[Open post] Further down the literary rabbit hole

[drownedfuchsia]

Fuchsia's been dealing with everything, the way she always does: completely ignoring reality.  She's managed to find herself a collection of terrible romances, and will part with them like her father did his own library, with depression and possible madness.

While she's managed to avoid anything about shades of grey (though she did make her way

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[regency_twihard]

Cathy has been reading a collection of essays which Paul had recommended -- no, kindly assigned her to read. She's not sure what to make of some of it, though she appreciates that the author has encouraged women to write and write as they see fit.

She might just be coming into the common room, when she spies her Twilight-loving friend. "Lady Fuschia, greetings," she says, curtseying. "It has been a long time since last we spoke. Have you found some new literary treasure?" she asks, eying the book.

[drownedfuchsia]

"I think I am learning what I am doing wrong, and why no one loves me." There's a look of horror, with a contradictory underpinning of hope.

"Have you read this?" She holds up Pamela for inspection.

[regency_twihard]

She eyes it curiously. "Oh, no, not yet: I've not seen that title before," she says. "What is it about, or would asking that spoil the plot and its secrets?"

[drownedfuchsia]

"It is about an honourable young maid and her employer who wants to ruin her!" There is far more to that, butit was that initial concept that attracted her to the book in the first place.

"He's just abducted her!"

[regency_twihard]

She's minded of the heroine and the villain of the "Mysteries of Udolpho" and she'll blink, drawing in a breath of surprise. "Oh! How dreadful!" she cries. Then with an enthusiastic lilt, hinting at the lure of the forbidden, she adds, "It sounds like a wonderfully horrid novel..."

[drownedfuchsia]

"It is! Even at the beginning, she's a 'beautiful young damsel,' and she's telling her parents about all the trials but her employer's stolen them." For some reason, Fuchsia finds this romantic.

"Imagine how dramatic that would be!"

[regency_twihard]

"Oh my, he's stolen away her parents? How horrid!" she says, shocked and yet intrigued.

[drownedfuchsia]

"Oh no, he's not stolen her, but her letters, so her parents do not even know where she may be."

She leans in a little more, "he will not release her until she agrees to be his mistress."

[regency_twihard]

She'll gasp a bit, but there's a hint of pleased shock in that sound. "His mistress--! Oh my, does she refuse his advances?" she asks, hoping the heroine does. And some part hopes she doesn't, she's not sure why...

[drownedfuchsia]

"She does!" Sorry, Ms. Moreland. "And whenever she faints, he tries to kiss her. When she runs, he grab pieces of her dress. He is the most horrid of monsters!"

[regency_twihard]

"Oh, my word!" she cries, clapping a hand to her chest, just below the pit of her throat. "What an utterly horrible man! There are vampires and highwaymen who are better gentlemen than he is!"

[drownedfuchsia]

"Another one of his servants helps him." Fuchsia leans forward, as what she's about to say is possibly the most risque thing she's ever said.

"One night, the housekeeper slips out of bed and the lord takes his place."

Her voice goes even quieter. "And the housekeeper was sharing a bed with Pamela!"

[regency_twihard]

"What an utter cad! What an utter, dissembling cad! I hope that she screamed long and loud when she discovered him," she says, shocked.

[drownedfuchsia]

"She faints dead away from fright!" And that's the part in the book where poor Fuchsia stops.

"I think I would do the same. Wouldn't you?"

[regency_twihard]

"I think that I would scream for help, or look for something good and heavy to throw at the intruder, or flee from the room," she says.

[drownedfuchsia]

"You are braver than me. I would faint dead away too -- perhaps even dead!"

Hyperbole, anyone?

"To treat anyone that way and I'm a Lady." Somehow she thinks that it makes her more likely to be weak -- not that being Fuchsia doesn't make her weak enough.