ππππ πΈπππΎππ (thornback) wrote in sanditon,
It was, to date, almost more words than the captain had spared for her in a single breath, and it quite took Anne's own breath away. Certainly she had been privy to his discussions and allusions to her on more than one occasion, but when it came to the expected pleasantries they had only just found their stride.
Anne ducked her head when he made his curt nod, and combed a few flyaway strands back from her face as she collected herself to summon more words. She had thought herself inured to his presence by now, but it was not so; she saw all too late it was only in the company of others, in the relative safety of a group ramble or social setting, that she could avoid feeling the startled stammer of her heart when he was near. For eight years, she had comfortably followed his career at a distance, and supposed to never see him again. She was certain he must have held the same expectation. Their renewed acquaintance now had proved stilted, and at times painful, but not impossible.
"I had a very pleasant walk, thank you." It was not, on the whole, a lie. "And thank you for your message, I shall go to Mary directly."
She then proceeded not to move at all, so conspicuously that such claimed directness might be called into question. It was unbearably awkward in a way that could not be helped, if Anne wished for her present state to remain unremarked by him; at the same time, it appeared as if she had more to say to him, and had instead chosen self-censorship.
"Are you finding your new surroundings... agreeable?" she finally managed.