( the further he's from the crowd, the lighter atticus feels; the weight of stares lifting from his shoulders. when they reach the house and miss bennet removes her arm from his, the ultimate weight is gone, but it's... cold. like taking off a heavy coat and exposing oneself to the chilly biting wind.
he lingers by the entrance, sure that they are the only two in the entire house and that transversing further in would only invite more uncertainties about the pair. for the townsfolk, there are no uncertainties and there is little atticus can say or do (aside from leaving) to dissuade their inferences. frankly, seen from an outside perspective, it's easy to see their friendship and assign meaning and importance to interactions where there are none. however, what is beginning to worry atticus, is if miss bennet has uncertainties and if she's assigning meaning and importance to their interactions. he does not want to encourage her and lead her to believe that he sees her as more than a friend. the last thing he wants to do is to hurt her.
but that's a subject he's afraid to broach. since she's stopped caring about others' opinions, perhaps she hasn't heard their gossip, though that would be naΓ―ve for him to think so. the biggest gossip in town lives in her home, of course, she knows. maybe like him, she has no uncertainties and sees him as only a friend. the possibility of that makes it more difficult to find the confidence to speak to her because if she has only a friendly impression of him, talk of romance may spoil their friendship, like adding salt to cream. and he doesn't want that either.
in any case, they will have to speak. sooner rather than later, before mr. bennet's hand is forced, and the threat of marriage is introduced.
when miss bennet knocks on the door to the library, atticus steps further into the house so his voice can remain low as he calls out to her. ) Do not trouble yourself, Miss Bennet. Forgive me, but I was deceptive when I said I saw your father come inside. ( he softly chuckles as a small smile pulls at his mouth. ) Though I wouldn't have put it past the old chap to slip away. Regardless, the lie was created so we could remove ourselves from the situation without causing further trouble. For that, I am sorry. And I am sorry for what happened outside.
( of course, it was not atticus's doing, but he feels obligated to apologise anyway. ) However, I wasn't lying when I said that I should be leaving.
no subject
he lingers by the entrance, sure that they are the only two in the entire house and that transversing further in would only invite more uncertainties about the pair. for the townsfolk, there are no uncertainties and there is little atticus can say or do (aside from leaving) to dissuade their inferences. frankly, seen from an outside perspective, it's easy to see their friendship and assign meaning and importance to interactions where there are none. however, what is beginning to worry atticus, is if miss bennet has uncertainties and if she's assigning meaning and importance to their interactions. he does not want to encourage her and lead her to believe that he sees her as more than a friend. the last thing he wants to do is to hurt her.
but that's a subject he's afraid to broach. since she's stopped caring about others' opinions, perhaps she hasn't heard their gossip, though that would be naΓ―ve for him to think so. the biggest gossip in town lives in her home, of course, she knows. maybe like him, she has no uncertainties and sees him as only a friend. the possibility of that makes it more difficult to find the confidence to speak to her because if she has only a friendly impression of him, talk of romance may spoil their friendship, like adding salt to cream. and he doesn't want that either.
in any case, they will have to speak. sooner rather than later, before mr. bennet's hand is forced, and the threat of marriage is introduced.
when miss bennet knocks on the door to the library, atticus steps further into the house so his voice can remain low as he calls out to her. ) Do not trouble yourself, Miss Bennet. Forgive me, but I was deceptive when I said I saw your father come inside. ( he softly chuckles as a small smile pulls at his mouth. ) Though I wouldn't have put it past the old chap to slip away. Regardless, the lie was created so we could remove ourselves from the situation without causing further trouble. For that, I am sorry. And I am sorry for what happened outside.
( of course, it was not atticus's doing, but he feels obligated to apologise anyway. ) However, I wasn't lying when I said that I should be leaving.