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“I thought that we might take advantage of the mild evening, go on a ride, and then enjoy a picnic. What do you think about that proposition?” Freddie asked.
Anne couldn’t have been happier. “That sounds simply marvellous!”
Freddie put the basket on the back of the horse and got down to assist Anne onto her steed. She noticed that he had given her the better-behaved horse, Star, while he was stuck riding a misbehaving mule named Gregory. Anne climbed aboard her horse with ease, and when she had got comfortable, the two of them took off at an easy pace, with Freddie leading the way.
They rode for a little while until they had made it to the property’s very edge, where there was a small wood. When they arrived, they both dismounted their horses, tied them up, and then Freddie led her into the thicket. They only had to walk for a couple of minutes before they reached the most beautiful clearing that Anne had ever laid eyes on.
“I had no idea this even existed!” Anne cried delightedly as Freddie laid out the blanket for them to sit upon. “I have worked in the house since Amelie was born, and I cannot believe I was not aware that this was here. How on earth did you find it?”
Freddie smiled bashfully and replied, “I love going for long walks whenever I have time, and I figure that, as property manager, that is not a bad habit to engage in. I think of it as better acquainting myself with the estate. When I felt particularly like going on a very long walk, I discovered this heavenly little spot. I am so happy that you like it.”
Anne nodded emphatically. “I love it! I think this is simply marvellous. Thank you for planning this for us.”
They gazed happily at each other as they sat down, and Freddie pulled out the meal he had acquired for them. There was a great array of meats, cheeses, and sweets typically reserved for the family. Anne looked at them in shock, and Freddie must have seen her surprised face because he immediately explained himself.
“These are the leftovers from Amelie’s birthday luncheon,” he said. “When I told the cook that I was looking for a few things to wrap up for a picnic, she sent me away with all this.”
“But you did not tell her that the picnic was between …”
“Of course not,” Freddie reassured her. “The only two people who know that we are out here are you and me.”
Instantly, Anne felt more relaxed, and she and Freddie enjoyed their lovely picnic. They told stories of their respective childhoods, they laughed over household goings-on, and they ate until they were so full they could burst.
“You did not really tell him that!” Anne cried at one point, on the verge of tears from laughing so hard.
Freddie chuckled and popped the last of his bath bun into his mouth. “I had to. How else was I going to get out of cleaning dishes at the Blackpool Inn for the rest of my life?”
Anne did not realize how funny Freddie was, and she was now greatly enjoying all of his stories. He seemed to have had such a colourful, exciting life.
When they finally finished eating, they packed up the picnic and headed back towards the horses, when suddenly Freddie gently took Anne by the arm. She stopped walking and turned around to face him. He was gazing upon her as though she was the most precious thing in the world. He put the basket on the ground, took her in his arms, and kissed her as the sun was just pitching below the horizon. Anne could not have imagined a more perfect evening, and she returned Freddie’s kiss with all the passion that she felt within her for him.
When they finally broke apart, they stood with their foreheads touching for a short time, and Anne wanted to work up the courage to ask Freddie if this relationship was to go anywhere. She thought it was highly likely that they were indeed beginning their courtship, but because nothing had been said officially, she still had her doubts.
Freddie lifted his head gently off of hers and placed his hand upon her cheek. He, too, looked as though there was something he desperately wanted to say.
“Is ... is there something that you would like to ask me, Freddie?” Anne asked him softly, hoping that her gentleness would encourage him to open up to her.
Freddie nodded, but then gave her a hesitant smile. “It is less of a question and more of something that I would like to share with you. Would ... would you be all right with me telling you something about myself?”
Anne nodded emphatically. She was sure this was going to be the moment where Freddie would tell her that he was madly in love with her and wanted to be with her forever. She would have been more than okay with that; in fact, she would have been over the moon with happiness.
“It might be something that you are not that enthusiastic to hear,” Freddie explained, and she was surprised that he would be downplaying his feelings this much. “In fact, it is something that I am rather ... ashamed of.”
At first, Anne wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly, but realizing he had indeed said he was ashamed of whatever he was about to tell her, she got very confused.
I can understand why he might think that I wouldn’t be enthusiastic to hear his confession of love, if he thinks that I do not feel as deeply for him as I do. But why would he be ashamed of his feelings for me? That does not seem correct.
“That ... that’s quite all right, Freddie, I’m sure it is something that we can work through together,” Anne said in the most understanding voice she could. She was still utterly confused by how he had prefaced this but was sure it would come to make sense in the end.
“In that case, I don’t see any harm in telling you this, but the one thing I must ask is that you assure me that you won’t tell another soul,” Freddie said rather urgently.
Anne shook her head. “Of course, I won’t. Any feelings – I mean, anything that you reveal to me, I promise I shall keep to myself.”
Freddie seemed very satisfied with that answer, and so he took both of Anne’s hands in his own and looked deep into her eyes. Her heart started fluttering, her stomach began tying itself up in knots, and she couldn’t help feeling a little faint. This was a moment she had been waiting for her whole life, and she couldn’t wait to get started on her life with Freddie if he wanted that too.
“Anne, I must be frank with you,” Freddie said, looking increasingly earnest as he got closer to what it was he needed to say, “and tell you that I ... I ...”
“Yes?” Anne said in what she hoped was a genuinely encouraging voice.
