Boy, when I write a family fight… I couldn’t stop reading this! That’s one universal truth we all share… relations that cause discord! But I am finally glad the truth came out. Now, will there be consequences???
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 10 - A Winter Wonder, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
On Christmas Eve, the Darcys asked for the family to join them in the formal sitting room for pressing news. Once assembled, the sheer count of ten adults, including herself, in the room imparted a sense of nervousness on Mrs. Darcy’s shoulders.
The previous day’s seclusion and small nursery preview provided the couple a much needed spell of solace. Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth came forward about all that they had been concealing from one another, from Mr. Maxwell, that inspired much laughter from Lizzie, to how many now knew of the true demise of Lydia. Coupled with the decision to forgo this year’s Season in London for life in the quiet countryside, the couple felt it best to inform all parties at once rather than disseminate the news in ripples.
“I have asked you all to gather because my wife and I have plans that involve you all, or at least, might impact your present plans.”
“Lord, Darcy, we all know your wife is increasing. If you merely wanted a Christmas announcement of the next Darcy generation, at least allow us to pour drinks first.” Lord Ashbourne cared little for his cousin’s formalities on occasions.
“Er, no, Robert, we have already made it clear we have a babe on the way.” Many members of the assembled family beamed at the repeat of such intelligence as they felt it reflected well on them, including the future aunts, great-aunts, and grandmother. “But, our decision does include the development of Lizzie’s time . . .” Darcy looked quickly to his wife for assurance and her slight nod was all he needed. “We have decided not to travel to London this spring and instead remain at Pemberley through the year.”
“No!” Georgiana’s voice escaped her lips before she clamped her hands across them. The entire room moved as one in turning their heads to her sudden outburst, placing her on the spot to explain herself. With no explanation forthcoming, her aunt took over.
“Darcy, I understand the romantic desire for your heir to be born here, at Pemberley, but be reasonable. Your sisters have prepared so long for this! Think of how poor Georgiana and Catherine must feel at this dramatic departure from their own growth in society.”
“I am quite happy with the decision,” Catherine Bennet whispered, but only Mary could hear her so her sentiments were ignored.
“I am to debut! I might have been shy at first, but I’m prepared to take my place! Please, Fitzwilliam, please Elizabeth, change your minds? I do not wish to travel to London without you!”
“Dearest, you will not be traveling to London without us. We have decided that you and Kitty need another year of discovering yourselves before we present you to London’s society proper,” Elizabeth explained gently.
“Darcy, have you thought this through? The family needs distraction at the moment and I must say two jewels in debut will be quite the ticket to reducing talk.” The Earl of Matlock approached his nephew, using his bombastic tone he usually reserved for the pulpit of politics.
“Your family needs distraction, sir, but my family is not in the habit of performing shows for society.”
“And how quickly we forget the help we needed when our own scandal nearly broke. Don’t be boorish, Darcy, we helped you cover that unfortunate incident with the youngest girl, of course you will help us.” Lady Matlock glared at her nephew and niece standing by the mantle, utterly annoyed they would dare to pretend their position above her own family’s ruin.
Elizabeth’s cheeks burned red at the insinuation of Lydia’s ruin, but Kitty pounced.
“What incident? What happened to Lydia?”
“Nothing dear, she is in Scotland with Jane.” Mrs. Bennet reached for her daughter’s hand but Catherine Bennet rose from one the three settees and walked towards her married sister in the room.
“Why does everyone pretend my concerns are baseless? Tell me what has befallen Lydia! Why must she stay away? Why can she not answer letters?”
Elizabeth Darcy opened her mouth and closed it, struggling to find the words. She looked to her husband for help, but his face was slackened with a distracted gaze over his eyes.
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Chapter 10 (cont'd) - A Winter Wonder, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
“Lydia is fine . . .” Elizabeth’s voice cracked as she made the mistake of locking eyes with her sister Kitty. The pain and anger in the young woman’s face took Elizabeth aback.
“You cannot even lie, anymore. Tell me what is wrong. Aunt Maddie spoked about her in the past tense.”
Elizabeth looked past her angry sister to her aunt on the same sofa as her mother. Mrs. Gardiner’s face became horror-stricken.
“We should tell her the truth. She deserves to know.” Mary offered though no one stepped up to the task.
Darcy snapped out of his stupor and cleared his throat. But it was not his voice that broke the silence, it was a wail from Mrs. Bennet seated on the sofa.
“My poor, poor Lydia! She has run off, that is what she has done! We thought to hide it, of course, Mr. Darcy and your sister taking her to Scotland, but that scoundrel could not be worked upon to stay away! She’s off to America with that evil Wickham!”
Kitty looked to Georgiana and crossed her arms in from of her chest. “Mama, Wickham is dead. He was executed for deserting the army.”
“Kitty! However did you know that?” Elizabeth asked, astonished such vile happenings had reached even the youngest of her siblings.
“The Colonel told Georgiana he would not bother her again because her greatest fear was seeing him in London when we debut by saying it was not possible. It was not a giant leap to realize he had not had permission to leave. I heard officers in his own company talk about his thievery.”
“That is quite enough, the crimes of a man are not proper discussions for a lady.” Lady Matlock used a steely glare to remind Miss Catherine of her company.
“But he is dead. So who could Lydia have possibly run off with? Mama?”
Mrs. Bennet froze. She had counted on Kitty not knowing Wickham was dead and therefore the two deceased subjects could have run off together, to America or some foreign shore. “Well, I do not know, that is . . . Mr. Darcy?”
A great shuffling of feet by Lord Matlock and Mr. Darcy mirrored the fidgeting of the ladies in the room.
“Lord, I need a drink.” Robert Fitzwilliam helped himself as the tableau of miming and meaningful looks rippled through group.
“Why can’t I know? What is there to keep secret? If she ran off, she would have sent a letter to me about what fun it all was!” Kitty tried to stare down any adult in the room, but none would meet her eyes.
Finally, Mary walked over to her sister now standing with angry tears trickling down her cheeks. “Lydia is no longer with us. She fell with child from Mr. Wickham before their wedding could take place . . .”
“That is why she needed all the new dresses? You said it was for her trousseau, but you kept buying them even after Mr. Wickham had left town!” Kitty accused her mother of complicity, shocking poor Mrs. Bennet into soft whimpers and a scarcely fluttering handkerchief.
“Catherine Bennet, we do not speak to our elders in such a manner in this house.” Mr. Darcy’s booming voice carried effortlessly from the far side of the larger sitting room.
“If everyone knew my sister was dead, I shall speak as I see fit. I shall speak to my mother without you pretending to be my father, Mr. Darcy.” Kitty spat the last words out without even looking to her brother by marriage.
“So how did she . . . the child?” Kitty began to sob as she blinked tears looking at her mother’s indifferent face. Did no one care? Did no one love Lydia as she had?
Fuming, Elizabeth gently placated Mr. Darcy and apologized for her sister’s rudeness. Madeleine Gardiner collapsed her niece to her bosom and held Kitty as more angry words and shouts came from the young woman while Mary retreated back to the sofa, powerless to assist further. Georgiana sat motionless in a chair against the wall, unable to comfort her closest friend.
“They all knew! You knew . . .” She sobbed
“Yes, yes my darling, we were all apprised of Lydia’s fate, and we all tried to keep the secret. Come, come upstairs with me and I shall tell you all I know.”
WHAT A DEAL!
A kiss at the Netherfield Ball . . .
Three Dates with Mr. Darcy is a bundle of: An exclusive story, Much to Conceal, a novella that imagines what if Elizabeth confessed to Jane in London that Mr. Darcy proposed in Kent?
A Winter Wrong, the first novella in the Seasons of Serendipity series that imagines what if Mr. Bennet died at the very beginning of Pride and Prejudice?
By Consequence of Marriage, the first novel in the Moralities of Marriage series that wonders what if Mr. Darcy never saved his sister Georgiana from Wickham’s clutches?
Elizabeth Ann West’s Pride and Prejudice variations have enthralled more than 100,000 readers in over 90 countries! A proud member of the Jane Austen Fan Fiction community since the mid-2000s, she hopes you will join her in being happily Darcy addicted!
Chapter 10 (cont'd) - A Winter Wonder, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
“No! I do not want to be dragged away like some petulant child. All of you have lied!”
Lady Matlock rolled her eyes and lifted herself off the settee. She approached Mrs. Gardiner who held a protective arm around her niece as the lady approached.
“Kitty . . .” Lady Matlock softened her tone and used Catherine’s family pet name which she had never done before. “The loss of your sister is a tragedy. Yes, many here managed the events in such a way that you and Georgiana were left out of the plans. What’s important now is that you be given the answers you so desperately seek and live in a way to honor your sister’s memory. Go with your aunt and be satisfied.”
The frail, thin hands of Margaret Fitzwilliam reached out to grasp one of Mrs. Gardiner’s and one of Kitty’s. She gave a gentle squeeze and Kitty nodded, her face a mess of tears and mucus. Releasing the two of them, Lady Matlock took a step towards Mrs. Bennet and held out her hand expectantly.
“My lady?” Mrs. Bennet looked at the hand perplexed.
“Your handkerchief, if you please. Your daughter has greater need.”
Mrs. Bennet fluttered her familiar token of expression, but handed it over to her social superior.
“Thank you.” Lady Matlock ferried the handkerchief to Kitty and the small gesture of kindness seemed to mollify the young woman. As Mrs. Gardiner began to nudge Kitty away, she no longer protested and fiercely held the handkerchief in her fist, new sobs wracking her frame.
Once they left the room, Lady Matlock turned towards the Darcys. “Too many know Wickham is dead, but Mrs. Bennet’s explanation deserves merit. Let’s invent another suitor she met in Scotland who whisked her away . . . a Charles Cooper? Do we know any Coopers?” Lady Matlock looked to her son and husband with slight scrunch to her nose as if she found the surname unpalatable.
“I am not aware of any family in our circle by that name. But is it not too common? Cooper?” Her husband replied.
“Wait one moment, if you please. Are we inventing another lie? We planned to have Jane send a letter that Lydia passed from illness this winter. We can’t very well say she’s run off to America with some fictitious man, what if a man of that name surfaces?” Elizabeth looked desperately to her husband. She had loathed the burden of Lydia’s death being kept a secret for the last five months, the last thing she wished to do was to create a permanent burden of falsehood.
“That plan was always ill-advised. With the rumors of her falling with child, any death would be suspect. Besides, if we marry her off and send her to America, we can all enjoy London without the cloud of mourning spoiling our plans.”
“Mourning is not merely a social exercise. Some do lament the loss of a loved one,” Mary offered solemnly, refusing to look up as she openly criticized Lady Matlock.
“Thank you, Mary, that is along the lines of my thoughts and feelings of the matter. Fitzwilliam and I have decided we are not going to London this spring, and we expect our sisters will stay behind as well. Mary?”
“I have no desire to go to London until Uncle finds me my own establishment.”
Lady Matlock, Mrs. Bennet, and Mrs. Darcy all gasped in unison at Mary’s shocking plans, but before a great cacophony of female voices could fill the room, Darcy spoke.
“Enough! This discussion has moved beyond what is proper and I fear far too delicate for some in attendance.”
“Brother, I know women can . . .” Georgiana swallowed, “I know the risks of motherhood. And I shall keep the secret.”
The adults in the room quietly avoided looking at Mrs. Darcy.
Again, Georgiana found her voice in the brief silence. “And I do not wish to stay at Pemberley. I will go to London with aunt and uncle. They may stay at Darcy House with me for the debut and none will find it odd, since I am without a mother.”
“What a splendid idea, Georgiana!” Lady Matlock reached out for her niece all aglow at being designated a surrogate mother. Lord Matlock began to discuss plans with his niece as the three developed a small huddle, while Robert Fitzwilliam helped himself to another drink.
The room burst into chatter as Mrs. Bennet began to complain to Mary that no one cared about her poor Lydia, and who was to write Jane and tell her of the change in plans because her nerves simply could not allow her to pen such a letter. Mary promised to be the one to write Jane if Lizzie would not.
Elizabeth Darcy began to feel an inordinate amount of pressure at her temples as she felt her family’s lives spin further out of control. It would not speak well of any of them if Fitzwilliam and she did not attend Georgiana’s debut, and she abhorred the idea of giving birth in the town home. The threads of ancestry tugged mercilessly on her heart, and vision of the faces in the portrait gallery swarmed her thoughts.
“Fitzwilliam?” she meekly asked.
Darcy tucked his wife’s arm in his own and began to walk to her towards the door, pausing in the center of the room.
“I have decided that my family is to remain at Pemberley and that is final.”
Leaving the rest of the household to handle their own affairs, Darcy escorted Elizabeth upstairs. He paused at the top floor landing and addressed his wife.
“Should you . . .”
Elizabeth patted his arm. “No, I fear she is most angry with me. Aunt Gardiner will calm her and then I shall speak with her.”
“As you wish.” Darcy nodded and continued to escort his wife to her chambers. The master of Pemberley had no doubts that the squabbles and discord would affect his wife and while he would not make the vocal suggestion that she take a rest, the fact that she followed willingly was communication enough. Dinner would be in two hours, hopefully by them tempers would cool.
You’ve been reading A Winter Wonder
Confronting her first trials at Pemberley, Elizabeth takes on the tenant Christmas party, sidestepping her mother’s meddling, and finding a way to support the needs of all of her family members. But finding time alone with her husband, Mr. Darcy, in a house full of people is a challenge, even at an estate as large as Pemberley! As old secrets bear fruit, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth stand united and find support in each other. With a babe on the way, and surprise visitors, there may just be more than one winter wonder to behold.
The fifth season in the Seasons of Serendipity, a historical family saga that imagines how the story of Pride and Prejudice might have changed had Mr. Bennet died of illness before Mr. Collins arrived.
A Winter Wonder, Seasons of Serendipity a Pride and Prejudice novella variation series
Release Date: July 3, 2015
232 pages in print.
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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.