Prejudice & Pride by Lynn Messina

Author:Lynn Messina [Messina, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781942218043
Publisher: Potatoworks Press
Published: 2015-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Collin leaves Bennet a basket of muffins, three sections of the New York Times and a note apologizing for the sparse selection in muffins and newspaper sections. Undaunted, he makes himself comfortable in the kitchen with a steaming mug of rich coffee and a generously buttered muffin. The newspaper turns out to be three weeks old, but the article on teacher evaluations in city schools is interesting. The debate over high-stakes testing has yet to be resolved.

All in all, he’s perfectly satisfied with his morning.

The sun is beating down with its usual ferocity, but the oppressive heat of July is tempered by the ocean breeze blowing gently through the window. He thinks about what he’ll do first—take a walk, lounge on the beach, go for a swim—while wondering if he’ll ever move from this chair.

Certainly not while there are muffins, butter and coffee.

A ring at the door startles him, and he reluctantly gets up to answer it. To his very great surprise, Darcy—and Darcy only—enters.

She seems astonished, too, on finding him alone and apologizes for the intrusion by explaining she’d thought Collin and Celia were there.

“Nope, just me,” Bennet replies, holding the door awkwardly for a moment before deciding to invite her in for coffee and muffins.

Darcy passes on the muffins because she’s already had a full breakfast, but she accepts the coffee and follows him into the kitchen, where they both sit at the little white table. Bennet asks after her aunt and, assured of her continued good health, says he enjoyed dinner very much.

The statement isn’t exactly true, but nor is it entirely false: The dinner was a compelling anthropological study, and he’s grateful he got to observe the de Bourghs in their natural habitat.

“I’m sure my aunt enjoyed having you,” Darcy says.

Bennet nods, takes a sip of his coffee and wonders if they’ll now descend into total silence. Searching for a topic, he recalls the last time they had met and decides there’s no reason not to appease his curiosity on the subject of her hasty departure.

“You all left the Netherfield very suddenly in April,” he says.

“Yes,” Darcy says.

The one-word answer is hardly satisfying. “Bingley must have been surprised to see you in London. She herself left only the day before. How is she?”

“Very well.”

Another helpful response! “Will she return to New York soon?”

“She hasn’t said anything one way or the other, but I think it’s unlikely she’ll be back in the foreseeable future. She has many friends and obligations in Europe. I think she’ll stay there.”

“As she’s not returning to New York, I suppose she’s effectively resigned as chair of the Golden Diamond Circle Advisory Board?” he asks. “It would be nice if she could inform John of her intentions so someone else can fill the position.”

If Darcy is aware of the subtext, she does not let on. “I’m sure she will.”

As it’s been almost three months since Bingley last contacted John, he knows Darcy is wrong. Feeling a renewed spurt of anger at the people who broke his brother’s heart, he resolves not to speak further.

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