Free One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation by Natalie Penna Page B

soiled with such pursuits.”
     
    “ Too bad. You could probably do with a few dents in the Merc'.”
     
    He put a hand on the hood of the car as if he was protecting it from my malicious intentions, “There will be no dents, if you don't mind. Shall we go? I should hate for us to be late.”
     
    “ We'll take the first car,” Jenny said, and pulled me towards Bentley.
     
    It was an arrangement I was more than happy with. While sharing a car with Gideon would have been enjoyable, it was wiser for me to stick with her. She knew that, and that was why she pushed me through the open passenger door first. For one moment it looked like Wyatt planned on joining us. Which was why, as soon as Bentley had sat down, I hissed, “Step on it, man!”
     
    We were in motion before he could put his hand on the door.
     
    I leaned back in the seat, and let out a long sigh of relief.
     
    “ Miss. Blake?”
     
    “ Yeah, Ben?”
     
    “ Forgive my impertinence, but are you not looking forward to this evening?”
     
    I blushed, “I didn't want to ride with Wyatt. It's complicated.”
     
    “ Ex-boyfriend, is he?”
     
    “ No! God, no! He thinks he's my brother or something. I can't stand him. But someone, ” I looked pointedly at Jenny, “Invited him along.”
     
    “ What was I supposed to do? I couldn't ask Gideon and not Wyatt. He'd overheard us talking about it. You can just avoid him while you're there. I'll see if we can keep him busy.”
     
    “ Not to worry, Miss. Blake. He'll be too preoccupied with the adults to concern himself with you.”
     
    I wished that were true.
     
    Wyatt was the clingy sort. If he had it in his head that he should be my shadow, then he wouldn't leave me for anything. I was glad then that I knew Jenny's house almost as well as my own. I could hide myself away in the gallery, or sneak down to the kitchens, or even to the gazebo in her enormous garden. Anything to be free of his incessant conversation, and unwanted opinions.
     
    Old money meant a big mansion. It had probably been owned by Jenny's family since before the French revolution, and had been passed down to each generation. One day it would all be hers. Although I had no idea what she'd do with fifty bedrooms and a billiard room. Still, it had to be nice to know that she would never have to earn enough to get a deposit on a cramped little flat like I would. I mean, my Mum would buy me a house if I asked, but I had no intention of doing that. It wouldn't be worth anything if I didn't get it myself.
     
    The cars parked in an orderly line outside, and the drivers hurried to open the doors for their passengers. Wyatt was the first out, and fussed over Meg and Chrissy, insisting on helping them to step down from the vehicle. Gideon had no choice in helping Lisa. If she'd been any closer to him, he'd have been forced to carry her. He smiled at me with a somewhat helpless expression, and I shrugged in response. Lisa was silly enough to do that to any man. There was no reason to feel jealous about it.
     
    Although I kind of did.
     
    Jenny took my hand, and led me up the grand stone steps to the front door. When rich people said party, they really went all out. There were people in attendance I didn't recognise, who laughed and drank noisily as we entered. Even if the excuse for the event was Jenny's recovery, hardly any of them noticed her join them. It was just a reason to drink at someone else's expense. At least there was one friendly face.
     
    “ Jenny, darling,” Ms. Ayers hugged her daughter tightly. She beamed at me, and beckoned me closer for the same greeting. I really wished that Jenny and I were real sisters. Her mother had treated me better than my own ever had. She kissed the top of my head affectionately, “Don't you both look beautiful this evening? Ah, and you brought the rest of the rabble with you! Good evening, girls.”
     
    “ Hi, Ms. Ayers,” Lisa greeted cheerily, “This is Gideon, he's one of our new