Conundrums & Coincidences: A Variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by J. Marie Croft

Author:J. Marie Croft [Croft, J. Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms
ISBN: 9781963213775
Goodreads: 220445374
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2025-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

17

POCKETS

Elizabeth walked about her bedchamber in agitation. What must he think of me?

Whatever Mr Darcy thought of her, for better or worse, was thanks to Charlotte Lucas. Her dear friend once had stated that being guarded would be disadvantageous to a woman and that in concealing one’s affection from the object of it, one risked losing the opportunity of fixing him.

Fixing him. La! I either have fixed him for good or sent him running for the hills.

Earlier, while the three of them had been leaving the gardens, Miss Rigby had enquired whether she had found that which she sought. Elizabeth had smiled sweetly at Mr Darcy and said yes, she believed she had.

Well, there is nothing to be done about it now, brazen girl.

That walk in the wet gardens, however, had removed the clouds from Elizabeth’s mind…though perhaps not the part of her mind that controlled her tongue. Nevertheless, she hoped she finally might have an answer to ‘Hearts shall weave’. She grabbed a shawl, rushed to the great hall, and approached the dais.

At the peep-hole, with the conversation she had overheard echoing in her mind, Elizabeth felt a draught, real or imagined. It was wrong to observe or listen to others furtively, but she had heard Miss Kensett and Mr Fordham’s conversation without their knowledge. The walls in this room have ears as well as eyes. ‘The walls have ears’. On her fingers she counted again the letters in that sentence. Sixteen. Perfect!

Wetting her lips with cautious hope, Elizabeth lifted a corner of the tapestry that disguised the peep-hole. Then she closed her eyes, unable to look without saying a prayer. “Please, please, please, let it be there.” Hopeful and fearful, she took a deep breath and held it. Slowly, she opened one eye, then the other.

There, pinned to the tapestry’s backing, was the hoped-for piece of foolscap. Finally, she exhaled, then covered her mouth with trembling fingers. Not only was Elizabeth close to tears, but she was also one step closer to winning Oakwood Manor.

While she unpinned, unfolded, and read the paper, her stomach fluttered. The page indicated the puzzle written on it was the ultimate conundrum. Heart rejoicing, she set off in search of Mr Monroe.

Leaving the great hall with spirits elated to rapture, Elizabeth startled when, across the way, the door to the games room creaked open just wide enough to accommodate Mr Hadley’s head. He looked left, then right, then began to close the door. At the last second, he spotted her and opened it fully.

“Ah! Miss Bennet, good day to you!”

Mr Darcy appeared behind him and asked her to join them. Elizabeth hesitated. “Who else is with you?”

“No one else.” Mr Hadley held an index finger against his lips and beckoned her inside.

Frowning, Elizabeth approached and shook her head. “I cannot risk either my reputation or disqualification from the tournament.”

“Of course,” said Mr Darcy. “But perhaps Miss Rigby could be convinced to sit with us. Shall I have her summoned?”

The folded paper in the

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