Menace at Pemberley: Darcy & Lizzy's First Christmas: A Pride & Prejudice Sequel by Gill Mather

Author:Gill Mather [Mather, Gill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Sequels
ISBN: 9781912955459
Goodreads: 193528886
Publisher: Inquisitor Books
Published: 2023-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

THE SERMON droned on. The presence of the Darcys, Bingleys, Bennets, Philipses, Gardiners and the army officers had considerably swelled the congregation this Sunday, causing the Reverend Carmichael’s chest to expand with enthusiasm so that his interpretation of the Gospel According to Saint Matthew filled the modest dimensions of the parish church and bounced around the pillars and beams.

Elizabeth let her mind wander to the return of her husband this morning from his physical endeavours. He had been refreshed and cheerful after two hours out in the cold helping to shift the snow. And the paths and ways were remarkably clear now.

“That is until the next downfall,” said Fitz.

“Did the men mind you being there?”

“To begin with. But then they almost forgot about me. It’s heavy work. And I learned something too. I didn't ask them anything. They started to jest about the unmarried gamekeeper, Walker, that they thought a woman has been visiting him.”

His expression had been significant when he looked over at her before going off to his own room to shave and wash and be dressed by his valet.

“Are we to believe, then,” Elizabeth said in reply, “that Isabella Scargill has been liberally spreading her favours among the menservants of Pemberley to further her ends, whatever they may be?”

“It is of course too early to say. My fellow workers who knew anything about it did not see the woman well. Indeed, their descriptions could probably apply to at least half the women in England.”

Elizabeth suddenly recalled the woman she had seen collecting kindling in the wood before her family arrived. But they both had to ready themselves for breakfast and there was no time to tell him about it.

“I should say,” Darcy told her, “that a gamekeeper’s life is a lonely one. Even for those who are married with families; they find they are very isolated. It would not be surprising for an unmarried keeper to find comfort where he can.”

As the service proceeded, Elizabeth saw from the corner of her eye that Anthony was yawning with abandon. The sight drew a smile to her lips which she had quickly to hide, though not before Jane had noticed and treated Elizabeth to one of her secret conspiratorial looks.

The text was from Matthew: Chapter 6, not manifestly tedious, but not very interesting either.

“Behold the fowls of the air,” the Rector declared, “for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

Well, thought Elizabeth, this did not stop men from holding shooting parties, one of which would be taking place at Pemberley on 27th December. Indeed, the only man she had ever encountered who did not seem to feel the need to take up a firearm at regular intervals and blast birds from the sky and set dogs after hares was Mr Wilde. He had harboured no such murderous tendencies.

Inevitably,

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