A Spring Sentiment: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 2) by Elizabeth Ann West
Authors: Elizabeth Ann West
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his lips moved wordlessly as a fresh wave of anger now colored his cheeks a hideous shade of purple.
Elizabeth squirmed in her seat and looked to find Mr. Darcy, but his eyes were not on her. She noticed he too was looking at Richard and his facial expression was not one of kindness.
“Of course we will not cut you off, dear.” Lady Matlock moved to slide her arm into her son’s elbow. “But let’s save all of this unpleasantness for tomorrow when we can discuss it as a family without burdening our guests. Reginald? I find that I am dreadfully exhausted from today’s endeavors. Shall we retire?” Lady Matlock briefly rubbed her son’s arm, then detached herself from him to glide over to her husband and slide her arm into his. The poor Earl was still at a loss for words as his wife guided him towards the stairs.
Finally, Elizabeth captured Mr. Darcy’s attention, and he joined her side. “Do you care to retire as well, or perhaps stay up a little longer?”
Honestly, Elizabeth was exhausted, and she did not care for the way Lord Bergamote still eyed her from his far corner of the room. With her largest ally in the room gone, she had no desire to cross swords with Lady Sefton again.
“I believe I should like to get some extra rest for our journey tomorrow. I know it’s but a half day’s ride, but I would hate for the staff of Pemberley to see me looking less than my best.” Elizabeth smiled at Darcy to show him she was being light-hearted and not falling back into the melancholy of worrying about expectations.
“I bow to your wise decision, madam. Would you permit me to escort you?”
Her hand shaking, Elizabeth accepted Mr. Darcy’s arm, and they too quitted the room. She worried that it was most unbecoming to have him escort her out, and the beady eyes of Lady Sefton took great notice. All of these thoughts distracted her until they arrived at her bedroom door far too quickly than she recalled the walk to be.
“William. . ., “ she said timidly.
“Elizabeth,” he replied, huskily.
Without warning, he swept her into his arms and embraced her with all of his might. Feeling a tad pinched, her squeak reminded him to lessen his grip, and he stepped away in embarrassment.
“No, please, I’m sorry.” She reached out, and her hand slid down his coat sleeve until she could finally grip his hand. The flesh on flesh connection made them both pause, and he gently squeezed her hand. She sighed, and Mr. Darcy bowed deeply over her hand and kissed it.
“Good night, my darling. Tomorrow I shall show you my world and all I can offer a beauty such as yourself.”
As he stepped away from her, she held his gaze. Feeling brazen, she lifted her fingers to her lips and kissed them before opening her hand in his direction. Not brave enough to see his response, Elizabeth hurriedly opened her door and rushed inside. Her heart aflutter, it wasn’t until she was trying to find sleep that she began to worry about Mary.
For hours it seemed the staff and occupants of Matlock House were in a flurry. Lady Sefton’s group was to leave first, though the woman had changed her date of departure at the last moment, forcing the Darcy group to await her pleasure. It was nigh upon noon before her carriages were packed and gone from the lane and Darcy’s own carriages could be packed and readied.
“At this rate, we’ll be lucky to reach Pemberley before dark.” Mr. Darcy growled as he looked at the high position of the sun. Elizabeth linked her arm into his and smiled.
“It shall be fine, William. We have a few days at Pemberley before we must be back in London for the engagement schedule your aunt has put together.”
“Yes, remind me to thank her ever so much for back to back teas and balls in the first days of our return.”
His fiancee erupted into giggles and her mirth at his sourness began to melt the aggravation of leaving later than he had planned. The two of them began to lose
Elizabeth squirmed in her seat and looked to find Mr. Darcy, but his eyes were not on her. She noticed he too was looking at Richard and his facial expression was not one of kindness.
“Of course we will not cut you off, dear.” Lady Matlock moved to slide her arm into her son’s elbow. “But let’s save all of this unpleasantness for tomorrow when we can discuss it as a family without burdening our guests. Reginald? I find that I am dreadfully exhausted from today’s endeavors. Shall we retire?” Lady Matlock briefly rubbed her son’s arm, then detached herself from him to glide over to her husband and slide her arm into his. The poor Earl was still at a loss for words as his wife guided him towards the stairs.
Finally, Elizabeth captured Mr. Darcy’s attention, and he joined her side. “Do you care to retire as well, or perhaps stay up a little longer?”
Honestly, Elizabeth was exhausted, and she did not care for the way Lord Bergamote still eyed her from his far corner of the room. With her largest ally in the room gone, she had no desire to cross swords with Lady Sefton again.
“I believe I should like to get some extra rest for our journey tomorrow. I know it’s but a half day’s ride, but I would hate for the staff of Pemberley to see me looking less than my best.” Elizabeth smiled at Darcy to show him she was being light-hearted and not falling back into the melancholy of worrying about expectations.
“I bow to your wise decision, madam. Would you permit me to escort you?”
Her hand shaking, Elizabeth accepted Mr. Darcy’s arm, and they too quitted the room. She worried that it was most unbecoming to have him escort her out, and the beady eyes of Lady Sefton took great notice. All of these thoughts distracted her until they arrived at her bedroom door far too quickly than she recalled the walk to be.
“William. . ., “ she said timidly.
“Elizabeth,” he replied, huskily.
Without warning, he swept her into his arms and embraced her with all of his might. Feeling a tad pinched, her squeak reminded him to lessen his grip, and he stepped away in embarrassment.
“No, please, I’m sorry.” She reached out, and her hand slid down his coat sleeve until she could finally grip his hand. The flesh on flesh connection made them both pause, and he gently squeezed her hand. She sighed, and Mr. Darcy bowed deeply over her hand and kissed it.
“Good night, my darling. Tomorrow I shall show you my world and all I can offer a beauty such as yourself.”
As he stepped away from her, she held his gaze. Feeling brazen, she lifted her fingers to her lips and kissed them before opening her hand in his direction. Not brave enough to see his response, Elizabeth hurriedly opened her door and rushed inside. Her heart aflutter, it wasn’t until she was trying to find sleep that she began to worry about Mary.
For hours it seemed the staff and occupants of Matlock House were in a flurry. Lady Sefton’s group was to leave first, though the woman had changed her date of departure at the last moment, forcing the Darcy group to await her pleasure. It was nigh upon noon before her carriages were packed and gone from the lane and Darcy’s own carriages could be packed and readied.
“At this rate, we’ll be lucky to reach Pemberley before dark.” Mr. Darcy growled as he looked at the high position of the sun. Elizabeth linked her arm into his and smiled.
“It shall be fine, William. We have a few days at Pemberley before we must be back in London for the engagement schedule your aunt has put together.”
“Yes, remind me to thank her ever so much for back to back teas and balls in the first days of our return.”
His fiancee erupted into giggles and her mirth at his sourness began to melt the aggravation of leaving later than he had planned. The two of them began to lose
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