A Pemberley Medley (A Pride & Prejudice Variation) Read Online Free PDF Page B

shivered.
     
    “I hope we shall meet again soon, Miss Bennet,” he said, his voice tender.
     
    “I shall look forward to it, sir,” she replied with the lively smile which had first attracted him to her all those months ago.
     
    “Georgiana,” Darcy said, his eyes still lingering on Elizabeth, “it is time for us to depart.”
     
    Georgiana turned, and to the surprise of all, threw her arms around Elizabeth in a warm embrace. She had watched them closely earlier, noticing first their sobriety, then their joint absence, and her brother’s obvious happiness after his return. She had been relieved beyond measure to see his smile again, and amused by the realization that he was holding Miss Bennet’s hand under the table.
     
    Over Miss Darcy’s shoulder, Elizabeth’s startled eyes met her brother’s. Georgiana whispered, “Thank you,” then allowed Darcy to hand her into the carriage. With one last, serious look at Elizabeth, Darcy entered the carriage as well. As it drove off, Elizabeth stood and watched until it had disappeared from sight.
     
    With the evidence no longer before her, she began to feel a certain confused disbelief - could it truly be that Mr. Darcy had held her in his arms, had kissed her. She hugged herself for a moment, then silently turned back to the house.
     
    No sooner had she put in an appearance than Jane sought her out and drew her aside. “Dearest Lizzy, I must know - what has happened?” she said quietly.
     
    Elizabeth’s eyes danced mischievously. “What has happened?” she teased. “You have married Mr. Bingley - that is what has happened!”
     
    “Oh, please, be serious, Lizzy - with Mr. Darcy, of course! You cannot be so cruel as to let me go away for so long without knowing,” she said persuasively.
     
    “And I am sure Mr. Bingley is waiting eagerly to hear this as well!”
     
    Jane coloured. “Well, he is very concerned - he has been so worried about Mr. Darcy, and then he arranged to seat you together, hoping you would have the opportunity to work out your differences.”
     
    So it had not been a coincidence, thought Elizabeth with some amusement. “Well, then, you may tell him that his plan succeeded, and Mr. Darcy now has a good understanding of how my views of him have altered. He asked to call on me once you and Bingley have returned.”
     
    Her eyes lit up. “He did?” she exclaimed excitedly. “What did you say, Lizzy?”
     
    Elizabeth was quite tempted to tease, but she could see how much this meant to Jane. “I told him I would like that,” she said warmly.
     
    Jane threw her arms around Elizabeth. “Oh, I am so happy! This is the best gift I could have received today.”
     
    “Yes, and you have a new husband who thinks you are the best gift he has ever received, and you should return to him,” Elizabeth said lightly. “I will write you a letter and tell you everything, I promise.” Well, there might be a few details I shall leave out, she thought with good humour, recalling the feeling of his arms around her and the exquisite sensation of his kiss.
     

    Elizabeth thought over her meeting with Darcy frequently in the next days, trying to recall each word and intimation, often with pleasure, but sometimes with anxiety when she thought of how long it would be until she saw him again. It would be a full two months before the Bingleys returned to Netherfield, and a great deal could happen in that time - including a change of heart towards a woman who, on reflection, had given him far more pain than pleasure. To make matters worse, she had no way to know whether his feelings had changed, since there could be no contact between them. She even half-hoped that Miss Darcy might think to write, just for news of his existence, but she knew that their acquaintance was far too slight to warrant such correspondence; so she resigned herself as best as she could to waiting.
     
    She had decided not to tell her family about Mr. Darcy’s interest in her