Suitably Wed by Meg Osborne

Author:Meg Osborne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 19th Century, Love, Elizabeth and Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen Fan Fiction, Jane Austen, JAFF, Regency
Publisher: Meg Osborne
Published: 2017-09-30T00:00:00+00:00

CAROLINE AFFIXED A smile to her face with such ferocious effort that she felt the aching in her cheeks long before she had managed to squeeze a polite “good morning” from between her lips.

“Mr Bingley, Miss Bingley,” Mr Darcy bowed his head in greeting. “I did not realise you were in London yet?”

There was a vague note of challenge in his question, levied entirely at her, Caroline felt certain, though his eyes were on Charles. It was true, she had been a little economical with the truth in declining Mr Darcy’s invitation to his wedding, suggesting that she and Charles had an elderly aunt they must call on en route to London and would unfortunately not reach town in time to attend the wedding.

“Not here yet?” Charles laughed. “Of course -”

“Of course, plans change,” Caroline put in, with an apologetic smile. “We did not think it right to thus upset the arrangements you already had in place for your wedding.” She slid her glance over to Elizabeth, whose attention was also fixed on Charles, with a barely concealed note of irritation that it made Caroline irritated in turn. What right did Eliza Bennet have to think herself better than either Charles or Caroline herself? If she was going to assume airs within twenty-four hours of being wed, well!

“And how do the new Mr and Mrs Darcy fare?” she asked, icily.

“Very well, thank you, Miss Bingley.”

Did Caroline imagine it, or had Elizabeth put a haughty inflexion over the title Miss? Her eyes narrowed. Just because I do not choose to entrap myself a husband...

“Have you time to take some refreshments with us, Charles?” Mr Darcy asked. He covered Elizabeth’s hand with his own. “It is rather too cold to stand still and make idle conversation, but perhaps we might retreat and take tea.” He glanced around him, as if to seek his bearings. “There used to be a pleasant little place not too far...”

Charles supplied the name, and before Caroline could object, it was agreed upon as an ideal destination, and the four young folks found themselves seated at a table, shedding the layers required of the cold outside in favour of the comfortable interior, warmed by the fire blazing in the hearth.

“Miss Elizabeth,” Charles began, before breaking off with a self-deprecating laugh. “Forgive me, Mrs Darcy!” He paused, sitting back in his seat and shaking his head in bemusement. “How strange it is to call you so, and yet how content you seem together. I congratulate you.”

Caroline’s eyes rolled skywards. Her brother’s friendliness bordered on flattery and merely served to rub salt into the very fresh wounds that still plagued her: that it was Eliza Bennet and not she who must be referred to by the name Mrs Darcy. How smug she was, on her husband’s arm. How rarely she even dared to look away from him. Likely she is reluctant to let him out of her sight, Caroline thought, spitefully. She must know how ill-suited they are, and is living in fear of the time when he realises it too.

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