Read Online Fault or Virtue: An Imaginative Retelling of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' by April Karber - Free Book Online
Authors: April Karber
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looking for a fight, and bows out like a gentleman, she thought. Why can he not choose
one motive or the other?
Miss Bingley ended her song early, having seen the two conversing, and so
requested that Elizabeth take a turn about the room with her.
“You are fond of walking, I know,” she said, before offering her arm. “Tell me,
Miss Elizabeth, have you ever been to London?”
“Many times, Miss Bingley. My dear aunt and uncle live outside of London, and
Jane and I visit as often as we can.”
“It is a wonder we have not met before, at some ball or other.”
“On the contrary, we venture out very little, preferring to spend time with our
family when we are there. Occasionally we have gone to shows, but we usually stay in
Cheapside.”
“Cheapside? Yes, I’m familiar with the place.” Miss Bingley got what she wanted
from this little conversation and so remained quiet for a time, preferring to let her brother
and Mr. Darcy consider their conversation for a moment. Once they had gone around the
room a few more times, however, Caroline saw it necessary to involve Mr. Darcy.
“Won’t you walk with us, Mr. Darcy?”
Elizabeth wished for his refusal, not wishing to be ignored while Caroline fussed
over him.
“I believe I would get in your way, Miss Bingley.”
“What can he mean, Miss Eliza?” Caroline asked.
“Either,” Mr. Darcy answered for himself, “you are in each other’s confidence or
you are aware that your figures appear to the greatest advantage while walking. If the
first, I shall be an interruption, if the second, I can admire you much better from here.”
“Shocking, Mr. Darcy!” Caroline inhaled sharply while her brother laughed
raucously.
As usual, Elizabeth did not hide her wide smile, which, for the moment, matched
Caroline Bingley’s.
On their next and last turn about the room, Elizabeth’s eyes again locked with Mr.
Darcy’s as he momentarily lifted his gaze from his letter and she found herself caught in
an eager look that she did not quite understand.
A while later, Elizabeth moved undisturbed through the house towards the library.
It had been a few hours after supper, and so she felt assured that she would meet no one
along the way. She had waited with Jane until she fell into a peaceful sleep, but found no
such rest for herself. She slipped quietly into the library once she reached the door.
!
#)!
“Miss Elizabeth,” breathed Darcy in surprise, causing her to jump.
“Mr. Darcy! I did not know you would be here!” He was alone, she realized. They
were alone.
“I did not mean to frighten you! Do come in, I should not have startled you.”
“It was not your fault, Mr. Darcy.” She joined him in the library, still shaken from
his unexpected appearance. For all his politeness, he still made her uncomfortable. She
searched in vain for a book that would interest her so as to have an excuse to quit his
presence.
“How is your sister?” He asked after a moment.
“She is very well, thank you.”
“And are you comfortable here as well?”
She almost felt guilty as she recalled her frenzied attempt to find a book so that
she might get away from him. He had been all politeness since his return, just as Jane had
wished.
“I am, Miss Bingley has been most kind in her attentions to our comfort.” Physical comfort, at least. Darcy smiled, as if he read her mind and she sought to change
the subject. “I believe we will be on our way home and out of your way in no time.”
“Your company is very welcome, Miss Elizabeth. It is a pity it is not due to less
unfortunate circumstances. Time has passed very agreeably since you came.”
This is unexpected! She studied him for a sign of jest. Upon the closer study that
she was allowed at Netherfield, she found that Darcy did not possess the alacrity that
Miss Bingley had for cutting remarks as she had once thought. And as much as she felt
she should disagree with him about enjoying her time here, she found that she
looking for a fight, and bows out like a gentleman, she thought. Why can he not choose
one motive or the other?
Miss Bingley ended her song early, having seen the two conversing, and so
requested that Elizabeth take a turn about the room with her.
“You are fond of walking, I know,” she said, before offering her arm. “Tell me,
Miss Elizabeth, have you ever been to London?”
“Many times, Miss Bingley. My dear aunt and uncle live outside of London, and
Jane and I visit as often as we can.”
“It is a wonder we have not met before, at some ball or other.”
“On the contrary, we venture out very little, preferring to spend time with our
family when we are there. Occasionally we have gone to shows, but we usually stay in
Cheapside.”
“Cheapside? Yes, I’m familiar with the place.” Miss Bingley got what she wanted
from this little conversation and so remained quiet for a time, preferring to let her brother
and Mr. Darcy consider their conversation for a moment. Once they had gone around the
room a few more times, however, Caroline saw it necessary to involve Mr. Darcy.
“Won’t you walk with us, Mr. Darcy?”
Elizabeth wished for his refusal, not wishing to be ignored while Caroline fussed
over him.
“I believe I would get in your way, Miss Bingley.”
“What can he mean, Miss Eliza?” Caroline asked.
“Either,” Mr. Darcy answered for himself, “you are in each other’s confidence or
you are aware that your figures appear to the greatest advantage while walking. If the
first, I shall be an interruption, if the second, I can admire you much better from here.”
“Shocking, Mr. Darcy!” Caroline inhaled sharply while her brother laughed
raucously.
As usual, Elizabeth did not hide her wide smile, which, for the moment, matched
Caroline Bingley’s.
On their next and last turn about the room, Elizabeth’s eyes again locked with Mr.
Darcy’s as he momentarily lifted his gaze from his letter and she found herself caught in
an eager look that she did not quite understand.
A while later, Elizabeth moved undisturbed through the house towards the library.
It had been a few hours after supper, and so she felt assured that she would meet no one
along the way. She had waited with Jane until she fell into a peaceful sleep, but found no
such rest for herself. She slipped quietly into the library once she reached the door.
!
#)!
“Miss Elizabeth,” breathed Darcy in surprise, causing her to jump.
“Mr. Darcy! I did not know you would be here!” He was alone, she realized. They
were alone.
“I did not mean to frighten you! Do come in, I should not have startled you.”
“It was not your fault, Mr. Darcy.” She joined him in the library, still shaken from
his unexpected appearance. For all his politeness, he still made her uncomfortable. She
searched in vain for a book that would interest her so as to have an excuse to quit his
presence.
“How is your sister?” He asked after a moment.
“She is very well, thank you.”
“And are you comfortable here as well?”
She almost felt guilty as she recalled her frenzied attempt to find a book so that
she might get away from him. He had been all politeness since his return, just as Jane had
wished.
“I am, Miss Bingley has been most kind in her attentions to our comfort.” Physical comfort, at least. Darcy smiled, as if he read her mind and she sought to change
the subject. “I believe we will be on our way home and out of your way in no time.”
“Your company is very welcome, Miss Elizabeth. It is a pity it is not due to less
unfortunate circumstances. Time has passed very agreeably since you came.”
This is unexpected! She studied him for a sign of jest. Upon the closer study that
she was allowed at Netherfield, she found that Darcy did not possess the alacrity that
Miss Bingley had for cutting remarks as she had once thought. And as much as she felt
she should disagree with him about enjoying her time here, she found that she
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