When Snow Fell on Longbourn (A Festive Pride and Prejudice Variation, #9) by Meg Osborne

Author:Meg Osborne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice Variation, Jane Austen Fan Fiction, Mr Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice Christmas Variation
Publisher: Meg Osborne
Published: 2023-11-27T00:00:00+00:00

“MARY! ARE YOU AWAKE?”

Elizabeth had been trying unsuccessfully to sleep for what felt like hours. Netherfield Park lay silent and shrouded in darkness and Elizabeth was tired of being tormented by her thoughts. She had to share them with someone. Fortunately, she was sharing a room with Mary and they would be joined by Jane the next day. If she wished to take Mary into her confidence, this would be her only opportunity.

“Mary?”

Her sister’s slow, measured breathing stopped and after a moment Lizzy heard a quiet word in response.

“What is it?”

“Are you awake?”

“I have not taken to talking in my sleep,” Mary grumbled, rolling over onto her side and glaring through the darkness at her sister. Lizzy might not have been able to quite see Mary’s eyes but she could certainly feel the intensity of her look. Undeterred, she drew a breath.

“I want to talk to you about Jane.” She paused. “And Mr Bingley.”

“What about them?” Mary asked, stifling a yawn.

“Do not you think this is the most wonderful turn of fate?”

“I do not believe in fate.”

“Well, providence, then! Luck! Whatever you wish to call it -” Lizzy heard Mary’s swift intake of breath and moved quickly to forestall a lecture on predestination and free will. “I think it interesting that we should spend our Christmas here, under Mr Bingley’s roof. And we ought not to let this opportunity pass us by.”

“Opportunity for what?”

“To reunite him with Jane!”

Mary was silent for a long moment and Lizzy began to wonder if her sister had succumbed to sleep until, at last, she spoke again.

“Reunite makes it sound as if they were somehow together to begin with.”

Elizabeth frowned. It didn’t sound as if Mary was being her usual critical self. She asked her question out of genuine curiosity. Lizzy bit her lip. She only knew about Jane’s affection for Mr Bingley because she had guessed it and because she knew Jane well enough that she could read her sister’s moods. But Jane did not share her thoughts and feelings so openly with everyone else, even with her other sisters. There was every likelihood that Mary didn’t know anything about Jane’s true feelings, and she certainly would never dream of guessing at Mr Bingley’s.

“Jane cares for him,” Lizzy ventured at last, speaking quickly and fighting off the uncomfortable feeling that she was betraying one sister to another. “I do not say that she loved him, for they did not know one another very well. But I dare say they might have come to know one another better if Mr Bingley had not so swiftly left Hertfordshire.”

“Been made to leave.” Mary yawned, and Elizabeth was surprised to hear such an insightful view coming from her sister. She could not help but push for more.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Miss Bingley orchestrated their return to London.”

“How do you know that?”

“S’obvious.” Mary’s words were muffled. She was surely very close to drifting back to sleep and Lizzy leaned across the space between them to poke her back to wakefulness.

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