Where The Heart Belongs by Tilly Davis

Author:Tilly Davis [Davis, Tilly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-02-06T05:00:00+00:00

7

Much Ado About Much

Amidst the chaos and confusion which had ensued following Elizabeth’s sudden departure from the church, her sister Jane had slipped out, mindful of the need to comfort her sister in her time of distress.

It was not immediately apparent where Elizabeth had gone but as she approached the lychgate the elderly woman who had commented so kindly upon Elizabeth’s dress informed the elder sister that the bride had made for the inn and it was here that Jane now found herself, imploring her sister to allow her to enter the bedroom which had been the scene of such fun just a few hours before.

‘Elizabeth, please,’ Jane called through the door, ‘allow me to enter, we must speak, I am not here to bring you back, but you cannot remain here alone, please open the door.’

Before throwing herself upon the bed Elizabeth had bolted the door, and then buried herself, still dressed in her wedding clothes, amidst the blankets, unable to keep back the tears which flowed freely down her face.

She had heard Jane’s approach, and had wondered who it might be that had come to persuade her to return, perhaps Mr. Collins himself, he would be so angry and she shook with fear and emotion beneath the sheets.

But at the sound of her sister’s voice, her fear turned a little more to joy and slowly she climbed from the bed and opened the door, her tear-stained face looking round it at her sister, who herself had tears in her eyes.

‘Darling Elizabeth,’ Jane cried, embracing her sister, ‘you have done the right thing, even if no one else but I can see that.’

Elizabeth could once again not hold back her sobs, and the two stood for some moments in an embrace, the full force of the emotional turmoil which had just transpired flooding from them both.

‘Am I in terrible trouble?’ Elizabeth asked momentarily, as the two now sat together on the bed.

‘I think perhaps with some you are, yes,’ Jane said, ‘Mr. Collins was a sight to behold, and mother was given over to the smelling salts.’

‘And what of father?’ Elizabeth asked, for he was the only person whose opinion of her she sought to be favourable.

‘I think father is mightily relieved, Elizabeth, he did not want you to marry Mr. Collins, but neither did he have any intention of dictating to you who you should choose. He had accepted that you had sought to do your duty in marrying our cousin. But I do not think that it is the neglect of duty which caused you to flee from the church this afternoon. I am sorry I could not come to warn you of Mr. Darcy’s presence.’

‘If you had done so then I should have fled even earlier,’ Elizabeth said, ‘I confess it was something of a shock when I beheld him there next to Lady Catherine, he almost seemed surprised to see me too.’

‘He did indeed, though goodness knows why, but what thought went through your mind when you saw him? It was as if you had seen a ghost,’ Jane said.

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