The Gypsy Blessing by Wendi Sotis

Author:Wendi Sotis [Sotis, Wendi]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2013-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

After dinner, the gentleman retreated to Bingley’s study for cigars and brandy. More often than not, whilst in the company of Bingley and Hurst, Darcy would join in their conversation, but this night, Darcy stood by a window, staring out into the darkness.

The evening thus far had seemed as if he were living within a bad dream.

Darcy’s embarrassment over what he had assumed was occurring in the corridor outside his chamber was great. He could hope only that Elizabeth had not guessed his thoughts, but he feared her reaction proved that she had. Darcy closed his eyes, unable to look at his own reflection in the glass.

After every encounter with Elizabeth, he found himself thinking she was unlike other women of his acquaintance; yet, after all the years of being carefully taught to examine other’s motives when they befriended him, his prior expectations were almost impossible to ignore.

The popular adage, “Old habits die hard,” is certainly true in his case.

It saddened him to think that Mrs. Hurst’s and Miss Bingley’s conduct towards Elizabeth did not surprise him in the least. It was what he had learned to expect from women, proving his prejudice correct time and time again.

Do any single women of the ton truly form friendships, or are all their alliances part of a game of strategy?

Whether Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley had noticed his interest in Elizabeth mattered not, for he knew from experience that any lady of marriageable age would be treated by them in the same fashion, especially when amongst gentlemen. Although Bingley tried his best to make their guest feel comfortable, his sisters had practically ignored Elizabeth throughout the entirety of the meal, and it was obvious that they brought up subjects of conversation in which they assumed Elizabeth would not be able to participate. At least there was not a repeat of the enumeration of the Bennets’ connexions, which had often been the subject of discussion since his arrival in Hertfordshire and which Georgiana had also told him had taken place the day before.

Georgiana. Darcy sighed. The most disturbing event thus far this evening was that, after being distracted by Elizabeth’s presence in the corridor, he had actually forgotten to knock at his sister’s door and escort her to the dining room as he had told her he would. Even if he lived to be a very old man, he would always regret being the cause of the worry and disappointment marring Georgiana’s features when she caught his eye as she entered the dining room, attended only by Mrs. Younge.

Soon after the gentlemen rejoined the ladies in the parlour, a maid entered the room and crossed to speak to Miss Bingley, who then announced that Elizabeth would remain above stairs with her sister. After the way Elizabeth had been treated by himself in the hallway and by Bingley’s sisters at supper, he would have been surprised if she had returned.

Before the maid left the room, Bingley called out, “Has Miss Bennet’s condition worsened?”

The maid answered, “Miss Bennet’s fever rose whilst Miss Elizabeth was at supper, sir.

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