DANDELIONS [ colonel brandon ]

CHAPTER I

❝  and i've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime, ❞

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

(Y/N) sat beside Elinor, an unoccupied chair was to her left. Mrs. Jennings and Sir John were bemoaning at the fact that the occupant, Colonel Brandon — who was ever elusive or maybe just very late — was still missing from the lunch party. (Y/N) briefly wondered if the man had flowing light blond hair and baby blue eyes and a bright charming smile like in Marianne's favourite storybooks, possibly not, she thought, there was not such a man.

Marianne had said the man probably had wispy white hair and a little goatee, and speckles, (Y/N) had giggled but then berated her older twin sister, it was not proper to make fun of people.

She hid a wince as Sir John and Mrs. Jennings continued to try to guess who Elinor was 'enamoured' with, tossing about names that started with 'F'. "Sir John, might I play your pianoforte?" Interjected Marianne loudly, standing up suddenly. Sir John stared at her for a second, "Of course, yes-- my goodness. We do not stand on ceremony here, my dear." He claps his hands and ushers everyone to the music room.

(Y/N) tuned out the rest of Sir John and Mrs. Jennings' musings, and followed, absently, behind Elinor.

(Y/N) smiled proudly at her twin sister, who was deep in song,. She felt as though if someone was staring at her, she glanced towards the door, to see a handsome man staring fixedly at Marianne. But he stays in the shadow of the door and no one notices him, well- except (Y/N). He gazes at Marianne with an unfathomable look of grief and longing. He breathes in deeply, (Y/N) blinked at him and averted her eyes, a faint blush coating her cheeks.

If this was Colonel Brandon, Marianne was dead wrong. The man wasn't conventionally handsome, he had curly dirty blond hair, she hadn't seen his eyes clearly his eyes were obviously light coloured, his nose was hooked and large but it made him look very regal.

The song finishes. Everyone claps. The man ventures out into the light and Sir John springs from his seat. "Brandon! Where have you been? Come, come and meet our beautiful new neighbors!" Exclaimed Sir John, ushering the man into the room, "What a pity you are late Colonel Brandon, you have not heard our delightful songbird, Miss Marianne." Mrs. Jennings chortled, Brandon bows to the company and smiles slightly, "A great pity, indeed." Said Colonel Brandon, in the most wonderful deep baritone voice (Y/N) had ever heard, and bowed in greeting at Marianne.

"Mrs. Dashwood, may I present my dear friend Colonel Brandon? We served in the East Indies together, I assure there is no better fellow on earth—" Said Sir John, (Y/N) curtsied, "Is it true that you have served in the East Indies, Colonel?" Asked Margaret excitedly, "I have," Said Brandon, inclining his head in confirmation, and (Y/N) just couldn't get over his deep velvety drawl.

"What is it like?"

"Like? Hot." Replied Sir John, with a grin.

Brandon leaned over to Margaret, and said something (Y/N) couldn't quite hear, (Y/N) glanced at her twin, who cocked an eyebrow playfully at her, (Y/N), in turn, raised her eyebrow at Marianne, questioningly, she turned back to face the Colonel and met his hazel eyes for a second.

"Now, it's your turn to entertain us, Miss Dashwood," Said Sir John, (Y/N) giggled softly from behind Elinor, as her older sister protested, "And I believe I know what key you will sing in--" Said Sir John, stifling his laughter, "F major." And both Sir John and Mrs. Jennings burst into laughter.

(Y/N) subtly winced, and tucked her hair over her ear.

***

An outdoor luncheon is in progress.

(Y/N) stood beside her mother, smiling gently at her sisters, secretly envious of the way Brandon looked at Marianne. Tired of standing, she went up the hill and back to the table where Mrs. Jennings and Elinor were conversing, (Y/N) sat down, taking a sip from the ice-cold water she was offered, she flipped through her sketchbook, half-listening to Mrs. Jennings and Elinor's conversation.

Mrs. Jennings nudges Elinor hard and gestures to Brandon and Marianne.

"Besotted! A great match, for he is rich and she is handsome." said the older lady, Elinor smiled, Mrs. Jennings turned back to the ladies and gentlemen, and then looked back to (Y/N), "On second thought, Miss (Y/N) and Brandon would be a greater match - an excellent match, indeed.. oh, well! We will have to make do with what we have." Chortled Mrs. Jennings, (Y/N) lowered her head and blushed, staring intently on the charcoal painting of her father.

"How long have you known the colonel?" Inquired Elinor, changing the subject, "Oh, lord bless you, as long as ever I have been here, and I came fifteen years back. His estate at Delaford is but four miles hence and he and John are very thick. He has no wife or children of his own, for--" Mrs. Jennings lowers her voice to a whisper, (Y/N) listens in rapt attention. "--he has a tragic history. He loved a girl once--twenty years ago now--a ward to his family, but they were not permitted to marry..."

(Y/N) looked up and like Elinor, is intrigued, "On what grounds?"

"Money. Eliza was poor. When the father discovered their amour, she was flung out of the house and he packed off into the army. I believe he would have done himself a harm if not for John.."

"What became of the lady?" (Y/N) interrupted, looking very curious.

"Oh, she was passed from man to man-- disappeared from all good society. When Brandon got back from India he searched for heaven knows how long, only to find her dying in a poor house. You have seen how it has affected him. Once I thought my daughter Charlotte might have cheered him up, but she is much better where she is."

Elinor is silent with amazement at this unexpected history, so is (Y/N). "Oh! Look at him now, though. So attentive. I shall try an experiment on him." Said Mrs. Jennings, looking behind her to see Marianne and Brandon approaching the table, (Y/N) shakes her head, "Oh no, please, dear Mrs. Jennings, leave the poor Colonel alone." Elinor says, eyes wide.

"No, no, it is just the thing-- all suitors need a little help, my dear."

Mrs. Jennings winks at Elinor and (Y/N) and rubs her hands as though about to perform a magic trick.

"Colonel Brandon!" Said Mrs. Jennings, thrillingly. Brandon turns to look at the older lady.

"We have not heard you play for us of late!"

"For the simple reason that you have a far superior musician here." He indicates Marianne, who smiles absently. (Y/N) forces a soft smile, inwardly scolding herself for not learning to play music seriously, "Perhaps you did not know, Miss Marianne, that our dear Brandon shares your passion for music and plays the piano forte very well."

Marianne looks at Brandon in some surprise. "Play us a duet!" Brandon looks at Mrs. Jennings warningly but she ignores him. "I'll trow you know quite as many melancholy tunes as Miss Marianne!"

Her tone was so knowing that both Marianne and (Y/N) frowned uncomfortably. "Come! Let us see you both side by side!" Marianne walks forward, dismissive, "I do not know any duets. Forgive me, Colonel."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───