First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 43

They did not have long to wait. Within a week, Lydia's freedom had been procured, her annulment paid for and filed. Mrs. Gardiner began calling Liz's cellphone to speak to someone other than Mrs. Bennet occasionally.

"She's not happy at all," Mrs. Gardiner said to Liz the day before their flight was booked. "She hasn't left the hotel room since she got here. I told her she couldn't go out alone, but I'd be happy to go with her, but she refuses me. She won't even go out on the balcony."

"Hmm." Liz could not imagine Lydia ever refusing an opportunity to sunbathe, even if it was during the middle of a good, long sulk. Her moping usually coordinated itself to be personally useful in the end.

"I think it will be good for her to come home. You and Jane can knock some sense into her."

"Maybe. It hasn't worked yet."

"I have faith in your, Lizzie. You are very successful at imparting your wisdom to others."

Liz laughed. "I do not believe you, Auntie Mel!"

As they were signing off, Liz could not help but think there was some kind of joke in her aunt's laugh that she was not in on. She didn't linger long on the thought—first she had to report to Cat and Jane. Their heads were bowed together over the kitchen table, speaking in barely more than whispers to each other, when Mr. Bennet entered, reaching for his car keys. Their heads whipped up in unison.

As different as all his children were, Mr. Bennet has never come to understand just how they could do that—the way they could move in sync. Especially during times of stress and anxiety, the problems of even one leaking inevitably into the other four, they had the uncanny ability to form into a single being, motions mimicked and mirrored across multiple sets of hands, many faces. He would never admit it to a single one of them (not even Liz) but, being an only child, it frightened him a little. Sometimes he was certain they would gang up on him.

Like they did now.

"Is Lydia here?"

"Can I come?"

"Please let us come!"

He couldn't say which daughter spoke which words. "Absolutely not."

"Dad!" Cat complained, jumping to her feet and smacking her palms against the table.

"Please," Liz groaned, leaning forward over the table, one hand twitching towards her father.

"I would really like to see her," Jane offered quietly.

"No. If you all come, you'll just rile her up again. The goal is calm."

"I can be calm!" Cat all but screamed.

Mr. Bennet shot her a withering look.

"Please, please, please, Daddy! I want to see my sister."

"And you will. But you have to be patient." He might have said more, but he feared if he went on, he might keep going until something that couldn't be smoothed over with time slipped out. Instead, he shook his hand until the keys clanked together in his palm and turned on his heel, exiting the kitchen.

Jane, if not the others, knew when she was beat. She had to physically hold Cat back from running out the door after them. Liz might have followed after him, determined to convince him that she, if not the others, was a reasonable choice, if not for the expression on his face before he walked away.

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"Now she's just going to get a lecture in the car! I was only trying to help her," Cat pouted.