I am back with my last short story.
Can't thank you enough for the great reviews and critiques with suggested advice.
This one is 16 chapters, some are shorter than others. I will try to post them over today and the next day or two.
As always, I look for to your thoughts.
1
Elizabeth Bennet descended from the chaise and looked approvingly at the grand estate before her. Her letter of instruction had indicated that she would be met on her arrival, however as she was significantly early, it was not surprising that her arrival at her new position went unacknowledged. With valise in hand she approached the stairs leading upwards towards the front entrance. She was tempted by the beauty of the gardens and landscape to take a stroll around until her appointed time arrived. 'They'll be other occasions to explore the grounds, I'm sure' she told herself. She was eager to meet her new employer and her new charge. She lived for her work as well as for exploring new vistas. It was sometimes a struggle to maintain a balance between those passions. But… expenses had to be met, after all, and so the priority today was her employer and her new charge!
Arriving at the huge front door, she had only to knock once before it opened and a liveried servant took her card while gesturing her inside. A few minutes later a well-dressed man with something of a military bearing was striding towards her. "Miss Bennet!" he said in a strong voice. "Colonel Fitzwilliam at your service." He bowed as her reached her and she returned the required curtsey. "A servant will take your valise to your room," the Colonel continued, gesturing to another liveried attendant. "I apologize for not greeting your arrival myself."
"My fault, Colonel," she told him, "so no apology necessary. All my travel connections went amazingly smoothly… a rare experience for me. But the result was my premature arrival." She caught a glimpse of a face peeking around a corner but it darted back as her glance fell on it. She made no comment, but suspected it might be her new charge, wanting to see who it was her guardian had arranged for her companion.
"Come join me in the study and we will discuss the situation in more detail than was possible in our correspondence," the Colonel said, gesturing her to walk at his side. The fact that he said, 'the study' and not 'my study' registered on Elizabeth Bennet who was careful to listen closely to what was said to her. She made no comment, but followed her new employer to a huge luxurious study. There were so many shelves lined with tomes of every sort. 'If this is the study, what must the library look like?' she wondered. 'Perhaps as magnificent as the grounds in its own way!'