Thomas Bennet Takes Charge: A Pride & Prejudice Variation (Take Charge Series) by Shana Granderson & A Lady

Author:Shana Granderson & A Lady [Granderson, Shana & Lady, a]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Others POV, Pre-Canon, Interquel
Goodreads: 221776951
Published: 2024-12-30T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Darcy was pacing back and forth in his study. He detested not knowing what was happening in Hertfordshire, and Richard had been remiss in posting a letter to him. He wanted to know about Wickham, of course, but more importantly was his desire to be informed what, if anything, the Bennets, and in particular one of the daughters of the house, said after his letter was read. Surely Mr Bennet would not have refused to read it?

He chastised himself for the last thought. Mr Bennet was not petty and, as the master of Longbourn had written a letter to himself, Darcy was sure that Mr Bennet would not consign the missive he sent with Richard to the fire.

He ceased his pacing when there was a knock on his study door. “Come,” Darcy called out.

Killion opened the door and bowed to his master all the while keeping the salver in his left hand level. “The post was delivered, Mr Darcy, the one on top is from Colonel Fitzwilliam.”

Only his good breeding and years of being schooled in how to act like a gentleman stopped Darcy from grabbing the pile of letters from the salver. Instead he nodded to his desk, and the butler placed them where he always did. Killion bowed again and then exited the study, pulling the door closed after him.

As soon as he heard the click, Darcy grabbed the letter from the desk and flopped down in the wingback chair, opposite one of the two floor to ceiling windows facing Grosvenor Square and the green in its centre.

He held the letter for a few moments trying to imagine what his cousin had written, worrying about all sorts of possibilities, until he realised he was being a milksop. The damned thing would not bite him, and the words would not change if he sat staring at it without breaking his cousin’s seal. With that resolved, Darcy broke the seal and smoothed out the paper and began to read.

5 November 1811

Netherfield Park

William,

Either the Bennets have made significant changes, or you were in your cups and blind when you were here. Other than the two eldest Bennet daughters, none of the others are as you described them in your letters to me.

Mr Bennet is an involved father who takes charge of his family. Mrs Bennet is a lady in all respects and has never once made any vulgar effusions in my presence and has certainly not tried to match me with any of her daughters. Miss Mary does not spend her time with her head in Fordyce’s Sermons, has not moralised once, and is most certainly not plain. Perhaps you need spectacles, cousin of mine.

The first time I arrived at Longbourn I was in uniform, and Miss Catherine (Kitty) never gave me a second look. She is no longer out by the way. The brash flirtatious one you described has not been seen by me. Miss Lydia is also back in, and remains in the nursery.

Allow me to change subjects to a certain miscreant we both know.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.