It was a beautiful afternoon. Well, at least it was a dry afternoon, which meant about the same thing at the moment to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. After days of rain, then it being too wet outside, she had been cooped up in the house with her family, whom she loved dearly, but would not wish on anyone to be confined to an area with. Now it was dry, and though the sky were still a temperamental grey, she still had plans to go out for a walk.
Elizabeth voiced this plan to her family at luncheon and her three younger sisters excitedly said they would join her for her excursion. It had been too long since they ventured to Meryton and got to visit the shops and converse with the visiting soldiers. Only Mr. Bennet held concerns.
"I do believe it is supposed to rain again this afternoon," said her. "I think you would do best to hold off on any walks that are too long and perhaps, keep it just to the gardens. It would not do to get caught in the rain and become sick like your dear sister had all too recently."
The memory of Jane getting caught in the rain and coming down with a severe cold at Netherfield and Elizabeth coming to stay with her during her worry, was still fresh in everyone's mind. Elizabeth was near reluctantly agreeing with her father, when her mother spoke up in their defense.
"Don't worry so, Mr. Bennet. I don't think it will rain again for at least another day. And a walk to Meryton would surely not be too long. And in the unlikely situation that it does rain, the girls can take refuge at the aunt and uncle. I am sure they would be delighted to see their nieces."
That settled, all of the sisters, with the exception of Jane Bennet, who wanted to stay home and finish a cross-stitch that she had started during the storms, left lunch to prepare for their walk.
Wearing her most comfortable walking shoes and her favorite warm, worn Spencer, Elizabeth paced outside, waiting for her tittering sisters. She would have been much happier taking her walk in silence and having the ability to meander any way she wanted, but she would not begrudge her sisters the chance to get out of the house and stretch their legs too.
As she expected, the entire one mile walk to Meryton was full of the inane chattering of her sisters, especially Lydia and Kitty. It was a non-stop deluge of talk of ribbons and soldiers, and the latest fashions and gossip about the county's residents. On the latter topic, Elizabeth admonished her sisters, but they paid her little heed and continued on.
It was a relief when they made it to the town. Kitty and Lydia ran off to the closest shop and started browsing the designs of dresses they wished they could have. Mary and Elizabeth followed at a more sedate speed.
Elizabeth took another look at the grey skies above and determined that her mother must be right, there sure would not be rain for at least another day and it would be all right if she stayed out to walk a little longer.
Turning to her sister, Elizabeth relayed these thoughts. "I think I will continue to walk for another couple of miles, then come back to visit our relatives with you three and go home. Keep watch over them, please."
Mary solemnly agreed and Elizabeth was on her way back out of town and into the countryside beyond.
Elizabeth did so love the quiet of the countryside. The wide open meadows full of wildflowers and the clean fresh scent of grass was the best thing to settle her mind. These long walks alone were the highlight of her day when she got a chance to escape the confines of Longbourn.
She was almost another two miles passed Meryton when there was a rumble of thunder. Not even thirty seconds later, a torrent of rain came down on her.
Elizabeth yelped in surprise.
Remembering a barn about half of a mile back, Elizabeth turned and took off in a most unladylike run. Even so, but the time she arrived at the barn and slid into the dry building, she was still soaking wet.
A/N: Thank you all pre-emptively for reading. Though this is not my first book, it is my first Pride and Prejudice variation and I love Austen so much, that I hope I can do her justice.
I am going to try to keep with a MWF schedule with posting, but there are probably going to be occasionally times where I will miss a date. If that happens, I promise to post again as soon as possible. Thank you again.