Blinded by Prejudice by KaraLynne Mackrory

Author:KaraLynne Mackrory [Mackrory, KaraLynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2021-09-19T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

The wind blew past us in a gust of frigid air as we descended from Mr Bingley’s carriage at Netherfield. I shivered, pulling my green cloak closer about me. The weather was certainly pushing autumn along now, dragging leaves along the gravel drive like yellow and orange fairies frolicking on the ground.

A few swirled around our skirts and settled at our feet for a breath of rest before being picked up and pushed along the pebbles again. I momentarily watched a cluster of them distractedly as they turned and changed directions as if dancing. Their haphazard journey towards the lawn beyond the drive was both disjointed and purposeful. All of a sudden, I felt inclined to rescue one of the blustering leaves. Ever since the accident I had felt like those leaves: swept about along a path, confusingly disjointed and swift, with no security to hold me in place or assure me the journey would end some place peaceful. At the same time, it often felt as though my future fate was purposeful and set, even without a single action on my part to direct it in any direction I might choose.

Abruptly, I chased after the cluster of leaves, stepping with haste towards their path to the verdant grass beyond. The cluster landed softly, pausing in temporary safety against a tuft of grass. Before they could be swept up again in their fateful path to some place against a shrub or rock, I reached down and captured several of them in my brown kid gloves.

I stared at them unseeingly, wondering whether or not I had done them a service to pluck them from their disjointed journey. Jane’s voice near my shoulder pulled me from my silly speculation.

“Those are pretty, Lizzy, but let us go in. The wind is quite biting, is it not?”

I looked up at her and smiled. Mr Bingley stood beside her with a polite nod of admiration for my collection. Beyond them, Mr Collins was already eagerly climbing the steps to the door without his host.

“They are quite captivating; I wished to see them closer. Forgive me for keeping you both in the cold like this. Let us go in.”

Together we turned to retrace my path along the drive back to the steps to Netherfield’s entrance. I looked down at the leaves in my hand, intending to let them continue on the wind’s destined path for them, but I could not release them. Instead, I tucked them in the pocket of my cloak and followed my sister and Mr Bingley up the steps and through the doors, open like a mouth ready to swallow me up.

I could not account for the strange flutter in the pace of my heart. All had been settled with Mr Darcy; therefore, there ought not to be any awkward conversations today. I was simply there to partake of tea and ensure that the gentleman knew he need not consent to his cousin’s schemes.

When we were finally out of the cold, I

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