Free The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins Page B

realisation that she was now on her own at Pemberley. Without her aunt and sisters, she felt suddenly alone, despite the loving support of her husband and the admiration and affection of her sister-in-law. This prompted her to invite Kitty to stay on while Mary returned home.
"You could stay on until after Father arrives and return to Longbourn in the Spring with him," she suggested and was a little surprised at the cheerful alacrity with which Kitty accepted, asking only that her mother pack a couple of her favourite dresses and a bonnet, to be sent over with her father's things when he came to Pemberley. Elizabeth was pleased. She and Jane had only recently discussed the change in Kitty since being separated from Lydia. "Yes, and I do believe if she were to return to Longbourn, our mother will very likely take her North to Newcastle, when she travels there in March," said Jane, adding, "and all the good work we've done will be undone."
"Indeed it will, and I am sure it will not be in Kitty's interest to fall in with the type of person with whom Wickham and Lydia are likely to keep company," observed Lizzie, thinking, as she spoke, that it would never do for their family to have to contend with another catastrophe of the kind visited upon them by Lydia and Wickham.
She could imagine the outrage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and the sneering comments of Caroline Bingley, which would surely sour her own marriage, should such a circumstance arise again. Darcy's forbearance and generosity of spirit were likely to be sorely tested, and neither he nor Bingley would feel comfortable trying to explain away another faux pas by one of their sisters.
For Kitty's sake, too, it was far better that she complete her development in the society of people far superior to those her errant sister could provide in Newcastle. Strangely, it seemed Kitty had come to the same conclusion, because she appeared to spend much of her time with Georgiana, actually practising the piano, helping with her music and the Children's Choir.
Elizabeth wept as she parted from Jane; they had grown even closer together since being married, and the knowledge that Jane would probably not return for the wedding of Rosamund Camden and James Fitzwilliam, later that year, saddened her sister considerably.
Darcy noticed her distress and moved to console both sisters with a promise that they would surely be visiting Netherfield very soon. After many affectionate hugs and kisses and faithful promises to write almost at once, if not sooner, they were gone, leaving a tearful little party on the steps, for even the servants had grown so fond of the lovely Mrs Bingley. With her sweet nature and gentle ways, she was their favourite.
Close behind them, the Gardiners' carriage, with Mr and Mrs Gardiner, Mary, and the little Gardiners hanging out of the windows, rolled forward, and there were more hugs and tears. When the two carriages had disappeared from sight, Elizabeth turned and found her husband close beside her, took his arm, and went indoors, not even trying to hide her tears.
    C HAPTER F OUR
    Letters
    I
    N THE MONTHS THAT followed, many letters flowed between Pemberley, London, Netherfield Park, and Longbourn. Elizabeth had not spent more than a few days before she longed to put pen to paper. In her private sitting
    room, overlooking the park, she pondered on all that surrounded her at Pemberley. It was not just the years of tradition and family history or the exquisite treasures of Darcy's forebears, nor was it the presence of an army of servants and tenant families, who regarded her husband with so much deference and respect, that now flowed through to her. It was much more than that. It was a sense of stability, an environment of elegance and harmony that prevailed throughout, almost defying the ravages of conflict, to create a pervading atmosphere of tranquillity. It was this same stability she had begun to appreciate in her husband, with his unswerving consistency of