The Houseguest A Pride and Prejudice Vagary Read Free Page B

and her dearest friend had recently married
and moved to Kent. Miss Elizabeth was left quite on her own, with only the
company of her younger sisters, and she has admitted she is not as close to
them as she is with her sister Miss Jane Bennet.

When I asked her why she did not accompany
her sister to London to visit her family, she first told me that she did not
think it would be so bad without Miss Bennet, and since she is to visit a
friend at the end of March, she did not think it would be necessary. However,
having been without her sister these three weeks, she found that she missed her
terribly and was rethinking her decision to remain at Longbourn. Her aunt and
uncle are also hosting her aunt's family from the North and could not currently
extend an invitation to Elizabeth as well. As you have been encouraging me to
step out more with my friends and into the role of hostess, as has Mrs.
Annesley, I decided to issue an invitation to Miss Elizabeth Bennet to stay
with me here at Darcy House, so she might more easily see her sister near
Cheapside.

She is to arrive Friday next and will stay
for three weeks and then she shall return to Longbourn. I do hope that you
approve of my plan, which I am sure you will as you have always spoken so
highly of Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I feel she is an excellent friend, and I do
enjoy her company. It is so much more pleasant to have friends in the house
than to be here all alone with my thoughts. Although I will be an attentive
hostess, do not worry, dear Brother, I will not fall behind in my studies. Mrs.
Annesley is staying on top of me quite diligently and Miss Elizabeth will be
going to visit her sister several times each week which will allow me ample
time to complete my work. 

I have greatly enjoyed the duties of hostess
in choosing a room for her and seeing to its preparation; you were right,
Brother; it is not as intimidating as I thought it would be, especially with
such a pleasant guest in mind. I hope your trip is going well and that you achieve
everything you hoped to. Please give my best to Aunt Preston and Cousin Harold.
I will see you in a few weeks. Who knows? Maybe you will get back before Miss
Bennet returns home, and the three of us shall a very merry party make.

Your most devoted sister,

Georgiana Darcy

Darcy leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. So she was staying
here, in his home, as a personal guest of his sister. He could hardly rescind
the invitation once she was already there, even if he had wanted to. Plus, it
meant a great deal that Georgiana felt brave enough to invite someone to her
home of her own accord. It was the first time she had ever done so and he would
be foolish to discourage her at this point. 

Hadn’t he just spent months pushing her to make friends? Was this not exactly
what he wanted her to do? No, there was nothing to be done for it. He would
have to stay under the same roof as Elizabeth Bennet for the next three weeks.
Now how was he ever going to escape her?
    ~
    “I thought your brother was to be away for some time.” Elizabeth looked at
Georgiana over the tea service in front of them.

“He was. At least that was the plan. He was visiting our Aunt Preston in
Somerset. I didn’t expect him back for at least two more weeks, perhaps even
three or four.”

“Hmm,” was Elizabeth’s only reply.

“Our Aunt has an estate in Somersetshire that my cousin has been learning to
manage, and Fitzwilliam has been helping him. He had told me that Cousin
Harold’s progress would determine the length of his trip, but he had planned to
be there at least a month. But it has only been a fortnight. Cousin Harold must
be doing very well indeed!” At this thought, Georgiana lit up and her face
glowed in delight. Elizabeth decided not to be discomfited by Mr. Darcy’s presence,
as Miss Darcy could hardly have planned it and she clearly wasn’t the type for
creating mischief. 
I have been too long
with impish sisters,
 she