A Moonacre Fanfiction Roman Holiday
The carriage rumbled cheerily along as it bustled on its way. Maria sat forward in her seat, gazing out the window as the countryside whizzed past her in a blur of lush greenery. She was going to Rome! And not only Maria, but also Miss Heliotrope, Sir Benjamin, Loveday, Digweed, Coeur De Noir, and last (but certainly not least), Robin. Her very heart fluttered at the thought.
Some, however, were not as thrilled about the trip as she was. Miss Heliotrope, who sat across from her in the carriage, groaned. "My digestive system is not at all used to being tossed and turned in such a way," she said. Maria smiled gently. "Perhaps a bit of classical French needlepoint will do you good," she suggested. Miss Heliotrope tilted her head, smiling fondly at her pupil. "I am proud of you, my dear," she said, and took up her needlepoint. A particularly large bump produced an unseemly eructation from Miss Heliotrope, but she continued on with her stitching.
Maria couldn't help looking out her window. She longed for some conversation, for while she dearly loved her tutor, Miss Heliotrope, jarring carriage rides, and conversation did not mix well. Digweed was engaged in driving the fine spritely team that pulled Miss Heliotrope and Maria. The carriage that followed them contained Uncle Benjamin, Loveday, Coeur De Noir, and Robin. Uncle and Loveday were seated atop the coach, steering the steeds (and likely engaging in some particularly intimate conversation), and Coeur De Noir and his son rode in the carriage itself.
Sitting back in her seat, Maria wondered how matters were in the other carriage. Robin had been getting along with his father quite well recently, but Maria was concerned that too much time spent together could result in unwelcome circumstances. She longed to sit beside Robin, exchanging amusing stories and rebuking his boyish impudence. But here she was, confined in a box with a digestively challenged old gentlewoman and stale air.
Robin was in approximately the same predicament; well, almost. After about fifteen minutes of polite chatting with his father, the well of dialogue ran dry, and they sat in an awkward, idle silence. Ah, how he wished Maria was here to lighten the mood! She was always so good at leading a discussion, ensuring that Coeur De Noir could expound upon some matter to make him feel important and letting Robin jump in with unnecessary, irrelevant comments. Robin did not possess the gift of gab, and was rather glad he didn't. It was all well and fine with a girl, but to have a boy talking so much…it was distasteful, in his opinion.
Looking out the window didn't help in his situation, either. The outdoors beckoned to Robin, glittering, inviting, and glowing with life and energy. But he couldn't very well abandon his party to go hunting in the woods, now could he? Well, he could, but that would disappoint Maria, and he absolutely, positively did not want to disappoint Maria. Why, he wasn't so sure. But he wanted to retain her good opinion.
Maria was growing quite listless. The countryside grew boring after a while, since she could not discuss it with Miss Heliotrope for fear of her tutor's making a false move with her needle and accidentally causing harm to one or the other. But she could not sleep, for the constant shuddering of the carriage would not let her relax.
All of a sudden, a large THUMP sounded on top of the carriage. Maria sat bolt upright, eyes wide. "What was that?" she exclaimed in alarm. Miss Heliotrope didn't even look up, so absorbed was she in her stitchery. Maria waited. But the carriage did not stop; surely Digweed would stop if there was a problem. They continued to rattle on, so Maria wondered if it had been her imagination.
A voice from outside the window spoke. "How are you ladies doing?" Maria nearly jumped at the unexpected speech. She looked out her window and was startled to see Robin's impish face upside down. He was lying on top of the carriage and peering inward! Maria smiled in surprised delight. She cleared her throat. "Quite well, thank you, sir," she replied composedly. "Do come in."
Only when the door had been opened and Robin had taken a seat beside Maria did Miss Heliotrope glance up to notice the newcomer. When she did, she quivered in shock. "Oh! Oh, my!" she exclaimed. "Oh, my! But—but how—" "I climbed over," Robin explained casually, as though it was the most normal thing in the world for a boy to leap from one moving carriage to the other. "Father fell asleep, so I figured he wouldn't be missing my company. Unlike you," he said, looking significantly at Maria. "Unlike me? How? Did you think I missed your company?" Robin raised an eyebrow. Maria smiled a little. "Well, you were right," she admitted.
Upon sneaking a glance at her tutor and finding that Miss Heliotrope was once again engrossed in her needlework, she whispered, "It's been rather dull in here." Robin hilariously pantomimed a lady with digestive troubles. Maria giggled, but urged him to stop. "Yes, well," she said, trying to smother her giggles, "You're not wrong. I was beginning to wonder if this ride would never end." Robin sighed. "It is hard," he admitted, "Being cooped up in such a small space. I like the woods better." Maria agreed with a stout nod. "Indeed. But at least now the company has improved since earlier, do you not think?" She cast a sidelong glance at Robin to see how this was received. He only grinned. "I do think so."
They discussed various topics, ranging from the freedom one found from roaming the woods to the intricacies of needlework, from the merits of a well-cooked steak to the latest fashion trends. Both Maria and Robin were quite glad for the other's mental and conversational stimulation. Somehow it seemed as though they could talk for hours and never grow tired of each other. It is a strange phenomenon when such a thing occurs, for there are very few couples of people who are so interested, so intrigued, so captivated by the other that they cannot exhaust a conversation.
It is a shame that Maria and Robin could not easily identify this singularly miraculous occurrence, for if they did, it might save me a great deal of tedious writing. But as they have not yet discerned their particular feelings for one another it gives me a bit of freedom to toy with their emotions until they at last (hopefully) realize what the chemistry between them really is.
For, as we all know too well, it is love.
A/N: Dear readers,
Thank you so very much for reading this second installment of Roman Holiday! I'm sorry if this chapter is rather boring. I know that I, for one, would rather read a perfectly romantic chapter, but in all reality, Robin and Maria would not always be smiling, blushing, cuddling, and kissing. There must be some 'filler' writing in between, you know. At any rate, I apologize.
Now, as you may or may not know, I always focus on writing one story at a time. As I am now engaged in writing this chapter story, I cannot very well begin other stories, much as I would like. To do so would muddle my ideas and it only follows that it would muddle my writing. That I will not do. There have been requests for sequels to A Breach of Etiquette, requests which I really am quite anxious to fulfill. However, until this little plot is wrapped in a neat little package and published, I am afraid I cannot in good conscious begin another. Please understand that I am by no means quitting the idea of sequels; quite the opposite.
At any rate, I apologize for this horrendously long author's note, and bid thee farewell.
Your devoted,
Ponygirl7
