Dear Diary,
Far Corfe Hall lies in grounds, extending, some fifty acres upon the banks of the river Hoar. All are well tended with pleasant topiary and raucous peacocks. I arrived in the early afternoon and as soon as I dismounted from the carriage found myself clasped to Mrs Norris's generous bosom for a moment longer than necessary.
"Come, come," she ordered, "let us take tea. Woofter will tend to your bags."
"How exciting all this is, " she said, as we were seated in the drawing room. " I trust you will spend your days in comfort here and should you require anything, my dearest Wayne, please ask Woofter for if it can be done or found, he can do it or find it. I feel I must give something of an apology for the delay to our conference but alas, no one has the power to control the weather and I doubt I could have faced being tossed so and so there it is. Your parents have your best interests at heart and have noted your interest in this particular...um....venture and so have provided you with more time to acquaint yourself and I shall endeavour to glean some background and assess the suitability of such a........."
"Mrs Norris, " I interjected, " what is going on? I fear I am in the dark and have been told nothing of why I am here."
She paused with teacup to her lips and smiled, then replacing teacup to saucer returned it to the table and clapped her hands.
"Then let us, bring in the light," she said, and the drawing room door swung open to reveal.....no one. Mrs Norris glanced at me nervously and then said "Please come in, Dear. You have nothing to fear." I heard hesitant footsteps in the hallway and then, there in the doorway looking lovely and somewhat lost, was Danielle St Amour.
Our eyes met and her face lit up. I stood up to greet her.
"I shall leave you two to get better acquainted, for that is indeed why you are both here and I shall retire to attend my Winky. He is not himself and I fear he may have caught a chill." Mrs Norris bustled out and Miss St Amour came and sat in her place.
"Mr Austen,' she breathed in her husky manner, ' It appears we have been manipulated."
"Indeed,' I replied, "but there are times when I find manipulation most pleasurable, Miss Amour."
2 comments:
Oh, oh, oh my dearest Wayne!
At times your life is such a strain.
A pleasant answer to this current mystery?
But we know Little of Miss St Amour's history.
I have the feeling capitulation...
Is only the start of your 'manipulation'.
B.
I shall spend the next twent-four hours worrying about what I will hear and what I should feel.
-h
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