The Last Waltz: . . . another pride and prejudice journey of love by Santarsiero Pat

Author:Santarsiero, Pat [Santarsiero, Pat]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2015-09-30T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The following afternoon found Elizabeth growing exceedingly impatient as she tried to think of an excuse to abandon the parlour at Hunsford. There she sat with Charlotte and Maria while her cousin expounded on Fordyce’s views on novels. To say the man disapproved of them would be a vast understatement; his wrath of them extended so far as to declare any woman who could bear perusing them a prostitute. For who else might find enjoyment in their shameful treason against virtue? According to Mr. Fordyce, his assumptions were based purely on hearsay, as his sermon on the topic declared he had never actually read one of these scandalous novels himself.

During Mr. Collins’s discourse, Charlotte and Elizabeth exchanged guilty glances, knowing each other to have indulged on several occasions in such frivolous forms of entertainment; their guilt, of course, derived from the fact that they had both taken great delight in such amusements. However, Elizabeth refused to believe the sparse knowledge that the novels had provided regarding the intimacy between men and women would render her soul for eternity to the fiery gates of hell.

Indeed she had been convinced by the books she had read that either a great many details were being omitted, or the intimacy that was possible to be achieved between two passionately drawn people was nothing at all like she had imagined. For when she recalled Mr. Darcy’s ardent kiss, she knew she had never read anything that even remotely came close to describing the feelings he had aroused. If his mere kiss could produce such a reaction in her, what other forms of heavenly torture could he incite?

She gave a guarded look towards Charlotte, as she acknowledged that her friend must now be well acquainted with what transpires between a husband and wife in the marriage bed. But the odious thought of sweet Charlotte engaging in the rituals of married intimacy with Mr. Collins had her desperately struggling to eliminate such thoughts from her mind.

As the afternoon grew later and later, Elizabeth could no longer hide her impatience. As she stood, all eyes turned towards her. “I’m afraid my leg grows stiff,” she explained. “I had best take a short walk to seek some relief.”

She did not wait for a reply as she hurriedly made her escape, not even venturing a backward glance towards Charlotte and Maria, who she was sure were now witnessing her hasty departure with envy.

She headed immediately for Rosing’s stables, and when she arrived, she was relieved to see Florio still saddled and anxiously awaiting his daily exercise.

“He’s been expectin’ ya fer hours. Was just about to unsaddle the poor restless creature.”

“Sorry, Jenkins,”

“Not me ya be needin’ to apologize to.”

Elizabeth’s guilt was twofold as she realized that not only had she kept Florio waiting all afternoon, but in her hurry to vacate the parsonage she had forgotten to bring him his daily apple.

She allowed Jenkins to assist in her mount, and then she and Florio enthusiastically rode out, both eager for the freedom of the open fields.

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