Fixed Stars: A Pride & Prejudice Vagary (Primum Mobile: A Pride & Prejudice Duology Book 1) by S. E. Granger

Author:S. E. Granger [Granger, S. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Alternate Universe, Angst
Goodreads: 216653971
Published: 2024-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Rumours and Ruin

Elizabeth had gone to bed in silence and woken in misery and regret. Her head throbbed, and her spirit ached. She felt she had somehow contrived to betray Jane and William both. She had interposed herself between them in her meddling desire to ensure Jane’s happiness; she had eagerly invited an intimacy with William beyond what was proper for a lady and gentleman.

She had brought this misery upon them all. Her only prayer was that Jane would never know of it.

She could, at least, be grateful that William had not yet proposed the scheme of her residence at Pemberley to her parents. There would be no cause for unconvincing explanations, no distress on her mother’s part. She could remain in Hertfordshire without arousing comment and nurse her regrets and self-recriminations in peace. It was all that could be hoped for under such wretched circumstances.

She woke later than usual, exhausted by her own burdensome feelings and contrived to slip from the house before anyone could accost her. An hour’s walk was no remedy for the strength of her feelings, particularly because she found her feet naturally wending towards Oakham Mount and thus could not escape the recollection of that last walk with William. He had looked upon her with love even then, she realised.

Nevertheless, the exercise helped her regain a fragile equanimity, and she trusted that preparations for the Gardiners’ arrival and for the wedding would keep her busy the whole day and thereby, in spite of their injurious purpose, quiet her mind through the infallible physic of labour.

She returned to find the house in the anticipated uproar. Jane and Mama were arranging flowers while Kitty and Lydia fought over the trimmings for Jane’s bonnet and Mr. Collins and Mary sat together in a corner, conversing over a volume of Fordyce.

Ordinarily, she would have joined Jane or escaped to the library to sit for a spell with Papa. But this morning, she instead applied herself to soothing Kitty’s wounded feelings and providing such gentle guidance regarding the proper trim for the bonnet as might be peaceably received by the two girls. Lydia was determined apply several more silk flowers and a ribbon of contrasting colour to the headpiece. However, as the bonnet was already exquisite and had been approved by Mme. Laurent herself, Elizabeth was able to persuade them against this course.

Jane’s attire thus secured, Elizabeth set herself to confirming the arrangements for the wedding breakfast and then to completing an embroidered handkerchief for Jane to carry during the wedding. It was edged in an elaborate pattern of blue ribbon and interwoven pink roses and had cost Elizabeth some considerable effort. She had but a few more flowers to add, and the cloth would be complete: a small token of home for Jane to carry with her through her wedding and on to Pemberley, where Elizabeth herself would never go.

Lydia was the first to notice the oddity of the day’s events.

“Mama,” she remarked over dinner, in one of the brief intervals when Mr.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.