Diamonds Fall Read Free Page B

horse's nose, muttering into its ear. Troy nuzzled back into his hand as if he understood. Billy walked over to the other horse, a palomino with massive hair covered hooves.
    "This Buck."
    Annabel's heart sank as she recognised the horse. It was the very horse that had brought her here. The very horse upon which she had shed a countless amount of tears, had suffered countless amounts of abuse. This could only mean one thing...they had made it to the village.
    For Billy's sake, she smiled. It was a tight smile, an expression that felt wrong on her usually scornful face. Her eyes were the only part that gave away her fear. Oblivious, Billy continued to pet the horses with obvious attachment. Whilst he was grubby and un-kept, the horses literally shone. He tended to them with such affection it made Annabel's racing heart bleed. She hoped the stable boys at the manor had half the skill this man possessed.
    As they sat in the gloom, Annabel's fear rising with every inhalation of her breath, the stable door creaked open. Her eyes widened whilst Billy leapt to his feet with surprising agility and shrank into the corner closest to the horses.
    Through a thin gap a young woman squeezed inside. She was short in stature and like Billy, appeared under-fed. However, as Annabel's eyes ran over the length of her frame she saw a grotesquely round abdomen protruding from her emaciated frame. She seemed frightened and upon noticing Annabel's gaze, dropped a small handful of something on the floor before leaving as fast as her pregnancy would allow her.
    Annabel's eyes remained wide, her breathing once more on the verge of panic. Seeing the young woman, so close in age to Annabel, scared her more than anything else she had seen thus far.
    Was this to be her new future?
    "I can't - I can't," she muttered almost inaudibly.
    Billy crept back over to her from his refuge, holding out what looked to be a small roll of stale bread. Annabel ignored him, still locked in fear.
    "I can't - can't stay here. This isn't me. I cannot stay here!"
    Her voice exploded from her unexpectedly. A rich fire had begun to burn once more in her gut.
    "Shh it's -"
    "Do not dare to tell me it is okay! It is far from okay!"
    Billy shrank back into the wall, his instinctual response to raised voices. The fear on his face instilled a tender feeling in Annabel's heart that was mixed with a nagging sort of pain - compassion and guilt. The new feelings brought on a new round of anger as she tried to suppress them.
    "Don't look at me like that! I don't belong here, I have to leave!"
    She stood, watching Billy as his large frame trembled ever so slightly, with a downcast expression on his face. Instinct told her to go to him yet the fire in her belly told her to run - to get out of this village whilst she still had the courage.
    "I'm sorry. Thank you for everything," she whispered as she turned on her heel, leaving him sitting there on the floor, confusion evident on his features.
    Annabel walked quickly towards the door and thoughtlessly swung it open. The cool air slapped her across the face, greeting her with its fresh open arms as it blew the rags of her expensive gown around her battered body.
    Annabel stepped outside.
    From the moment her foot landed on the dirt of what appeared to be a thin alleyway, the hair on her neck stood on end.
    She was being watched.
    She felt eyes piercing through her skin yet, look as she might, she couldn't locate their gleam. Annabel had always loved being watched. The thrill of someone's gaze upon her form had entranced her since childhood and had made her senses exceptionally sharp. This feeling was different.
    This feeling was sinister.
    She felt almost as if the eyes were willing her back inside her prison, warning her of a consequence she did not yet know. However Annabel, in her high society arrogance, chose to ignore their warning and took another step. Her pace increased as her confidence grew, until she could see the light of an open