{"id":2470,"date":"2018-06-01T08:17:23","date_gmt":"2018-06-01T12:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/?p=2470"},"modified":"2021-12-17T12:25:19","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T17:25:19","slug":"chapter-6-a-summer-shame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/readingroom\/chapter-6-a-summer-shame\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 6 A Summer Shame"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Mr & Mrs. Darcy sure have their hands full!\u00a0<\/p>

XOXOXO<\/p>

Elizabeth Ann West<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 6 - A Summer Shame, a Pride and Prejudice Variation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Door slams and raised, shrill voices punctuated Fitzwilliam Darcy’s afternoon, every afternoon. He continued to scratch at his desk when a few moments later, his lovely wife appeared in his doorway, breathless and with a few strands of hair out of place.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Fitzwilliam, I am at my wits’ end with that girl. I try to placate her, try to cheer her, and each attempt devolves into her blaming me for her every misfortune!” <\/span><\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth Darcy entered the study and collapsed into the sofa in a most unladylike manner. Darcy looked her over out of the corner of his eye, aroused by the site of her flushed appearance, yet equally sympathetic to her plight. After all, it was his own plight as well.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Perhaps we ought to pack our trunks and leave her in Scotland to deliver the babe? I do not wish for Miss Lydia’s childish manners to further injure my family.” His eyes darkened as he imagined the young woman, screaming in pain and alone, feeling in his heart it was not an action he could take, no matter how trying her behavior had become.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth’s mouth dropped in horror. “I could never leave her! She is a spoiled brat, but she does not deserve to be abandoned.” She inspected a loose thread in her skirt, making a mental note to show the flaw to Becky. The tartan fabric was one of her favorite frocks and one she intended to keep as a reminder of the happiness she had managed on her honeymoon. <\/span><\/span><\/p>

Sighing, she began to explain her main dilemma. “I only wish I were not alone to take the brunt of Lydia’s anger. I never was her favorite and I feel so helplessly miserable in failing to offer her the empathy she needs.” Elizabeth shook her head and rose from the sofa, walking over to her little desk they fashioned next to his to peruse her correspondence. An invitation to Mr. Graham Hamilton’s Blaylock House to dine in a fortnight caught her attention and she carefully fingered the rough edge.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

She glanced at her husband, jubilant he had sorted the piece of mail to her domain, a small but lovely reminder as his wife, it was for her to set their social calendar. She was about to ask him if he wished to attend, but stopped herself when she saw him pinch his temples and stare at his own desk. Realizing she was delegated the task and she must have interrupted his work, she bowed her head and made excuses to review the evening’s menu with Cook.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Darcy shook off his thoughts and stood for his wife’s exit, but grasped her hand to bestow a kiss before she left. As she offered him a flirtatious giggle and in return he bowed, then winked at her. He watched as she swished her skirts on her way out, and snapped his fingers as soon as she was gone, suddenly struck by a solution.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Pulling out a clean sheet of parchment, since this missive had far to travel, he mended his quill to a fresh point. Dipping the pen into the new pot of ink, he smiled as he remembered there were other family members he could rely upon to help shoulder the burdens. He began his letter in earnest:<\/span><\/span><\/p>

My Dearest Sister Jane,<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>

I hope the London Season has treated you well and you have found some enjoyment in the endeavor. I write to you in confidence to beg your assistance . . .<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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