Even more amusing than the debate about songs were the two conversations Lizzy and the ghost had about books. It seemed the ghost had been as widely read as Lizzy herself. Their conversations could have continued for hours if Lizzy had not been worried about staying out too long. He certainly seemed more cheerful, which pleased Lizzy.

The escape preparations were not moving along as well. After consideration Lizzy could see that bringing a trunk through the hedge would destroy the secrecy of the spot, assuming she could take a trunk outside undetected anyway. They would have to travel light. That meant leaving her books behind but Lizzy realized they were a small price to pay for freedom from this household. She had read them all so many times she would not really be leaving them behind anyway. Lizzy chuckled at the thought she would carry the ghosts of the books in her head while their bodies remained in her room.

Without the books her trunk would be light enough to carry by herself if she had to. In fact it would be best if she could take it down to Anne's room by herself early on the day they planned to leave so Anne would have the chance to pack her own belongings. They thought the best day would be one when the parson was scheduled to visit. They could leave while he was there to distract Lady Catherine.

Lizzy had returned to her habit of walking inside the house again in order to find the routes on which they would be least likely to encounter any of the servants. After some consideration she realized the best choice would be to go right down the main stairs and out the front door. Their biggest danger from that route would be meeting Mrs. Porter on the way. Before they could leave Anne's room they would need to get Clara and Betty out of the way as well.

If they could make it out of the house the next challenge would be to get the ponies hitched up to the phaeton. Lizzy had seen the groom hitch the horses up to her father's carriage often enough that she thought she could manage so long as the ponies cooperated. The main problem was the time it would take. The longer they stayed in one place the more likely someone would interfere. Lizzy wished the stable were not off-limits to her. It would have been nice to take a look around and locate everything she would need for when the time came.

Anne could barely contain her excitement. Pretending to still be a complete invalid was becoming most difficult for her. Lizzy wondered that anyone believed it. Anne's color was better, she looked less gaunt and anyone who could see the shadows would know they no longer hung so thickly around her bed. Anne was still ill, there was no doubt about that, but she was nowhere near ill enough to be confined constantly to her bed.

"Tell me about London, Lizzy," she asked as they settled in for another visit. "What sights did you see when you visited your uncle?"

"You must remember that my uncle is a tradesman. He lives near his warehouse in a pleasant but unfashionable part of town. We tend to shop near his home, not on Bond Street and we do not attend many events even among his colleagues."

"Still it must be fun to visit and see all the people. It does not matter if they are fashionable or not. Of course, one of the reasons my mother always disliked the townhouse is the location. It is in a respectable neighborhood but not a highly fashionable one. She would tell my father the house was beneath the dignity of the daughter of an earl. He would always answer that it was perfectly sufficient for the wife of a baronet. He took me there once when I was eight although my mother refused to go along. I remember sitting by the nursery window watching all the people and carriages in the street and wondering about where they came from and what they were doing. Father took me to the park and let me feed the ducks." Anne smiled happily at the memory.

"You seem to have had your own adventures in London," Lizzy told her. "That does remind me we will need the address so we can find the townhouse once we get there. I am used to having a coachman to find the way to wherever I am going. For our journey I am concerned at the possible danger to two young women traveling alone in an open conveyance in an unknown neighborhood. I do not see what other choice we have, though."

"Do you know how to get to your uncle's house? Perhaps he would lend us a servant just long enough to get us to the townhouse? I can give you the address before we leave."

Lizzy thought the idea over. "Yes," she said slowly, "that might work. We would still be exposed and there is danger. I do know the way and I expect he would help as long as it does not require him to commit to any support of me. I think we will have to chance asking him. You know what we are planning is quite insane?" she finished with a wry smile.

"It is better than remaining forever a prisoner here," Anne replied. "We will bluff our way through."

"That we shall. Now, let me tell you about the most wonderful place I have ever been – Hatchards book store."

"Oh, please. My cousin, Georgiana, told me it was her brother's favorite place to shop. I have never been in a book store."

Lizzy launched into a tale of her most recent visit, describing the shop front before moving inside and detailing the various sections of the store. As she told of some of the books she had looked at and wished to buy Lizzy thought of her discussions with the ghost. She wondered if he had ever been to Hatchards.

0o0o0

At their next discussion Anne brought up the subject of her cousin, Georgiana again. Despite a seven year difference in their ages the two carried on a frequent correspondence and were fond of one another. Georgiana did not visit out of fear of Lady Catherine, although Anne knew that from Georgiana's brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy, not from letters. Both Anne and Georgiana knew anything they wrote was probably read by Lady Catherine or Mrs. Porter before making it into the intended hands.

"I am worried about Georgiana," Anne told Lizzy. "We usually write twice a month, yet I have not heard from her since before Easter. William carried a letter from her when he came for his annual visit, but there have been no letters since. She knows not to write anything to which my mother might object."

"William?" Lizzy asked with a lift of the eyebrow.

"Her brother, Fitzwilliam Darcy. He is the cousin my mother wishes me to marry."

"I see. And your mother reads your letters before she gives them to you?"

"She has all the post read by Mrs. Porter, not just mine. Nothing comes in or out of this house but she knows of it first."

"I am glad the subject came up. I had thought to write Uncle Gardiner so he could send my first interest payment here. I am glad I did not as the request might have caused suspicion."

"I am sorry I did not think to warn you earlier," Anne said. "If he sent you funds they would probably never reach you. Have you sent or received any letters?"

"I sent a letter to Mr. Collins and Mary when I first arrived to let them know I traveled safely and to thank them for their consideration. I did not truly feel grateful at the time, but it was the polite thing to do. Despite the situation here, my gratitude has increased as I have reflected on the matter, so I am glad I wrote to them. I have not sent or received any other letters."

"A letter of thanks is the kind of letter that would probably be allowed to go through as long as it contained no complaints about the household."

"No, I kept it very simple, noting the pleasant journey, my thanks for the use of the carriage and company of the maid, my gratitude for the position and a small amount of praise for the house and your mother since my cousin would expect that."

"I am sure it did you no harm in my mother's opinion either," Anne said with a smile.

"Why do you think your cousin's letters might not be getting to you? She knows they are read, does she not?"

"She does. Either there is a problem she references that my mother does not wish me to know about or Georgiana has stopped writing for some reason. Both possibilities worry me."

"I understand your concern. Unfortunately we are helpless to solve the problem while we remain here. You can contact both of your cousins as soon as we reach London. I suggest you continue to write on your normal schedule while keeping your letters innocuous enough they might get through."

Anne agreed with Lizzy. They discussed ways she could ask about the lack of letters without appearing overly worried or saying anything that might be objectionable to Lady Catherine.

It had not occurred to Lizzy that her letters would not be considered private. As she told Anne, she was thankful she had not written to Mr. Gardiner. Writing with either a request for her allowance, since was never allowed to leave the house and had no reason to spend money, or to ask for his help in town would have betrayed their plans.

The ghost surprised her on her next visit with a discussion of betrayal in response to a ballad she sang. Lizzy had thought a great deal on the subject since her arrival at Rosings. While she was still hurt by the behavior and attitude of her uncles, she could better understand them now. Jane's defection without so much as a word of explanation to her still rankled. For the rest, Lizzy had practiced so well the art of tamping down her negative feelings that she could hardly muster anger or hurt over the behavior of her father and mother.

Lizzy was serious as she told the ghost it was not so much of a burden as the various betrayals felt at first. While she had previously been very cautious in sharing personal information, she thought no harm would come of her explanation if she simply avoided giving names.

Perhaps Lizzy had known her father too well, for the ghost was more emphatic about the shameful nature of his lack of planning than Lizzy, who considered it highly selfish instead of simply shameful. She did not mention her opinion of her father's selfishness, but went on to tell the rest of the events leading to her arrival at Rosings.

The evident sympathy of the ghost helped ease any lingering hurt. He surprised her with his admission to reading Fordyce and even more when he stated her education was enticing rather than a drawback. She had yet to meet a living man who believed the same. In fact, since her uncle insisted her education made her unmarriageable Lizzy had often wondered if her father, like her mother, had deliberately punished her for not being a son. He must have known the education he gave her would make her less desirable to most men of their station. On reflection it seemed the kind of thing he would do, especially since it so annoyed her mother. No matter what his motive, she did not regret the education she had received no matter what the cost to her chances of marriage.

Lizzy found her own sympathy engaged when the ghost told of the behavior of the friend he had thought of as a brother. He must have felt as she had on learning Jane was not the close confidant Lizzy thought her to be. And then to lose another friend to betrayal! It was too sad. As he started to say something about his aunt Lizzy heard her name called. In a panic she apologized to him, hardly knowing what she said. She slipped through the hedge and ran for the kitchen door.

"Where were you, Miss Bennet?' the messenger asked sharply as she came up.

"I had walked to the far side of the garden and was sitting between two plots. I am sorry you had to shout for me."

"Lady Catherine has summoned you."

"Thank you," Lizzy said with a courteous nod before making her way to the drawing room by the quickest route. Another second summons – she wondered what it meant.

0o0o0

"You were in the garden again," Lady Catherine declared. Lizzy nodded.

"Hmm." Lady Catherine looked at Lizzy intently as if trying to learn all her secrets. "Why?" she finally asked.

"It is a pleasant place and I enjoy sitting outside in the fresh air. I often walked outside when I was at Longbourn."

"So that much of Mr. Collins' account was true."

Lizzy nodded again then kept her eyes slightly lowered.

"Do not make it such a frequent habit. Once a week should be sufficient, not every other day."

Lizzy allowed a small burst of frustration to draw the shadows even as she nodded acceptance. She knew Lady Catherine would be watching for a response.

"Read from the fourth paragraph down," Lady Catherine said, handing Lizzy a book. Opening to the marker Lizzy found the paragraph and began to read while letting the shadows feast just a tiny bit more.