Indicator of a Curse by Lesley A Meldrum

Author:Lesley A Meldrum [Meldrum, Lesley A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780648379447
Publisher: Aurora House
Published: 2019-04-09T22:00:00+00:00

Eleven

While Beatty despised the abbey, there was one positive aspect about the place as of late; it was somewhat calmer, at least where the public was concerned.

Mr Bennet had ceased the visitations. The spectators had showed little compassion when Freya had broken her arm. The Squire realised he had turned the place into a crazy carnival, with his girls as the main attractions. He, their beloved father, had foolishly displayed them as grotesque freaks for society to laugh and scoff at, while he stood back and penned their demise.

He furthermore regretted putting their reputations on the line. He wished he hadn’t exposed their most embarrassing moments, the ones hardest to brush off. The sickness made them do unseemly things. While under the spell, they possessed seductive prowess, alluring their audiences with provocative dances and sexual displays.

The girls should have been dealt with discreetly, behind closed doors. The public was too quick to judge. They had failed to acknowledge his girls were under duress. It was the strange sickness that brought on their bad behaviour. They were being manipulated against their will. Antonia and Freya had no recollection they had done such things.

Mr Bennet hated how his well-educated girls of high birth were now perceived as filthy little whores. He had foolishly exhibited their improprieties to the whole of England. Their disgrace would follow them wherever they went. No doubt the stories would stretch, becoming more perverted and exaggerated.

He couldn’t bear to think about it.

It was too late to remedy his mistake and undoubtedly it would take an eternity to amend their reputations. He hoped to God he hadn’t completely ruined their prospects, praying they would still be accepted by the elite. It was quite fortunate that there had only been a few aristocratic spectators. They preferred not to rub elbows with the lower classes.

Antonia and Freya belonged to nobility. Their high-class lifestyle was their birthright going back twelve generations. Losing their respectable seats would be a real blow for them. If the aristocracy kept hearing about their less-than-classy exploits, Mr Bennet’s daughters may never again earn their places in society.

It was a good thing he had turned the public away. With any luck, after the hype died off, his daughters would have their dignity back.

He hoped they would forgive him for putting them in such a predicament. They would find out the hard way their father was not infallible. Gradually, they would come to accept him for the real man he was: imperfect and as defective as any other human. Despite his judgement, he loved them dearly. He had always had the best intentions in mind.

No one was more disappointed in him than he was. His children had once believed their papa would save them; he’d let them down. Now he would do anything to regain their trust.

He hoped he had redeemed himself enough by banishing the crowds from their house the day Freya broke her arm, offering his girls a more stable home.

Their home was nowadays a quieter place and much more accommodating to their already overstimulated senses.

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