Chapter 7
Mary Jane, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Lydia dove into the moving carriage, already on its 3rd slow, thrilling donut. As they peeled out (trot paced) from Netherfield, the three sisters clumsily untangled themselves from each other and took their seats opposite Mary, with a letter in hand.
“We are all in uproar,” explained Mary in level restraint, “Mr. Collins arrives tonight. Our parents asked Mary Lydia and I to collect you at once.”
“Where is Mary Catherine?” queried Emmy.
“Jingle bells.”
All nodded in solemn understanding, well aware of their sister’s time honoured cope. The piano forte would be occupied until Mary Catherine’s hundredth round of the carol found its final note. Until then, she was not to be touched.
“Is that-” Emmy gestured to the letter in Mary’s hand.
Mary rapped her long fingers on the page as if weighing her options. The letter, her cousin’s letter, was in her hands and thus, through the transitive property, the sentiments therein were, for this brief moment, Mary’s and Mary’s alone. A flurry of sins flocked through her mind like ducks: covetousness of her Cousin’s prose (Greed!), resentment of being asked to share (Wrath!), fear of the well-combed Mary Jane gaining the upper hand (Envy!), and, though she had not words to approach it, a deep, unearthly Lust. In this dreamscape, each sin, which, again, look like duck, plummeted towards her person, threatening to corrupt her soul forever.
She did not retreat. The Mary in Mary’s mind raised a musket (True Love!). Armed by the Grace of God, the huntress was without fear. None of these sins (Ducks!) could tempt her if the object of her desire was God-Given. All was clear to her now.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sins fell to the ground, to the delight of the hounds (Forgiveness?). The letter would remain Mary’s.
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