The Ashes of Longbourn Read Online Free PDF Page B

soon and then Darcy would speak to her father.  Each day, she prayed that Miss Darcy recovered from her illness, and that she would be pleased with her brother’s choice for a wife.  As Elizabeth thought of the Darcy siblings, she said a silent prayer for their safe arrival in Hertfordshire soon.
                  A knock came from her door and Elizabeth called out to enter.  Jane entered her sister’s bedchamber.  “Lizzy, I am pleased to find you awake.  I am far too excited to fall asleep and I hoped you would be willing to talk with me.”
                  “Of course, Jane, you know I am always willing to talk the night away with you, just as we have since your engagement was announced.  I do not think that anything as exciting as Mamma plans for your wedding has ever happened in Meryton or the neighborhood.  I do not believe that Lord Albert’s wedding to Lady Eleanor will come close to the grand event of yours.”  Elizabeth gave her sister a teasing smile.  She closed her cherished book of sonnets and left it lying on her lap. 
                  “Oh, Lizzy, is it possible to die from being too happy?  I cannot believe how truly blessed I am at this very moment.  Charles is so kind and caring.  I know that we will be happy with each other.”
                  “Jane, I could not be happier for you.  You deserve to be loved and cherished.  I can only find good in a man with the good sense to fall in love with you.”
                  “And you, your Mr Darcy is a dear friends with my Charles.  This will make our future wonderful, as there will be much time spent in each other’s company. Our children will be close, and our lives will be filled with so much pleasure.”  Jane leaned forward and embraced her dearest sister.
                  The sisters continued to speak until after two in the morning.  Jane had fallen asleep on her sister’s bed and the two slept like they did as children, cuddled together, with Elizabeth wrapping a protective arm over her elder sister.
                  Near four that morning, their lives would never be the same again.  Elizabeth woke to the sounds of someone screaming.  When she was awake enough to comprehend what was happening, she could see smoke coming from under her bedroom door.  Elizabeth shook her sister to wake her before heading to the door and opening it.  When the door opened, a wave of heat and smoke knocked her to the floor.  The house was on fire.  She was able to close the door, though her hands were burned as she did.  Flames were rising throughout the house.
                  “Jane, we have to get out.” Elizabeth cried to her sister, as Jane sat on the bed, horrified at what was happening.  Elizabeth grabbed hold of her sister and pulled her to the window.  “Jane, you have to go out the window and climb down the ivy lattice.  We have to hurry; the fire is growing by the minute.”
                  All that Jane could do was to nod.  Outside Elizabeth’s window was an overhang which ran the length of the house.  They would be able to escape across the edge of the roof to the ivy trellis and could climb down to the ground.  Elizabeth was able to aid her sister out the window and to the trellis.  Once she knew that Jane was safe, Elizabeth moved over towards the window of Mary’s bedroom. All she could see in the smoke filled room was what appeared to be a body on the bed. 
    Determined to save as many of her family members as possible, Elizabeth began to break the glass of the window while she shouted to her sister to wake.   As she struck a second time, an explosion tore through the house, the force of which threw Elizabeth through the air.  On the ground, Jane screamed as she helplessly watched the sister she loved be thrown through the air only to land against a nearby tree.  She ran to her sister, finding Elizabeth