Shades of Prejudice Past: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #5
By Jemma Thorne
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About this ebook
In this final Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter story, Lizzy must learn to make her own choices…in life and in love.
The discovery of Lydia’s elopement with Wickham throws the Bennet family into chaos. Her feelings for Darcy awakened after her visit to Pemberley, Lizzy must now admit there’s no possible future for them with her family’s reputation in tatters. She has choices to make. Will she let her ancestor’s whispered prejudices or her social obligations decide her path? Or will she reach for what she wants most in this world, even if it breaks her heart?
Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter is a series of haunted short stories inspired by Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice, and by the sort of tall tales best heard among the shadows and wavering glow that surrounds a campfire.
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Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter Series
The Netherfield Phantom
Spectres at Longbourn
Rosings and the Wraith
Ghost of a Pemberley Bride
Shades of Prejudice Past
Jemma Thorne
Jemma Thorne is a romance addict. She loves the thrill of new love to be found again and again in the pages of books, whether it’s a modern or historical setting, or better yet, one full of magic and mystery. She’s been writing for years (and years). She lives in a stunning land of magic and mystery herself, a place called Oregon, along with her husband and daughters.
Read more from Jemma Thorne
True Love Through Time
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Titles in the series (5)
Spectres at Longbourn: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Netherfield Phantom: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRosings and the Wraith: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGhost of a Pemberley Bride: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShades of Prejudice Past: Lizzy Bennet Ghost Hunter, #5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Shades of Prejudice Past - Jemma Thorne
Chapter 1
On a fine summer morning some four days into our stay at Lambton, I was happily surprised by two letters in the post. Truth be told, I had been frustrated with Jane for not writing me sooner. There was much that I could share with her, yet I hesitated to write after seeing Darcy at Pemberley. In such a situation it was possible to say too much. So the arrival of two letters this morning was a welcome change in plans from the walk I’d planned with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.
I could instantly see why I had not received a letter from Jane prior to these. The first had been sent to a wrong address and had been written five days ago. The second was marked a day after that.
We shall leave you to read your letters in peace, my dear,
Mrs. Gardiner said with an easy air. She threaded her arm through her husband’s and off they went. I settled myself in a chair to find out what my family had been about since we began our journey north.
The first letter started with an account of all of the happenings at Longbourn and abroad in Meryton. But my eyes were immediately drawn halfway down the page to where Jane’s handwriting changed from her usual neat script to a scribble. Normally I would have forced myself to back up and read her letter in its entirety as written. Yet two names stuck out at me in Jane’s scrawl.
Lydia. Wickham.
So I began to read in earnest where her handwriting changed.
Lizzy,
I have news that must be conveyed as quickly as possible. I do not want to alarm you – we are all well.
This concerns Lydia. We received an urgent dispatch late last night after we were all retired in our beds. Lydia has gone off with one of Colonel Forster’s officers. Lizzy, it is Wickham. Colonel Forster thinks it likely they’ve gone to Scotland.
Mother is beside herself. Father is angrier than I’ve ever seen him, yet remains stoic and nearly wordless on the matter. This news must be conveyed to our uncle Mr. Gardiner as soon as you know of it.
Lizzy, we must forget what we know of Wickham. We must assume the best. It is good that we did not relate what we know about his past to the rest of the family, or it would surely color their view of him.
Color their view of him? And shouldn’t it? I shook my head at Jane’s insertion of such a worry just after her introduction of vital news.
That first letter ended there, and I tore open the other without missing a beat.
Dearest sister,
I am afraid that the news I must convey today is even more startling than what I wrote you before. Lydia is gone with Wickham, that is sure. We had another missive from Colonel Forster today. But what he writes… Lizzy, it is beyond strange.
On this turn, it does not appear the wayward two are off for Scotland at all. They changed rides just outside of London and from what Colonel Forster was able to find, they settled their journey there. We cannot know what it means, but that they have eloped, surely as the sun may rise. Now they must be found.
Lizzy, have you told our uncle? Mother will feel far more settled when she hears from him. And I will too, in all honesty. We don’t know how long we can keep this news from spreading, or how long it will take to find the pair of them. Mother is beside herself at losing Lydia, and Father at the rest of our reputation. Oh, what will we do, Lizzy?
Praying to see you soon,
Jane
I was in the middle of scanning over the second letter once more when a knock sounded at the apartment door. I answered and found Darcy standing there, hat in hand. He wore that slight smile of his, but I could not return it and he started at the sight of me.
Lizzy, what is the matter? It is obvious something is wrong. The Bennets?
I nodded, and then shook my head. Everyone is well. It is just…
I drew a great gasp, which turned into a sob and I clutched my hand to my mouth, mortified. Eyes wide, I stared at him.
You can tell me what it is,
he said gravely. You have my confidence.
He had not moved from outside the door, and I gestured him in. I paced. I could not sit.
I did not know where to begin. My breath shuddered as I drew it in and began anyway. "My family is well. Everyone lives. Yet the youngest of my sisters has done something so harmful to every one of us that it is barely to be spoken of. And Darcy… You will understand this better than nearly anyone in the world. My sister Lydia eloped with Wickham not a week past. They are being searched out in London, where it is