Pleasure Reading 11-20

Charles sees a sleeping Sarah on the stone who reminds him a girl he met in Paris.He recognizes her as the French Lieutenant’s Woman when he walks closer.She awakes whilst he stands over her and he apologizes and walks away.Charles is tempted to tell Ernestina about his meeting with Sarah, he senses that she would be disturbed, and thus carefully omits the tale of his spying on the sleeping woman. Ernestina has a fear of Charles’s background and is jealous that he may have loved somebody else before or at present. He is 11 years older, has travelled abroad and does not tell her about his past. Sarah is depressed after her encounter with Mrs. Poulteney, for Mrs. Poulteney has accused her behavior: she has been seen on Ware Commons, commonly believed to be a "lovers' lane." Sarah denies any such knowledge of the place and insists that she goes there simply to be alone, which is the truth.As for Charles, he continues walking through the woods of Ware Commons. He stops at the Dairy for a drink of milk and sees Sarah pass by. Charles walks on and catches up with Sarah. He asks if he may accompany her, but she says she would rather be alone. She then asks him to tell no one that he has seen her here. He then visits Ernestina and she wants to know everything he has done that day. He describes all but seeing the French Lieutenant’s Woman as Ernestina has twice made it clear that this woman is distasteful to her.Then Mrs. Fairley informs Mrs. Poulteney that Sarah has been seen in Ware Commons , Mrs. Poulteney accuses Sarah of committing a sin. Sarah makes it clear to her employer that she just wants solitude and did not know the place is associated with sin. Charles has had to go to Lyme Regis two or three times a week on his visits with Ernestina and her aunt. The morning after he went to Undercliff, he, Ernestina and Aunt Tranter go to Marlborough House to see Mrs. Poulteney. He could not avoid this fate. When they arrive, Mrs. Poulteney insists that Sarah stays. Mrs. Tranter demonstrates her kindness and asks Sarah to visit her when Ernestina has returned home. Charles notes that Sarah studiously avoids his eyes and does not betray the fact that they met the day before. He also notices that Mrs. Poulteney ignores her as does Ernestina, who annoys him.It is now two days later and Charles has returned to Ware Commons. He decides he will not enter into conversation with Miss Woodruff if he sees her, and then notices she is standing 40 yards away. She gives him two fossils and thanks him for his offer of assistance. She then walks away again and he cannot resist looking back at her. She is staring at him over her shoulder.She wants to tell him what happened to her 18 months ago, but  he is horrified when she sinks to her knees. He makes her stand and says he does not wish to appear indifferent but cannot get involved for the sake of propriety. She asks to meet him once more, to talk, and tells him she has felt almost overcome with madness to the point that she has thought of visiting him.