Read Online Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) by Linda Wells - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Linda Wells
Ads: Link
pins successfully. “Marriage is for security, not love. If love occurs it is a fortunate bonus, but surely not necessary.”
“Your heart is hardening Charlotte.”
“Not at all, my heart is the same as it ever was. I am simply older now and feeling the concern of my family that I find my own home.” She smiled sadly. “It will not be long before Jane feels the same, I am sure.”
“Lydia!” Jane cried.
“What?” Lydia quickly stopped her attempts to rearrange the pins into an advantageous configuration for her ball.
“Stop that!” Elizabeth admonished. “You may not change the rules to suit your desires!”
“Oh Lizzy, who wants to play by silly rules? I want to make up my own game!” With that she began grabbing balls, rolling one after the other down the length the course, merrily whacking the pins every which way. Kitty giggled and joined in the fun. Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other helplessly as Mrs. Bennet laughed and applauded their antics.
“I am sorry, Charlotte.” Elizabeth said quietly.
“It is fine, Eliza.” She smiled slightly and they walked out to retrieve the balls before they were lost forever in the grass. Mr. Bennet looked up from the book he was reading and took in the chaotic scene, then returned to his page.
“Such wonderful lively girls they are!” Mrs. Bennet cried. “Do you not agree, Mr. Bennet?”
“Lively indeed, they will undoubtedly attract the best of men one day, and they will be as pleased with their marriage as I.” He said tonelessly.
“Oh Mr. Bennet, how you make me blush, still!” Mrs. Bennet gushed and waved her fan vigorously. Lady Lucas looked between her and Mr. Bennet then raised her brows to her daughter.
Charlotte pursed her lips and saw Elizabeth and Jane flushed with embarrassment. “I heard that you are to visit London, Eliza.”
Elizabeth looked up. “Oh, yes my aunt Gardiner asked for me to come in May. She is expecting again and would like some help with the children. Jane will go in autumn for her confinement.”
“And see to it that you look out for some gentlemen this time, Lizzy!” Mrs. Bennet called. “Mr. Bennet, we must order some new gowns for her before she goes, Lord knows that she needs something to make her more attractive!”
“Mama! I want some new gowns, too!” Lydia whined. “Why can I not have new things?”
“Me, too! I want to wear pretty dresses, not this silly smock!” Kitty cried.
“You are not out! You can not suggest that you are available to men by your dress!” Mary admonished.
“Oh what do you care? You will never look at a man! Besides, what do I care of men? I just want new things.” Lydia stuck her tongue out at her sister. “Please Mama; let us go to the dress shop now!” She turned to her father. “Please Papa, please? I want a new dress and bonnet and gloves, and oh a parasol! I am tired of wearing Lizzy and Jane’s old things!” She jumped up and down eagerly and began pulling on his arm, making his book bounce.
Annoyed he shook her off. “Fine then, go and buy whatever you wish, just leave me to my book.”
The girls squealed and Elizabeth looked at Jane and whispered. “The expense!”
“I know.” She said softly. “But it makes them happy.”
“Yes, and it leaves us with no dowry.” Elizabeth shook her head and looked at her sisters dancing around her mother and then saw Lady Lucas staring at her with a satisfied smile. “Why is she so pleased, I wonder?”
“I suspect that she thinks the same as we, Lizzy.” Jane said softly.
“Charlotte’s dowry is as small as ours.”
“And that makes us equal in our hunt for husbands.”
“We are still a gentleman’s daughters, Jane.” Elizabeth looked at her with a small smile. “We do have that.”
“I HOPE THAT your visit to Rosings was not too objectionable.” Lord Matlock laughed
“Your heart is hardening Charlotte.”
“Not at all, my heart is the same as it ever was. I am simply older now and feeling the concern of my family that I find my own home.” She smiled sadly. “It will not be long before Jane feels the same, I am sure.”
“Lydia!” Jane cried.
“What?” Lydia quickly stopped her attempts to rearrange the pins into an advantageous configuration for her ball.
“Stop that!” Elizabeth admonished. “You may not change the rules to suit your desires!”
“Oh Lizzy, who wants to play by silly rules? I want to make up my own game!” With that she began grabbing balls, rolling one after the other down the length the course, merrily whacking the pins every which way. Kitty giggled and joined in the fun. Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other helplessly as Mrs. Bennet laughed and applauded their antics.
“I am sorry, Charlotte.” Elizabeth said quietly.
“It is fine, Eliza.” She smiled slightly and they walked out to retrieve the balls before they were lost forever in the grass. Mr. Bennet looked up from the book he was reading and took in the chaotic scene, then returned to his page.
“Such wonderful lively girls they are!” Mrs. Bennet cried. “Do you not agree, Mr. Bennet?”
“Lively indeed, they will undoubtedly attract the best of men one day, and they will be as pleased with their marriage as I.” He said tonelessly.
“Oh Mr. Bennet, how you make me blush, still!” Mrs. Bennet gushed and waved her fan vigorously. Lady Lucas looked between her and Mr. Bennet then raised her brows to her daughter.
Charlotte pursed her lips and saw Elizabeth and Jane flushed with embarrassment. “I heard that you are to visit London, Eliza.”
Elizabeth looked up. “Oh, yes my aunt Gardiner asked for me to come in May. She is expecting again and would like some help with the children. Jane will go in autumn for her confinement.”
“And see to it that you look out for some gentlemen this time, Lizzy!” Mrs. Bennet called. “Mr. Bennet, we must order some new gowns for her before she goes, Lord knows that she needs something to make her more attractive!”
“Mama! I want some new gowns, too!” Lydia whined. “Why can I not have new things?”
“Me, too! I want to wear pretty dresses, not this silly smock!” Kitty cried.
“You are not out! You can not suggest that you are available to men by your dress!” Mary admonished.
“Oh what do you care? You will never look at a man! Besides, what do I care of men? I just want new things.” Lydia stuck her tongue out at her sister. “Please Mama; let us go to the dress shop now!” She turned to her father. “Please Papa, please? I want a new dress and bonnet and gloves, and oh a parasol! I am tired of wearing Lizzy and Jane’s old things!” She jumped up and down eagerly and began pulling on his arm, making his book bounce.
Annoyed he shook her off. “Fine then, go and buy whatever you wish, just leave me to my book.”
The girls squealed and Elizabeth looked at Jane and whispered. “The expense!”
“I know.” She said softly. “But it makes them happy.”
“Yes, and it leaves us with no dowry.” Elizabeth shook her head and looked at her sisters dancing around her mother and then saw Lady Lucas staring at her with a satisfied smile. “Why is she so pleased, I wonder?”
“I suspect that she thinks the same as we, Lizzy.” Jane said softly.
“Charlotte’s dowry is as small as ours.”
“And that makes us equal in our hunt for husbands.”
“We are still a gentleman’s daughters, Jane.” Elizabeth looked at her with a small smile. “We do have that.”
“I HOPE THAT your visit to Rosings was not too objectionable.” Lord Matlock laughed
Similar Books
