Free Second Glances: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice Continues (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice) by Alexa Adams Page A

are wrong! Elizabeth is the interesting one. You do not know me, Sir James, and you will regret your hasty pronouncements once you do.”
    “Can there not be room for two interesting, or for that matter, two beautiful sisters in one family? Is there a strict limit on the distribution of such charms?”
    “I do not know how such rules apply generally, but in my family Jane is the beautiful one, Elizabeth has the wit, Mary is the scholar, and Lydia is popular.”
    “And which one are you?”
    She looked at him blankly. “I am just Kitty. There is nothing particularly notable about me.”
    “But that isn’t true!”
    “Isn’t it? As you know me so well, Sir James, you are certainly prepared with a litany of my many accomplishments, are you not?” she challenged.
    “You play the pianoforte,” he responded confidently. “When we were first formally introduced, you were choosing music for a duet!”
    She shook her head vehemently, “My performance is passable, but only thanks to the masters Mrs. Rivers employed. Miss Darcy is a gifted musician, and it is when we play together that I can best hide my deficiency.”
    “Then you draw and paint watercolors, I am sure.”
    Again she demurred, insisting that while she was reckoned to have a tolerable eye, early neglect prevented her from true proficiency.
    “I hope you haven’t any languages!” he declared.
    She looked puzzled. “Only a smattering of French and Italian.”
    “It is better that way,” he explained. “A tongue is best learned by being immersed in it. You would like to travel, wouldn’t you, Miss Bennet?”
    “Yes,” she admitted. “I’ve always longed to see other places, but it is unlikely I shall ever have the opportunity to travel beyond England’s borders.”
    “Nonsense! Someday soon, I believe, the war with France will end, and then we shall have the entire continent at our disposal,” he said enthusiastically, a faraway glint in his eye. Kitty allowed herself to envision, for a moment, what traveling abroad with a wealthy and titled husband might be like, but she quickly took command of her imagination and frowned at her companion. This brought him back to reality. “I have done it again, haven’t I? And just when we seemed to be making such progress!” he lamented.
    “I do wish you would not tease me so, Sir James,” she replied with a hint of her old severity.
    “Again, I find myself assuring you I am quite serious, Miss Bennet,” he said, gazing at her intensely. “What must I do to convince you? Obviously, Darcy’s method is one I cannot adhere to. I must be honest with you regarding my feelings. It is against my nature to pretend that I am anything less than passionately in love with you!”
    She looked away, lip quivering. “You must not say so!” she cried, and quickened her pace to catch up with the rest of their party, this time with far greater success than before.
    Sir James remained behind for a few minutes, thinking intently on what to do. When he overtook the others, a curiously satisfied lilt graced his smile, but only Mr. Brooks had the insight into his character to know what it implied. Fully aware that there was no preventing his friend from committing whatever outrageous act it was that he had in mind, Simon determined to not even inquire into the matter, hoping to not be implicated by association. Later that day, however, when Sir James announced that he would be leaving town on the morrow, he could not help but inquire into his friend’s destination, such resolutions being amongst the easiest to disregard. The laughing response he received only confirmed his worst fears.

Chapter 11
    The gentlemen returned the ladies to an apparently empty house. Mr. Darcy was at his club, while Mrs. Darcy was attending to some business in her private quarters and was not to be disturbed. Mr. Brooks and Sir James would have liked to linger, a notion which at least one of the ladies also approved, but without a proper