Nothing More Deceitful by Sophia Grey

Author:Sophia Grey [Grey, Sophia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Flowers Press

“And it is signed with Mr. Bingley’s own hand!” Lydia cried. “A Christmas ball! Did I not say, Kitty! Did I not say that Mr. Bingley would be sure to host a ball of his own?”

“Yes, Lydia,” Kitty admitted in a somewhat dejected tone.

“The second Thursday of December,” Mrs. Bennet mused. Elizabeth wondered if her mother might try to find some reason to reply to the invitation with notice that they would be giving up some other ‘important event’ to be there. Mrs. Bennet lived for drama, and she did not seem to shy away from creating some where it did not exist just to entertain herself.

“I seem to recall that your aunt—”

“Mama, there is no other invitation,” Elizabeth said sharply. Jane’s glance was filled with caution and Elizabeth bit her lip. She had not meant to sound so forceful, but they all knew that there was no other engagement on that day. No doubt, Miss Bingley had chosen it specifically for that reason. It was early enough in the month that there should be no other Christmastide obligations, for the majority of the families in Hertfordshire made all of their plans for Christmas Day and the week following. There would be a regimental ball hosted by Colonel Forster before the new year arrived, but nothing that would compete with a ball at Netherfield Park.

“Quite right, Lizzy,” Mrs. Bennet replied with a sigh. “I shall send our reply at once.”

Kitty and Lydia’s happy cries echoed through the house as Mrs. Bennet sent them to fetch her writing box, and Jane could not stop smiling.

“A Christmas ball, how wonderful. And I am almost certain that Mr. Bingley will offer a proposal to Jane—what better time to do so?” Mrs. Bennet beamed at her eldest daughter, who blushed prettily at the suggestion. Elizabeth knew that Jane had been hoping for that very event to occur, but she would never expect it… that was their mother’s current obsession. “All of my friends say that it will come sooner than later. It is inevitable.” She sounded so very certain, but Elizabeth could not allow herself to hope. Only when the words had been spoken by the gentleman himself would she believe that it was true.

“Mama,” Elizabeth said quietly. She could only make an attempt to quiet her mother’s one-sided conversation, but also knew that it was almost impossible to do.

“The gentleman is by now most certainly in love with her,” Mrs. Bennet continued. “It seems only natural that such a thing should happen. Besides, he will not find a young woman as accomplished or as beautiful as our Jane!”

“Mama,” Elizabeth said again through gritted teeth. Mrs. Bennet waved her away and held the letter aloft as she flounced over to her writing desk. Kitty and Lydia’s argument over who would carry their mother’s writing box echoed down the corridor and Elizabeth gritted her teeth in frustration.

Everything was an argument with those girls.

Jane squeezed Elizabeth’s arm gently and leaned closer. “What a wonderful surprise,” she said.

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.