Status: Want to re-write a few chapters, make some longer etc. Esp. 16/17 - think I can make that better. I'll let you know in this status which ones I've changed.
A Modern Pride and Prejudice.
Return.
When Charlotte, James and I left Felicity's home on the day of our departure, I didn't know whether to feel relieved or sorry. I had enjoyed my time there, with the exception of the end of the week, but I had missed my own house a lot, not to mention the company of Jane.
Since William had given me the letter, I hadn't even caught a glimpse of him. Though I didn't agree with his idea that he believed Jane didn't like Charlie, I tried not to reflect on the rest of the letter to no avail. George had lied to me. He had betrayed his best friend and had attempted to cover it up by blaming it all on William. I couldn't help but feel tremendously sorry for William.
I felt even worse when I thought about what I'd said to him when he told me he loved me but I pushed it from my mind whenever I remembered.
Charlotte watched me from the rear view mirror.
"Lizzy, are you sure you're alright? You look a little ill."
I smiled as convincingly as I could and assured her that I was fine and not to worry. It didn't stop her from checking up on me from her mirror though.
When we pulled up outside my house, I breathed a sigh of contentment, glad to finally be back home away from Miss Darcy and her clear disregard of me. I hugged Charlotte goodbye, thanking her for the trip and nodded to James stiffly.
Jane was waiting in the doorway as I dragged my suitcase up the path and I threw my arms around her as soon as I reached her.
"Jane. You have no idea how much I've missed you. How was London?" I said, pulling back to stare at her face.
She smiled at me. "London was fun. Next time, you should come with me. How did you find James' Grandmothers?"
I looked down and scratched my neck, suddenly aware that I was about to lie to Jane. Maybe I could tell her just a little bit about what had happened? I could just miss out anything concerning Charlie and what William had done.
"It was um, fun." I muttered, grabbing the handle of my suitcase and tugging it into the hallway. "I have stuff to tell you, though."
Jane looked at me curiously but I beckoned her to follow me to our room so that no one else could overhear. She followed me up the stairs, helping me haul the suitcase all the way to our room.
I turned to her as soon as she shut the door behind us.
"Not finished unpacking, I see." I said, indicating to her clothes scattered across her bed.
"No, I saw that you'd come back so I came to welcome you." she grinned quickly before seating herself on my bed and patting the space beside her. "Now, what did you want to tell me?"
My mind flew to the letter from William that I still had hidden underneath my clothes in the suitcase but I knew I couldn't show it her.
"I - I saw William Darcy during my stay with James and his um, delightful Grandmother." I explained, falling onto the bed next to her.
If she was surprised, she didn't show it on her face. "Really?" she said. "Did he mention Charlie?"
"No. No he didn't." I said quickly, moving onto what had happened at James' Grandmothers house. "He told me he loved me."
This time, Jane did look surprised. "He what?"
I launched into how he had come to the house to find me, about what he had said to me (missing out the part about Charlie) and the way I had responded. I felt ultimate shame when I explained how badly I acted towards him but delved straight into the story of George Wickham and what he had done to William.
"So George has been lying to you all this time?" gasped Jane, shocked that anyone could tell such a lie.
"I'm afraid so. Do you think it was wrong of me to act that way, Jane? I just keep feeling so, so ashamed of myself. He was baring his feelings to me and I behaved like a stuck up bitch."
Jane placed a hand gently on my shoulder and shook her head. "You were entitled to feel angry, Lizzy. You believed George's story and you didn't know that he'd been lying. I'm sure William would understand if you made it clear to him that you were unaware - "
"No." I said, cutting her off. "I feel like I've done enough damage already. I should just leave it now. Besides, I doubt I'll see him ever again after my performance."
Jane stared at me with pity and I felt like I didn't deserve it. I still didn't agree with what William had done concerning Jane and Charlie but my hatred for him had lessened significantly since the truth about George came out.
I told Jane that I was tired from the journey and curled up on my bed, facing the wall. I couldn't for the life of me fall asleep though; all the while I kept thinking about the letter inside my suitcase.
Since William had given me the letter, I hadn't even caught a glimpse of him. Though I didn't agree with his idea that he believed Jane didn't like Charlie, I tried not to reflect on the rest of the letter to no avail. George had lied to me. He had betrayed his best friend and had attempted to cover it up by blaming it all on William. I couldn't help but feel tremendously sorry for William.
I felt even worse when I thought about what I'd said to him when he told me he loved me but I pushed it from my mind whenever I remembered.
Charlotte watched me from the rear view mirror.
"Lizzy, are you sure you're alright? You look a little ill."
I smiled as convincingly as I could and assured her that I was fine and not to worry. It didn't stop her from checking up on me from her mirror though.
When we pulled up outside my house, I breathed a sigh of contentment, glad to finally be back home away from Miss Darcy and her clear disregard of me. I hugged Charlotte goodbye, thanking her for the trip and nodded to James stiffly.
Jane was waiting in the doorway as I dragged my suitcase up the path and I threw my arms around her as soon as I reached her.
"Jane. You have no idea how much I've missed you. How was London?" I said, pulling back to stare at her face.
She smiled at me. "London was fun. Next time, you should come with me. How did you find James' Grandmothers?"
I looked down and scratched my neck, suddenly aware that I was about to lie to Jane. Maybe I could tell her just a little bit about what had happened? I could just miss out anything concerning Charlie and what William had done.
"It was um, fun." I muttered, grabbing the handle of my suitcase and tugging it into the hallway. "I have stuff to tell you, though."
Jane looked at me curiously but I beckoned her to follow me to our room so that no one else could overhear. She followed me up the stairs, helping me haul the suitcase all the way to our room.
I turned to her as soon as she shut the door behind us.
"Not finished unpacking, I see." I said, indicating to her clothes scattered across her bed.
"No, I saw that you'd come back so I came to welcome you." she grinned quickly before seating herself on my bed and patting the space beside her. "Now, what did you want to tell me?"
My mind flew to the letter from William that I still had hidden underneath my clothes in the suitcase but I knew I couldn't show it her.
"I - I saw William Darcy during my stay with James and his um, delightful Grandmother." I explained, falling onto the bed next to her.
If she was surprised, she didn't show it on her face. "Really?" she said. "Did he mention Charlie?"
"No. No he didn't." I said quickly, moving onto what had happened at James' Grandmothers house. "He told me he loved me."
This time, Jane did look surprised. "He what?"
I launched into how he had come to the house to find me, about what he had said to me (missing out the part about Charlie) and the way I had responded. I felt ultimate shame when I explained how badly I acted towards him but delved straight into the story of George Wickham and what he had done to William.
"So George has been lying to you all this time?" gasped Jane, shocked that anyone could tell such a lie.
"I'm afraid so. Do you think it was wrong of me to act that way, Jane? I just keep feeling so, so ashamed of myself. He was baring his feelings to me and I behaved like a stuck up bitch."
Jane placed a hand gently on my shoulder and shook her head. "You were entitled to feel angry, Lizzy. You believed George's story and you didn't know that he'd been lying. I'm sure William would understand if you made it clear to him that you were unaware - "
"No." I said, cutting her off. "I feel like I've done enough damage already. I should just leave it now. Besides, I doubt I'll see him ever again after my performance."
Jane stared at me with pity and I felt like I didn't deserve it. I still didn't agree with what William had done concerning Jane and Charlie but my hatred for him had lessened significantly since the truth about George came out.
I told Jane that I was tired from the journey and curled up on my bed, facing the wall. I couldn't for the life of me fall asleep though; all the while I kept thinking about the letter inside my suitcase.