The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James

Author:Jenetta James [James, Jenetta]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781681310077
Publisher: Meryton Press
Published: 2016-05-27T18:30:00+00:00

My mind flipped to us running together in the woods when we were first married, and my confessing to him that I had, as a girl, run from Longbourn to Meryton for devilment, and none of my family knew. I considered for a moment how we had once been with each other and how things were now, and I wanted to cry out. If he thought he could flirt his way back into my good graces, then he was wrong.

“You flatter me, sir. I would not be up to that now at my age and after bearing four children. I would do myself an injury. No, I think I shall leave the athletics of the household to young Archibald.”

“Nonsense…”

He was about to speak further when a cry went up in praise of Frances’s having taken three consecutive steps, and we were all distracted.

Later, our exhausted children were put to bed, and Archibald climbed wearily into his father’s carriage and, with his nanny for company, went home. It had been decided that the grown-ups would dine at Pemberley and then, as it was a full moon, make a late night progress to Broughton Park where Richard was to stay with Georgiana and Lord Avery. So it was that we found ourselves, as the evening was settling into night, in the small dining room—Fitzwilliam and I at either end of the table, and Georgiana and Richard on one side facing Lord Avery, who seemed to turn his food around on his plate in a melancholy manner. Servants came in and out of the room with platters and dishes and sparkling decanters, and candle light flickered across our faces like quicksilver. Richard’s jokes were so diverting and so numerous that, by the time our puddings were placed before us, I had an ache in my belly and in my cheeks. I caught Fitzwilliam looking at me from his place and wondered whether he was troubled by my easiness with his cousin. He had never become accustomed to our addressing one another as “Richard” and “Lizzy” but I could not overly regret this. For, if it was a discomfort to him to think of my enjoying a friendship with his cousin, then it was equally a discomfort to me to know that our nephew was to be promoted above all of our own children as his heir, simply because he was a boy.

When the meal was at its end, Georgiana and I retired to the drawing room and left the men to their dimly lit port and serious conversation. Her hand slipped over my arm, and she snuggled to my body as we walked down the corridor to our tea.

“Oh, Lizzy, it is just like old times, is it not? I am glad we are alone for I want to play a new piece of music, but it is not yet perfected enough to be presented to the men.”

I smiled at her as we approached the drawing room.

“Well, in that case, I shall look forward to hearing it.

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