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Post by Anne on Nov 7, 2008 10:26:21 GMT -5
"Your ignorance is easily forgiven, sir," *said Josie.* "Why, Anne was a tutor in France to a large family...too busy for socializing, it seems...I never imagined a year away would have so affected your looks, Anne. You're so skinny...you really ought to avoid the sun--you're speckled like a mushroom! And your hair...well, it's redder than ever!"
*Anne bit her tongue hard enough to draw blood, then relented to her fury--she was only human.*
"...you're so fortunate, Josie...being of little use to anyone has so preserved you that I might have mistook you for a fair maiden of thirteen."
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Nov 7, 2008 14:30:34 GMT -5
This rivalry clearly went deeper than Darcy had any wish to dwell upon, or continue to engage in. He was caught between the need to defend Miss Shirley and refrain from gaining any sort of reputation as partisan or "catty." Truly, Miss Shirley could defend herself.
"Miss Pye," he interrupted. "Might I trouble you for an introduction to your family and friends? I confess, though I have been here some weeks, I have yet to meet everyone in your fine county." He passed a glance at Anne he hoped she would interpret as apologetic. He hoped she'd understand he was merely attempting to draw Miss Pye's attention away from her; and allow Anne to enjoy the party.
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Post by Anne on Nov 7, 2008 14:47:02 GMT -5
*Josie took Mr. Darcy's arm with a triumphant smirk, and Anne flushed deeply.*
"We'll see you later, Anne--I think Charlie Sloan was asking about you...oh, here he comes!"
*She drew Mr. Darcy off towards a group of chattering, pinch-faced girls like herself as Charlie Sloan bore down upon Anne with a horribly goggle-eyed gaze. Anne found herself trapped for a good fifteen minutes until Gilbert Blythe at last noted her pained expression and managed to wrangle her away from Charlie. Anne slipped her arm through his with gratitude.*
"...come on, Gil...let's go for a walk somewhere. It's getting hard to breathe, here."
"Sure, Anne." *Gil rarely denied his friend anything, even as he glanced back at Georgiana, who was sitting placidly beside Diana on a bale of hay, smiling quietly; and so he was able to leave with good conscience that Diana would guard her against such companions as Charlie Sloan, Moody Spurgeon, and any of the Pye clan.
Anne glanced back briefly at Mr. Darcy, but his back was to her. Suppressing a sigh, she wandered off with Gil, suddenly feeling very tired and a bit like crying.*
Josie's right, I suppose...freckled, worn-out and hair like--
"What's eating you, Carrots?" *teased Gil lightly, though his brow creased with concern at the expression that had hardly changed since he'd rescued her from Charlie.*
"--please Gil, can't we have silence for a while?" *pleaded Anne, her tone unusually sharp.*
"Alright," *said Gilbert with some surprise as they turned to wander through a gently sloping pasture that led to the dunes and the sea nearby.*
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Nov 8, 2008 0:37:21 GMT -5
Darcy, too, glanced at Georgiana and saw her looking contented enough and not overwhelmed. Indeed, there was a becoming glow to her cheeks she had not had in England. Certainly Miss Caroline Bingley would have disapproved, but Darcy thought it became her well.
He was dutiful as a guest, answering questions about his life in England and his proprietorship of the White Sands with nary a twitch, and doing his best to be attentive and not at all abrupt. It was taxing, but it would be worth it, he was certain--some of these people were Anne's friends, and others were potential customers and neighbors and, if he was lucky, friends as well. It was not unthinkable.
He noted that Miss Shirley was no where to be seen, which did worry him slightly--but she had suggested this event for him, and she was more than able to choose her own companionship.
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Post by Anne on Nov 8, 2008 6:55:18 GMT -5
*Anne and Gil sat for a long time in the grass at the edge of the red sand beach.*
"Everything's changing, isn't it, Gil?" *said Anne, leaning her chin on her hand as they watched the sun set.*
"Change doesn't have to be for the worst, Anne..." *said Gil.* "--Anne, there's something I wanted to tell you..."
"Hmm?"
"Dalhousie medical school's accepted me."
*Anne beamed.*
"Oh, Gil! I'm so proud of you!"
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Post by Mr. Darcy on Nov 10, 2008 18:45:41 GMT -5
Mr. Darcy put on quite a show that afternoon; he was polite, attentive, learned everyone's names and used them, and generally acquitted himself well. It wasn't entirely show--he had it within him to be charming--but in such company and in such a concentrated dose it was not his general style. He was not the type to be instantly likable; he took time to know. But he was the type to excite interest by his brooding handsomeness, as long as he made no major gaffs. And he had not, to the best of his knowledge.
When he found Georgiana again, her cheeks were still bright. Or that might have been his asking after Mr. Blythe in an achingly casual way. She clammed up, there, but had glowing words for Anne's friend, Diana. All in all, Darcy counted the afternoon a success, albeit an exhausting one. He ended one conversation by promising some sort of gala at the White Sands, word of which had spread like wildfire to the point where he knew he'd have to have one.
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