***ANNE***

“Seb!!! Sebastian!!!” I yelled as I banged on the gate, hopping someone would open up.

“Lady Anne?”

“Open up, right now!” I yelled as maya inched in on me. The gates opened and I slid into the compound, seb shut the gate just in time to shut maya out. I rushed into my home panting heavily.

“Anne? Are you okay?” Louise asked, but I just kept panting, while Maya kept screaming outside.

“What’s happening out there, why is it so noisy,” mother walked in, then headed towards the window to check out what the commotion was about.

“The mayor’s wife?” She immediately went out the door, while I took her previous position near the window.

“My lady? To what do we owe… whatever this is,” mother said in a displeased tone while maya just shot her a deadly glare.

“You!!!” Maya yelled, pointing her index finger at Mother.

“What happened to you…” Louise finally asked, her eyes scanning me, but I just kept looking through the window.

“You stole lord Windsor, and now? Your daughter has learned nothing from you except to sleep with people’s husbands!” She yelled, Louise gasped and threw her hands over her mouth, but I just kept watching.

“Men can’t be stolen Maya, you should know that already, plus, I’m sure Anne didn’t rape Lord Mayor Barry now, did she?” Mother snapped at Maya, and that seemed to calm her down a bit.

“So save us all the embarrassment and go sort this with your husband, he’s as guilty as Anne, it takes two to tango remember,” mother said and left her there, she walked back in and slammed the door shut.

“I’m sorry ma,” I said but she just walked past me like I was nothing and sunk into the sofa.

“How did you get home? Who saw you?”

“The streets…” I trailed off as she shot me a look, her brows furrowed, she rose to her feet and began to pace around the room.

“What are we going to do now Anne, you’ve ruined us all!” She yelled, Louise flinched.

“Is it bad?” Louise asked.

“What is this I’m hearing?” Father said, storming into the room. I turned my face to the side, unable to face him with what I’d done. I knew this was the end for me, for us.

“I’m walking through the streets of Albon and this gets handed over to me!” She slammed the paper on the floor in front of me, my eyes caught it, I slowly get bent and picked it up with shaky hands and blurry eyes.

What was this?

How could this have been quickly printed like this?

Mother snatched the paper out of my hand, “Windsor Daughter Turns Wanton?” She read out and scoffed, then turned the pages and immediately threw the paper on the floor, it’s an exaggerated caricature of me running through the streets of Albon, only, I didn’t have my chemise on, I was full stack naked.

“You’ve destroyed us all!” Father yelled as he stomped out of the living room and headed toward his study.

“Why? How? Why would you do such a thing?” Mother asked, she’s obviously lost for words and even I couldn’t bring myself to explain what it was that had made me make such a mistake of sleeping in Barry’s bed.

“A letter for you miss!” Seb said as he walked into the room and handed a letter to Louise.

“Oh, it’s from Drew!” She said elated as she opened the seal and read the contents of the letter.

“No, no…” she panicked as her hands began to tremble, “no, this can’t be happening,” she yelled and mother snatched the letter out of her hands.

“See Anne? Free just called off his engagement with your sister because of your reputation!” Mother pushed the letter in front of my face, u couldn’t say a word, I just stood there watching as everything began to fall apart.

“Pack your bags, you leave for Wessex with your siblings right away!” Father said as he walked back into the room.

“What?!” Only then did I find the words to say.

“Oh honey, you can’t possibly send all the kids to Wessex!” Mother said as she flicked around him, trying to reason with him.

“I can Lola and I will, we have to send them away to save face, even if it’s just for a while and where better than to go back to Windsor estate…” father said and mother stopped trying to convince him, it seemed she agreed.

“I can’t leave for Wessex, I can still talk to Drew and we’d continue our relationship, I didn’t even do anything!” Louise yelled.

“You’ve to go Louise, it’s the only way to save us all, leave the society for a while,” mother said in a calm tone, Louise stared at the both of them unbelievably.

Then she turned to me, “It’s all your fault!” She yelled and ran out of the living room in tears.

Father gave me another look, shook his head, and walked out of the room in shame.

“Go pack up, I’ll pack for your siblings with the maids,” mother said, she couldn’t even meet my gaze then she turned around and walked out of the room.

I was left alone, I had lost my reputation and I would never be wanted by any man ever again, and I would forever be known as the wanton Windsor, this was my fate.