Read Online His Uncle's Favorite by Lory Lilian - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lory Lilian
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whether she had heard him correctly or rightly understood his words, Elizabeth had no time to return his farewell before the horses began to move.
It was snowing again.
Chapter 4
Elizabeth was not certain whether she had slept an hour the entire night. She could remember falling asleep a few times, but she would waken after only a few minutes. After she recollected, more than once, every minute of the previous evening, the image of Mr. Darcy’s expression right before their departure would not leave her mind.
Did he mean what she believed he did? Would he tell Mr. Bingley about their presence in Town? Could she expect Mr. Bingley to visit them soon? If so, should she tell Jane? But what if Mr. Darcy did not keep his word? Was this possible? Would he mention such an important thing if he did not wish to do it? And what if he told Mr. Bingley, but that gentleman still did not come to visit Jane? What if they all misinterpreted Mr. Bingley’s affection for Jane? Would Jane be able to bear another disappointment? No, indeed. There was nothing to be shared with Jane for the moment.
And Mr. Darcy…was it possible that he changed his mind about Mr. Bingley and Jane? Why would he do that? What if she had misjudged him from the very beginning? What if he was not responsible for Mr. Bingley’s decision to leave Netherfield?”
“No, this will not do,” she said loudly, furious with her own thoughts. She rose from the bed and went to open the window. The cold winter wind assaulted the room instantly while flakes of snow fell on her face. She shivered but remained in the window frame, looking along the empty, white, frozen street. The snow had covered everything in white, and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be wrapped in happy memories. She had loved winter and snow since she was an infant and used to spend her days skating, playing, or simply walking in the snow, or riding in her father’s small sleigh.
None of her sisters—not even Jane—shared her love for the cold and for snow, and Mrs. Bennet spent every winter complaining that Elizabeth would catch a very bad cold and die from it, and her nerves would never recover after losing a beloved—though wild and disobedient—child.
With a smile frozen on her lips and missing her family, whom she had only left three days ago, she wondered how they spent their Christmas and whether it were snowing at Longbourn; Elizabeth then shut the window and, shivering, hurried to the warmth of her bed.
It was dawn and a deep sleep finally wrapped her.
***
Why he had promised he would talk to Bingley, Darcy could not explain to himself.
Did it take so little for him to change his mind? He believed himself to have been fair and correct in his opinions; he rightly insisted that Bingley should remain in town for the winter. However, he was forced to admit privately that his insistence was increased by his wish of keeping himself away from Hertfordshire—away from Elizabeth Bennet, the same Elizabeth who had been brought by fate into his uncle’s house on Christmas evening.
When they departed and he promised he would speak to Bingley the next day, Elizabeth had been surprised by his words—pleasantly surprised and incredulous, looking at him with her eyes , her lips half parted. And that moment he understood the reason he made the promise: precisely to see her looking at him with wonder. Had he completely lost his reason? What purpose could it serve?
On the subject of lost reason, surely that was the case with his uncle. Darcy could easily understand why and how the earl had been charmed by Elizabeth Bennet as soon as he met her. But to express his admiration for her so publicly and to insist that both his sons should court the Bennet sisters—that was unacceptable. Suppose one of them took his words seriously? He might raise expectations and hopes impossible to fulfil? Surely, he could not be serious about wanting both ladies in his family? The earl had taken his
It was snowing again.
Chapter 4
Elizabeth was not certain whether she had slept an hour the entire night. She could remember falling asleep a few times, but she would waken after only a few minutes. After she recollected, more than once, every minute of the previous evening, the image of Mr. Darcy’s expression right before their departure would not leave her mind.
Did he mean what she believed he did? Would he tell Mr. Bingley about their presence in Town? Could she expect Mr. Bingley to visit them soon? If so, should she tell Jane? But what if Mr. Darcy did not keep his word? Was this possible? Would he mention such an important thing if he did not wish to do it? And what if he told Mr. Bingley, but that gentleman still did not come to visit Jane? What if they all misinterpreted Mr. Bingley’s affection for Jane? Would Jane be able to bear another disappointment? No, indeed. There was nothing to be shared with Jane for the moment.
And Mr. Darcy…was it possible that he changed his mind about Mr. Bingley and Jane? Why would he do that? What if she had misjudged him from the very beginning? What if he was not responsible for Mr. Bingley’s decision to leave Netherfield?”
“No, this will not do,” she said loudly, furious with her own thoughts. She rose from the bed and went to open the window. The cold winter wind assaulted the room instantly while flakes of snow fell on her face. She shivered but remained in the window frame, looking along the empty, white, frozen street. The snow had covered everything in white, and she closed her eyes, allowing herself to be wrapped in happy memories. She had loved winter and snow since she was an infant and used to spend her days skating, playing, or simply walking in the snow, or riding in her father’s small sleigh.
None of her sisters—not even Jane—shared her love for the cold and for snow, and Mrs. Bennet spent every winter complaining that Elizabeth would catch a very bad cold and die from it, and her nerves would never recover after losing a beloved—though wild and disobedient—child.
With a smile frozen on her lips and missing her family, whom she had only left three days ago, she wondered how they spent their Christmas and whether it were snowing at Longbourn; Elizabeth then shut the window and, shivering, hurried to the warmth of her bed.
It was dawn and a deep sleep finally wrapped her.
***
Why he had promised he would talk to Bingley, Darcy could not explain to himself.
Did it take so little for him to change his mind? He believed himself to have been fair and correct in his opinions; he rightly insisted that Bingley should remain in town for the winter. However, he was forced to admit privately that his insistence was increased by his wish of keeping himself away from Hertfordshire—away from Elizabeth Bennet, the same Elizabeth who had been brought by fate into his uncle’s house on Christmas evening.
When they departed and he promised he would speak to Bingley the next day, Elizabeth had been surprised by his words—pleasantly surprised and incredulous, looking at him with her eyes , her lips half parted. And that moment he understood the reason he made the promise: precisely to see her looking at him with wonder. Had he completely lost his reason? What purpose could it serve?
On the subject of lost reason, surely that was the case with his uncle. Darcy could easily understand why and how the earl had been charmed by Elizabeth Bennet as soon as he met her. But to express his admiration for her so publicly and to insist that both his sons should court the Bennet sisters—that was unacceptable. Suppose one of them took his words seriously? He might raise expectations and hopes impossible to fulfil? Surely, he could not be serious about wanting both ladies in his family? The earl had taken his
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