The Lost Letter: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Florence Gold

Author:Florence Gold [Gold, Florence]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-05-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Elizabeth could not recall a moment in her life when she had been so overwhelmed by a blend of emotions; happiness and fear entwined within her. Love stirred her soul, yet following the disastrous refusal in Kent, she pondered whether Mr Darcy still harboured intentions of marrying her.

“So, you do want to marry him, after all,” Mrs Gardiner said quite indifferently, not wanting to show Elizabeth her immense contentment to see her niece speak about her feelings and recognise that she wanted to be Mr Darcy’s wife. That had happened only in the last few days, when a noticeable change had occurred in her behaviour and mood.

“I do,” she murmured, hastily adding, “I do not know what I want or feel lately. I never imagined I would think this way about him, the man I most hated in the world. How could I despise him so fiercely?”

“It is your nature, my dear. You experience storms instead of feelings and act likewise. Luckily, he is wiser.”

“Wiser!” Elizabeth cried. “How can you say that?”

“Because I saw how he acted. He wanted you to see that he had changed his views, not his feelings for you.”

“He does not love me any longer,” Elizabeth said.

“Cease this nonsense, please,” admonished her aunt and Mary repeatedly before their first visit to the Darcys.

“He is utterly smitten with you,” declared Mary.

“How can you be so certain? Since when have you been an authority on matters of the heart?” Elizabeth countered.

“Then heed our aunt,” Mary retorted. “She speaks with wisdom.”

Mrs Gardiner, more interested in the preparations than the discussion, simply nodded.

“Please stop fidgeting, my dear. Your hair will be in disarray if you keep turning to us every second,” Mrs Gardiner implored, hoping to calm Elizabeth, though she knew it to be a futile endeavour. Love had rendered her even more impatient than usual.

“Lizzy, patience is a virtue. It is just a matter of time—”

“I hate patience and time. I crave resolution to my torment.”

“Yet you cannot hasten things like that.”

“I have been a fool!” Elizabeth lamented for the hundredth time.

“It is a lesson you must learn, my dear. Reflecting before speaking is often the wisest course of action.”

“I understand…but he was so mistaken about Jane and Mama.”

“Nevertheless, he was prepared to marry you, no matter how wrongly he thought about our family.”

“I could have been engaged,” Elizabeth murmured. “To visit his house this evening not as a guest but to know my future home…”

However, it appeared Mr Darcy himself had conveniently forgotten her refusal in Kent, for he received her as he would a betrothed. Alone in the entrance hall, he waited for the butler to open the door, barely concealing his impatience and joyfulness.

And then she arrived, resplendent as an angel, regal as a queen. Elizabeth Bennet crossed the threshold of Darcy’s home, her face conveying the gravity of the evening.

Despite the splendour of the hall, illuminated by many candles and adorned with statues and huge mirrors, all she perceived were his eyes, fixed unwaveringly

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