Goodly Creatures: A Pride and Prejudice Deviation by Massey Beth

Author:Massey, Beth [Massey, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2012-03-01T13:00:00+00:00

Mr Darcy waited for Miss Elizabeth in the breakfast room. He hoped she would not change her mind about going out with him. He needed to speak with her, but there was never any privacy with Miss Bingley around. Luckily, Charles’ sisters were not early risers like he and Miss Elizabeth, so he hoped they could walk without being joined by anyone else.

He had spent some time before he fell asleep thinking about what she told him of her encounter with Edmund. He could not say he understood her fear, but he was convinced she truly felt it. She was left with fear while Georgiana was left with a lack of confidence. Both suffered from sadness. He did not understand his sister’s despair any more than he understood Miss Elizabeth’s fear. To him the natural emotion for Georgiana would have been anger. Wickham did not care about her… he only wanted her money. Miss Elizabeth seemed both angry and fearful. Anne’s explanation came to him. “Edmund told Miss Elizabeth they were of different spheres, and he could not marry her.” He had always assumed that was the source of her anger, but it did not explain why she had been so adamant marriage was not a solution for her being with child. He did not understand either of these women. Why could not women be more like men?

Anne had told him that their first time together was “very unpleasant” and she had cried out in pain. Why would this reaction, which he had heard was quite common to women, cause Miss Elizabeth to be afraid? Had she not known what to expect? Of course she had not—she had only been fifteen and had never been away from home. It must have been as in the song she sang… ‘he wittily, prettily talked her down.’ Or perhaps, ‘he had teased her and pleased her.’ Beyond that, she probably knew nothing… young ladies were usually told what to expect as they were preparing to marry. Damn his cousin! She had been too young to understand what he was going to do and what she was allowing to happen. She and Georgiana shared that in common. Their age had sheltered them from so many harsh realities, and they became easy prey for the unscrupulous. Still, he did not understand why she was afraid that if a man touched her ‘the same thing would happen.’

Just as he was turning over her revelation for the tenth time, she walked into the breakfast room. She favoured him with a weak smile. Pouring tea and choosing a muffin occupied her for a few minutes. Her attention was only on her plate and cup as she sat and began eating and drinking. He noticed the trembling of her hand as she sipped her tea. When finished, she finally lifted her eyes to his. This time he saw apprehension and uncertainty.

In response to his query as to whether she was ready for their walk, she put on her pelisse, bonnet, scarf and gloves without a word.

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