Darcy's Trial Read Online Free Page B

Elizabeth folded the letter and put it out of sight. What disgust and humiliation Darcy must have suffered, in addition to the expense he had born, merely in order that her foolish and irresponsible sister should be married, and her family thus restored to some measure of respectability. Transparently he was under no obligation to act thus: the motive must lie elsewhere. Yet if he had done it for her, if he still had hopes of winning her hand, what possible interest could he have in furthering Lydia’s marriage to Wickham , of all people? To be brother-in-law of Wickham! Every fibre of his being must revolt against such a connection.
    Still, however inexplicable Darcy’s actions, they were unselfish and noble to an extraordinary degree, and it pained her that her family might never know to whom they were indebted.

Chapter 4
    A week passed in comparative normality, except that the house seemed unnaturally quiet after Lydia’s departure. Elizabeth took up Lyrical Ballads again, finding a new fascination in the poems now that she had seen the landscape that was their inspiration, and even touched the hand that had first set them down on paper. Sometimes she read them aloud to her father, in the privacy of his study, hoping in this way to distract him from the guilt she knew he must feel. For the rest, she enjoyed long walks with Jane, in which to the relief of both, any mention of Bingley, or his sisters, or his friends, was carefully avoided.
    On returning from such a walk, Elizabeth learned that a letter had arrived for her from London, and ran excitedly to her room to open it in privacy.
Cavendish Square.
    Dear Elizabeth,
    We are finally back in town, and my Georgie has flourished in my absence, which makes me happy, yet declares he has missed me sorely, which also makes me happy.
    My husband, who is empowered to decide such things, has informed me that we are to remain in town another month. I complain just to tease him, but between you and me I am glad, for there are exhibitions by Gainsborough and Turner that I wish to see, and a new production of Hamlet at the Theatre Royal.
    This also means that we will be available for visits , should you wish to flee the slings and arrows of o.f., or indeed come to town for whatever reason.
    My thanks again for your company on the ramble, which was the highlight of my tour, and I hope that the little problem mentioned at our parting has proved more tractable than it seemed at the time.
    with best wishes, Bridget Beaumont
    After reading this, then re-reading it to make sure, Elizabeth surprised herself by performing a jig round the room, such was her delight. After reflecting often on the outing to Dove cottage, she had come to understand better what drew her to this new friend. Most obviously, they had enjoyed one another’s company, sharing a boisterous sense of fun, and predilection for teasing, as well as a love of books and long walks. But more subtly, Elizabeth sensed in Bridget a route to a different social circle, animated by ideas that were at once exciting and shocking. It was as if she had passed her whole life in a room that represented the totality of all her possible futures, and that now the door had opened a smidgen, revealing unexpected options outside.
    Once she had calmed down, Elizabeth’s first impulse was to take up paper and quill, and recount all the momentous twists and turns of the past few weeks. But having covered four sides in half an hour she paused, another plan germinating in her mind. Taking up a fresh sheet, she composed instead a much shorter note, not to Bridget but to her aunt.

    Three days later, a hackney delivered Elizabeth to Darcy House, which was located in Mayfair on the edge of Hyde Park. Before knocking, she tried to calm her nerves by walking a few yards down Grosvenor Street towards the park, far enough to get a view through the trees to the Serpentine. Since the afternoon was cool and overcast she had brought her spencer jacket and