Matters of Chance

Chapter 12

Elizabeth woke up the next morning feeling regret. She had gone to bed bitter and angry at Charlotte for agreeing to become Collins' apprentice, but waking up had given her some clarity. She stuck out her hand to her bedside table to grab her phone. She squinted at the bright screen as she read her notifications. There was only one text message, and it wasn't from Charlotte.

George Wickham, 1:47 AM: How'd the dinner party go? Did Darcy do any of his usual insulting?

Elizabeth forgot she had told him about it the other day. She typed a response.

Lizzie, 9:02 AM: I actually hardly saw him. Dinner was good, could have been better though.

Elizabeth swiped to the side and found her chat with Charlotte. She paused with her fingers over the keys. She started a couple messages, only to delete them a few letters in. She turned over in her bed and held her phone up above her, watching as the little black line blinked in its text box. Lizzie took a deep breath and began typing, this time, the words flew out from her fingertips, and she hit send.

Lizzie, 9:08 AM: I'm sorry, Char. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you yesterday. You're right, this is a great opportunity for you and I'm so proud that you finally get to chase your dreams. My reaction was selfish and not how a best friend should have acted. I understand if you don't want to see me, but I'd like to at least say goodbye to you before you leave for California.

After she hit send, Lizzie set her phone down on the bed and sat up. She swung her legs off the side of the bed and stood, walking out to the kitchen. Out there was her mother and Jane. Her mother was in the kitchen washing a pan. A plate of steaming pancakes sat on a ceramic plate next to the oven.

"Have some pancakes, Lizzie," Mrs. Bennet said with a big grin.

Elizabeth nodded and grabbed a plate from the cupboard and served herself a couple of pancakes. She drenched the pancakes in syrup and grabbed a fork and a knife. She sat down at the dining room table, where she saw Jane with a plate containing the remnants of syrup in front of her.

Jane smiled. "Good morning, Lizzie."

Elizabeth took a bite of her pancakes and waved back to her sister. She debated responding with a mouthful of breakfast, but decided to have more mercy for Jane.

Lizzie finished her bite. "Hey, why's mom in such a good mood?"

Jane giggled. "Oh, she apparently thought Charles and I looked really cute at the party yesterday."

Lizzie nodded. "Have you heard from him today?" She took another bite of her pancakes.

Jane shook her head. "He's probably sleeping in after having to clean up after a party." Jane picked up her phone from the table and looked at the screen. "I did just get a message from Caroline though."

Elizabeth shrugged and continued shoving pancakes in her mouth. She didn't care much for Caroline. Elizabeth was three-quarters through her pancakes when she heard a long, drawn out sigh from Jane.

Elizabeth looked over at her sister. Jane sat back in her chair, her phone on the table. Her lively demeanor had dulled and the smile had disappeared from her face.

"Jane, are you alright?" Lizzie asked.

"He left," Jane responded.

"Charles?"

"Yes, he left Meryton."

"Was it a business emergency? He's coming back, right?"

Jane shook her head and handed her phone to Lizzie. "Here, you can read it."