Chapter 21 – Harbour Lights (2)
It appears that after checking on her and knowing that she has recovered, her husband would be returning late tonight. It wasn’t known yet what time his work would end.
Truth be told, Anna could feel her heart sinking after reading it.
When it was dinnertime, Anna left to have her dinner by herself. It was very obvious that waiting was not going to help or change the situation. Even though she understood, Anna couldn’t help but wish during dinner that Karenin would return. Unfortunately, the reality was that he didn’t.
After dinner, Anna took a walk around the garden to aid her digestion. After feeling the night breeze caressed her, her moody spirits felt lifted. She regained her energy and started making new plans. If she had to spend large amounts of time by herself, she was going to arrange for a few solo activities for herself.
Just as Anna was about to list the third solo activity that she could do, Karenin was finally back.
Anna looked at the clock – 8pm.
The first thing Karenin did was to check that Anna did fully recover. Only after which did he nodded his head in relief.
“Have you had your dinner yet?” Anna put down the pen in her hand and walked towards Karenin. She took over the thick coat in his arms and hung it properly near the doorway.
“I have eaten. What are you doing?” Karenin asked. As he just came back and the outside was very cold, he wanted to keep a physical distance to Anna for the moment.
“Making plans to tour.” Anna answered him.
Karenin walked over to the desk and took a look at her list. He looked up towards her and gazed meaningfully into her eyes, “Are you planning to tour by yourself?”
“From the looks of these two days, it appears that I have no choice but to tour by myself.”
Karenin felt uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure if she was blaming him for it. Anna could sense his discomfort and ended the topic, “It’s okay.”
Karenin’s frown deepened. In his mind, he quickly organised the remaining trips he would need to make. Because his secretary had just hurt her leg and was unable to join them, her replacement would be reaching Paris tomorrow night.
Karenin washed up, and took a look at the time before asking, “Are you going to sleep now?”
“I slept too much these two days.” Anna chuckled and answered lightly, trying to dissolve the tension.
“Let’s head out then. At the very least, we can visit one place together.” Karenin spoke, and took Anna’s planned schedule in his hand.
“Shall we visit The Canal Saint-Martin? It’s the closest and considering that there will be a dinner and dance event tomorrow, and that your body has only just recovered, it might be best to not travel too far out.”
“Yes!” Anna exclaimed and her eye lit up with excitement. Immediately, she hesitated and said, “But you must be really tired from today.”
“It’s just a walk, Anna.” Karenin reassured her, and he took his coat again.
“You should wear more,” he advised her. Under his eagle eyes, Anna took a large coat from the wardrobe. It seemed more like an order rather than a suggestion.
Finally, Anna wore a long dress made using swan’s feathers, was draped in a thick fur coat, and wore a hat.
A pair of exquisite diamond earrings juxtaposed against the fur coat’s collar. It was beautiful, and yet not too overwhelming or stole the limelight.
“You could still have given me some time to dress up.” Anna wore her leather gloves. It was as if she was wearing her “full battle gear”, her beauty was stunning.
“I’m uncertain if I can walk 100 metres.” Anna was tempted to pull a funny face but held back. She was worried that if she did such a unpresentable act, Karenin would be shocked speechless.
“Of course you can.” Karenin replied in a humourless manner.
Anna shrugged her shoulder and walked ahead. She didn’t know that even though this man didn’t have a good sense of humour, he did possess a man’s natural ability to appreciate beauty.
As they did not inform earlier, this time, they did not sit on a Binoche’s horse carriage. Instead, they flagged down one of the many horse carriages awaiting at the hotel’s entrance.
After twenty minutes, they reached their destination.
Karenin stepped down from the carriage first, before giving a hand to Anna to help her down. Anna went along with the flow and continued holding onto his arm.
Anna stroked Karenin’s arm and lightly pat it. This cause Karenin to give her a questioning gaze.
Anna chuckled and teased, “This arm belongs to me from now onwards.”
Karenin was silent for a moment before saying, “Technically, as this arm is on me, it belongs to me.”
“Don’t forget our wedding vows.” Anna reminded him.
“I wouldn’t forget.” Karenin replied, and his tone turned gentler.
It was actually too dark to view any of The Canal Saint-Martin known scenery at this time, despite the soft moonlight. The surroundings was not entirely silent; there was the sound of the winds lightly whistling amongst the trees and leaves, the soft pitter-patter as the river water was disturbed by the wind, and there was also two voices.
Anna and Karenin walked by the river. “Are you disappointed? Since you can’t see anything clearly now.” Karenin asked.
Anna’s footsteps stopped as she smiled under the moonlight. “Why would I be disappointed? It was already a surprise from the moment we decided to leave home.” As if she thought of something, Anna winked playfully and asked, “Would you sing a song here for me please?”
This request really caught Karenin off guard. He replied rigidly, “I am not good at singing.”
“Then, I’ll sing you a song. But you have to return it back to me.” Anna laughed happily. After Karenin nodded his head in agreement, she held his arm again as they continued walking. Soon, this narrow path rang with an enchanting singing voice.
The song’s melody was melodious; it made the moonlight appeared as if dancing atop the leaves. Even Karenin who did not understand music well could feel its outstanding beauty.
Finally, Karenin asked, “What was that song?”
“Harbour Lights.” Anna answered him before refuting herself hurriedly. She laughed lightly and said, “No, the song should be titled The Lights of Canal Saint-Martin instead.”
“You must remember to return a song to me.”
A long while later, as the night breeze blew, accompanied by the mellow moonlight, Anna head Karenin’s promise.
“Alright.”