In A Good Mood

I got a call from Lizzie this afternoon, and she told me that she had safely arrived at Gracechurch Street with Maria Lucas and was now reunited with Jane. Lydia and Kitty left promptly at noon to arrive in Hertfordshire in time to ‘get settled’ (really they meant to go shopping), and they asked for some money for dinner and then asked for more because, as Lydia so slyly said, “things can turn out to be more expensive than you think.”  I knew I was in a good mood then because I didn’t say anything about their ridiculous reasoning or their annoying persistence; I just smiled and gave the money to them silently. My family noted this rare occurrence, but they made no comments. Longbourn was utterly silent after Kitty and Lydia’s departure, and I hate to admit it, but I found myself wishing for some noise.