A secret marriage against Lady Catherine’s wishes… what could go wrong?
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 28 - A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Chirping birds harkened the arrival of dawn as Elizabeth Bennet shivered in the morning’s crisp start. Taking a moment to collect a few blooms along the way, she worried not that the bottom of her best gown showed several inches of dew stains. Her breath caught in her chest, as standing outside the small chapel on the north side of the estate was her Fitzwilliam, dressed impeccably in a suit of the finest cut in a pale gray.
“Good morning, sir, it looks to be a glorious day for a wedding!” She called out as she turned onto the front of the chapel’s outdoor path. Walking down a perfect aisle from the shrubbery around her, with the blossoms for Anne firmly in her hand, Fitzwilliam Darcy turned to see a vision of his loveliest dream walking towards him with the sun’s glory illuminating around her.
As Elizabeth approached, he extended his hand to accept hers and bowed over it to kiss the top, careful to nip just above her petite glove.
“Good morning, madam, I am only sorry to say the wedding should be for another couple.”
Elizabeth smiled and cocked her head to one side. With a heavy sigh, she felt surprised to feel tears prick the edges of her eyes. She shook her head, determined not to cry before the ceremony even began, and sniffed. “Our time is near, Fitzwilliam. I am afraid once we return to Hertfordshire, my father might insist upon a proper courtship.” Elizabeth giggled and took a step back so that Mr. Darcy could open the chapel door.
Inside, the stone abbey was aglow with candles, and Miss de Bourgh’s long time companion Mrs. Annesley and her maid, Harriet, sat in the small pews. The bride was prettily seated in an ornate chair provided for her health and Elizabeth happily took her place as witness. As the men discussed the license and particulars with the exalted Archbishop of Canterbury, Elizabeth suddenly felt very shy to see Fitzwilliam’s godfather.
“Are those for me?” Anne inquired, noticing Elizabeth looking uncomfortable.
Elizabeth nodded and handed her wildflower bouquet to her friend and hopefully one day, cousin.
“They are so beautiful. You should not have troubled.”
“I understand that if there is ever a day to undertake any troubles for any one, it is most certainly for a bride on her wedding day!” Elizabeth laughed and noticed Mrs. Annesley nodded sagely while Harriet covered her giggle.
“If we may proceed, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of our God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.” His Grace began the service.
“And also with you,” those in attendance responded.
The marriage ceremony was identical to the ceremony Elizabeth watched for Jane and Mr. Bingley, only this time her gaze could not leave the face of the male witness. As Richard and Anne took their vows to love, cherish, and protect one another, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam could only stand silently, each wishing to make the same declarations.
The service ended with communion for all and as Elizabeth knelt for a blessing from the Archbishop, she was stunned when the older man looked at her with kind eyes and proclaimed: “You will do well for my Fitzwilliam. Blessed be your life, Elizabeth Bennet.”
She nodded, not knowing what to say, the solemnity of the moment weighing too heavily on her conscience. Briefly, doubts of being strong enough to become his wife flashed across her mind, but she closed her eyes and relished in the peace of love. If the Archbishop of Canterbury was certain, who was a young miss from Hertfordshire to contradict him?
The smile did not stay away long from Lizzie’s lips and it was all much too soon that Fitzwilliam was walking her back towards the parsonage as the sun was now high enough to be early morning. Arm in arm, as it no longer mattered who saw them together, for Anne and Richard were bound in Holy Matrimony, Elizabeth felt herself slow her pace as it suddenly felt wrong to leave Fitzwilliam’s side.
“I have spoken to Father Charles and he is most intrigued by your cousin’s management of the parish.”
“But a living cannot be revoked except for extreme misconduct . . .”
Darcy nodded as they reached the path where they must break away unless he was to walk her to the parsonage. Both of them stopped.
“Can you bear four more days, Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth asked earnestly, biting her lower lip.
“Four days? Whatever for, Elizabeth? I am free! Free to whisk you away this very minute to seek your father’s permission and to Gretna Green if need be!”
As he twirled them about in a rare bubbling over of his emotions, Elizabeth laughed. The meadow around her became a blur of colors. When they stopped, she regained her focus from the momentary dizziness.
“I fear for Charlotte. And I have not visited yet a fortnight, after we leave, I do not know when we shall return, do you?”
Darcy frowned, and quickly recovered remembering how intently his beloved Elizabeth studied his face. “I cannot play the offended suitor. Richard asked me to stay on for a few days at most to see to a smooth transition of the estate. He may need to ride to London himself should our aunt fight their wedding.”
“Fight it? Surely she cannot seek an annulment when The Most Reverend presided . . . I mean, who on earth would challenge such a wedding?”
Darcy wiped his chin with his hand, imagining the sheer preposterous situation his Lizzie just evoked. “You do not know my aunt, I would not be surprised if she sought Prinny’s help. The man’s opinion can almost always be purchased.”
A crow crying off in the distance distracted the happy couple back to their present aims. Darcy’s hand delicately traced Elizabeth’s jaw and very softly he kissed her lips.
“Fitzwilliam . . .”
“No, my darling, today should have been a double wedding. This madness has gone on long enough. May the world know Fitzwilliam Darcy, Master of Pemberley, Carver, and Darcy House in London is caught, and he prays his future wife shall never let him go.”
The pretty speech made Elizabeth blush and she looked up at him through her eyelashes. With a heavy sigh, she released her grip on his arms and walked a few steps backwards.
“You ought to go back, soon as Lady Catherine finds out about the wedding, Richard and Anne will need you.”
Darcy nodded and bowed sweepingly low for his intended bride out of respect. The mantle he was asking this young woman to wear would not be light, but he had no doubt the caliber of her character would more than carry her through this trying time and all future ones.
This time, it was Fitzwilliam who watched Elizabeth’s lithe figure walk forlornly towards the cottage her cousin lived in. Once she rounded the bend in the road, Darcy adjusted his hat and turned on his heel to head the hundred yards towards Rosings. He would not miss his aunt’s apprising of her dowager status for the world.
Chapter 29- A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Elation over the wedding ceremony and her future by Mr. Darcy’s side evaporated as soon as Elizabeth carefully closed the side kitchen door to the parsonage.
“There you are, Cousin Elizabeth. I was getting a little nervous.”
His voice chilled Elizabeth to the bone and the small hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Hunched over the door handle, she slowly craned her face around her shoulder to see her cousin, Mr. Collins sitting calmly at the worktable. For a brief moment, neither of them moved, as soon as Elizabeth began to turn he grabbed and dragged her from the kitchen by the forearm.
Elizabeth cried out in pain as his grip and twist was thrice the strength he had employed before.
“Nasty, conniving, trollop that does not deserve a shred of dignity . . .” he muttered on and on as many insulting epithets as he managed with Elizabeth struggling against his aims. With a harsh toss, he cast Elizabeth to the floor; she barely braced her fall, further injuring her twisted arm.
“Stop! Mr. Collins, perhaps she has an explanation. Lizzie, you have an explanation, tell my husband why you are dressed . . . and out . . .” Charlotte Collins looked at her friend upon the floor from the safety of the stairs, as if the bannister and railing provided some magical barrier to Mr. Collins’ anger. As Charlotte’s eyes widened at the damning evidence before her, Elizabeth raised her arms defensively looking towards her friend.
The first slap stung Elizabeth’s cheek before she had any warning and her face turned most violently in the direction of the force.
“Look at her! Who did you rendezvous with? Out with it! Which man made you his whore that you sneak out at the break of dawn to meet your liaisons?” Collins reached forward to lift up Elizabeth’s dress as if looking for proof of her dalliances. Elizabeth smacked his hands away as she screamed again, pulling her gown down and scurrying backwards as much as she could manage.
“You are mad! Absolutely mad! I’ve not had any such liaisons!”
“Lizzie, do not lie. He hates it when you lie,” Charlotte advised, again distracting Elizabeth briefly before another slap met her face.
Truly angry, Elizabeth scrambled to stand and picked up the closest object she could find. The book flew wide, not coming even close to Mr. Collins’ person. She continued to back away from his menacing presence.
“I am not lying! I went for a walk, which I know, is against the rules, but I had to get out. I had to walk in God’s great cathedral of nature.”
“Do not dare speak of our Heavenly Father, your words are a displeasure to Him. You defy every person of authority and expect no retribution. Oh, retribution is coming.” Collins reached behind him to pull a crop from the side table. Raising it high, he brought it down with such force, Elizabeth only barely managed to shield her face, though her arm felt on fire from the blow.
“I witnessed your treachery, kissing an engaged man out in the open!” Another blow came down, but Elizabeth managed to dodge just at the last moment causing Mr. Collins to stumble forward and grasp the mantle to steady himself.
“I kissed my future husband! Mr. Darcy is to marry me!”
“Lies!” Collins roared turning and rushing towards Elizabeth who tipped the armchair at the last possible second to thwart him once more.
Ducking below the legs of the upturned chair, Elizabeth cowered and prepared to lift up on the chair again in defense.
“Anne and Richard married this morning. Mr. Darcy and I stood witness as His Grace performed the ceremony.” Elizabeth flinched as she breathed easier, expecting his temper to calm once he heard the truth.
As she opened her eyes, a moment passed. The last thing Elizabeth Bennet saw was Charlotte’s mouth open wide in a scream.
NEW RELEASE
For the Love of a Bennet
What if Elizabeth Bennet traveled with Lydia to Brighton?
A reimagining of Jane Austen’s most beloved tale, Pride & Prejudice, join author Elizabeth Ann West as she writes the romantic adventure story she always wanted! When Lizzy and Lydia arrive in Brighton, it’s very clear that the younger Bennet sister came with very serious plans towards Mr. Wickham. Thankfully, an old ally is also in town, with problems of his own to solve. After Mr. Darcy, himself, is summoned to Brighton to hopefully solve two dilemmas with one wealthy member of the gentry, the whole militia is thrown into an uproar by Wickham’s most dastardly deed, yet. Together, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have to save Lydia from her own undoing, or it will mean more than just mere reputations are ruined.
For the Love of a Bennet is a novel length story, currently being posted chapter by chapter on Elizabeth’s author site. This story was originally conceptualized in 2019 as a part of the All Go to Brighton challenge.
Chapter 30 - A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Hours later, Elizabeth woke with a vile taste in her mouth and instinctively leaned over as she began to toss up the liquid contents of her stomach onto the bare floor. Her head spun so mercilessly, the creak of the bedroom door took a moment to register in her throbbing head. Once it did, she cried in panic and rolled off the bed to retreat to the far side of the room, an action that immediately flooded her senses with pain once she stopped.
“Miss, miss . . . ” Anna, the maid who traveled with Elizabeth whispered just inside the door jamb. “Come quickly, there’s not much time.”
“Where . . .” Elizabeth’s voice broke in a sob she managed to silence with a gulp of air, “where is he?”
“He sleeps. Hurry, there’s no time.” Anna’s hand beckoned her employer’s niece to leave as she stood lookout.
Elizabeth tried to stand, but found she could not properly manage. Half crawling, half stumbling, she made it to the door only to find the room and stairs spinning madly out of focus. She blinked and blinked, and could see that Mrs. Plummer, the kind cook, stood by ready to open the front door. Despite the pain and nausea, Elizabeth managed to remember how she traversed the stairs back when her ankle was broken.
Although unladylike, she scooted and slid step by step, holding onto the railing to steady herself though her eyes told her she was as if adrift in the ocean. As she reached the front door, Mrs. Plummer hastily opened it and the noise startled Mr. Collins napping in his study.
As Elizabeth heard his voice call out, adrenaline took over and she bolted out the door, vaguely hearing it slam behind her. For a moment she thought to run to Rosings, but feared Collins would catch up with her assuming she’d go in that direction. Turning around, she ran south.
She fell and got back up what must have been a dozen times. Her hands shook in pain, caked in mud, but she refused to stop. What felt like an eternity brought her to the doorstep of a familiar place and slumped to the ground, she hit the door with all of the strength she had left.
The patting on the door barely registered a sound and Elizabeth had no voice to call out with. Breathing labored, she kept banging on the door, or so she thought, until her strength and injuries threatened to overwhelm her.
“See Momma, Miss Bennet is here!” a young girl’s voice cried out as she opened the door and Elizabeth spilled onto the floor of the Holbein cottage.
“Good Heavens! Petey, run now, fetch Mr. Darcy! Don’t stop running, boy, all the way to the big house!” Diana Holbein shouted as she struggled forward though her advancing condition prevented her from moving easily. “Miss Bennet? Miss Bennet? You must wake dear and help me get you to a chair. Come, come, up we go now.”
Elizabeth heard Diana Holbein’s voice coming to her as if in a dream. Her mouth tasted funny again, and as she moved to retch, somehow she managed to lift herself with Diana’s assistance. She apologized for the insult, but her words came out funny.
“Lord help me in heaven, whoever did this to you deserves a month in stocks!”
“Collins,” Elizabeth spat out his name and she lolled her head, her neck not strong enough to hold her up.
“No, no, now you stay awake. Mr. Darcy will be here soon.”
Elizabeth tried to look at Diana’s face but she kept seeing two of the very nice woman. And she was so very tired. Why couldn’t she just sleep until Fitzwilliam arrived?
“Elizabeth! Wake up!” Diana called out, keeping her vigil over the young woman. Her husband’s career of a logger had long taught her the danger of letting one sleep after a blow to the head. The men would poke and prod to keep a fellow jack alert as long as possible, ’twas the only chance for survival.
“Dear, you sleep now you may never wake up. It’s a right nasty blow to your head from the bump on your brow.” Mrs. Holbein accepted a small pail of cool water carried in with mighty effort by young Mary Jane. Dipping her apron into the water, she dabbed Elizabeth’s face and the cold made her jerk in response.
“Ssh, careful, careful now love. Easy does it.”
The sound of a horse outside the cottage announced the arrival of Mr. Darcy who stormed in without invitation. Spying his Elizabeth in a heap in the chair, he collapsed to the floor and took her into his arms just as Mrs. Holbein moved out of the way.
“Lizzie, my Lizzie. My darling, I’m here. I’m here.”
“Fitz . . .” Elizabeth managed before slipping back out of consciousness.
You’ve been reading A Virtue of Marriage
Book 2 of The Moralities of Marriage, continuation of the saga from By Consequence of Marriage.
With Fitzwilliam Darcy hopelessly tangled in his family’s lies and deceit in Kent, reinforcements are on the way in the form of his cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, and his secret fiancee, Elizabeth Bennet. Two generations of the Fitzwilliam family clash at Rosings and the matrimonial futures of both Darcy and Richard hang in the balance. When Lady Catherine goes on a rampage, and the Bennets become swayed by the vicious gossip swirling the Darcy family, both Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam learn you inherit each other’s family drama by virtue of marriage.
A full-length novel, A Virtue of Marriage continues the three-part Moralities of Marriage series.
A Virtue of Marriage, Book 2 of the Moralities of Marriage
a Pride and Prejudice novel variation series
Release Date: March 31, 2015
308 pages in print.
+ 23 additional Pride & Prejudice variations are available at these fine retailers . . .
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My heart breaks every time I read this story. Funnily enough, in my outline they were supposed to go straight on to get married and now reading the abuses Elizabeth suffers in Book 1 and Book 2, I’m really glad I trusted my subconscious with Book 3.
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
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.
Happy that Elizabeth was witness to the wedding of Anne and Richard and horrified that Collins abused her so terribly. Hope someone can get to the Archbishop and Darcy and he can be dealt with. Your book should be a movie sure others would enjoy