Remember the Past: ...only as it gives you pleasure by Maria Grace

Author:Maria Grace [Grace, Maria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Extreme canon twisting (aka FWC)
ISBN: 9780692263174
Google: 7ea0oQEACAAJ
Amazon: B00M3MENT2
Barnesnoble: B00M3MENT2
Goodreads: 22848038
Publisher: White Soup Press
Published: 2014-07-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

After three days search produced no signs of Wickham, Piper reluctantly agreed to call off the efforts. Still, he had confided to Darcy that several of his friends promised continued vigilance since Wickham owed them debts, too. Despite the presence of watchful footmen in Pemberley’s corridors, life slowly regained normalcy.

“He may actually have left,” Fitzwilliam muttered over his teacup.

Lady Catherine harrumphed as she arranged her taffeta with one hand and fluttered her fan with the other, the embodiment of a broody hen. “I, for one, shall not be sorry to see the end of him at Pemberley. Admiral Bennet’s suppositions proved correct—Wickham helped himself to my pantry, something not even your sons have done.”

“How astonishing to hear you agreeing with Bennet.” Fitzwilliam set his tea down.

She slapped his leg with her closed fan.

“Madam!”

“You best temper your teasing before Bennet acquires the gift he mentioned.” Darcy smirked behind his newspaper.

Lady Catherine whirled on Darcy. “Excuse me?”

“She will not be here to use it upon us and he will play hoist with his own petard.” Fitzwilliam’s merry eyes contradicted his sober officer’s mask.

“Our dear aunt will not dare attempt to manage him as she does us.” Darcy winked.

“Whatever are you blathering on about?” She smacked her fan into her palm.

Shuck—shuck—shuck

“Nothing at all, Aunt.” Fitzwilliam grinned.

“Do stop teasing.” Georgiana rearranged the biscuits on the nearest platter.

That look, that tone, so reminiscent of Elizabeth’s. He set his newspaper aside and hunkered down beside her. She turned her face away.

“You are afraid.” Darcy laid his hand on hers.

She blinked and offered a weak smile. “No, no, I am—”

“Trying to comfort me. But I should feel the full force of my error. Do not shrink from that, dearling. Forgive me for remaining loyal to him for far too long.”

“It is difficult to regard loyalty a fault. You are the most dutiful man I know.”

“Just not the wisest. I am committed to change, though.” He squeezed her fingers. “I was wrong to have brushed aside your feelings and made light of his offer for you. Will you please forgive me?”

“With such a pretty apology, how could I not?” Her smile was genuine this time. “You are the best of brothers.”

“Someday, I hope to deserve your high regard.” He hauled himself to his feet. “Aunt, do you know how much Wickham took from the larders?”

She struck her palm with her fan. “I instructed Mrs. Reynolds to keep a list whenever she observed the stocks did not add up correctly. Her records should provide you what you require. What are you going to do?”

“I am not certain yet. He must be punished, though I cannot reconcile myself to seeing a man who was once my friend hang.”

Fitzwilliam leaned back and balanced one foot atop the other. “Some kind of friend, belittling you behind your—”

Darcy raked his hair. “Yes, I am aware of that, and yes, I forgave him.”

“Another thing I fail to understand. What would give you to ignore his egregious treatment of you?”

“Consider how difficult he found school—the poorest student who relied on the charity of another.

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.