Miss Bingley's Revenge (Pemberley Presents) by Eliza Austin & Wendy Soliman

Author:Eliza Austin & Wendy Soliman [Austin, Eliza & Soliman, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 2nd Edition, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Sequels
ISBN: 9781836031925
Goodreads: 210522301
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

Lizzy was alone in the small salon immediately after luncheon when Lydia came bursting in. It was raining hard outside, which put a damper on Lizzy’s planned outdoor activities. Most of the gentlemen were in the billiards room, except Major Halstead, who had offered to read aloud to the ladies in the drawing room. She would wager that Captain Turner had eschewed billiards and accompanied his friend. In both their cases, literature was definitely not the attraction.

‘Ah, Lizzy, I’m glad to find you alone.’ Lydia sat down beside Lizzy, her face wreathed in smiles. ‘I have a small favour to ask of you.’

Lizzy flinched. Lydia’s favours were never small. ‘Do you not wish to listen to Major Halstead?’

‘No, I have something important to talk to you about that cannot wait.’

‘If you are going to ask me again if you can borrow any of my clothes, the answer is still no. You are taller than me so they wouldn’t fit you anyway.’

‘Oh no, it’s nothing like that.’

‘All right. But first, tell me what took you off to the village in such a tearing hurry this morning. You shouldn’t have gone without telling anyone.’

Lydia blinked. ‘Why ever not? I wasn’t likely to be missed.’

‘You are quite wrong about that.’ Lizzy suppressed a sigh. As usual Lydia had behaved with total disregard for anyone’s convenience other than her own. Jane had been in such a tizzy about Lydia’s absence that servants had been sent all over the house to look for her. When Lizzy heard of it, she was able to set Jane’s mind at rest, but by then the entire house was in an uproar. ‘Besides, you would have been more comfortable if you’d waited for the other ladies and gone in the carriage with them.’

‘Oh, Wickham has returned from London, and I was too anxious to see him to wait for the others to be ready.’

Lizzy gasped. ‘Wickham is in Lambton?’

‘Why should he not be?’ Lydia bridled. ‘Mr Darcy doesn’t own the entire village, you know, and Wickham still has friends here willing to lend him their support.’

‘How did you know he had returned?’ As far as Lizzy was aware, Lydia had received no letters since arriving at Pemberley.

‘He sent a message through one of the boys who lives in the village and works here in the gardens. A housemaid delivered it to my room this morning.’

‘I see.’ But why the need for such a convoluted method of communication? Even Will couldn’t object to Wickham writing to his wife while she was at Pemberley. ‘Was he successful in finding employment in London?’

‘No, unfortunately there was nothing available, but another possibility has arisen. And that is why I need a favour.’

Lizzy pushed both her hands, palms outward, towards Lydia. ‘Don’t ask me to approach Mr Darcy on your husband’s behalf again. I would be wasting my breath.’

‘We are not asking for any of your precious money, if that’s what concerns you.’ Lydia tossed her head, her eyes flashing with indignation. ‘And there is no occasion to be so defensive just because I dared to mention Wickham’s name in your hearing.

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