The slow paced rhythm that is killing us all is pretty much justified, but is not caused by Laura's indecisiveness. I think the problem here is that our MC is extremely rational and very cautious, added to the fact that she knows social norms and convections to a tee, in the era she belongs to, she is aware that romantic love and marriage are not equivalents, and her social standing is nothing but a hinder to anyone who wants to marry her. I'm pretty sure she herself understands deep down that ML may be in love with her, but that doesn't mean she is able to let go of everything she has lived and known for him, to throw herself into his arm without a care...again, as is stated in the flashbacks that she had a lover in the past but he ended up not marrying her. She is afraid of being hurt again, of being humiliated and damaged far from redemption. Loosing her reputation in the era she lives almost means a death row for a woman with no family to stand beside her, without a good background she couldn't barely work and sustain herself. So yeah, is pretty realistic for her to doubt the ML since she is not a mind reader, the true intentions of his actions are only known by him alone. He may ask for love, but that doesn't mean he is willing to marry her, and even if he were, she would bear the shame of marrying out of her standing the rest of her life. The poor Laura will loose something whatever she choses.
The slow paced rhythm that is killing us all is pretty much justified, but is not caused by Laura's indecisiveness.
I think the problem here is that our MC is extremely rational and very cautious, added to the fact that she knows social norms and convections to a tee, in the era she belongs to, she is aware that romantic love and marriage are not equivalents, and her social standing is nothing but a hinder to anyone who wants to marry her.
I'm pretty sure she herself understands deep down that ML may be in love with her, but that doesn't mean she is able to let go of everything she has lived and known for him, to throw herself into his arm without a care...again, as is stated in the flashbacks that she had a lover in the past but he ended up not marrying her. She is afraid of being hurt again, of being humiliated and damaged far from redemption. Loosing her reputation in the era she lives almost means a death row for a woman with no family to stand beside her, without a good background she couldn't barely work and sustain herself. So yeah, is pretty realistic for her to doubt the ML since she is not a mind reader, the true intentions of his actions are only known by him alone. He may ask for love, but that doesn't mean he is willing to marry her, and even if he were, she would bear the shame of marrying out of her standing the rest of her life. The poor Laura will loose something whatever she choses.