At Last: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Anne Morris & a Lady

Author:Anne Morris & a Lady [Morris, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: HANNA HOUSE PUBLISHING LTD
Published: 2017-10-02T22:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

—

Why?

Two days after Elizabeth's return to Longbourn, her sisters arrived from Christchurch, and their life in Hertfordshire returned to its normal patterns. Mr. Bennet said he had enjoyed his solitude immensely while they had all been away. Mrs. Bennet had taken the Hills with her, but she had left him the cook, a detail he probably had not noted. But years of marriage meant Mrs. Bennet knew the other thing Mr. Bennet appreciated besides his books, was a well-timed meal, and she had simply hired a cook in Scarborough.

Once they were settled at home, Elizabeth made a point of calling on her friend Charlotte Lucas. For once, it was difficult to obtain a private audience with her friend because Lady Lucas, Maria, and Susan all wished to hear the news about Scarborough, despite having heard about it but two days before. A trip is not discussed, if not discussed at length. They had not begun to exhaust the Bennet's trip to Scarborough and had yet to see Jane, Mary, and Catherine to hear about their own trip to Christchurch. There were many questions which were also directed at Elizabeth about her sisters' journey. It was with some difficulty that the two friends struggled to steal away to speak, but they eventually did, as there was some household duty that took Lady Lucas away which needed Maria and Susan's assistance, at last leaving Elizabeth alone with Charlotte. Elizabeth got right to the point.

"So you have heard from your mother's brother, your uncle?"

"Yes," said Charlotte with a soft voice. "I am still not quite sure what to make of it; he has been in trade in Kent, in Dartford. He married, of course, but never had children, and he has asked for me to come visit. I am not sure whether I should, because, Eliza, why would he contact me after all these years?" Her concern made her voice crack.

Elizabeth was thoughtful for a moment, "perhaps, in his older years, he has become lonely, and has decided to contact his only remaining family. There was no animosity between your mother and her brother that you know of?"

"Oh no!" said Charlotte, "I just find it so odd that he would be seeking me out now and asking me to come visit him. While I knew of his existence, and he knew of mine, my father did not often wish to speak of his first wife, and Lady Lucas has always truly been my mother; I have to admit I am hesitant about this."

"I believe you should go to see him," said Elizabeth with her usual directness. "It is to be a short trip, is it not?"

"Yes, he has only asked me to come for a fortnight, and my father is to come with me. We are to stay with him so the expense of it will be slight," explained Charlotte.

"I believe you should go," pressed her friend.

And accordingly, Charlotte did go. Sir William and his daughter went to Kent, and Elizabeth waited for letters from Charlotte to see how she fared.

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