Louisa Hurst sat on her bed in her dressing gown and frowned. She could hear the telltale sound, even with the door closed. Caroline always thought she was such a delicate flower of a woman, who never did such things as snore (she did), chew loudly (eating salad with her was not the most pleasant of auditory experiences), or throw the occasional tantrum (she would never admit her 'utterly justified complaints' were delivered in the same tone her spoilt three-year-old self had used when thwarted).
The low, mournful utterance Louisa now heard usually heralded a thoroughly tedious day. Caroline would have the maids and footmen running to and fro, she would be in no fit state for a good gossip, and that dreadful noise would continue throughout it all until her sister could manage to sleep.
All the same, how timely this illness was for Caroline, as it let her out of her hostess duties. Well! If Caroline would not entertain the Bennet girls today, neither would she.
“Are you going down?” asked Hurst from the connecting door.
“Be quiet!” Louisa hissed at him. “Do not you hear? Caroline has a megrim.”
“Bother!” said Hurst quietly. Then he approached the bed with a smirk. “On second thought, stay where you are. I shall join you. We might as well add our own moans, and to better purpose.” He began to disrobe. “We can ring for a tray in an hour.”
Hurst was tolerable. He was no Delicious Darcy, that was certain. Now, that man...! If Caroline ever did succeed in getting him to propose, which seemed less and less likely, Louisa did not know what she would do. She was not sure she could truly look upon him as a brother. Speaking of brothers, Miss Grantley's brother was a specimen of masculine beauty one did not come across every day! Her poor Hurst could not compare.
But that smirk on her husband's face had turned into an alluring smile. His eagerness to be with her was appealing, she had to admit. Spending the morning in the arms of an enthusiastic lover and enjoying breakfast in bed afterwards sounded superior to having to guard her tongue and watch her sister's interests in the presence of Charles, Darcy, and the Bennet ladies.
She removed her dressing gown and slid over to make room for her husband.
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