A Spring Sentiment: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 2) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Elizabeth Ann West
shall have to trespass upon you, dear sister, a little while longer.” Mrs. Bennet reached and took the cup of tea Elizabeth had just prepared for Mr. Darcy. Gaping at her mother’s manners, yet wary of provoking yet more of her onslaught, silently Elizabeth turned to prepare another cup of tea. For her part, Aunt Phillips blanched and resumed focus on her toast.
Darcy cleared his throat. “While I am sorry to hear that Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty are indisposed, I do not think there is any harm in allowing your remaining daughters to escort you to the properties, Mrs. Bennet. I do not believe the younger ladies will have the wisdom of your experience in running a household, and it is that experience that will be most helpful in selecting a suitable property.” Mrs. Bennet sat up straighter and batted her eyelashes at Mr. Darcy, causing Elizabeth to roll her eyes behind her mother. She caught Mr. Darcy’s gaze and smirked as the two of them shared an unspoken communication. The sooner Fanny Bennet was settled, the sooner they could be on their way to London.
Lady Matlock rang the bell and the red door to Darcy House opened to admit her entrance. She allowed the butler to remove her wrap and cocked her head to one side to hear the delightful sounds of young women laughing above. Shaking her head, she made a shooing motion with her hands to Mr. Marlborough to eschew a formal announcement. Instead, the grand lady ascended the steps to the main floor and stopped just outside the music room.
“You’ve much improved, Mary! Play that trill again!” Mary Bennet furrowed her brow, her tongue slightly peeking from between her tightly pulled lips. With great effort, she repeated the complicated Mozart piece and ended with a flourish.
“Oh, bravo! Bravo!” Lady Matlock clapped from the doorway and finally entered. Mary folded her hands into her lap and blushed while Georgiana smiled and greeted her aunt. “You ladies have been busy! Good for you, Miss Mary.”
“Thank you, mi’lady.” Mary did not seek out Lady Matlock’s gaze but instead kept her eyes on the piano forte.
“What brings you here, Aunt? Are we to go shopping?” Georgiana Darcy perked up and followed her aunt to the settee. Lady Matlock took a seat and looked Mary Bennet up and down. Yes, the young woman’s attire had greatly improved from the first time they’d met, but her confidence was grievously lacking. Lady Matlock clucked her tongue at her own thoughts.
“Aunt?” Georgiana looked confused until she followed her aunt’s gaze to Mary and then looked back at the older woman.
“I have decided that while Fitzwilliam is off running around in your home county, Miss Mary, and my own son is running around doing who knows what for the War Office, I have a need for company. I would like to invite you and my niece to come stay at Matlock House for a few weeks, so we may become better acquainted.
“Oh, Aunt, that sounds lovely! What do you think, Mary? Aunt Maggie’s house is wonderful. There’s a larger garden, and we can work on. . . well, you know.”
Lady Matlock gave Mary an amused look. “What are you two plotting?”
Mary sucked in her breath, then answered. “At home, we made our own rose water and lavender balm. I was hoping to make a set for my sister for her wedding.”
Lady Matlock laughed. “Oh, dear, we can simply buy those in Mayfair!”
“Yes, milady, we could . . .” Mary struggled for a moment out of fear of offending Lady Matlock, but decided her honestly would be welcome, “but I believe my sister will appreciate the effort.”
“Oh, yes, of course she will! What do we need for this little aromatic adventure? Bottles? Presses?” Georgiana and Mary looked at each other and grinned. With Lady Matlock on their side, they could make the wedding gift doubly fine!
Chapter Four
George Wickham slammed the door to the small boarding house run by Sally Younge, causing Mrs.
Darcy cleared his throat. “While I am sorry to hear that Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty are indisposed, I do not think there is any harm in allowing your remaining daughters to escort you to the properties, Mrs. Bennet. I do not believe the younger ladies will have the wisdom of your experience in running a household, and it is that experience that will be most helpful in selecting a suitable property.” Mrs. Bennet sat up straighter and batted her eyelashes at Mr. Darcy, causing Elizabeth to roll her eyes behind her mother. She caught Mr. Darcy’s gaze and smirked as the two of them shared an unspoken communication. The sooner Fanny Bennet was settled, the sooner they could be on their way to London.
Lady Matlock rang the bell and the red door to Darcy House opened to admit her entrance. She allowed the butler to remove her wrap and cocked her head to one side to hear the delightful sounds of young women laughing above. Shaking her head, she made a shooing motion with her hands to Mr. Marlborough to eschew a formal announcement. Instead, the grand lady ascended the steps to the main floor and stopped just outside the music room.
“You’ve much improved, Mary! Play that trill again!” Mary Bennet furrowed her brow, her tongue slightly peeking from between her tightly pulled lips. With great effort, she repeated the complicated Mozart piece and ended with a flourish.
“Oh, bravo! Bravo!” Lady Matlock clapped from the doorway and finally entered. Mary folded her hands into her lap and blushed while Georgiana smiled and greeted her aunt. “You ladies have been busy! Good for you, Miss Mary.”
“Thank you, mi’lady.” Mary did not seek out Lady Matlock’s gaze but instead kept her eyes on the piano forte.
“What brings you here, Aunt? Are we to go shopping?” Georgiana Darcy perked up and followed her aunt to the settee. Lady Matlock took a seat and looked Mary Bennet up and down. Yes, the young woman’s attire had greatly improved from the first time they’d met, but her confidence was grievously lacking. Lady Matlock clucked her tongue at her own thoughts.
“Aunt?” Georgiana looked confused until she followed her aunt’s gaze to Mary and then looked back at the older woman.
“I have decided that while Fitzwilliam is off running around in your home county, Miss Mary, and my own son is running around doing who knows what for the War Office, I have a need for company. I would like to invite you and my niece to come stay at Matlock House for a few weeks, so we may become better acquainted.
“Oh, Aunt, that sounds lovely! What do you think, Mary? Aunt Maggie’s house is wonderful. There’s a larger garden, and we can work on. . . well, you know.”
Lady Matlock gave Mary an amused look. “What are you two plotting?”
Mary sucked in her breath, then answered. “At home, we made our own rose water and lavender balm. I was hoping to make a set for my sister for her wedding.”
Lady Matlock laughed. “Oh, dear, we can simply buy those in Mayfair!”
“Yes, milady, we could . . .” Mary struggled for a moment out of fear of offending Lady Matlock, but decided her honestly would be welcome, “but I believe my sister will appreciate the effort.”
“Oh, yes, of course she will! What do we need for this little aromatic adventure? Bottles? Presses?” Georgiana and Mary looked at each other and grinned. With Lady Matlock on their side, they could make the wedding gift doubly fine!
Chapter Four
George Wickham slammed the door to the small boarding house run by Sally Younge, causing Mrs.
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