Expectations: The Transformation of Miss Anne de Bourgh (Pride and Prejudice Continued), Volume 1 Read online

Chapter Twenty

  By the time the party reached their hillside home above the city, their decisions had been made. They would leave as soon as possible. An overland trip would be too dangerous. With only one British Navy vessel in the port, a military escort or evacuation could not be expected. They would have to take their chances on a commercial ship, either English or ally. Dr. Minton stayed at the villa only long enough to accept money from Anne to book passage for the company, and then he returned down the hill to the harbor.

  They spent the night in hurried packing. Without sufficient wagons at the villa to carry their growing number of trunks and parcels, items of lesser importance would be left behind. Deciding that she could justify in taking only half of her trunks, Anne gave some of her clothing to Signora Abelli to distribute among the villa’s staff. Smaller gifts could be tucked into the luggage, but the carnival masks for the Fairfax sisters and tea set and crèche for the Collinses could not be accommodated. Her sole regret with her own possessions was giving up the masquerade gown, but it had never been designed to be packed anyway.

  Anne dreaded the prospect of weeks trapped aboard a ship, but with no other choice she would make do. If nothing else, travel by sea should be faster than the overland journey that had brought them hither.

  By dawn, the group had done as much as it could and waited with the stacks of luggage by the front door for the return of Dr. Minton. Tears flowed free as the villa staff and English visitors, once strangers, now grieved as a family torn apart. The most weeping happened between the rival cooks, Mrs. Ross and the villa chef, who had become closer than sisters. The planned cookbook, which consisted of a mere half-dozen completed pages, rested safely in Mrs. Ross’s trunk.

  A bleary-eyed Dr. Minton returned just after sunrise. Over a hasty breakfast, he told the mixed news of his success. He had found a sturdy English merchant ship that had just enough remaining passenger space to accommodate the entire group, but the best cabin had already been booked, so they would have to make the journey in what was left. Under the circumstances, he decided a timely exit to be more important than a comfortable voyage. Anne and the others agreed and thanked him for his efforts. The ship would be sailing with the tide just before noon, so they had to leave for the harbor within the hour.

  The household staff patched together a motley caravan of the villa carriage and borrowed wagons for the evacuating guests. With many tearful thanks and promises to return someday, the weary English contingent left their Naples home and headed down the hill for the last time.