Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
Lord Benjamin watched her with concern, his brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”
* * *
“Yes.” She nodded firmly, “I just feel the need to take the air. I haven’t been out on my own in days.” She smiled wider to show she was fine.
* * *
Lord Benjamin nodded skeptically. “Alright then. We shall see you at home.” He returned her smile tentatively before signaling for them to resume their journey. The manor was barely a mile down the road which made Janice shake her head realizing just how worried her family was about her. She used to frequently disappear for hours and no one would turn a hair.
* * *
It’s my fault with all my moping and hiding. No more. Life must go on.
* * *
With determination she stepped off the road and made her way to the field, meaning to just sit there and enjoy the sun, pluck the grass and perhaps let herself feel sad for the very last time. Because after today, she was determined to resume life as it had been before London. There were plenty of things to feel joyous about. She would focus on those.
* * *
She plopped herself on the grass, folding her legs beneath her, and just stared off into the distance, her hands absently pulling at grass. She caught sight of a rabbit, hopping about and sniffing, probably in search of the perfect blade of grass to eat. She plucked a few from around her and held her hand out to the rabbit.
* * *
It ignored her, hopping out of sight in the blink of an eye. Janice snorted, dropping the grass from her hand and then wiping it off on her gown. She sighed, laying back on the grass and staring up at the blue skies.
* * *
To her surprise, she found that the urge to wail and cry had disappeared. The meadow was just too peaceful for that. She could breathe here, and just be, without the necessity for excess emotion.
* * *
Eventually, however, she became aware that a lot of time had passed and her family would be worried for her if she did not appear for lunch. With a sigh, she got to her feet and began ambling toward the road. She hoped that the peace she’d found in the meadow would stay with her at least for the rest of the day.
* * *
The sound of a cat mewling in distress had her turning her head in search of it. She looked around, not seeing anything.
* * *
“Meow!”
* * *
She looked up and saw that there was a cat stuck up the great oak she was walking under. It was a tiny thing, clinging fearfully to a branch.
* * *
“Oh kitty, what have you done to yourself?” she called up to it. She held out her hands. “Come on kitty, you can make it. Jump down. I’ll catch you, I promise.”
* * *
The cat, understandably, ignored her, probably not understanding a word she was saying. It did continue to mewl pitifully.
* * *
Janice looked around, trying to find something - a branch perhaps – that she could use to get the cat down. There were plenty of sticks around but none sturdy or long enough to reach the cat.
* * *
With a sigh, she realized she had only one option.
* * *
“Alright then.” She pulled her gown up, tying opposing ends of her hem around her thighs and kicking off her slippers before she did a small jump to latch onto the first branch of the tree. She pulled herself up. “I’m coming little kitty. Just wait.”
* * *
Her naked thigh above her stockings brushed against the bark and she felt something scratch her. “Ouch,” she whispered as she reached for the next branch and pulled herself higher. “Don’t look down now,” she told herself, remembering that she had something of a fear for heights.
* * *
One more branch and she was on the same level as the cat. “Here kitty. Come to me.” She held her hand out, beckoning to it.
* * *
“Meow!” The kitty was hunched in on itself, watching her warily.
* * *
Janice sighed. “Fine. I shall come to you.” Slowly, carefully, she began to shuffle along the branch, trying to get closer to the kitten. Tree bark dug into her thighs, tearing her stockings and scratching her skin as she shuffled along, but at least her hands were protected by gloves. She lay down against the branch, so she could stretch further and took hold of the kitten. “That’s it. Slowly.”
* * *
She picked the kitten up, its tiny claws digging painfully into her palm. Then she made the mistake of looking at the ground and a wave of dizziness overtook her. She hadn’t realized how far from the ground she was. She whimpered, her hands beginning to shake as she felt waves of vertigo overtake her.