The Trails that Led to You: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Linda Blanchette

Author:Linda Blanchette
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Not in Amazon Library, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms
Published: 2017-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

***

Needing time to think of all that had transpired and not wishing for more questions from her friend no matter how well intentioned, Elizabeth snuck out of the cottage with a few pieces of sweet bread from the larder for breakfast. Typically, Elizabeth appreciated Charlotte’s calm and steady personality, but it had been vexing to her for some reason. She had sat in front of her as if she was waiting for her to fall apart, and she refused to do so.

It was barely light out, and the fog had not completely lifted, making it appear gray. The ground had already begun to dry since it was a warm day. She headed in the direction of her favorite hideaway, where the river met a small woodland. There it narrowed into a stream which normally meandered in between small lush patches of grass and a few saplings. A few hundred feet into the forest, three large flat rocks protruded from the water. When she sat on those rocks, she could see the town in the distance on one side and the never-ending stream that meandered through the forest on the other.

She played with her necklace again. Her brother had given her on her sixteenth birthday, and she remembered the uncertain look on his face when he had fastened it around her neck. He had moved out of the house soon after, promising to visit her often. He had kept his vow at first, but the visits became less frequent until, in the end, she rarely saw him. When she learned that he was leaving Boston for good, she could not allow him to leave her behind.

Elizabeth climbed onto the first rock. She removed her coat and sat on it, avoiding the pocket which held her breakfast. As she watched two birds bathing in the shallow water near the shore, she began to weep. Everything reminded her of Andrew—playing in a similar stream as children, early mornings—and the conversation with Charlotte had been so difficult. Tears began to flow again of their own volition.

Elizabeth was wiping her eyes with her handkerchief when she was startled by something behind her. She turned sharply to see a man standing nearby at the same moment that she lost her balance on the slippery rock and slid off her perch.

“Ouch!” Her foot twisted and jammed under the rock sending the surrounding water splashing outward while she landed, soaking the hems of her dress and petticoats again. Normally the stream was no more than three inches deep. However, with the heavy rains that had fallen the previous evening, the rill had swelled to twice its normal level. As she tried to extract her foot, the water once again filled her short boots, and she shivered. Though it was a warm midsummer’s day, the water was still cold.

“May I help you, ma’am?” the man offered.

She had forgotten all about the man while she tried again to free her foot and was slightly alarmed to hear his voice behind her, though she nodded in answer.

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