Seeing the baby had been uncomfortable, or rather, seeing Alice with the baby had been. Little Emma herself was delightful, but Anne couldn't help but observe that although Alice held the babe in her arms and talked quietly to her, something was missing, though she still struggled to express what it was. Still, he afternoon had given her hope that with time she could help Alice get better.
And then they had been called for dinner, and Alice had refused to speak when Tobias tried to pull her into the conversation, and then when she did speak, it had been a repetition of the afternoon: she had been impertinent and had seemed hellbent on getting a rise out of her husband.
She had gotten it alright. Tobias had not responded to her during dinner, but that evening he had come to Alice's room while Anne had been there, and he had raged at her. Alice had just glared at him and Anne had been hurt that she had still looked cold when Tobias decreed that Anne would go home. Did Alice care more about provoking her husband than about keeping her sister close? Anne's own tears and pleas had not softened Tobias' heart.
So here she was, fighting the tears while the distance between her and her sister grew. She couldn't shake the uncomfortable question: If this was what happened in front of guests, what happened when there were none? How long before Alice pushed her husband too far? How long before Tobias' angry words turned into a raised hand? A fist? Or had they already? She knew now that Alice would never tell her if they had, and that put more distance between them than the accelerating train.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it with her sleeve, lest her travel companion would see.
