Read Online Amanda Grange & Jacqueline Webb by Pride, Pyramids - Free Book Online

Papa, and they may let us stay a month.”
    â€œI will do my best.”
    He kissed her blithely on the neck, careless of the servant who might appear at any second to allow them admission to the house. Lydia could not help but smile, for Wickham was still very handsome, whether he wore his blue or his red coat, and she could never resist his embraces, however lightly given.
    â€œLa! Here is Hill,” she declared, as the Bennets’ long-serving, and long-suffering, servant opened the door. “Hill, is it not the greatest fun? What a lark to find myself at home again!”
    Mrs Bennet hurried into the hall to greet her.
    â€œLydia! My Lydia! Why, how well you look. And Wickham, how handsome!”
    Wickham bowed charmingly and kissed her hand.
    â€œBut come in! Come in!”
    She ushered them into the drawing room, from which Mr Bennet had made a hasty retreat, and tea was immediately served.
    There was plenty of news to relate, but Mrs Bennet could wait for very little of it and launched almost immediately into a story of how she was ill used, how no one considered her nerves, and how Elizabeth and Darcy were to go to Egypt!
    â€œEgypt!” Lydia’s somewhat weary eyes lit up. “La! Mama, how exciting. I would love to go.”
    She had a momentary vision of a palm-fringed watering hole, complete with picturesque camels and a host of young and gay people; and, to complete the view, she saw herself seated beneath a canopy, flirting with at least six sheikhs at once. For although she had been married for fourteen years, Lydia was barely thirty.
    â€œMy dear, do not mention such a thing, even in jest,” said her mother. “It plays havoc with my nerves, for your papa has sworn I shall not go. I cannot see why not, for even Sophie Lucas has been invited.”
    â€œSophie?” asked Lydia, startled and annoyed.
    â€œElizabeth proposes to take her.”
    â€œI do not see why she should take Sophie Lucas,” said Lydia.
    â€œAh, my dear,” said Mrs Bennet with a sigh, “neither do I, but Sophie has persuaded her to it, I have no doubt. The Lucases have always been artful. I remember when Charlotte Lucas stole Mr Collins away from beneath my nose, when everyone knew he was promised to Lizzy.”
    Lydia took no notice of this comment but replied, “Lizzy ought to have taken me,” for she was feeling very much as Kitty had felt when Lydia had gone to Brighton and she had been left behind.
    â€œI daresay she ought, but Lizzy has always been headstrong. She is going with Darcy’s cousin, Edward Fitzwilliam—”
    â€œEdward?” Lydia’s face broke into a smile. “Oh, how I long to see him again. We met him at a ball given in the assembly rooms in Bath. He was forever flirting with me.”
    â€œI am not surprised,” said Mrs Bennet. “You have always looked well, Lydia. And now he has given Lizzy and Darcy the idea of going to Egypt. If only I could go to Egypt! But your father will not hear of it. I have told him it will do wonders for my nerves, but no one ever thinks of me. If only your father was more like Mr Darcy’s father and Edward’s father.”
    â€œPray, what do their fathers have to do with this?” asked Lydia impatiently.
    â€œThey travelled to Egypt in their youth,” said Mrs Bennet. “Lizzy told me all about it in her letter. Stay, I have it here.” She read out the relevant section, adding, “I would like to travel to Egypt while I still have mine.”
    â€œDo they say where they intend to go in Egypt, Mrs Bennet?” Wickham asked with careless charm.
    â€œDown the Nile somewhere, I believe,” she said. “There is some talk of them joining an archaeological expedition with Sir Matthew Rosen, a most distinguished gentleman and scholar at the British Museum. Lizzy says he is very keen to take them and that Edward has already proved to be of invaluable help on