A Highly Reprehensible Connection: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Kate Beauford

Author:Kate Beauford [Beauford, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-01-03T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The road to Meryton was lightly covered in snow. Elizabeth was lost in thought, hardly aware of her younger sisters’ shrieks as they laughed and giggled and teased.

“What is the matter, Lizzy?” Lydia demanded. “I swear you have grown as dour and severe as your future husband. Is this what happens when one marries? Do they become like their spouse? If so, I shall take care to marry a man far more pleasant than yours. Someone who makes everyone laugh and one everyone is pleased to see.” She smiled slyly. “Someone like Mr. Wickham would answer.”

“Lord, can you imagine if Lizzy becomes like Mr. Darcy? How dreadful! We shall never invite them to visit us. We shall all hope they stay in their palace in Derbyshire and not bother us down here,” Kitty declared with a careless laugh.

“She will be wealthy, though. She will not need a family. I should not if I were rich,” Lydia tossed her head and grinned.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Perhaps she should not judge Darcy for growing so cold when exposed to her family. Elizabeth herself could scarcely keep her head around them, and she loved them. How else could she expect Darcy to behave?

The officers met them in town. Wickham came to Elizabeth’s side at once to escort her, his handsome face smiling with delight to see her.

“I understand our friendship cannot continue the same way once you are married, so I hope you are willing for us to speak while we still can,” he said warmly.

Elizabeth laughed. “I hope married life will not be as restrictive as you seem to believe, sir. I have no reason to believe my husband will be so against me talking to people.”

She expected Wickham to laugh, but his face fell. He cleared his throat, and his eyes fixed on the muddy road where horses and carriage wheels had churned the snow and mud into an unattractive slush.

“Is something wrong?” Elizabeth asked.

Wickham recovered his smile.

“Not at all.” He paused and kept his eyes carefully on the road ahead. “I understand the man you are to marry is Fitzwilliam Darcy?”

Elizabeth confirmed it was. Wickham sighed. “I see. Then I think it would be wiser if I did not say anything else on the matter.”

“What do you mean?” When he still didn’t respond, she pressed him. “Do you know Mr. Darcy?”

“We are from the same place.” Wickham’s tone was halting, and it clearly cost him a great deal to speak.

“Were you not friends?”

Wickham’s laugh was sudden and sharp. “Friends? Darcy would never accept someone like me as a friend. I am too low for him. He would much rather…” He trailed off with an embarrassed cough, throwing Elizabeth an apologetic look. “I beg your pardon. I have no right to speak so. Please forget I said anything.”

“You cannot speak like that about the man you know I am to marry and then refuse to say another word. Come. I insist on knowing what you mean.”

Wickham shook his head. “What

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