PRIDE AND PREJUDICEFan-fiction
I do NOT own the copyrights to Pride and Prejudice
NOTE: Sorry, never been to England in my life, so I just write my speech. Clearly neither Mary or Kitty - were not married, nor engaged in the book , so Robert Walters - and Tyler Hale is of my making.
Scene 4
The lake was indeed deserted as usual. Thomas figured Elizabeth was right, but his heart wanted it to say it wasn't so.
"Who is she?" Elizabeth stood by her father's side as a stranger entered the party being held by Charles Bingley and his wife -her sister- Jane. The young woman had light brown hair and wore a plain -but very pretty- blue dress. Her manner was not one of a silly woman and they were as quiet as Mary's, but her eyes showed they missed nothing.
"I don't know." Thomas found himself unable to tear his eyes off the newcomer all evening -a fact his two oldest daughters did not miss. Nor for that fact - did Mary. Kitty would have caught it only she was too busy talking to a new suitor.
Picking up a rock he turned it over and over as he thought of the times Micah-Anne had skipped pebbles across the water as they'd talk.
"My brother and I used to skip rocks back home." Micah-Anne aimed another pebble before letting it loose.
"You miss Virginia?" Thomas asked as he mimicked her toss.
"Lately, yes. People here care too much about the tiniest things that don't matter." Micah-Anne spoke without thinking and instantly bit her lip.
"Like what?" Thomas ignored Mary in the back ground and kept his eyes on the young female that had entered the dance and crawled under his skin -though neither had ever made an inappropriate move towards the other one. When Micah-Anne didn't answer he repeated his question -only a little firmer.
"Age." With that she hurried off - mortified at having slipped in controlling her mouth.
"Oh, Micah-Anne, if it is you come back. Give me a second chance." Thomas Bennett's tears rolled down his cheeks as a soft wind blew against his face as he remembered their first kiss.
"You're beautiful." Thomas cupped Micah-Anne's face and lowered his head. The taste of her lips were sweet and he no longer cared about his lack of wealth, Besides, his financial status had begun improving -something which had happened thanks to the help Micah-Anne had given to Elizabeth. The help had been getting his youngest girls left at home to back Elizabeth up in what she wanted them to do. The girl's engagements hadn't detoured his second to oldest from her goal of helping secure what little wealth he'd had left. The woman's face had never left his mind -nor the memory of that first real embrace.
Sadly, Elizabeth had put up violent protests when the relationship showed it was going beyond platonic friendship. Invitations to parties at Pemberley left Micah-Anne out, vocal protests made not only to him, but people who had begun to do business with him. Therefore, more than one person had come to tell him to cut it off with Micah-Anne or else. He'd have done the or else, except for Micah-Anne herself.
Micah-Anne's letter -which had been slid under his library door had read. "I can not stand by and see your ruined simply by me being around. And my presence is tearing your family apart." It had said other things too, ones that let him know she loved him just as much as ever, but would not spell it out. The memory of the letter was set aside as he walked back to the house, but others still accompanied him on the stroll.
"Here comes Father." Kitty spoke from where she stood at the window.
"I don't suppose he's in a better mood?" Elizabeth asked not daring to breathe.
"Not really. His face isn't as dark, but his shoulders still sag." Kitty replied and turned away from where she stood as the door to the home opened.
Thomas Bennett saw his family's looks, but ignored them as he went down the hallway. He told himself he should use sarcasm or humor to handle the situation, but that side of him had died. Sarcasm hadn't been needed to handle being around Micah-Anne, and any smart remarks she had come up with and been plenty enough for the both of them. With that last opinion - spoken silently- the library door was shut leaving his family to know Micah-Anne may have left physically, but she was still there in spirit.