Expectations and Apologies: What if Elizabeth Hadn't Overheard? (What if . . . Book 1) by Elizabeth Squire & A Lady

Author:Elizabeth Squire & A Lady [Squire, Elizabeth & Lady, A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

The next day brought a very welcome distraction to Longbourn. Mr. Bingley found the courage and asked Jane to be his wife. Mr. Bennet’s consent was promptly sought and quickly given. The Gardiners were able to share in the joy and offered Jane the opportunity to accompany them back to their home in London to begin to shop for her trousseau. Through some clever maneuvering by Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth Mrs. Bennet was dissuaded from joining her daughter and so the visit promised to be a peaceful one. Even more so as Bingley decided he now had urgent business in London and would leave only the day after Jane.

The departure of Jane and Mr. Bingley as well as her aunt and uncle affected Elizabeth more than she cared to admit. When Charlotte entreated Elizabeth, just before she became Mrs. Collins, to visit her in Kent Elizabeth agreed out of a desire to please her friend, but also to try and shake herself out of her melancholy with the prospect of a change of scenery.

Jane returned to Longbourn two weeks later and although she noted her sister’s darker moods and more quiet demeanor it was not in her nature to force confidences. She did make a great effort to include Elizabeth in many of her walks and visits with Mr. Bingley. While Elizabeth appreciated this she did not wish to intrude on their intimacy and the frequent mention of Mr. Darcy by his friend pained her greatly. And thus February passed without much to recommend it other than the occasional walk to Meryton or neighborhood party. The wedding was to take place in June and so it was much discussed and eagerly anticipated.

March came and with it the prospect of her trip to Kent. Jane was disappointed when she heard Elizabeth’s plan. She felt every moment the sisters spent together was more precious now as she would soon be leaving home. Elizabeth tried to placate her sister without actually giving in. In truth, she felt almost desperate to remove herself from Longbourn. She hoped that this removal would offer her enough amusement and diversion to distract her from her memories of Mr. Darcy. So many places now seemed tainted with thoughts of him. Mr. Parks's book shop, the parlor of her own home where she had sat with him and enjoyed his conversation and of course Netherfield where she now went with Jane at least weekly to discuss changes she would desire as mistress or to take tea with Mr. Bingley’s sisters. All of it seemed permeated with Mr. Darcy, which was truly unfair as she had lived here all her life and he had been but a visitor of several months.

On the evening before her departure Mr. Wickham approached Elizabeth with his best wishes for her trip. Although his attentions to Miss King were as pronounced as ever, he spent a considerable amount of time in Elizabeth’s company that night. Feeling particularly resentful about having fallen in love with the absolute wrong person Elizabeth was more receptive to him than she had been in the past.

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