Mrs Collins' Lover by Bronwen Chisholm

Author:Bronwen Chisholm [Chisholm, Bronwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781075058677
Published: 2019-08-10T04:00:00+00:00

*CHAPTER TWENTY*

Elizabeth reluctantly broke the seal on her sister’s letter. Since Jane had returned from her wedding trip to Ireland, her missives were filled with nothing but talk of providing her husband an heir. When they first arrived back in Hertfordshire a month after William was born, Jane had believed herself to be with child. Unfortunately, she had become quite ill and begun to bleed. None could say for certain if she had miscarried or had even been expecting.

In the early winter of that year, Jane had once more written to Elizabeth and shared her hopes that she might be in the family way. It was then Lydia had chosen to run-away from her school and the entire family feared a scandal. Jane’s courses began the day Lydia walked up to the front door of Longbourn and declared she would not return to an establishment where laughter was not allowed.

Living so close to Mrs. Bennet with her nerves and fears was, Elizabeth believed, the source of Jane’s heightened sensitivities regarding children. If only Jane could enjoy a quiet distance from Longbourn, surely, she would conceive and bring a child to birth. However, Mr. Bingley appeared content to continue leasing Netherfield, and Jane feared upsetting her mother by suggesting moving away.

Elizabeth took a seat in her parlour and smoothed out the paper. A fresh spring breeze blew through the open window and lifted a stray curl at her temple. She glanced outside and smiled. Darcy had met her in the meadow that morning and she would see him at the Abernathy house shortly. Mr. Collins had pressed to begin his Saturday night visits again and she finally relented shortly before Darcy’s Easter visit began. There was no reason to take any precautions, though Mr. Collins did not come to her every week. Without the pressure of providing an heir, it seemed to be an afterthought to the man.

Her eyes fell once more to the letter and she began reading. The beginning held news of Meryton and Longbourn, much of which she had received from Mary who had become a regular correspondent. Something felt odd about Jane’s letter and she was forced to start again before she realized what it might be. Normally she would be amused by the difference between Jane and Mary’s descriptions of events and people as her eldest sister’s view always leaned toward the innocent and positive, while Mary’s was more factual and sometimes a bit judgemental. To-day she found it difficult to recognize her elder sister’s normally placid voice.

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