Sarah woke up with the sun and discovered peachy-colored roses on her
bedside table beside her half-empty glass of champagne. She didn't have to
spend her morning routine wondering who they were from, and this comforted
her. She put on her favorite old white dress and went downstairs, just in
time for tea with the other ladies.
Mrs. Jennings wondered at the pleased smile on her face and reminded her that the gentlemen had been out hunting in the country all weekend. "Well, perhaps it is due to the weather, for it is not raining today." Elinor tried, nudging her to keep shut, and covering Margaret's giggles. But Sarah had tired of this old routine. Perhaps Elinor could keep her love in her heart, but Sarah hadn't ever had the chance to show anything off before.
"I do believe the flowers on my table are from the Colonel."
"Flowers?" Mrs. Jennings squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Elinor looked pained at this. "From the Colonel, Sarah?"
"I believe so."
"There was no card?"
"None."
"Oh, this is so wonderfully exciting!" Mrs. Jennings giggled.
Elinor suddenly envisioned her sister on her deathbed, soaked in sweat.
"Excuse me, ladies, but I believe myself I promised Margaret a croquet lesson this fine morning, if it did not rain."
"Elinor, please, no you didn't." Margaret pleaded, but Elinor firmly seized her wrist and led her out into the garden.
This left Mrs. Jennings to her gossipy, interested stares. Sarah shifted uncomfortably in her velvet seat.
That evening it did rain, and the men returned at dinnertime (nothing was caught, with the exception of a young buck at the hands of Mr. Jennings). Sarah nervously decided to take her seat next to Brandon, who couldn't help but wonder still about her gift. Had she guessed? Of course, she was a smart girl. Especially by the way she smiled continuously at him.
Sarah entertained them all with a nice pianoforte, and Elinor took notice of the Colonel's avid attention to her fingers as they danced across the keys. Sarah was so focused on the song (she'd only just learned it) that she didn't notice when Elinor took him out into the hall, ignoring her husband's curiousity.
"Colonel, really, wasn't it a bit much? Tell me, were they red?"
"P-Pardon?" He said, playing a good game of confusion with her.
"The color of romance, surely a gentleman would realize that."
"Elinor-I-"
"I thought you loved my sister-do you not remember Marianne?"
"Elinor, your sister died in my arms. She was far too spirited and independent for me-for anyone. She was never happy with my nature."
"Of course she was! The fields you had for her to run in-"
"She needed someone younger, who could live her life. She needed Willoughby."
"What good did Willoughby ever do to her?"
"He set her free, of course." Brandon replied, as he re-entered the room.
Mrs. Jennings wondered at the pleased smile on her face and reminded her that the gentlemen had been out hunting in the country all weekend. "Well, perhaps it is due to the weather, for it is not raining today." Elinor tried, nudging her to keep shut, and covering Margaret's giggles. But Sarah had tired of this old routine. Perhaps Elinor could keep her love in her heart, but Sarah hadn't ever had the chance to show anything off before.
"I do believe the flowers on my table are from the Colonel."
"Flowers?" Mrs. Jennings squealed, clapping her hands excitedly.
Elinor looked pained at this. "From the Colonel, Sarah?"
"I believe so."
"There was no card?"
"None."
"Oh, this is so wonderfully exciting!" Mrs. Jennings giggled.
Elinor suddenly envisioned her sister on her deathbed, soaked in sweat.
"Excuse me, ladies, but I believe myself I promised Margaret a croquet lesson this fine morning, if it did not rain."
"Elinor, please, no you didn't." Margaret pleaded, but Elinor firmly seized her wrist and led her out into the garden.
This left Mrs. Jennings to her gossipy, interested stares. Sarah shifted uncomfortably in her velvet seat.
That evening it did rain, and the men returned at dinnertime (nothing was caught, with the exception of a young buck at the hands of Mr. Jennings). Sarah nervously decided to take her seat next to Brandon, who couldn't help but wonder still about her gift. Had she guessed? Of course, she was a smart girl. Especially by the way she smiled continuously at him.
Sarah entertained them all with a nice pianoforte, and Elinor took notice of the Colonel's avid attention to her fingers as they danced across the keys. Sarah was so focused on the song (she'd only just learned it) that she didn't notice when Elinor took him out into the hall, ignoring her husband's curiousity.
"Colonel, really, wasn't it a bit much? Tell me, were they red?"
"P-Pardon?" He said, playing a good game of confusion with her.
"The color of romance, surely a gentleman would realize that."
"Elinor-I-"
"I thought you loved my sister-do you not remember Marianne?"
"Elinor, your sister died in my arms. She was far too spirited and independent for me-for anyone. She was never happy with my nature."
"Of course she was! The fields you had for her to run in-"
"She needed someone younger, who could live her life. She needed Willoughby."
"What good did Willoughby ever do to her?"
"He set her free, of course." Brandon replied, as he re-entered the room.