Family Portraits by Pamela Lynne

Author:Pamela Lynne [janedixonsmith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pamela Lynne

* * *

Jane sat at the vanity in her room, staring into her teacup. Elizabeth had sent breakfast to her, but so far, she had touched nothing except to pour the tea. Her eyes followed the steam rising from the cup until it disappeared into the reflection in the mirror. After Caroline’s rant, Darcy had called his guests’ attention back to the dancing, assuring everyone that she would not ruin the evening. Jane declined and retreated to her room. Elizabeth had followed her and attempted to convince her to go back and not to allow Caroline to win by keeping her from the fun.

What Jane could not tell her sister was that Caroline was not the one currently in her thoughts, but herself. When Caroline’s words had faded into nothing, Darcy’s replaced them in Jane’s mind. Unchecked jealousy and self-centered motives will ruin a person before long. Friends will abandon them. Lovers will flee. They will be alone with their bitterness, blaming the world for their misery.

Jane shook her head. She had been so absorbed in herself, her misfortunes, and, yes, even her jealousy that she had not realized that Darcy was not speaking about Caroline and was protecting Elizabeth from her the way she had wished Bingley had protected her from his sister.

Shame filled her when she remembered Caroline’s eyes as she hurled the goblet toward them. It was her fault that Caroline was there. Darcy never would have allowed it if Elizabeth had not lobbied on her behalf. Jane had told her uncle that she did not know whether to find Caroline frightening or ridiculous. Caroline certainly proved herself to be the latter, but if there was any doubt, Jane should never have risked her sister’s well-being or reputation. Elizabeth would never do that to her. Finally, Jane’s remorse outweighed her selfishness. Indeed, true change could be brought about through time or some tragedy, but it could also come from looking into the eyes of a bitter, jealous harpy and seeing oneself.

“Jane?”

She jumped at the unexpected sound of her aunt’s voice, causing the tea to spill on the floor.

“Oh dear. Forgive me. I did not mean to startle you.” Mrs. Gardiner picked up the cup and placed it on the breakfast tray. “You did not answer when I knocked, and I was worried.”

“Oh.” Jane rose from her seat and walked to the sitting area, taking a seat close to the fire.

“I asked your sister to give us some time alone this morning. How are you, dear?”

Jane shrugged and looked into the fire. Her aunt waited patiently for her to speak, and, at length, she did.

“I have behaved abominably, Aunt.”

“In what way, Jane?”

“In nearly everything I have done the last few years.” She could not find the words to explain properly how she felt—the jealousy that caused her to doubt her sister and the cloying stench of self-doubt that had followed her since Bingley left the first time, or how, when she looked at Caroline last night, she saw her future.

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.