The Measure of Love: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Alix James

Author:Alix James [James, Alix]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Winsome Wit Publishing
Published: 2024-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

Elizabeth hurried to her chamber, clutching the packet of letters tightly. Her name scrawled in Jane’s beloved hand stirred a swell of homesickness and relief. At last, word from her family!

Beth called an anxious query from below as Elizabeth rushed upstairs, but she merely waved the post briefly in answer without slowing pace. Right now, communion with Jane and Papa far outweighed any casual discourse or bother with household affairs! Upon entering her bedchamber and bolting the door, Elizabeth sank in breathless anticipation onto the coverlet’s edge. Five letters addressed by Jane lay in her lap like long-delayed manna in the wilderness of her strange, lonely existence as Mrs Darcy.

With trembling care, she split each missive’s seal to reveal varied pages covered in familiar scripts she had despaired of glimpsing again so soon. Joyful tears misted Elizabeth’s vision as she arranged the dated pages by order of when each was penned. Eagerly, she raised the first precious sheet up close, imagining beloved faces as she read. The first pages began with her Papa’s shaky pen.

Dearest Lizzy,

I hope Pemberley’s library measures up to a certain bookworm daughter’s elevated standards! With all those venerable old masters keeping sentinel, I daresay you shall have your hands full, preventing the dust from accumulating too terribly. Do remind the hapless Mr Darcy that reading in the afternoon sun often leads to fatigue and nodding off. I advise checking his pillow placement to ensure his comfort should Shakespeare prove soporific. I trust the man does rouse himself to decent conversation after a fashion?

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shook her head. Papa had no generous thoughts for her husband. But at least that was proof enough, if she ever needed it, that this marriage had been her intent, not some whim pressured upon her by her family. She read on.

My own dear library feels much diminished without your lively presence to vex and challenge my limited patience. Jane tries to condole with me in your absence, but as beautiful as your elder sister is, she is a hopeless case at chess, to say nothing for Sophocles. Pray, write often before I become incurably dull!

Elizabeth smothered a watery chuckle. Poor Jane, trying to keep their father distracted! It must be miserable for both of them.

Next, she lifted Mary’s earnest scrawl, almost hearing the sanctimonious tones lecturing thus:

Sister Elizabeth,

Rumours swirl over your abrupt elopement with some wealthy man! I hope it was an honourable exchange, and not done out of any disrepute. Whilst I refrain from indelicate curiosity over particulars, common decency requires your new husband to address Papa most seriously...

Good gracious, even at a distance, Mary’s censure stung! Elizabeth frowned, flipping the page over to seek kinder lines than Mary’s sermonising. Ah, here shone her better nature, cautiously extending an olive branch:

However, I understand Miss Darcy to be a skilled musician near my age. Pray, when you write soon, inquire whether she might share certain new sheet music to copy for my improving repertoire? Any duets to loan during your forthcoming visit will be kindly received.

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