If It So Happened: Two Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelettes by S. Neha

Author:S. Neha [Neha, S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S. Neha
Published: 2023-08-11T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

The journey was now complete, and Elizabeth blinked as her eyes tried once again to adjust to the dim light in Mr Darcy’s bed chamber. She looked around the room, trying desperately not to steal a glance at him, as she believed it was an invasion of his privacy.

Aha! We are now feeling bashful, are we? And what have you been doing all through this ‘journey’ of yours if not invading his privacy?

Elizabeth had no answer for the sarcastic inner voice, so, paying it no mind, she went to the dressing room to accomplish another exchange of shoes. Truth be told, she was not at all sorry that her grandmother had made her step into Mr Darcy’s shoes, otherwise she had no way of knowing when, if ever, her anger and dislike of Mr Darcy would have lessened, and that would have been a tragedy. She knew that now, after what she had come to know of him and…perhaps come to feel for him.

Back in her own slippers, she came out of the dressing room and, giving up on what she had now conceded were her hypocritical qualms, glanced tentatively towards the bed. She found Mr Darcy still deeply asleep. But instead of the comfortably covered, neatly groomed man she had seen before embarking on her journey, she found him sprawled diagonally across the bed. He had restlessly thrown off the counterpane so that it now covered only his lower limbs. His hair was also dishevelled and falling all over his forehead. She shivered a little, as the room had started to grow noticeably colder.

“Grandmama?”

“Hmm?”

“You said he would not be able to see me.”

“That is right, Lizzy.”

Elizabeth boldly went forwards and, after a little bit of a struggle, managed to pull the counterpane back up to Mr Darcy’s chin. Then, just before moving away, she stretched out her hand and gently brushed away the silky locks that had fallen over his forehead.

As she moved back, her eyes encountered her grandmother’s amused ones, and she blushed hotly. “He must have been feeling cold,” she said defensively.

“Of course.”

To Elizabeth’s relief, her grandmother forbore to ask what Mr Darcy’s dark locks had to do with the cold.

“Let us go back to your room, then.”

Elizabeth nodded and this time waited calmly for her grandmother to snap her fingers.

~~§~~

That quite some time had passed since she had left her own bed chamber was clear from the fact that only one candle in her room remained lit, flickering weakly. Elizabeth quickly lit a few more, and as she was arranging them on the mantel, she asked her grandmother hesitantly, “Grandmama, are you sure that people with matching soul marks always marry each other?”

“Why, Lizzy, are you still angry with your Mr Darcy?” Mrs Bennet asked in surprise.

“Oh…no…not at all. In fact, I…I believe my feelings have undergone a material change.”

“Oh, my Lizzy. As quick to fall in love as she was to fall into dislike.” Mrs Bennet smiled wryly and added, “Not that I can blame you.

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