Through the Ice

Chapter 2

When I finally felt somewhat rested I opened my eyes to see where I was. I was surprised to see I was in a very elegant room. I turned my head to see if someone was in the room with me. I was right there was that woman with the kind face looking down at me.

"Oh dear girl, you have finally awoken. Thank god for a moment we feared that you might leave us." She tells me as she comes and sits beside me on the bed.

"Who are you?" I ask her as I continue to look around at this room.

"Oh forgive me, I am Jane, Jane Austen that is." She tells me as she takes a rag a placed it on my forehead.

"As in the author Jane Austen? Wait what year is it?" I ask her curious to know.

"Its 1814." She tells me as she looks a bit worried now. "You're not from this time are you?"

"Uh no, I have no idea how I got here either. I am from the year 2015 and this is impossible. Am I dead?" I ask her as I sit up all the sudden.

"You are not dead child but you are not the first to come back in time as you say. One of the other ladies who lives in the next town is just like you. She may know more but for now you must pretend you are from here. If not I believe the others will think you are crazy." She tells me as she stands and walks over to a wardrobe and takes out a dress.

"Pretend I am from the Regency era? Yeah how hard could that be?" I say sarcastically.

"Oh hush now, I will teach you but this is a secret to stay between you and I only. Understand me?" she asks me.

"Yes Miss Austen." I answer her as she smiles at me.

"Now let's get you dressed shall we? Fanny is eager to meet you." She tells me.

Fanny who in the world is that? Not to mention who in the world would name their child that? I felt sorry for whoever they were to be honest. After putting too many layers of clothing on for me to remember Miss Austen has me dressed in a cream colored dress and she puts my hair up in a simply bun like hers. I really hated that though, I preferred to have my hair down. She then takes me over to a mirror and I look into it. I barely know the person that is staring back at me. I looked like a lady, a real lady at that.

"Just play along with whatever I say." She tells me and I nod at her in agreement.

Miss Austen turns and we start to walk out of the room. I follow her down the long halls until we reach a room that I think is called a parlor. Once inside I see a younger blonde haired girl sitting down beside a man with light red or blonde hair I couldn't really tell in the light. Thank goodness they were the only ones there.

"Fanny this is Clara a dear friend of mine from America." Miss Austen tells the girl as I walk forward and Fanny smiles at me.

Great this girl likes me already well that is easy enough. I look back to the man who won't stop looking at me up and down. Alright I don't like what he is doing but I suppose everyone deserves a chance.

"And that is Fanny's friend Mr. Plumtree." Miss Austen tells me as he stands and takes my hand placing a soft kiss upon it.

Seriously I am trying to hold my laughter back though, Plumtree?! Really who comes up with all of these names? I make a small curtsey to both of them as I walk over to a chair and sit down. Jane sits down in the chair to the right of me. Then I hear them mostly Jane and Mr. Plumtree talking about the role of women. Oh here we go. Wonder how sexist this jerk could be.

"You are an author, you have some power to tell your readers about the role of women." He continues to tell her.

I lean on my arm against the arm of the chair and just sigh. This guy is literally boring me to death. I look over to Fanny and can see that she is staring at him like he is the best thing in the world. Oh for the love of god I can't take it anymore.

"Dare I ask what makes you think you have the right to judge women is such a way? For we do something no man could do." I speak up not really knowing what would happen now.

Jane looks at me somewhat surprised as does Fanny and Plumtree. I think I actually stumped him or maybe I was in trouble, I couldn't quite tell yet.

"Miss Clara do inform me something women can do that men can not." He tells me as he stands and walks my way.

Oh buddy I am not going to be on to just sitting down and watching you flapping your gums. I stand up and walk right up to him.

"Do you carry a child for nine months inside of your body? Share everything with it and then give birth to it? I think not sir if it were not for women there would not be man. Or have you forgotten that Eve was equal to Adam?" I ask him knowing I probably shouldn't have said any of this but this guy was pissing me off.

"I have never carried a child nor given birth to one. It is a man's job to keep his wife and children happy to provide for them." He replies back to me.

"A woman could easily do that. Though I am quite sure that would make men even feel even more oh what the word less manly?" I say as I noticed we are now just inches apart for each other's faces.

"You have quite a sharp tongue miss Clara." He tells me with a small smile.

"You seem to have a rather large ego Mr. Plumtree. I pray someone comes along to help you with that." I tell him as I turn to Jane. "Forgive me dear friend I do believe I need some fresh air."

Without another word I turn and walk out of the room hoping that I could find my way out of the house just so I could get away from that stuck up snob. I swear I hated men like him. They thought that women were god's gift to man. Ha! I highly disagree!