Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (bts books to read .txt) 📗

with Georgiana,’ said Elizabeth.

‘Or long carriage rides,’ I said, kissing her on the lips.

‘Or picnics,’ said Elizabeth, kissing me in return.

‘My love, I had better lock the door.’

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December

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Friday 5th December

Elizabeth has ordered a phaeton and pair for Christmas.

Her aunt and uncle will be joining us, and they will be

here in just over a fortnight. Elizabeth has persuaded me

that I must invite my aunt, too. It is time to put an end

to the hostilities, she says, and she is right. I cannot be on

bad terms with Lady Catherine for ever.

Jane and Bingley are coming to stay, and they are

bringing with them Caroline and Louisa. Mr and Mrs

Bennet will also be coming with Mary and Kitty, and

Lydia will be one of their party. I have reluctantly agreed

to welcome her, but on condition that Wickham does

not come with her. I will not have him at Pemberley,

now or ever. Elizabeth understands. She has no wish to

see him, and we both know it would be mortifying for

Georgiana.

The two people we will not see are Mr and Mrs

Collins. Charlotte is in an interesting condition and cannot travel. Elizabeth has reminded me to look for a living for Mr Collins, something better than the one he has

at present.

‘A larger house for Charlotte,’ said Elizabeth,‘and one

with plenty to keep Mr Collins occupied. If there is

something for him to do outside the house, perhaps

some alms-houses to run, so much the better. And make

sure the house has two pleasant rooms, so that Charlotte

can have one as well as her husband.’

‘Very well, but I will not have them within an hour’s

drive of Pemberley. I like Charlotte well enough, but not

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even your friendship with her can reconcile me to her

husband.’

In this, Elizabeth and I are as one.

Saturday 13th December

Our guests will all be arriving on Monday. One more has

been added to their number. Colonel Fitzwilliam will be

coming with Lady Catherine and Anne.

Monday 15th December

At last, they are here. Bingley and Jane were the first to

arrive, bringing with them Caroline and Louisa.

‘Mrs Darcy,’ said Caroline, with an excess of civility.

‘How pleased I am to see you again.’ She smiled as

though she and Elizabeth had always been the best of

friends, then turned to me. ‘Mr Darcy, how well you

look,’ she said.‘And Georgiana. How you have grown! It

must be this Derbyshire air. It is so invigorating.’

Louisa was less vocal but greeted us pleasantly. Mr

Hurst merely grunted before retiring to the billiard

room. Caroline and Louisa went upstairs, led there by

Georgiana, and Elizabeth and I were free to talk to Jane

and Bingley.

‘So Lydia is coming?’ asked Bingley, as we all sat down

in the drawing-room.

‘Yes, she is, though not her husband,’ said Elizabeth.

‘You do not think it wrong of me not to invite him?’ she

asked Jane.

‘Dear Lizzy, of course not. It is not as though he and

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Lydia have nowhere else to go. They have been to stay

with us twice already. It is cheaper for them to stay with

us than to live on their own. They gave up one set of

lodgings before coming to us, so that they would not

have to pay any rent, and then they took another set

when they returned.’

‘How very distressing,’ said Elizabeth.

‘Not to Lydia. She is the same as ever, exuberant and

high spirited. She thrives on the change.’

‘The next time they come, I think I will have the servants say we are not at home!’ said Bingley.

‘We are too convenient at Netherfield, that is the

trouble,’ said Jane. ‘They visit Longbourn, and then they

come to us when they have outstayed their welcome

there.And it is not only Lydia who visits us. It seems that

every day my mother finds some reason to call. We are

thinking of taking a house elsewhere.’

‘Poor Jane! You must come and live in Derbyshire,’

said Elizabeth.

‘There are some very fine properties hereabouts,’ I

said.

‘I think we might,’ said Bingley.

A coach drawing up outside alerted us to the fact that

Lady Catherine had arrived. She descended with all state

and entered the house.A few minutes later she swept into

the drawing-room without waiting to be announced.

She looked round with a jaundiced eye.

‘The furniture has not been replaced, I see,’ she said,

without greeting either myself or Elizabeth. ‘I thought

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you would have put my sister’s furniture in the attic and

replaced it with something of inferior workmanship.’

‘Your ladyship cannot think I would wish to spoil my

own home,’ said Elizabeth.

‘Your home. Hah!’ said my aunt.

Elizabeth cast me a satirical glance, but making a

determined effort she welcomed Lady Catherine, Anne

and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

‘We meet again,’ he said.

‘We do.’

‘And in happy circumstances. Darcy is a lucky man,’

he told her.

‘Darcy is no such thing,’ said my aunt.‘He should have

married Anne.’

Anne cast her eyes to the floor.

‘You had a good journey, I hope?’ Elizabeth asked her.

Anne raised her eyes a little but did not reply. I was

struck by the difference in her demeanour from the last

time I had seen her, and I thought of what my cousin had

said, that she had much more spirit away from her

mother.

‘Anne’s health is precarious. She never travels well,’

said my aunt.

‘But the journey was good,’ said Colonel Fitzwilliam.

‘Lady Catherine’s coach is comfortable, and the roads

were not too bad.’

‘Let me show you to your rooms,’ said Elizabeth.

‘That is the housekeeper’s job,’ said Lady Catherine

disdainfully.

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‘Then I will ask Mrs Reynolds to show you the way,’

said Elizabeth. She turned to Anne. ‘Allow me to show

you to your room,’ she said. ‘It is the room you always

have. I asked Mrs Reynolds which one