Seek Me: Georgiana's Story: A Sequel to Tempt Me by Julie Cooper

Author:Julie Cooper [Cooper, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Quills & Quartos Publishing
Published: 2021-01-03T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

“Aggie, when will the rest of the Bingley and the Gardiner contingents arrive? Do we have enough rooms ready?” Elizabeth asked, keeping one part of her attention focused upon her husband. He ought not to worry so much about Georgie and Jack, but of course, his care for those he loved was a fixed part of his soul, and his distraction was evident.

“A few will be here late tomorrow, but most are arriving on Friday. Thankfully, we aren’t hosting the Lucas-Harrises as well, or we’d have to clear out the cellars. Mrs Harris was certainly prolific.” Agnes sat down, helping herself to tea.

After Darcy had settled a fortune upon Charlotte Lucas Collins, she had startled them all by hiring a companion and moving to Bath. There, she met and married a Mr Harris—an older gentleman possessed of fine looks and obvious respectability—and proceeded to birth six children and live to a ripe old age in the bosom of her large and merry family. Elizabeth tried to host a family reunion of sorts every decade or two, just to keep track of them all—reintroducing herself as a distant cousin. In this way, she kept her dear friend alive in her heart, seeing signs of her in every succeeding generation.

Her own sisters—with the exception of Jane—had not been particularly fruitful. Lydia and her Colonel had left two children, both girls; Kitty had one son whilst Mary had married late in life with no progeny from the union. All had lived quite happily with their spouses, but their lines had subsequently died out, and now there was really only Elizabeth to remember that they’d ever lived. The death of William Collins had left the entail on Longbourn in legal disarray, but the Darcys had been able to secure it in the end, and some of the Bingleys lived on the estate now. Elizabeth’s parents and three of her sisters and their husbands were buried in the well-kept cemetery there. Jane and Charles were interred here, at Pemberley.

Elizabeth had come to terms with the flighty nature of her mother and the aloofness of her father; she had not hosted them in her homes, but they had remained on cordial terms—especially once her mother had been assured she would never need to leave Longbourn. Towards the end of her life, her mother—having outlived her father by several years—had even begun sending letters that bordered on the sensible. Elizabeth had kept the letters, re-reading them every so often. She was pleased she could remember both her parents with fondness now; it was amazing what the perspective of time could achieve.

A tap on the door startled Elizabeth from her reverie, a familiar face peeking around the doorway.

“Sally!”

The two women greeted each other warmly; it had been some months since they’d last been in each other’s company. She adored Sally Hawkins, and had even become somewhat of a mentor to the girl, who took an active part in fighting battles against evil on behalf of the Darcys.

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