Katie Oliver - What Would Lizzy Bennet Do?

‘Yes, about that,’ Lizzy ventured, and frowned. ‘What on earth happened this morning? Em and I woke up to the sound of you and Charli shouting at each other.’

Mr Bennet deposited the tray of scones on top of the stove. ‘My apologies. I’m normally a fairly calm person, you know,’ he added as he removed the potholder and sat down across from her. ‘But I have to admit that Charlotte’s antics yesterday pushed me beyond the limits.’

‘Why?’ Lizzy asked, alarmed. ‘What did she do?’

He levelled a glance at her and sighed. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t heard. It was in this morning’s Tattler , on the front page. That’s one of the reasons why I was so… irate.’

‘No, I was out riding all morning with Hugh and Holly. How did Charli end up in the newspapers ?’

Briefly he explained that her sister had snuck off to spend the afternoon with the film star next door, Ciaran Duncan, on his private yacht. ‘And I never would’ve known, either, if Harry Darcy hadn’t seen her and gone aboard to fetch her home. Mr Duncan punched him in the face for his trouble.’

‘Oh, Lord.’ Lizzy subsided into silence, overcome with chagrin both at her sister’s actions, and her stupidity.

‘It’s at times like these,’ Mr Bennet admitted, ‘that I miss your mother the most. She would’ve known what to do, how to handle the situation.’

She stretched out her hand and laid it gently atop his floury one. ‘You’re doing a brill job, Daddy. Mum would’ve got into a screaming match with Charli and probably would’ve slapped her for being such an idiot.’ She let out a breath of frustration. ‘Honestly, what’s wrong with that girl? She hasn’t an ounce of sense.’

‘I suppose it’s just the fact that she’s young and reckless, with raging hormones thrown in for good measure. At any rate,’ he added as he scraped his chair back, ‘I’ve grounded her for the remainder of the summer. She’s very put out with me,’ he said, and chuckled. ‘She slammed her bedroom door so hard, the portrait of your Aunt Henrietta fell right off the wall.’

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