A Noble Marriage - Chapter 16
Chapter 16 – Bitter and Sweet (1)
Grachev arrived on time. He was a man in his fifties with brownish red hair, greying at the temples, looking neat and amiable. He was indeed a very kind doctor and gave Anna a salve to apply on her wound.
After his departure, Anna and Karenin were alone in the bedroom. Thinking that the most appropriate person to help Anna in applying the salve, would be her maid, he asked, “Should I summon Anushka?” Just as he finished speaking, the jar of salve was held out to him.
“This is also part of a romantic relationship, increasing physical contact, getting acquainted with one another, and…”
Anna didn’t finish the sentence, just lowered her head and smiled.
*
Afterwards, when Karenin was done discussing with the butler the things to be taken care of, he turned around to board the carriage, and saw the person waiting for him.
Although the wind whipping past him in November was still chilly, it felt like in his heart, spring was already skipping to him, in a form of a woman with her skirt in hand. She was scattering seeds of hope on a previously frozen land, waiting for the flowers to bloom.
Yes, he was married, and it felt really great.
*
This was Anna’s second time taking a train in this time period.
The first time she took a train, it happened all too quickly. It almost seemed like such a rush. Now, however, seemed different. Despite their packed schedule, she felt like she still had enough time to pause. To breathe in the cool and crisp air…
Almost like her senses were in tune with her husband’s.
Like now, sitting in a small sleeper carriage, Anna looked at her husband.
He sat a little more relaxed than he did before on his desk but still seemed more poised when compared to the average person, constantly maintaining the composure of a government official.
“Do you have something to ask? Anna.” Karenin looked away from the documents, his blue eyes gazing towards Anna.
”No,” Anna smiled.
Karenin looked back to his documents. Five minutes later, he still felt her gaze glued resolutely to himself. He adjusted his position and turned to her once more…
“Are you sure that you don’t have any questions?”
“I don’t.” She answered a little too quickly, before amending her statement, “Actually, maybe just one.”
“You can ask.” Karenin marked his page with his finger, lifting his head. He spoke calmly, without any fluctuations in his tone. Yet, it didn’t seem stiff. Perhaps it was because his blue eyes were attentively looking up at her beneath his long lashes, and yet this attentiveness did not harbor any hint of interrogative implication.
”I noticed that you don’t wear glasses.” she pointed out.
”I’m not in any need for it.”
”I,” Anna licked her lips, then smiled shyly, “I was just thinking about what you would look like with glasses.”
”I don’t think that there would be any difference.” Karenin looked down again, signaling that their conversation must be postponed until further notice.
Anna felt a bit of pity.
She propped her face on her right hand and looked out the window as soon as he turned away. Once more, she was left to her thoughts.
They had left Petersburg not over two hours ago. The never-ending rise and falls of the mountain ridges, which had once given her some sense of excitement, have now just begun to bore her.
Such a pity, she thought.
The sky was a pale blue. Against it, the white birches standing as straight as sentinels. They didn’t seem special now, but when spring arrived, they would be a beautiful speckled green.
She folded her hands, tilting her head, and smiling as she watched the calm scenery around her.
After growing used to the business of modern society, her life here had initially caused her to be at a loss for what to do. But now, all had seemed to be well.
What she failed to realize was that despite her decision to stop bothering her husband-to-be, Karenin himself had already lost his focus.
He tilted his head towards Anna. The sunlight that cut through the bridge of his nose enhanced the elegant slope of his nose bridge. His lashes were not thick or curled. Half closed, they revealed a sky-like blue encased beneath his lids.
He had watched his wife for a long time now. Which was why he knew the moment she had fallen asleep. He felt his lips turn up slightly at the image of her resting so peacefully.
And so he rose, his long fingers grasping firmly the flannel blanket nearby, before draping it softly over her.
Sitting back down, he watched to make sure she wouldn’t wake, then moved his gaze, and began immersing himself within his documents.
Anna woke dazedly, unsure of how long she had been asleep.
“I fell asleep?” her immediate action was to rub the sleep off her eyes but stopped at the sight of a handkerchief offered to her. She looked up at him inquiringly.
“Dr. Grachev had told me, using this would decrease my chances of infection from diseases, especially on the eyes.” he lightly explained, and she nodded. And so she took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes with it, giving him a light smile.
“He’s right. You have a great doctor!” she praised.
Karenin didn’t reply to this praise. Instead, he merely looked at his watch, before putting down his documents.
“It’s time for us to go eat lunch,” he announced.
“Good idea. I was getting hungry.” Anna approved greatly of this proposal. Karenin nodded as well and seemed to open up a bit.