A Spring Sentiment: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 2) by Elizabeth Ann West Page B
Authors: Elizabeth Ann West
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study, and see if the gentlemen are finished with their smoke, would you, dear?”
Elizabeth agreed silently and placed her teacup and saucer on the table to her left.
She calmly exited the room but her mind was racing. She was expected to plan a garden? A garden that would stand as a testament to her abilities for generations to come? Just how much responsibility had she taken on without proper consideration? The expanse of Pemberley grew by epic proportions in her mind as she considered just how large an estate must be to have multiple rose gardens. As she neared the door, she took a few moments to gather her wits when she could hear Mr. Darcy’s voice loudly from inside.
“And she wanted a second silver serving set just to be prepared should the Earl and Countess come to call and the first one be tarnished! I tell you, if we hadn’t escaped, I might have just told the woman she could live at Pemberley to stop all of the shopping excursions!”
Elizabeth’s cheeks burned as she could hear her uncle and Richard laugh along with her fiance at the silliness of her mother. Incensed, her loyalty immediately flew to her family. Elizabeth felt very indignant that Mr. Darcy had no right, no right whatsoever, to make fun of her mother. Didn’t he realize that as a daughter of a solicitor, a visit from his aunt and uncle would very likely be the highlight of her life as a widow? How could he be so cruel?
Biting her lip, Elizabeth set her features to channel the serenity of her older sister, Jane, as she knocked on the door. With no response, she knocked once more, more purposely, and her small knuckles finally made a pert, hollow sound the men inside could hear. The laughter immediately stopped and the door swung open to show her uncle’s perspiring and ruddy face.
“Aunt wished for me to see if you gentlemen would care to join us as we are discussing the upcoming trip to Matlock.” Elizabeth curtsied and turned on her heel without waiting for a response.
“Oh, dear.” Mr. Gardiner said, and he quickly turned around to look at the man he largely considered to be his future son-in-law, if not in name, then at least in spirit. “I do believe we are about to enter the lion’s den, my lads.”
“I’d say we should all guard our loins, but I think only Darcy here needs to take that advice.”
“The cavalry man being cavalier, how novel,” Darcy spouted, dryly. In actuality, his heart thumped wildly against his chest, and his stomach felt unsettled. How much of his unburdening had Elizabeth heard? His palms slick with cold sweat, he downed the last of his drink and exited the room as a man ready to face the music.
Instinct told him to take a detour to the sitting room by way of the dining room. Handsomely rewarded, Elizabeth stood on the opposite side of the room with her back to him. He cleared his throat but she didn’t turn.
“I believe I owe you an apology. What you heard—”
“Was not your honest opinion? Was not true? Pray tell me, which is it?” She stood as a statue for a moment awaiting his response. Behind her, Mr. Darcy simply opened and closed his mouth a few times, confounded with finding the right words to say.
She turned around with angry tears poised to fall. Darcy was stricken, and as she looked at his face, pale with concern, she blinked her eyes a few times and the deluge released. Within moments of closing her eyes to try to stem the flow of tears, she felt once again the comfort of being in his arms.
“Elizabeth, sweet Elizabeth,” he whispered. Registering his voice, she shoved him away.
“No, sir! You are not permitted to embrace me and make me forget my feelings.”
“I make you forget your anger when I hold you?” he asked, trying to diminish her distress with distraction.
“That is not the salient point, sir. What I meant is you may not come walking into this room—”
“This room in particular? I had no idea I was banned from the dining room.” Darcy sniffed as he
Elizabeth agreed silently and placed her teacup and saucer on the table to her left.
She calmly exited the room but her mind was racing. She was expected to plan a garden? A garden that would stand as a testament to her abilities for generations to come? Just how much responsibility had she taken on without proper consideration? The expanse of Pemberley grew by epic proportions in her mind as she considered just how large an estate must be to have multiple rose gardens. As she neared the door, she took a few moments to gather her wits when she could hear Mr. Darcy’s voice loudly from inside.
“And she wanted a second silver serving set just to be prepared should the Earl and Countess come to call and the first one be tarnished! I tell you, if we hadn’t escaped, I might have just told the woman she could live at Pemberley to stop all of the shopping excursions!”
Elizabeth’s cheeks burned as she could hear her uncle and Richard laugh along with her fiance at the silliness of her mother. Incensed, her loyalty immediately flew to her family. Elizabeth felt very indignant that Mr. Darcy had no right, no right whatsoever, to make fun of her mother. Didn’t he realize that as a daughter of a solicitor, a visit from his aunt and uncle would very likely be the highlight of her life as a widow? How could he be so cruel?
Biting her lip, Elizabeth set her features to channel the serenity of her older sister, Jane, as she knocked on the door. With no response, she knocked once more, more purposely, and her small knuckles finally made a pert, hollow sound the men inside could hear. The laughter immediately stopped and the door swung open to show her uncle’s perspiring and ruddy face.
“Aunt wished for me to see if you gentlemen would care to join us as we are discussing the upcoming trip to Matlock.” Elizabeth curtsied and turned on her heel without waiting for a response.
“Oh, dear.” Mr. Gardiner said, and he quickly turned around to look at the man he largely considered to be his future son-in-law, if not in name, then at least in spirit. “I do believe we are about to enter the lion’s den, my lads.”
“I’d say we should all guard our loins, but I think only Darcy here needs to take that advice.”
“The cavalry man being cavalier, how novel,” Darcy spouted, dryly. In actuality, his heart thumped wildly against his chest, and his stomach felt unsettled. How much of his unburdening had Elizabeth heard? His palms slick with cold sweat, he downed the last of his drink and exited the room as a man ready to face the music.
Instinct told him to take a detour to the sitting room by way of the dining room. Handsomely rewarded, Elizabeth stood on the opposite side of the room with her back to him. He cleared his throat but she didn’t turn.
“I believe I owe you an apology. What you heard—”
“Was not your honest opinion? Was not true? Pray tell me, which is it?” She stood as a statue for a moment awaiting his response. Behind her, Mr. Darcy simply opened and closed his mouth a few times, confounded with finding the right words to say.
She turned around with angry tears poised to fall. Darcy was stricken, and as she looked at his face, pale with concern, she blinked her eyes a few times and the deluge released. Within moments of closing her eyes to try to stem the flow of tears, she felt once again the comfort of being in his arms.
“Elizabeth, sweet Elizabeth,” he whispered. Registering his voice, she shoved him away.
“No, sir! You are not permitted to embrace me and make me forget my feelings.”
“I make you forget your anger when I hold you?” he asked, trying to diminish her distress with distraction.
“That is not the salient point, sir. What I meant is you may not come walking into this room—”
“This room in particular? I had no idea I was banned from the dining room.” Darcy sniffed as he
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