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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 14:11:39 GMT -5
"Well it's not Pemberley," Georgiana said with what might almost be described as a mocking gaze in Darcy's direction, if one did not know Georgiana Darcy was very well bred and devoted to her brother, "but it is certainly not far off."
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Post by Anne on Sept 22, 2008 15:51:52 GMT -5
*Anne laughed outright.*
"Certainly one hears many things about Pemberley, and even with my imagination I wonder that you can think Avonlea may compare! Your taste much be so much more refined than my own."
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 16:11:55 GMT -5
"My brother, Miss Shirley, is never comfortable in company and prizes Pemberley above all else because it is home," Georgiana said rebelliously.
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Post by Anne on Sept 22, 2008 16:17:29 GMT -5
"Well how may I condemn him for such feelings which mirror my own?" *said Anne.* "Beyond those few friends and those considered family to me, I generally feel quite awkward and out of my element; and of course Avonlea is dearer to me than any other place on earth because it was here I found my happiness and my home."
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 17:35:56 GMT -5
"No one would think the feeling unwarranted, I'm certain," Darcy said warmly. "Shall we return to the house?"
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Post by Anne on Sept 22, 2008 17:38:22 GMT -5
((God, this is awkward. You just had your face in another woman's cooter, D.))
"Certainly, if you've seen enough of the orchard," *said Anne, turning to call Davy and Dora back.*
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 17:49:39 GMT -5
((Well. You can only imagine how I feel.))
Darcy hadn't actually seen the orchard at all, if it came to that.
"It's very... fruitful," he said at last, feeling wretchedly stupid.
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Post by Anne on Sept 22, 2008 17:55:51 GMT -5
((I just can't look away from the train wreck that is this book. Woe.)) "It is that, Mr. Darcy," *said Anne, kindly burying her laughter in her throat, though it brimmed over in her eyes.* "Marilla's laying in enough cakes and pies to feed an army."
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 18:21:03 GMT -5
"Well," he said. "Good."
Georgiana took up the conversational slack. There was something about Anne that drew her out, Darcy noted, and not for the worse he thought. After all, she had been shy and retiring enough when Wickham had been able to work his charm over her. She was prattling on about how she longed to visit the seaside, and how as yet they had been so busy that she had only really seen it from the windows of White Sands.
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Post by Anne on Sept 22, 2008 18:25:57 GMT -5
"There is an excellent little beach I must show you--with quite a fine prospect and currents gentle enough to make for fine swimming," *said Anne, taking Georgiana's arm.*
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 22, 2008 23:56:53 GMT -5
That took some pressure off Darcy, who had reached about the limit of his current social reserves. He hoped the walk back would be sufficient--not that he worried about "performing" in front of Miss Cuthbert and Mrs. Lynde. It was Anne Shirley he did not wish to seem deficient before.
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Post by Anne on Sept 23, 2008 0:01:42 GMT -5
((Har. Dating--pretending to be someone else long enough to get someone to like you enough so that you can stop pretending and then they won't get too freaked out and leave.))
*They returned to the house to find Marilla and Rachel had put together a feast of roast chicken, home-made bread, fresh peas from the garden and Marilla's famous preserves, among other things. The table seemed festive and jolly, though Marilla seemed a little self-conscious, as if she realized the difference between even her rosebud spray tea-set and the bone china had at the Darcy's fine London house.*
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 23, 2008 0:06:25 GMT -5
((It's a good thing he's a terrible actor!))
Darcy, for his part, did not notice the china--if Georgiana did (she did), she was far too well-bred to give any sign of it, and she was too generous a soul to care. Darcy was not particularly in a state to notice much of anything at this point, after the unwelcome revelation of his generosity, except... Well, the food was good. It was not adventurous, and it was not necessarily what he was used to, but it was real and it had been made with care. And he could genuinely turn to Miss Cuthbert and praise her cooking warmly.
It was something of a novelty, he reflected unwillingly, to be sitting at table with the person who had actually provided the feast.
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Post by Anne on Sept 23, 2008 0:12:59 GMT -5
*At some point during the meal, despite Anne's protests, Rachel managed to relay the entire sad story of the time Anne had allowed a mouse to drown in the plum pudding sauce she had made--no doubt she had picked this up years ago from Marilla, and as they happened to be serving plum pudding that evening, Rachel evidently thought it as good a time as any to share the amusing tale with their visitors, however mortified it left Anne, though she managed to laugh it off with good grace.*
"I never make the same mistake twice, though," *she said re-assuringly.* "This plum pudding is as fine as I know how to make it."
"Anne does make it very well, when she puts her mind to it," *said Marilla.*
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Sept 23, 2008 0:17:19 GMT -5
Darcy and Georgiana were careful not to appear too shocked at the tale, though Georgiana did giggle a bit before stifling it at her brother's look.
"No doubt Miss Shirley finds much to contemplate," Darcy offered. He took a bite. "Though none could find fault with her, in this instance."
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