Kitty Bennet's Diary (Pride and Prejudice Chronicles) by Anna Elliott Read Free Book Online Page A

stay in Derbyshire until the baby’s birth.”
    Jane and Charles have an estate not too far from Lizzy and Mr. Darcy’s place at Pemberley.  And they seldom venture from it to London, since neither of them is especially fond of city life and society.
    Mary gave me a censorious look—because of course it is not considered delicate to refer to the imminent birth of a child.
    That particular rule has always struck me as rather silly, really.  It is not as though anyone could not tell merely by looking at Jane that she is to be confined within the next two months—her stomach is a huge round ball beneath the high waist of her pelisse and travelling gown.
    Jane moved her shoulders slightly.  “I wanted a change of scene, and there was no danger in travelling.  The baby is not due to arrive until February.”
    I looked at Jane, surprised.  Jane really is the loveliest of all of us—even still, with the birth of the child so near.  She has curling golden-blonde hair and wide, long-lashed blue eyes and creamy porcelain skin.  And moreover it is quite impossible to hate her for it, because she is unfailingly sweet and good and kind.  Not the false kind of sweetness common in society, either.  With Jane, nothing is ever an act; she genuinely is nice, right down to her very core.
    Which means that Jane never tells lies, or gets impatient or out of temper, or snaps at anyone.  Not even Mary—or me, for that matter.
    Today, though, when I looked at her more closely I saw that there were slight purple shadows under her eyes, and a tightness about the line of her mouth.  It was more than that, though.  There was something in her voice … a hard edge that was completely unlike Jane’s usual speaking tones.
    “And Charles did not object?” I asked.
    Charles Bingley is Jane’s perfect match; he is as good-tempered and agreeable as Jane herself is.  And despite being both rich and handsome, he is very modest, as well.  When I have seen him and Jane together, he looks … wondering.  As though he still cannot get over the miracle of having won Jane for his wife.
    Jane shrugged again, not quite meeting my eyes.  And when she spoke, the tightness in her voice was more pronounced.  “Charles did not accompany me.  I came alone.  Or rather, just Amelia and I.”
    I was more surprised than ever.  And troubled, as well.  But I said, “And we are being abominably rude by keeping you standing.  Here.  Sit down.”  I led Jane to a side chair.  “And have you seen Aunt Gardiner yet?  She must be somewhere about.”
    Jane sank down into the chair with a little sigh of weariness, resting her hand lightly on the swelling of the unborn child.  She shook her head.  “No, I have not yet seen our aunt.  But I cannot stay long today.  I left Amelia napping.  She’ll be awake soon, and fretful if I am not there.”
    “Where are you staying?” I asked.
    “With Georgiana and Edward at Darcy House,”  Jane said.
    Darcy House of course is Mr. Darcy’s London property, but he gives it over to his sister Georgiana and her husband Edward Fitzwilliam whenever they have need to be in town.  It is where the party this weekend will be held.
    Jane asked how Mary and I were after that, and kept the conversation focused on Mary’s and my affairs for the rest of her visit.
    Mary—naturally—offered to give Jane a demonstration of the dance steps she and I had been practising, which at least spared me the necessity of answering Jane’s questions about myself.
    By some miracle, Mary must have absorbed some of my instructions after all, because she managed to get the whole way through an entire quadrille without tripping or losing the tempo.
    Jane, sounding much more like her usual self, applauded and said that Mary had performed splendidly and would undoubtedly be a tremendous success at her next social engagement.
    “I will look forward very much to seeing you dance again, Mary.”  Jane smiled.  “Since at the moment