The Journey Home to Pemberley by Joana Starnes

Author:Joana Starnes [Starnes, Joana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“Goodness, Lizzy, why would you wish to travel post, let alone on the stagecoach? For that matter, why would you wish to leave so soon?” Arabella asked while they were dressing their hair in preparation for dinner – together, as they had done ever since Elizabeth had arrived in Dorsetshire as the Monkfords’ guest. “We were talking of you staying till the summer…”

“I know, and you were ever so kind to ask me—”

“Are you not happy here?” Bella prompted, tender concern in her countenance, and it was all that Elizabeth could do to not burst into tears.

How could she tell this amiable girl that she had rarely been so wretched in her entire life – and that her unhappiness was connected with Bella herself, even though it was not Bella’s doing?

“You and your relations could not have possibly done more to make me feel welcome, but… I miss Papa, and my sisters,” Elizabeth said instead. It was not a complete falsehood. They were not the reason she was desperate to leave, but she did miss them, and did wish to return to the home she could call her own, little respite as she would have there from her misery and from the need to hide it.

“I can well understand that,” Arabella considerately said. “I would miss Papa and Meg most grievously if we were apart. James too, but I have had to become accustomed to him being away at his college. As to Meg and Papa, we have grown even closer since we lost Mamma, and you must feel the same about your relations. Still, do you not think that having cheerful company and a variety of amusements might raise your spirits?”

A vague murmur of assent was all that Elizabeth could offer as she affected some difficulty in twisting a long tress and assisting the young maid in arranging it just so.

“Thank you, Greyson, you have worked wonders with my hair. Would you take Bertha’s place now, and finish Miss Lizzy’s?” Arabella instructed her lady’s maid, thus causing Elizabeth to feel a twinge of guilt. Seemingly, her attempt to evade conversation had made poor Bertha seem inefficient.

Not that she could avoid conversation anyway. While the ever so dextrous lady’s maid set about putting the finishing touches to Elizabeth’s hair, Bella opened her jewellery box to select the right sort of ornaments and resumed:

“Of course, I shall not seek to dissuade you if you long to be home. But could you perhaps wait till after Easter? As you had occasion to hear earlier, my well-meaning aunt is quite determined to force me into society,” she said with a low chuckle. “We are to go to town by the end of the month, and we could easily drive a little further and convey you to Cambridge. I would very much like to return you to your papa in our carriage, instead of having you endure the inconvenience of travelling post.”

So much for being at liberty to leave Monkford Hall whenever she

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