Pride and Punishment: An Erotic Retelling of Jane Austen's Beloved Classic by Nia Farrell & Jane Austen

Author:Nia Farrell & Jane Austen [Farrell, Nia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Long Branch Books
Published: 2016-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

I should apologise. I need to apologise.

After a nearly sleepless night, spent in recriminations, I am determined to set things right between us. I pride myself on being a gentleman, but I acted like an arse in Meryton. My aunt is just as bad here. Miss Elizabeth deserves better, and I am pledged to give it to her.

Reverend Collins comes to Rosings as we are finishing breakfast. He spends ten minutes apologising for the interruption and another five describing what they ate at the parsonage. When asked, he says the women are at home. Leaving him to my aunt (or vice versa), I walk the half mile to the parsonage, ring the bell, and wait.

No one comes.

Remembering last time, I let myself in and make my way to the drawing room. Miss Elizabeth freezes, eyes wide to see me, her face slightly flushed. She has a letter in her hand, without folds, something she was writing and I have interrupted.

“I am sorry,” I tell her. “Please, forgive my intrusion. When Reverend Collins came to Rosings, I understood that all the ladies were here.”

“No,” she said, shoving the letter into a drawer and shutting it. “Mrs. Collins and Miss Lucas have business in the village. They should return any time. Please, sit.”

I take a nearby chair. She sinks down in hers. “How is your family?” she inquires, all politeness. She would not be so prim and proper if she knew what I did last night whilst thinking of her. “And your cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam?”

“They are well enough,” I tell her. “Miss de Bourgh has a ticklish cough. Seasonal. Nothing dangerous.”

We fall silent, remembering her sister’s illness, and how worried she had been for Miss Jane. The long, thankless hours spent at her bedside, and Caroline’s abuse of her when she dared to come downstairs.

“How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November, Mr. Darcy!” she says. “It must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr. Bingley to see you all so soon. If I recollect right, he went but the day before. He and his sisters were well, I hope, when you left London?”

“Perfectly so, I thank you.”

Just that quickly, I am plagued by uncertainty. Charles is on his own and Miss Jane is still in town. It would be a minor miracle for their paths to cross. So far, our luck has held. I pray that it continues to do so. The moment that it doesn’t, if their shared breath fans a flame that has not died, then I shall arrange for Miss Jane to meet Aunt Catherine, to see if there is hope.

Miss Elizabeth smoothes her skirt and looks toward the window, her mind working furiously behind those dark eyes of hers. She catches her lip between her teeth and worries it.

I wonder how she tastes.

“I think I have understood that Mr. Bingley has not much idea of ever returning to Netherfield again?”

I wish I could give her hope but I dare not. “I have never heard him say so; but it is probable that he may spend very little of his time there in the future.

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