My Dear Friend: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Heather Moll

Author:Heather Moll [Moll, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Excessively Diverted Press
Published: 2024-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

In the northeast corner of the park, there was a fine body of water, and near to it was the gravel path along the eastern boundary called the Queen’s Walk. Elizabeth had hoped to steer her group in that direction to encounter F, but Miss Bingley was making that difficult.

Although the potential couple tried to talk with one another, Miss Bingley insisted on inserting herself into her brother’s conversation with Jane. She was holding onto his arm while Bingley tried in vain to speak with Jane, who was on his other arm. Elizabeth walked alone next to them.

“Caroline, it looks to be getting narrower; would you like to walk with Miss Elizabeth?” he said as they turned down another path.

“Miss Eliza is content where she is, I am sure. She is a great walker, you know, and I would only slow her down. Besides, I would rather get to know my dear Jane better.”

Elizabeth wished Bingley would have said “So would I” and dropped his sister’s arm, but that would not happen, and now it was three thirty and she was nowhere near to the northeast section of the park.

“Actually, Miss Bingley, I am rather tired and would benefit from my sister’s arm if Mr Bingley can spare her.”

She would rather have dropped farther behind on purpose and gone on alone, but even as enchanted by Jane as Bingley was, he was not about to lose her sister in the park.

Jane agreed, and Elizabeth went in front of Miss Bingley and her brother to walk with Jane. Now she could lead them away from the centre of the park to where she would meet F. Elizabeth brought a hand to the pansies pinned to her bodice, patting it to be certain they were in place. She was all anxiety to have the meeting over and done with, to have her fears about F being Darcy refuted once and for all.

Her stomach was fluttering with nerves at meeting F. Would they feel an instant attraction to one another, or would it come on gradually like it had through their letters?

“You are going a little fast for me,” Jane said. “I thought you were tired.”

Since the moment was at hand, she had to confess. She had wanted to slip away so only some cows would see her walking to that side of the park, but her company was not as inattentive to her as she had hoped.

“Do not react. I arranged to meet F privately rather than through the matchmaking office,” she whispered to Jane. “He is on the other side of the park waiting for me.”

To her credit, only a small “Oh” of surprise escaped Jane’s lips, although her face showed complete shock.

“It will be well, I promise,” Elizabeth murmured. “I told him what I was wearing, and we both wear a posy of pansies. We will smile, say how pleasant it is to meet, exchange names, be embarrassed and awkward for a moment or two, and then I will

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