Wickham just always ruins everything, doesn’t he 😉
XOXOX Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 23- If Mr. Darcy Dared
Starting his Christmas leave early, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam became a constant fixture at Darcy House in London. When he was not listening to Georgiana play piano and sometimes singing along with his deep baritone, he spent the day irritating his cousin, Darcy. Mr. Darcy poured himself into his work as a means of distracting himself from being away from Elizabeth Bennet.
Richard had just settled himself in his favorite chair by the fire for a short nap when the butler knocked on the door.
“I know you said not to be disturbed, sir, but this express just arrived. I believe it is from Miss Bennet.”
Darcy hastily stood up from his desk to snatch the express from the silver tray as Richard also stirred from his chair. The letter was lined in black.
“Do you wish for me to read it first?” Richard gallantly offered as Darcy gave him a look of annoyance.
“No, I believe I can handle any disappointment,” Fitzwilliam said, as he tried to hide his shaking hands when he opened the letter. His eyes flitted to the bottom where the note was indeed signed by Elizabeth. His Miss Bennet, not the Miss Bennet, at least until she married Mr. Bingley next week.
Dearest Fitzwilliam,
Forgive me for lining this letter in black, but as I’m compelled to share this news with you, I realized the contents might be distressing to your family. So please do not believe that I think highly of Mr. Wickham, but that I acknowledge he did grow up in your home and I am sorry to relate that he has died.
Darcy paused his silent reading to satisfy the Colonel.
“Wickham is dead,” Fitzwilliam said, flatly. In spite of himself, he smiled, not because he took much joy in the man’s death, but that Elizabeth would be so considerate as to think about his family and how others not acquainted with Wickham’s worst deeds might feel about the news.
“Well, this is cause for celebration!” Richard began to look around for drinks to pour. “You know, now that he’s dead, we should not have to waste around here. I vote we go bother Bingley.” Richard found the decanter and pulled the glass top out, taking a strong whiff before he poured. “Meet this lady of yours and give him a proper stag night.”
Richard’s abilities in strategy allowed him to leap swiftly from the solution of one problem to circumstances that would make him more comfortable. But Darcy shook his head as he continued to read.
I wish I could tell you his death was accidental, or at least perhaps peaceful. But I am afraid it was neither. My sisters and I were in Meryton for Jane’s last fitting when I visited my Uncle Phillips. Captain Carter had brought Mr. Wickham to my uncle’s home for some minor transgression that needed Colonel Forster’s attentions.
I discovered my two sisters, Kitty and Lydia, without a chaperone, unabashedly entertaining Mr. Wickham as he sat in the parlor awaiting his fate. I became cross and ordered them to the carriage as I went to seek counsel with my uncle.
But it is I who was mistaken. Kitty and Lydia are perhaps either the most intelligent members of my family or merely the luckiest. They had conspired to flirt with Mr. Wickham up to such a point that he commanded to pen that he wished to elope with Lydia.
I am confident you are shocked, as am I, as to what could possess my sisters to engage in such a reckless and dangerous game with the man. I can only feel grateful for the outcome that did not bring such a burden as my sister running away from our family. As soon as Lydia received the letter, she pressed it into Captain Carter’s hands to bring it to Colonel Forster. I believe Mr. Wickham must have seen the exchange when the captain passed him in the parlor or else I cannot explain what happened next.
We heard such a commotion that we rushed out the front door only to see Mr. Wickham stealing my family’s carriage! Lydia and Kitty had been roughly removed from the equipage with minor injury, along with our driver, Mr. Nash. This had to be an act of desperation as it was but an hour later both the militia and a posse of village residents came upon Mr. Wickham just one town over in Berkhamsted.
Mr. Wickham was delayed in his attempt to sell the carriage and horses. I am to understand he was quickly apprehended, but as is common with militias that drill and practice for an enemy that might not come, a sense of anticipation is said to have overwhelmed one of the soldiers.
It pains me to share this with you, but I also cannot help but think of the pain-and-suffering your family has been through, and so I share this truth as it has been related to me in hopes that it eases your suffering. One of the soldiers shot Mr. Wickham in some kind of scuffle as he was apprehended, claiming the man was resisting arrest. It was this one-shot that set off a volley of similar firings. Before the smoke cleared, Mr. Wickham’s body was riddled with musket balls, and poor Colonel Forster received an ill-aimed effort in his right shoulder. They were able to use my family’s carriage to bring Colonel Forster back to camp where the surgeon managed to remove the ball and sew up the wound, but there was no help to be had for Mr. Wickham.
Darcy had read the account in a solemn voice, as even Richard had calmed down from his excitement once he had heard the costly end for Mr. Wickham. His face white as both men could clearly imagine Wickham’s demise thanks to Elizabeth’s words, Richard downed his drink in a single gulp.
“I shall go tell Georgiana. I will explain to her that he committed a senseless crime and then suffered the exuberance of a band of young soldiers,” Richard said.
“I should be the one to tell her; I am her brother,” Darcy said but Richard shook his head.
“You are the one who had to be there when she nearly eloped. Allow me to share some of the responsibility.” Richard set the empty glass on Darcy’s desk. He nodded to the rest of the letter before he left. Darcy continued to read.
There was some concern that perhaps holding Jane and Mr. Bingley’s wedding so soon after the incident involving our carriage and my sisters were in poor taste, but many in our village do not know Mr. Wickham well. What they have learned of him has not endeared his memory to anyone wishing to mourn. His crime of theft has perhaps made it easier for none to regret his passing.
I can only add in this letter how much your absence pains my heart, and I am anxious to join you in London as soon as I may manage. If this sad news can allow you to visit the neighborhood once more, I shall be even more delighted than I can give credit with words.
With My Tender Regards,
Elizabeth Bennet
Before Darcy could close his eyes and reflect on the last time he was in Elizabeth’s company to enjoy her affection, the door of his study burst open. The room became filled with the loud voice of his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and the stammering apologies of his butler.
“I told you I needed no further assistance!” The grand lady shuffled past the fumbling butler and walked decidedly with her cane to stand in front of her nephew’s desk.
“Aunt Catherine? What a pleasure to see you,” Darcy said as he rose from his chair to provide respect to his elder.
Lady Catherine did not accept his platitudes. Instead, she raised a bejeweled finger and pointed it directly at him, as her other hand gripped her walking cane most fiercely.
“Do not play the foolish simpleton, Nephew. I have come as a report of an alarming nature has reached me. Gossip, and intrigue, that you keep some mistress in Meryton,” Lady Catherine scolded.
Darcy began to argue, but she hissed so that she might continue. “Furthermore, my parson, Mr. Collins, says that you have plans to marry this woman that you have compromised so publicly. This is not to be borne! I have come here to collect you and take you back to Kent immediately where you will fulfill your obligations to this family and forget this woman.”
Incensed, Mr. Darcy took a half dozen slow breaths, finding the scent of his aunt’s perspiration and her penchant for violet perfume particularly revolting. For years, he had respected, and honored Lady Catherine as a sister of his dear departed mother. But she had long ago proven she could provide no warmth or love as Lady Anne Darcy had offered her children.
“You have overstepped your bounds, madam,” Darcy said, as he diligently worked to control his temper. He had maintained an annual visit to his aunt’s estate, Rosings, to verify proper management, not as an intention to feed his aunt’s gross fantasies that he would marry her sickly daughter named after his mother.
“I insist on this report to be universally contradicted,” Lady Catherine demanded.
“Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn is not my mistress nor has she ever been. I met her this autumn while visiting my friend Bingley at an estate nearby to her father’s.” Mr. Darcy began to contradict his aunt’s claims, and almost felt a thrill of revenge as her expression softened to one of smugness. Then he continued and shattered her dreams of uniting their households. “I have made her an offer of marriage, and she has accepted and to that end, madam, the only obligation I shall be fulfilling is my promise to her!” Mr. Darcy shouted.
All of the yelling had attracted the attention of others in the household. Richard and Georgiana suddenly appeared in the doorway.
“Have you gone mad? Yes, yes, you must have lost your reason. I can think of no other explanation that you would fail to listen to the wisdom of almost your nearest relation. The shades of Pemberley cannot be thus polluted by your marrying some girl of no consequence and threatening this poor child’s future!” Lady Catherine attempted to cast guilt over Fitzwilliam about his marriage prospects harming Georgiana. But her words sounded like a threat to both men in the room.
Protectively, Richard took a step to block his ward from their shared relative, but Georgiana pushed his arm aside and stood in front of him.
“You are wrong to come here and deny my brother his happiness. My brother has always done what is best for me even when I have made mistakes. My loyalty lies with him and . . .and . . . and as his actual nearest relation, I fully support his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” Georgiana said, without flinching.
“Hush child, you are too young to understand the full implications of what I speak,” Lady Catherine said.
“But I am not. You are unaware of my knowledge in many subjects for you have never bothered to take an interest in either of us since our father died unless it suited you. If it had not been for my brother, I would have eloped this summer–”
“Georgiana!” Mr. Darcy interrupted his sister but the damage had been done.
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes and considered her young niece who still wore her hair down about her shoulders like a young maiden. “What is this? Are you saying these men neglected your care and you were nearly harmed as a result?”
“No, that is not what I said–”
Lady Catherine’s eyes flashed with anger and she cackled. “This is not over, Fitzwilliam. Not over, I say!”
“Lady Catherine you will leave my home this instant or I will be forced to order you tossed out,” Mr. Darcy threatened.
“No need to call a footman, Darcy. I’m happy to remove old baggage,” Richard finally did move Georgiana behind him in a protective stance, anxious to escort their most disliked aunt.
“You have no stake in this, Richard. And wait until your mother hears how you have behaved . . .” Lady Catherine said, trailing off as she left the room without taking any leave of any of them. As she walked down the hall, she continued to yell and abuse the servants who aided her path out of the house.
The battle over, Darcy picked up his note from the desk and began to put on his coat.
“Are you leaving, Brother?” Georgiana asked, visibly shaken by her outburst. Darcy leaned over and pecked her cheek.
“I must. Richard, you will stay?” Darcy asked.
Richard nodded. “Certainly, and I’ll see to it we have a nice dinner spread, with Georgiana’s help.” He gave his younger cousin a wink.
Darcy tucked the letter from Elizabeth into his breast pocket and pulled out a few other missives from his drawer. “How domestic of you.”
“Aye, and here’s a fair bit more. Where are you off to? Lady Catherine can do nothing about taking Georgiana away; she is all bluster and no bite.”
Darcy nodded, running his hands over his pockets in a silent inventory of his person. “I’m aware, but I need to see my uncle,”
“The judge?”
Darcy grinned. “He should be with our godfather, and I find I must burden him with a task of nepotism.”
Georgiana’s eyes lit up and she began to clap. “I’ll go pack my trunks!”
Richard turned his head furiously between the two Darcy siblings, struggling to keep up with the unspoken link between those two statements. Suddenly, he broke into laughter.
“Of course, a special license from the Archbishop. I suppose I too shall pack. When do we leave for Hertfordshire?” Richard called as now it was Darcy leaving down the hall.
“Tomorrow!”
Chapter 24 - If Mr. Darcy Dared
As night began to fall in Hertfordshire, Elizabeth Bennet dutifully followed her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley from the dining room. A routine had consumed the Bennet family in the days leading up to the highly anticipated wedding between Jane and Charles. During the day, Jane and Elizabeth would visit tenant families or host callers that still stood with Bennet family, and by afternoon, Mr. Bingley arrived and stayed until dinner and beyond. His affable humor and interest in all of the Bennet sisters had won them over as a candidate to become their first brother by marriage. For Elizabeth, the wedding could not come fast enough as it would mark the day she would be allowed to leave for London to reunite with her dear Fitzwilliam.
The young couple and Elizabeth had just rounded the corner when two of their younger sisters came running from the parlor and nearly knocked Elizabeth down.
“Kitty! Lydia! Slow down!” Elizabeth called as she rubbed her elbow that smarted from running into Kitty.
“But there’s a strange carriage in the drive,” Kitty said.
“And we need to see who it is,” Lydia finished.
The mystery did not last long; a knock at the door startled all of them. As the five of them blocked the way, Mr. Bingley shrugged and walked forward to open the door, while Elizabeth and Jane shared a look of amusement. Since the tumultuous engagements, so many social expectations had changed. A more natural and carefree way filled the Bennets’ days, and the arrival of a visitor no longer appeared so odd, though it still excited the younger sisters. A few families had stayed away, most notably the Longs and Lucases, but they had been replaced by the Byngs and Fairfaxes without much fuss.
“Will you see who fit us into his busy schedule!” Mr. Bingley greeted Fitzwilliam Darcy earnestly at the door as Jane squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. Elizabeth tried to move forward, but a dumbstruck Kitty and Lydia blocked her way until Elizabeth could tug on the girls’ gowns and nudge them to move.
“Charles, you know my sister, but may I please introduce to all of you Miss Georgiana Darcy. Georgiana, this is Miss Bennet,” Fitzwilliam paused while Jane bowed her head, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet,” Fitzwilliam could not help his grin as Elizabeth matched his happiness and the two of them locked eyes. When Fitzwilliam introduced Lydia and Kitty, he did not even look at the girls.
Before Georgiana could say a word, Mrs. Bennet had come behind the grouping and began to shout.
“What is that draft? Oh, Mr. Darcy, do please come in. Kitty, Lydia, get out of the way!” Mrs. Bennet shooed the younger girls and they dashed away in a cacophony of giggles. Mr. Bingley quickly led Jane after Kitty and Lydia, allowing Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy to enter the house properly with the door closed behind them by Mrs. Bennet.
“Oh dear, you must be Mr. Darcy’s sister. Would you like to go above stairs and refresh yourself? I’m sure it’s been a very long travail taking a carriage so far this late at night.” With her decades of motherly instincts, Mrs. Bennet clucked and fretted over young Miss Darcy. Georgiana looked at her brother, but Elizabeth was the one who offered her hand.
“Although we just met, I feel that we will become famous friends. If you should like, I will take you to my room personally, Miss Darcy, and then we may join the others in the parlor.”
“You have no obligation–” Mr. Darcy began but his sister silenced him.
“I spent the entire carriage ride hearing all about you. It would be a great help to take you up on your offer.” Georgiana curtsied to Mrs. Bennet and the woman felt all the thrill of such condescension from Mr. Darcy’s sister.
As Elizabeth led Georgiana upstairs, Mrs. Bennet had not finished.
“We have just eaten, Mr. Darcy, but if you should like to see my husband in his study, I am happy to send refreshments to you.” Mrs. Bennet offered her second daughter’s future husband her warm hospitality. But Mr. Darcy declined.
“I’m afraid we stopped at the Meryton Inn before arriving here. I did not wish to put your meal out of sorts, madam, with three unannounced mouths to feed.” Mr. Darcy bowed his head.
“Three, but there are only two–”
Just then another loud pounding banged on the door and Mr. Darcy motioned if he might open it with Mrs. Bennet’s permission.
“Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, how do you do?” Richard made a grand entrance with a flourishing bow before Mrs. Bennet and then took the matron’s hand to bestow a kiss.
“Why, Colonel! You’re not with Colonel Forster’s men?” Mrs. Bennet suddenly became flustered as Darcy closed the door and hid rolling his eyes.
“No ma’am, I am with His Majesty’s Finest, a proud member of the Royal Scots Greys.” Richard watched as Mrs. Bennet’s eyes twinkled with admiration for his rank. He jokingly patted Darcy’s chest with the back of his hand. “I’m afraid Darcy here must not have explained. But I don’t fault my cousin, to him horses are merely beasts of burden. But I find that I cannot travel in such a cavalier fashion without looking after my dearest friend. And I must say, your stables are top rate.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam charmed Mrs. Bennet and she asked the cousin of Mr. Darcy if he wished to meet her husband. But the colonel declined and offered his arm, leading Mrs. Bennet into the parlor where she joined her younger daughters, Jane, and Mr. Bingley.
Upstairs, Elizabeth found Mary sulking in her room and quickly made the introduction of Georgiana to her sister. Georgiana appeared somewhat astonished to meet a family of no less than five daughters, and she quickly turned away in embarrassment when such an offhanded statement passed her lips.
But Elizabeth and Mary laughed, which put Georgiana at ease until she began to laugh as well.
“It is so much that we sometimes hold a similar sentiment,” Elizabeth explained and Mary nodded. “But there are times where when one needs a sister, we do not suffer a lack,” Elizabeth said, but then her eyebrows knit in worry as Mary looked away. It suddenly occurred to Elizabeth that so often Mary was the sister left out as she and Jane were often together. And the two younger Bennets, well they were together because none of the older three wished to spend time with them.
“Still, I thank you for introducing me and bringing me upstairs for a spell. But,” Georgiana looked at Mary, and then back to Elizabeth, “I’m certain you’d much rather be with my brother and I would dearly wish to spare him further heartache.” Miss Darcy took a deep breath before she continued in her bravery of confronting her shyness around new people. “If Miss Mary here will assist me, I shall be happy to stay with her so that you may return downstairs,” Georgiana said as the two Bennet sisters silently conferred.
When Georgiana sensed that Elizabeth did not wish to leave her, Georgiana increased her offer.
“Miss Mary, my brother tells me that you are an accomplished player of the pianoforte. It is my favorite instrument as well. I would love to hear what are your favorite pieces to play and perhaps we might enjoy some time at the instrument together?” Georgiana gulped and Elizabeth realized the young girl was putting forth her best effort to pretend she was not shy and terrified. When Mary’s eyes lit up at the compliment of Mr. Darcy speaking about her playing to his sister, Elizabeth realized it would be best if she did return downstairs and allow Mary this opportunity to shine.
“If you truly do not need me,” Elizabeth paused as Georgiana nodded enthusiastically, “then I’m afraid you know me too well already. I’m sure we will have lots of time together very soon, but I would like to go be with Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said
“And that is as it should be,” Mary said solemnly, to the surprise of Elizabeth. “If you’d like Miss Darcy, I’ll show you to my room where you can refresh yourself and share with you some pieces of music that I keep up there away from the hands of my younger sisters.”
Elizabeth left the two girls already speaking about favorite pieces of Mozart as she took the stairs to the loud, familiar sounds of her large family entertaining for the evening. When she reached halfway, she cocked her head to one side to listen to the voices in the parlor,; most she recognized but one sounded distinctly unfamiliar to her. As curious as she was, she could not hear any mention of Mr. Darcy, nor her father, nor their voices. So Elizabeth did not go into the parlor but instead decided to search the rest of the house and came upon the closed door of her father’s study. With a short knock, she waited for the words that she wished to hear.
“Come in, Elizabeth. Not that if I declined you would do otherwise,” her father called from the other side of the door.
Elizabeth grinned and inhaled sharply in anticipation as before she could open the door, the wooden portal swung open and she found herself crushed into Mr. Darcy’s embrace, exactly where she desired to be.
Chapter 25 - If Mr. Darcy Dared
With the reunited couple again embracing in his study, Mr. Bennet groaned and poured himself a drink. Jane’s wedding was a mere three days away and a pining Elizabeth he could endure. A daughter pouting, pining, and complaining about waiting months to wed was not a near future he relished living.
Mr. Bennet had expected the gossip around Mr. Darcy’s sister and the now deceased Mr. Wickham would have at least kept the tiresome suitor away a month or more. Instead, here he was arriving only one week from when he left; such whimsical travel only further aggravated Mr. Bennet as a reminder of the wealth his favorite daughter’s suitor possessed that far outstripped his own.
“I was just asking Mr. Darcy to what did we owe the pleasure before you joined us, Lizzy,” Mr. Bennet said, sourly.
Elizabeth broke her gaze away from Mr. Darcy where they had been quietly whispering salutations to each other to consider her father.
“Papa, I sent an express to London when Mr. Wickham passed.”
“Oh, that’s right, the memory escaped me.” Mr. Bennet playacted he was old and feeble and Elizabeth frowned.
“I find that hard to believe since we argued over the expense,” Elizabeth challenged and her father lost his jovial mood for another melancholy one.
“Perhaps, gratitude for my sending the express should be given since thus far my only fruits of such labor is a return of a suitor to my doorstep intent on taking one of my daughters away,” Mr. Bennet said acidly, as Elizabeth looked confused.
“But I-, that is, I do not understand? I cannot leave before Jane’s wedding, but that is only in a few days’ time and you already agreed, Papa! You said that if I wrote Aunt Gardiner and received her permission, I was to go to London!” Elizabeth suddenly felt very warm in the room as her anger rose. She did not have the pin money to send the express to Mr. Darcy because she had spent that money sending such a rapid message to her aunt.
Thankfully, the Gardiners dearly loved the two eldest Bennet sisters and had hosted them numerous times at their Cheapside townhome. They held no reason to deny Elizabeth’s request to leave with them after the wedding. Such an arrangement spared them from explaining they could not remain in Hertfordshire through the Christmas holiday as Mr. Gardiner’s business expected a difficult shipment just a few days before.
Mr. Bennet enjoyed his daughter’s consternation as he swirled his port in his glass, not offering such refreshment to Mr. Darcy. A rousing sound of laughter from the parlor interrupted the silence in the study and Elizabeth remembered hearing the unfamiliar voice.
“I came here because I could not hear your voice or mention of you when I came down the stairs, but I did hear one voice I did not recognize,” she said.
Mr. Darcy nodded. “My cousin, the colonel in the army, came with me.”
“To rob me of another daughter, no doubt!” Mr. Bennet complained.
Her father’s ridiculous behavior made Elizabeth laugh, but unfortunately Mr. Darcy took Mr. Bennet literally.
“My cousin is not free to marry for anything less than very sensible reasons,” he explained.
Mr. Bennet’s eyes bulged. “Are you claiming I have no sensible daughters left?”
Mr. Darcy coughed and Elizabeth laughed harder.
“No, Papa, he is saying his cousin must marry for money, not love. Just in a polite way,” Elizabeth said, shyly, suddenly realizing the words tumbling out of her mouth sounded very crass. As she worried that she had offended Mr. Darcy, she felt a slight brush against her hand as they stood side-by-side. Elizabeth turned to look over her shoulder and tilted her head to the side. “Does this mean you will stay for Jane’s wedding?”
Before Mr. Darcy could answer, Mr. Bennet stood from his desk.
“Sir?” Mr. Darcy addressed his elder.
“We should return to the parlor. I find myself anxious to meet this cousin of yours,” Mr. Bennet said. Mr. Darcy pressed his lips into a firm line and barely reacted when Elizabeth took his hand.
“Certainly, Papa, we shall be right after you,” she said brightly, expecting a moment alone with her intended. To her surprise, her father broke between them and slipped his arm into his Lizzy’s.
“Oh, I believe our curiosities must be satisfied together!” And before Mr. Darcy could protest, Mr. Bennet led his daughter out of his study with her looking over his shoulder, back at the tall man from Derbyshire.
“Fitzwilliam?” she braved his Christian name as her father practically dragged her from the study and he startled.
Her voice, calling his name appeared to have broken the deep thoughts rooting him to a spot in Mr. Bennet’s study and Mr. Darcy hastened directly after them.
You’ve been reading . . . If Mr. Darcy Dared, a work in progress by Elizabeth Ann West.
If Mr. Darcy Dared
a Pride and Prejudice variation novel
Direct Preorder Release Date: March 23, 2018
Wide preorder: March 30, 2018
As Charles Bingley and Fitzwilliam Darcy prepare for the Netherfield Ball, a gentlemen’s challenge develops between them to secure their future happiness . . . with the two eldest Bennet sisters! But when things do not go as expected for Mr. Darcy, Hertfordshire society is in an uproar over the pursuit of one of their favorite daughters by such a wealthy gentleman.
Despite being claimed by Mr. Darcy as his future bride, Elizabeth Bennet has no plans to wed the proud and disdainful Mr. Darcy, no matter what her father says! At her sister’s urging, she agrees to give him a chance, if only for Jane’s sake. But there are others with an interest in breaking a match between Fitzwilliam Darcy and some country miss. . .
The stakes are high and romance strong as two of Jane Austen’s most beloved characters dare to declare their feelings, dare to defy family, and dare to trust each other!
If Mr. Darcy Dared is a steamy romance for fans of Elizabeth Ann West’s other works, especially those readers who love their drama cranked to a ten!
Available March 30th on these fine vendors (more added as links become available)
+ 23 additional Pride & Prejudice variations are available at these fine retailers . . .
A Jane-of-all-trades, mistress to none! Elizabeth Ann West is the author of 8 novels and 11 novellas, 18 of which are story variations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
Wow, Mr Bennet is a real jerk!!! He is going to throw a fit over the special license that Darcy has on his person!!!
Such good news that Wickham’s demise means he will not be around to torment them, Georgiana is free of her ever facing him again, which may have encouraged her to defy Lady Catherine, visit Elizabeth’s family and relaxing with her sisters find Mary with similar musical taste of Mozart. Mr. Bennet is loath to have Elizabeth leave his home to marry Darcy so think will prevent Darcy to use his special licence. However, with Richard’s and Mrs. Bennet’s help, maybe Elizabeth and Darcy can find a way out.
Wickham has met his early demise. What is Mr. Bennet up to? He does not was to lose Elizabeth. I am glad Georgiana is enjoying Elizabeth’s sisters.