Longbourn -- Jo BakerVolume One, Chapter Nine

As mentioned in my 2014 Reading Goals post, I'm trying to add more adult fiction into my diet. And, as I like to chronicle this stuff, here I am, chronicling it.

Right now, I'm (obviously) reading Jo Baker's Longbourn, which is Pride and Prejudice from the servants' perspective. 

Feel free to read along! (If you end up posting about it, let me know in the comments and I'll link up.)

Basic rundown:

The Militia marches through town; something gets James all nervous; Sarah pulls a Veronica Mars on James' quarters; the handsome footman from Netherfield comes to Longbourn to bring Jane an invitation to dinner.

Other thoughts:

• Could James be AWOL? WHAT IS HE AFRAID OF/RUNNING FROM?? IT'S DRIVING ME BANANAS!!!
• I liked the bit about Mr. Bennet being all crabby about the servants being unsupervised while the family is over at Lucas Lodge: because obviously he's not a remotely effective supervisor, he's just cranky that he has TO LEAVE THE HOUSE. Heh.
• James has a book on abolition (not surprising, given his previous conversation with Sarah) and some seashells: I'm sure that Sherlock Holmes would have figured his whole story out by now, but I'm STILL IN THE DARK.
• Mrs. Hill exhibits quite a bit of discomfort while the Netherfield footman waits for Jane's reply; Polly is quiet while he's there, but then lets loose a whopper of a cringe-inducing statement (to our modern ears) after he leaves: "Perhaps they couldn't get an ordinary man," said Polly. Ag. Sarah (rather spiritedly), says that she thinks "he's lovely", which seems to get a reaction out of James. IS THIS THE FIRST SIGN OF A THAW BETWEEN THEM??

Index.