A Spring Sentiment: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 2) Read Free

Caroline Bingley freeze in the foyer. She had half-heartedly put together this dinner after much debate with her brother. The more she saw Darcy with that plain chit of a girl, the more certain she became that she only need show him what an upstart Elizabeth was, and then she could win him back. She refused to believe her brother's constant warnings that Darcy had never held a romantic interest in her.
    "How lucky, dinner is ready to be served!" Caroline walked forward to claim Mr. Darcy's other arm.
    "Caroline, they have only just arrived. Surely we are to take drinks in the drawing room first," Mr. Bingley said through his teeth.
    Caroline waved her hand dismissively at her brother. "I cannot be responsible if the cooks in these backwater counties cannot stick to a simple schedule. I was just informed that dinner is ready to be served, and I am sure the courses would be ruined if we wait."
    With barely enough time to have their cloaks removed by footmen, the Bennet family entered the formal dining room to a very bizarre table setting. On the one end, there was a plate flanked by two, with the entire middle of the table left empty. On the opposite end, there was a plate flanked by two pair. Clearly, the intent was for the Bennet family to dine at one end of the table, alone.
    "Who placed these settings?" Caroline yelled out making the kitchen staff in the dining room suddenly disappear through the door towards the kitchen in search of various tasks, except for a lone footman who dared to point out that Caroline herself had given instruction for the odd setting.
    Elizabeth couldn't hide her smile at the footman's breach and looked at Kitty, who also pulled a face, making Elizabeth laugh aloud. "Fret not, Miss Bingley! Perhaps you have yet to master clearly communicating with your staff. It can be difficult for those not raised in such a household" She broke off from Mr. Darcy's arm and calmly picked up a plate to carry to the side of the table with only three. Each of her sisters took the hint, and Lydia grabbed two plates to include their mother.
    "Oh, that's much better! What a, er, lovely centerpiece you have, Miss Bingley!" Mrs. Bennet struggled to find a compliment for the young woman as Caroline was escorted to the very end of the table by Mr. Darcy. For his part, after dropping Miss Bingley at her seat, instead of taking the setting next to her, he and Kitty whipped around the table to change places so he was across from Miss Bingley, but sitting next to Elizabeth's right side to round out the seating.
    While the footman served each guest, Mr. Bingley kept the chatter going as he delighted Kitty and Lydia with tales of London. Loose plans were made to visit various exhibitions and the famed Covent Gardens when the warm weather returned.
    "Please, Mama, can't we all go to London in the spring? It would be such a diversion!" Lydia exclaimed.
    "Forgive me, but I thought you were soon to be married. Married women rarely have time for such activities, or so my sister is always telling me." Caroline gave a knowing smile to Lydia as she took a sip of wine.
    "I am not—"
    "We have not set our plans for the spring just yet. Mr. Darcy, we have not yet decided where we are to wed! Would you prefer to return to Pemberley or have the ceremony in London?" Elizabeth interrupted and changed the subject.
    Mr. Darcy frowned at the obviously mean behavior of his friend's sister. It wasn't until Elizabeth gently touched his arm that he was shaken out of his own thoughts about how to keep the woman away from his impressionable younger sister, Georgiana.
    "Mr. Darcy?"
    "Yes, forgive me; I was not attending."
    "I was just asking about your thoughts for our wedding. Where would you like it to take place?" Elizabeth hid a laugh by tucking her bottom lip under her top one with a wide smile.
    "You must have it here in Meryton, of course! We will have the grandest wedding breakfast the county has ever seen. Perhaps you and Jane could make it a