AllFreeNovel
Share Us
41
“Dad,” Elizabeth said, surprised to see him standing in the doorway.
“Hello, Lizzy.” His green eyes softened, and he hugged her. “How was the rest of your trip?”
“It was amazing.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it. But it seems we have some other things to take care of first.” He turned to his wife. “Elizabeth has put up with this long enough.”
“Should we leave?” Charles asked.
“No,” Elizabeth, Jane, and Mr. Bennet all replied simultaneously.
“You're part of the family now, Charles. It's best to get acclimated right away,” Mr. Bennet said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “There's no better way to be welcomed into the fold, and I've been sorely lacking in male companionship for many years.”
“We don't need to discuss anything right now,” Elizabeth said. “I'd rather just get my things and leave.”
“There's no time like the present, Lizzy,” her father said.
“Oh David, let her leave,” Mrs. Bennet said with a wave of her hand. “I refuse to get worked up over some drama Elizabeth has cooked up—or exaggerated, at least. She always wants to blame Lydia for everything, and the poor girl isn't even here to defend herself.”
“This is just what I’m talking about, Frances,” Mr. Bennet said. “I heard what Elizabeth said about those pictures. Do you understand what Lydia has done? It's time you and I sat down to have a serious conversation with her. But right now, you owe Elizabeth an apology, and your treatment of her needs to change. Why you continually blame her for things not of her doing is beyond me.”
“And what do I blame her for?” Mrs. Bennet asked, sounding exasperated.
“You blame me foreverything,” Elizabeth said quietly. “You blamed me for Jason leaving, even though you only know half of the story.”
“Oh, I know enough,” Mrs. Bennet said.
“You know what? It’s time you learned the truth about that too,” Elizabeth said. “I came home from classes one day to find him gone. No note, no explanation…he was just gone. He never called me, never looked back, and apparently he had a whole new life waiting for him in California.” She paused. “And then I found out I was pregnant.”
Her parents’ faces displayed twin expressions of shock.
“Denny finally got Jason's phone number, but thatwonderfulboywouldn't return my calls.”
“What–what happened? Did–did you…?” Mr. Bennet nearly whispered.
“I miscarried.”
He closed his eyes and let out a tremendous sigh, while Mrs. Bennet stood frozen. Jane wrapped an arm around Elizabeth’s waist, and Elizabeth was grateful that her best friend and staunchest ally was there to support her.
“Jason was in South Carolina. I worked with him while I was there.”
“He was there?” Mr. Bennet asked, clearly stunned.
“Yes. And it's funny—he thought we’d just talk and get past things. He's the same ignorant jerk he was all those years ago.” She turned to her mother.
“You just…you wanted to blame me for him leaving. You were so convinced I ran him off... But even if I had, why would you turn against me? Why was my holding onto him so much more important to you than my well-being? And Dad, you–you didn't blame me, but you brushed it off like it was a teenage crush that meant nothing. You refused to recognize that it was anything more.”
Her father’s face had paled, and when he finally looked at her, his eyes were wet. “I'm so sorry, Lizzy,” he said, his voice rough. “I had no idea… You went through all that alone.”
Elizabeth glanced at her sister. “No, not alone. I had Jane. She got me through it, and helped me understand that Jason left because ofJason, not because of me. But before I understood that, I was convinced I wasn't worthy of his love, that I wasn't good enough for him, or for anyone. And you know what, Mom? After he left, you made me feel the same way. It was bad enough I’d lost faith in myself, but having my mother lose faith in me was so much worse. You were supposed to be there to pick me up, not push me down.”
Elizabeth turned to her father. “Your way to deal with Mom’s treatment of me was to tell me to ignore it. But the truth is,youwanted to ignore it. You turned your back on her behavior, because it was easier than...well, than doingthis. Talking about it.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “I let it go on for too long, and that’s my fault. I turned my back on Mom's behavior too, but I’m done. I will not let you walk all over me anymore.”
Mrs. Bennet lowered herself into a chair at the kitchen table. She remained silent, so Elizabeth took it as a cue to continue.I might as well put it all out there.
“Will is the first man I’ve let close to me since Jason left, and everything has just…imploded. Those pictures of Lydia in my house with George Wickham... Will recognized George as the man who assaulted his sister, and he thought Lydia wasme.” She paused. “For you to accusemeof bad behavior... Do you know how that makes me feel? What he thought, what he inferred from those pictures hasnothingto do with me and everything to do with his own past and his own issues. He didn't talk to me about it, didn't ask me about the pictures, he justleft. Walked away.”
