A Constant Love: A Pride & Prejudice Continuation by Sophie Turner

Author:Sophie Turner [Turner, Sophie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-04-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 33

Thursday’s newspapers indicated there had been more rioting over Wednesday night, and so it was decided over breakfast – a bit more delicately than in previous mornings, with Mr. Darcy returned to the house – that Captain Ramsey and his men should return again that evening. They were there already when Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived, on horseback, but still causing concern among all in the household.

He was questioned heavily after entering the drawing room and expressing his relief at having received Elizabeth’s note earlier in the day, indicating that Darcy had returned safely to the house. He informed them that the Fitzwilliams and Lady Catherine were all still well, and that he had heard no sounds of rioting, so perhaps it had finally run its course.

“Do not tell us you have come for a social call,” Darcy said.

“No, I have come with entirely different news,” the colonel said. “This news is not so far spread, although I expect it will move rapidly. Napoleon Bonaparte has escaped from exile. He is understood to be moving towards Paris, and all expectations are that he will raise an army. I wished to let Mr. Darcy know in case you had any investments that you should back out of before the news becomes more widely known, and I thought your friends in the navy would wish to know as soon as possible.”

The news was so shocking to Georgiana that she could not at first comprehend what it should mean, and she sat, silent and stunned, as the others reacted with every expression of surprise.

“You are quite certain of this news?” Darcy asked. “I do have a little invested that I should like to move if the peace will end. I will do so first thing tomorrow.”

“Yes, I am,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said. “I was asked to begin recalling my men immediately. We shall have to raise an army to match his, and transport them all back to the continent. A man like Napoleon does not escape in order to negotiate. There will be another war.”

Another war, Georgiana realised, meant that Captain Stanton and the Caroline would go to sea, that they should have another chance at the distinction he so longed for. Such thoughts were vindicating to her, until she realised that in going to sea again, Captain Stanton would be very nearly lost to her. After all, he had been gone from England for five years in the course of his previous command.

“Might I let the men know of the news?” Captain Ramsey said, and when Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded in the affirmative, he excused himself to go out to the entrance-hall.

Georgiana looked over at Kitty as he left, and saw her friend looked every bit as stunned as Georgiana felt. The sounds of muffled conversation reached them from the hallway, and someone cried out, “we’ll thump ‘em again, those frogs, we will!” Then Captain Ramsey re-entered, and, quite purposefully took a seat beside Kitty, which did seem to mollify her a little.

They had little

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