Raven stared at her. "You're not upset?"
"Why would I be upset?"
"Because I recorded you without permission. Because hundreds of thousands of people have seen you. Because…" Raven gestured helplessly. "Because it was a massive invasion of your privacy,"
Annabelle tilted her head, considering this. "I suppose it was, technically. But you didn't mean to do it, did you?"
"No, but…"
"And you came over to apologize." Annabelle smiled. "That's very kind of you."
"It's not kind, it's basic decency."
"Well, I appreciate it anyway." Annabelle took a sip of her tea. "Besides, Nina thinks it's made me a bit of a local celebrity. Apparently people are calling me 'the teacher who tamed Raven.'" She laughed. "Which is ridiculous, obviously. You're not a wild animal."
Raven had no idea what to say to that either.
She'd spent all day preparing for anger, or hurt, or cold politeness. She hadn't prepared for this. For Annabelle to just…brush it off. To smile and make tea and act like nothing had happened.
"You're really not upset," Raven said slowly.
"I'm really not." Annabelle's smile softened. "Look, I know you didn't mean for it to happen. And honestly, if it helps the children see that you're just a normal person who makes mistakes sometimes, then maybe that's a good thing. They think you're some kind of untouchable rock goddess, but you're just…" She gestured at Raven. "You know. Human."
"Human," Raven repeated.
"Exactly!" Annabelle beamed. "So please, don't worry about it. It's all fine."
Raven sat back in her chair, feeling distinctly wrong-footed.
She'd been prepared for confrontation. For conflict. For having to grovel and beg forgiveness.
She hadn't been prepared for Annabelle's relentless, baffling, irritating optimism.
"You're very strange," Raven said finally.
Annabelle laughed. "I've been told that before." She pushed a plate across the table. "Biscuit? I made them."
Raven looked at the biscuits. Then at Annabelle. Then back at the biscuits.
"You made biscuits," she said flatly.
Annabelle nodded.
Despite herself, despite everything, Raven took a biscuit.
It was, predictably, delicious.
"Thank you," she said grudgingly. "For being…I don't know. Reasonable about this."
"You're welcome." Annabelle topped up both their mugs. "And thank you for apologizing. Not everyone would have done that."
They sat in silence for a moment. Somewhere in the village, a church bell chimed the hour.
And Raven, sitting in her neighbor's cottage eating biscuits and drinking tea, realized that she had absolutely no idea how to handle someone like Annabelle Swift.
Someone who smiled when you were rude to her. Who forgave you before you'd finished apologizing. Who saw the best in people even when they'd given her every reason not to.
It was baffling.
