Page 70 of Without Pride and Prejudice

“I could do with a good dad joke.” I squeezed him back the best I could. It was kind of painful.

Dad leaned away and took me in, making sure I was all right. I probably looked frightful, but I hadn’t had a chance yet to look at myself. That catheter was a real killjoy. But it was better than a chamber pot, so I hadn’t complained.

“I have just the joke for you,” Dad said, his eyes coated with a sheen of moisture. “Did you hear about the guy who invented Life Savers? They say he made a mint!”

I giggled, and everyone in the room chuckled.

“Good one, Dad.”

He smiled and took my hand.

“I must be off,” Fitz announced before I had time to say hello to Anna and Kingston. They were giving off some major sexual tension vibes as they stood close, but purposely not too close. Yep, I was going to try to fix that—I had to be true to myself. But, later. First, I had to deal with my own love life.

“Where are you going?” I tried to find out one more time.

“To redeem myself.”

I remembered what he’d said aboutPride and Prejudicebeing a story of redemption, and that’s why it was so beloved.At the core, he was right. It was the ultimate redemption story for both the hero and the heroine. But what did Fitz plan to do to redeem himself? To fix our story? I mean, I’d seen his estate already, and of course it enthralled me, but I didn’t need a country estate. And I didn’t have any sisters to save from Wickham. So I just asked, “How?”

He winked and walked out, not saying a word.

I immediately interrogated Kingston—he always knew what Fitz was up to. “Where’s he going?”

Kingston grinned. “You know I cannot betray his confidence, Miss Monroe.”

“Fine. Anna?”

Beautiful Anna, with her mischievous emerald eyes and silky sandy-brown hair done in waterfall curls, tiptoed my way. “You know I would tell you if I knew.” She sat on the bed next to my dad. “Which is why my prat of a brother wouldn’t tell me.” She handed me the flowers.

I breathed in their subtle, sweet fragrance with a hint of grassy undertones. “Thank you.”

Anna held up the bag. “I also brought you some pajamas and a change of clothes.”

“You are a goddess.”

“She is,” Kingston said, but then realized he’d said it out loud and cleared his throat in a way that warned us all not to mention it.

But Anna blushed all the same.

Kingston rushed to take the flowers from me. “I’ll put these with the rest of the flowers.”

I had a room full of flowers. Fitz had told me that many of the bouquets were from my newfound friends at Pride and Prejudice Park. I wondered who was playing the roles of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I hoped it was Macey and Zane.

“So, tell us how you are?” Anna asked, trying to move on from Kingston’s slip of the tongue.

Dad and I gave each other knowing looks. Even Dad knew that Anna and Kingston had it bad for each other.

I rested against the pillows, feeling achy. “I’ve felt better, but I’m alive.” Thank goodness for that.

“We are all very happy about that.” Anna patted my leg.

“I don’t know about your mum and Winnifred.” I grinned.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Yes, I heard Winnifred showed up at Pride and Prejudice Park, along with your ex-fiancé.”

“Tony is here?” Dad asked, shocked.

“Unfortunately. Though I don’t know why.”

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