Mrs. Bennet doesn’t get to be the hero often, but she does now!
XOXOX Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 29- If Mr. Darcy Dared
Determined in her cause, Elizabeth Bennet stormed into Longbourn without even taking off her boots. She passed through the dining room where her father sat at the head of the table and called out to her.
“There you are,; I was beginning to wonder if I should send out a search party. But then I saw smoke rising from the hunting lodge and realized you must be quite well if you are able to build a fire,” Mr. Bennet said taking his daughter’s appearance into full consideration. Elizabeth’s hair was disheveled, barely pinned into place. Her gown was creased and the navy blue satin marred by light patches of dust.
Mr. Bennet frowned. “Elizabeth Bennet!” He began to lose his temper as his daughter merely gawked at him.
Her words caught in her throat, Elizabeth shook her head and broke into a run through the hallway and up the stairs with a thunderous pounding echoing through the house.
“Elizabeth!” Her father called again from the dining room table as Elizabeth dashed into the room that she shared with Jane, rummaging in her trunk for what she needed. A sleepy Jane rolled over and considered her younger sister with her eyes half closed.
“It’s early, Lizzy,” Jane said.
Elizabeth shushed her sister and abandoned their room as her father now stood at the foot of the stairs looking up. But Elizabeth again ignored him and dashed across the hall to her mother’s bedroom, swiftly closing the door behind her.
Her mother sat on the edge of her bed, her long brown hair braided to the middle of her back, with silver strands glimmering throughout as a testament to her nearly forty years of experience.
“I am not going to argue with you again, Lydia,” Mrs. Bennet began without turning around to see who entered her bedroom.
Elizabeth stepped forward and spoke up. “It is not Lydia, Mama, but Lizzy.” Elizabeth’s cheeks plumped as she held her breath while her mother finally turned around with confusion painted across her face.
“And what misadventures have you already begun this morning, young lady? You look positively frightful,” Mrs. Bennet stood from her bed and walked to her wardrobe where she fetched a robe to go over her nightgown.
Elizabeth held out the scrap of newspaper for her mother. Befuddled, Mrs. Bennet accepted the thin paper from her daughter as words began to tumble from Elizabeth’s mouth:
“I wish to marry Mr. Darcy on Monday with Jane and Mr. Bingley. The papers in London have picked up the stories of what happened at the ball and soon I’m afraid even the gossip about Mr. Wickham. Mr. Darcy came here with a special license, Mama, from the Archbishop himself, and still, Papa will not allow it.” Elizabeth began to pace back and forth as she continued. “I know he means well, but unless we are allowed to marry I’m afraid the situation will only get worse and possibly harm the prospects of Mary, Kitty, and Lydia.” Elizabeth finished her declaration as Mrs. Bennet clutched at the lacy collar of her nightgown reading the words that one of her daughters was declared a mistress of a wealthy gentleman in the Times.
A firm knock on the door startled both of the women and Mr. Bennet turned the knob to enter the room. At the sudden appearance of her husband, Mrs. Bennet wasted no time in dissembling into a frazzled bundle of nerves.
“Mr. Bennet, are you aware of this?” Mrs. Bennet flapped the poor shred of abused paper in the air. “We must make Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth marry at once!”
Elizabeth refused to meet the gaze of her father. She suddenly felt ashamed and guilty for not only going to her mother for relief, but that her father was aware she had been in the hunting cabin that morning. She thought she would not mind if her behavior forced her marriage to Mr. Darcy, but the reality of disappointing her father stung her heart more than she could have anticipated.
And so while her parents argued, Elizabeth focused on the amusing pattern of chipped paint on the bench at the foot of her mother’s bed. The exposed dark wood looked curiously like the outline of Australia, and this folly of furnishings allowed Elizabeth to push her guilt aside until her father spoke her name.
“Did you meet this morning with Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth?” Her father asked directly and both of her parents looked at her expectantly for an answer.
“Yes, I did,” Elizabeth confessed. She had never been one for lies and falsehoods. Her mother made a loud cry of astonishment.
“Mr. Bennet! Surely you see,” Mrs. Bennet said pointing to her daughter. “They must be made to marry. Or who knows what might happen!”
Mr. Bennet was not yet persuaded. He continued his stern look at his daughter and asked another question.
“Your poor behavior this morning aside, what if I should remain unmoved in my decision?” Mr. Bennet asked and watched as Elizabeth’s posture became rigid and her hands clutched the fabric at the sides of her skirt. Her head snapped in his direction and his fierce Lizzy stared back at him.
“If you deny me, then I will leave. I shall elope with Mr. Darcy and put an end to his torment and mine!” Angry tears tumbled down Elizabeth’s cheeks as Mrs. Bennet stood and embraced the daughter who had never needed her and never sought her approval. Elizabeth stood fast, blinking, at her mother’s unfamiliar affections and both women looked at Mr. Bennet expectantly.
“James, be reasonable,” Mrs. Bennet used her husband’s Christian name and the stern, protective father melted away into the wide grin of the jolly and sardonic Mr. Bennet both women were most familiar with.
Smiling, Mr. Bennet walked to his daughter whose anger dissipated into confusion as she was suddenly flanked very closely by both of her parents.
“I could not have given you away, Lizzy, until you were absolutely sure of yourself. A marriage of great passion can exhaust a couple. There will be times when the world will set itself against you and Mr. Darcy. The two of you shall have to stand steadfastly together even though you are both quick to anger and slow to forgive.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips at her father’s criticism of her character which made him laugh.
“Do not pout, for it does not become you. Besides, no one likes a bride who is not all smiles on her wedding day,” Mr. Bennet said as Elizabeth gasped.
“You mean, I can marry Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth asked and both of her parents nodded.
“I warned your mother yesterday the wedding breakfast may become a doubled affair. If you will have him, and no other, then yes, you may marry that tall, dour, rich fellow of yours,” Mr. Bennet grinned and Elizabeth crushed her father with an embrace.
Standing in the doorway was her sister Jane, dressed for the day and watching the happy resolution between her sister Elizabeth and their parents.
“Did you have a hand in this as well?” Elizabeth asked and Jane merely smiled.
“Not only I, one of the biggest champions of your cause was Mr. Bingley. But Papa insisted that you had to be the one to demand the match,” Jane explained as Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Despite her family’s attempts to protect her, Elizabeth suddenly felt very cross that such orchestrations were made as a sort of test.
“And what if I had not insisted? What if I had been the dutiful daughter that would never argue against her parents’ wishes?” She asked as the three of them looked at each other and shrugged. But it was Mrs. Bennet who answered.
“Well, I can say that I was against the plan from the beginning. I believed you girls should be married together from the start. But then Jane related what had happened at the first assembly and then later at Netherfield Park when she was ill, and I had to agree with your father,” Mrs. Bennet declared and Elizabeth tilted her head to one side hoping her mother would further explain. If there was ever someone who enjoyed listening to the sound of her own voice, it was Mrs. Bennet. So Elizabeth was not disappointed.
“Your father’s sister made a poor match, God rest her soul. It was almost a blessing when the Lord saw fit to take her from that monstrous brute,” Mrs. Bennet said as Mr. Bennet cleared his throat. This kept Mrs. Bennet from taking a tangent that could possibly distress their daughters. “We could not be sure about Mr. Darcy, you see, but it was agreed, Lizzy, that of all our daughters you were the most sensible. And from the sound of it, you have put Mr. Darcy through his own test of worth, have you not?” Mrs. Bennet asked and Elizabeth blushed.
An awkward silence befell the room and Elizabeth began to cry once more. She wiped her tears with the other occupants suddenly feeling alarmed on her behalf, but Elizabeth smiled.
“I thought you were all against me, and through it all, Fitzwilliam has remained constant. I believe I shall go write a note to have it sent directly to Netherfield. If you will excuse me?” Elizabeth said to her parents’ nods. Her sister Jane gave her a quick embrace before Elizabeth quit the room.
Making a dramatic sigh of exhaustion, Mrs. Bennet took a seat in front of her vanity. She considered the worn face staring back at her in the looking glass. Behind her, Mr. Bennet entered into the reflection and placed two hands lovingly upon his wife’s shoulders.
“You were remarkable, my dear. In two days’ time we will have married off two of our daughters,” Mr. Bennet said, gently squeezing his wife’s form which brought a glimpse of the young woman he had married twenty-four years ago.
As Mrs. Bennet reached back to release her braid and asked Jane to call Hill, her husband took on the task of nimbly releasing her tresses from their capture.
Mrs. Bennet closed her eyes and enjoyed her husband’s touch, she leaned her head back to gently rest against his fingertips.
“I just pray that the other three are far less trouble when they make their matches.”
Chapter 30 - If Mr. Darcy Dared
The billiard room of Netherfield Park was no longer the refuge of only Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy. With the addition of Colonel Fitzwilliam to the household, Richard took over playing sets with Mr. Bingley, while Mr. Darcy sulked in the corner, writing a letter.
“You left so early this morning, cousin. And now you frown. Was the fair Miss Elizabeth not eager for your company?” Richard asked as he took a shot. The cue ball bounced off the far bank and rolled perfectly into his target. Unfortunately, he miscalculated the momentum, and the red ball rolled stubbornly to the edge of the pocket then stopped. “Perhaps you are writing Miss Elizabeth so angrily.”
Mr. Bingley watched the exchange between the two cousins and then walked around the table to consider his shot.
“I am writing to my solicitor,” Mr. Darcy said.
As Mr. Bingley lined up to take his shot, he crouched down to visualize the angle in his head. “Damned bad business, Darcy. I thought for sure Mr. Bennet would come around.”
Mr. Bingley took a shot and couldn’t help but smile as he knocked the ball into the pocket and then began hunting for his next opportunity.
Richard walked over to the side table and took a drink, while Bingley finished off the set. There was little time to practice billiards in his profession, nor was there regular access to the game in an infantry camp that moved from battle to battle. Had they sat down to play cards, then Richard would have had a prayer of being a worthy adversary to Bingley’s billiard skills. So instead, he channeled his aggravation into the topic at hand.
“What is that man’s motivation? I don’t think there’s a father in London who would delay his daughter’s wedding with such delight,” The Colonel said directing his question to Mr. Bingley. But his host shrugged.
“Jane, I mean Miss Bennet, and I have spoken at length about her father’s decision. And he won’t listen to us. She supposes that as Miss Elizabeth is his most constant companion that perhaps it is partly jealousy that informs his thinking,” Mr. Bingley crouched low to take a shot, but missed entirely as the door across from him opened and a footman delivered a note to Mr. Darcy. The poor footman looked apologetic, and Mr. Bingley shook off his mistake as it allowed Richard to stand and take another turn at the table.
Suddenly, Mr. Darcy stood up, scraping the chair behind him and slammed his hand loudly upon the small writing desk in the corner. The two other men in the room turned to him as Mr. Darcy shook the singular piece of parchment in his hand and grinned broadly.
“I am to marry on Monday!” Darcy exclaimed, and both Richard and Bingley wasted no time in coming forward to congratulate their friend and cousin with handshakes.
“Well, talk about a miracle, I wonder whatever could have persuaded that puffed up baronet to capitulate?” Colonel Fitzwilliam still groused about Mr. Bennet for Mr. Darcy’s benefit. He took his shot and missed again. But Mr. Bingley was too engaged with Mr. Darcy to immediately take his shot as Darcy explained the contents of the letter.
“She writes that her father was angry when he saw her return from her walk and on the way home she had an inspired idea. Miss Elizabeth went directly to her mother and complained I possessed a special license and she would not allow Mr. Bennet to refuse any longer!”
“Here, here,” Colonel Fitzwilliam raised his glass to his cousin’s future mother by marriage. “I did say that woman is quite formidable.”
Mr. Bingley nodded in agreement. “Yes, not even Jane will deny her,” Mr. Bingley blushed as the two men looked at him. “She says after the wedding we can do as we like, but it is best to humor her mother’s ideas about the house and where she might live after Mr. Bennet’s demise.”
Cracking a smile, Mr. Darcy walked over and poured himself a drink. “You won’t have to worry about that, Bingley. Far as I’m concerned, the whole lot of them can come live at Pemberley!”
Richard laughed at his cousin, who seemed touched in the head by the jubilation of finally becoming a groom. “Careful Darcy or you might endure the wrath of Miss Elizabeth. I don’t think she will take her mother’s suggestions for Pemberley so lightly.”
Mr. Darcy shrugged and downed his drink. “I’ll build them a complete replica of Longbourn if need be. I cannot thank the woman enough for bringing my wedding about!”
The men laughed as Bingley lined up to take his shot. He pulled back the cue stick, and the door opened again, causing his shot to go awry.
“I came as soon as I heard the news!” Caroline Bingley walked into the billiard room as her brother winced, struggling to keep his temper in check.
Miss Bingley stood head-to-toe in a matching red velvet traveling kit, with a fur-lined cloak and pair of gloves still on her person. She began to pull the gloves off, finger-by-finger, as she looked directly at Mr. Darcy. “It is utterly dreadful that your wedding has been postponed,” she fluttered her eyes.
“Caroline, we were not expecting your arrival. You did not send a note,” Mr. Bingley started, but his sister waved him off, walking into the room to stand closer to Mr. Darcy.
“Surely I do not need to send a note to come to my brother’s home. Who would take my room?” Miss Bingley asked, practically sidling up to Mr. Darcy who looked away as though he smelled something unpleasant.
“How do you do; Colonel Fitzwilliam, at your service, madam,” Richard distracted Miss Bingley for though he had heard much about the woman, he had never met her.
“Fitzwilliam . . .” she repeated, looking to Mr. Darcy for the coincidence of his first name and this man’s last name. The Colonel seemed to understand what Miss Bingley was thinking.
“Cousins. His mother and my father were siblings.”
Caroline nodded and turned back to Mr. Darcy. “It’s all over the papers, how Mr. Bennet won’t allow your marriage to go through.”
“They printed that? But how on earth— they could not possibly print that!” Mr. Bingley challenged his sister who smirked.
“Well, of course, they do not use names. But when I read it, I knew. I had to rush back here because Mr. Darcy is our friend. It is positively dreadful Mr. Bennet could be so prejudicial!” Miss Bingley chirped and laid a hand on Mr. Darcy’s forearm. The man pulled away as though he had been scalded.
“The papers are mistaken. I am to marry Miss Elizabeth Bennet on Monday. However, I am glad you will be in attendance, Miss Bingley,” Mr. Darcy bowed, “for your brother’s sake. We are to share a vicar.”
Miss Bingley’s mouth dropped in astonishment as Darcy gathered up his papers and said something about checking on Georgiana.
As Miss Bingley stood there, shocked, the clanking sound of the billiard balls broke her stupor as Colonel Fitzwilliam took his shot. Mr. Bingley approached his sister to tell her about the evening’s dinner plans and asked if perhaps after a rest from her travels, she might assist in the execution.
“You mean I arrive here, and you immediately expect me to play hostess?” she spat, her disappointment quickly turning into humiliation that she had dashed from London and the grand balls it boasted for more drab dinner parties in the countryside.
The Colonel walked around the table to consider his next shot as the brother and sister spoke quietly.
“Mrs. Bennet has already made most of the arrangements in a note to our Cook and Miss Bennet is planning the seating. I’ll put in a good word for you to sit next to the good Colonel here. He is the son of an Earl, after all.” Mr. Bingley chuckled as his sister considered his words and the person before her playing a gentleman’s game in his handsome red coat. She had never thought to marry a man of the military, but the prospect of an absent husband running around the Continent soldiering did suddenly sound appealing.
As Mr. Bingley took his shot, Caroline took the opportunity to speak to the colonel.
“Forgive me that I was so rude, earlier. Caroline Bingley, it is a pleasure to meet you,” she gave him a curtsy as he tended his drink.
“I’m a bit brisk after I travel myself; how was your journey? The roads can be quite treacherous this time of year,” he asked, making pleasant conversation while Bingley again took numerous turns at sinking the blasted red balls on the table. Richard had forgotten the count of the games in all the excitement of Darcy’s good fortune and his lack of interest when he was losing.
Mr. Bingley watched as his sister grew more animated talking to Richard, and a small amount of brotherly worry entered his mind. He could not tell if Mr. Darcy’s cousin held a genuine interest in his sister, or was merely being polite for the sake of household harmony. He missed his next shot and gladly announced it was Richard’s turn.
When he approached his sister, Mr. Bingley kept his back to the billiard table.
“Perhaps you’d like to go upstairs and change. Then we all might enjoy refreshments in the music room while we wait for our guests,” Mr. Bingley suggested.
“Oh, I’m quite fine. We stopped at an inn not far from here,” Caroline said, preening.
“It was not a suggestion, I would like you to be presentable when the Bennets arrive,” said Mr. Bingley.
Astonished at her brother’s stronger tone, Miss Bingley announced her apologies and went above stairs. She felt very cross with Charles until she spied her reflection in the floor-length mirror in her room. He was correct that she ought to bathe and change, especially if she wished for Colonel Fitzwilliam to pay her any interest!
She may have only left her sister in London with the aim of securing Mr. Darcy. But the second son of an earl was a fine catch as well, and perhaps if his older brother was sickly, she might even one day be a countess! As she waited for her bath water, Caroline allowed her imagination to run rampant with the possibilities of a match with a man she had just met, not once thinking that perhaps the Colonel held no interest in marrying.
Chapter 31 - If Mr. Darcy Dared
The small church of Meryton stood filled to the brim on the morning of the Bennet daughters’ double wedding. Outside, the early winter continued her dramatic lows in temperature, but inside the warmth of so many bodies congregated together saved both young brides from shivering on their wedding day.
The two sisters appeared jovial, as Jane Bennet elected to marry her Mr. Bingley in a pale shade of blue. Her sister, Elizabeth, selected a pale green gown, with rumors that Mr. Darcy himself paid for its express delivery just in time for the ceremony. In fact, the gown had arrived on Sunday evening by courier and the maid the girls shared, Rebecca, was up until the wee hours of the night finishing the last adjustments for the future Mrs. Darcy.
As the vicar conducted the ceremony in tandem, the only awkwardness Elizabeth felt was in receiving precedence before her eldest sister, Jane. All of her life, Jane entered doors before Elizabeth, and Jane was the first addressed in each invitation as a consequence of being the firstborn. But in matters of the Church, Mr. Darcy’s superior social status, along with the special license from the Archbishop, necessitated that the ceremony began with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth speaking their vows before Mr. Bingley and Jane followed. Although there was nothing to be done to change the centuries-old tradition of the Anglican church, it was the one part of the wedding that made Elizabeth slightly embarrassed that she had encroached upon her sister’s special day.
Of course, where Elizabeth worried about such a trifling matter as the order in which vows were spoken, neither Mr. Bingley nor Jane held any bother about such mundane details. The two of them were just happy to make the holy sacrament of pledging one another’s life to the other.
Once the deed was done, and both couples kissed to the cheers of the congregation, the two girls who were no longer Bennets signed their maiden names for the last time in the church register.
Though all members of the double wedding party could see their breath in the late morning air, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and Mr. and Mrs. Bingley happily led the procession from the church down the half-mile to Longbourn for the wedding breakfast. Others, not so keen to freeze in the frigid temperatures, took to their carriages, but could not make faster progress as the walking parade blocked the entire road.
“Mrs. Darcy,” Mr. Bingley happily called his sister by marriage by her new name, “I do wish you would talk some sense into that husband of yours. We would be more than happy to host you both for any number of days at Netherfield Park rather than force you to spend hours of your wedding day on the road in a carriage. Please, say that you will stay at my humble home.”
The smile on Mr. Darcy’s face faltered for but a moment while Elizabeth licked her lips and laughed.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Bingley,” she began, leaning her head into her husband’s shoulder as they walked, “but you are mistaken that only he wishes to repair to Darcy House in London. I’m afraid I’ve already seen your home, and I am most eager to see my own,” Elizabeth Darcy explained, as she felt Fitzwilliam squeeze her hand in solidarity.
Elizabeth knew the request came from Jane. Her sister had brought up the matter the previous day while Elizabeth was helplessly forced to stand in her wedding gown so measurements could be made. It was not that Jane didn’t wish the Darcys all the happiness in the world, but that the sudden realization she would lose her sister brought a wave of nostalgia to the eldest Bennet sister. The soon-to-be Mrs. Bingley had become settled in the idea of sharing one last night sleeping in the same home, even though they would be with their respective husbands.
But unlike Jane, Elizabeth could not wait for the privacy afforded by Mr. Darcy’s house in London. With Richard agreeing to take Georgiana to his parents’ home and remain with her there, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had arranged for the townhome in London to be their own for at least a week.
As members of the community sang songs and took turns catching up to the wedding party to toss dried flower petals in celebration, they rounded a bend in the road to see Longbourn in the distance, with a strange carriage parked in front.
Mr. Darcy groaned, and Elizabeth looked at him furtively with concern. He looked over his shoulder and found Richard walking with Miss Mary and Miss Darcy to attract his attention.
“Excuse me, Miss Mary, Georgie, it appears your mutual brother requires my help,” Richard flashed them both a smile and made sure to jog the longer path to reach his cousin, avoiding the side Miss Bingley walked along. That was why he took both of their arms in the first place. Ever since her determined attentions at Netherfield Park from the moment of her arrival, Richard could not be happier to be leaving Hertfordshire.
“I believe that is a Matlock carriage,” Darcy said, and Richard nodded, confirming his cousin’s recognition of his family crest.
“What are they doing here?” Darcy asked, and Richard shrugged. But before more explanation could be offered, a stately gentleman was helped down from the carriage. He turned and assisted a woman tall in figure with alabaster skin. This woman gazed at the approaching procession with an amused expression while the man helped a second woman, plumper than the first, and short in stature, though covered in a dazzling array of jewels.
When the wedding party reached the carriage, the gentleman in fine clothing and regalia across his chest approached them.
“Darcy, my boy, what have you done?” The stately gentleman’s booming voice brought the wedding procession to a stop with but a few feet between the carriage party and the two newly married couples.
“Uncle, I–” Mr. Darcy began but was cut off again by the loud man.
“How could you have married such a lovely lass and never introduced us? George Fitzwilliam, seventh Earl of Matlock.” The man introducing himself as an earl, and thus the Colonel’s father, bowed low over the hand of Elizabeth and paid his dearest respects. Embarrassed, Elizabeth felt flustered for a moment before she began to answer.
“Elizabeth Benn– no, I beg your pardon, Elizabeth Darcy. It is so lovely to meet another one of Fitzwilliam’s relations,” Elizabeth said with perfect manners. Darcy narrowed his eyes as his Aunt Catherine barged forward, clearly upset that the Matlocks had played her false.
“What is this? You said they were not to be married, yet here it seems they’ve just come from the church!” Lady Catherine de Bourgh scolded the pair that rode in the carriage with her.
“The letter from my son said as much, Catherine. I am afraid we were not in time.” The yet to be named woman explained in a bored tone as she shared a conspiratorial wink with the Colonel. Elizabeth stood up straighter considering the bejeweled woman before her.
“Do you mean to say you intended to ruin my sister’s happiness?” she asked earnestly to the raised eyebrows of both her husband and his other relations.
Lady Catherine narrowed her eyes directly back at the young woman. “I know about you, yes, you must be that obstinate Elizabeth Bennet. Your cousin, Collins, has shared with me all about your attempts to bewitch my nephew. But this is not over; we shall have it annulled!” Lady Catherine pronounced, with Elizabeth trembling with rage.
“Continue to speak to my wife in such a manner, and I will be forced to believe you have lost your faculties, Aunt,” Mr. Darcy threatened his aunt who looked back to her brother and received a similar steely gaze.
Mr. Darcy turned to address his wife. “My family came to wish us joy. You must forgive my miserable Aunt Catherine for she has never been acquainted with the feeling.” His dry humor brought a hearty laugh to those nearest the fray, and it was the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, returned by carriage, that finally ushered people indoors to partake in the wedding breakfast.
As they all went inside, save for Lady Catherine, who boarded the carriage and refused to come out, not that any were asking for her to join them, Lady Matlock took the opportunity to have introductions made between her and Mrs. Darcy. She reached into her clutch and pulled out a small velvet bag that she pressed into Elizabeth’s hand.
“A wedding gift. You can have it put into a setting of your liking when you return to London,” the grand lady explained, and Elizabeth suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion as she had not expected such a welcome from Darcy’s aunt and uncle.
But it was the booming voice of Lord Matlock that rescued her from dissembling into a mess of happy tears. “The ink may be dry on the paper, but you know, Darcy, that we will have to make it official.”
Elizabeth looked confused for as to her knowledge, she was officially Mrs. Darcy, but she quickly realized Darcy’s aunt and uncle were referring to the social sets of London that must be made to accept their marriage. She began to feel a giggle coming on as she could feel Mr. Darcy’s mood sour at the mere mention of a social engagement as the man stood next to her.
“A dinner,” Mr. Darcy said, with a finality in his tone.
“A ball,” Lady Matlock said, with an equal impression of the Fitzwilliam family stubbornness.
“A dinner party should more than suffice,” Mr. Darcy said, the small family squabble beginning to attract notice.
“A ball!” Mrs. Darcy piped up to the astonishment of her new relations and a look of exasperation from her husband.
“Looks like you have been outvoted, Darcy. I heartily endorse your demand for a ball, Mrs. Darcy. I knew that I liked you from the moment I met you,” Richard swooped in to smooth the disagreement with the practiced negotiation skills of a middle son.
When it was all agreed that the Darcys would indeed return to London and a ball was to be held in a few weeks after Christmas, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bennet found the topic to be an opportunity of equal commiseration. Mrs. Bennet excitedly spoke over the details with the countess. Elizabeth glided over to Jane to see if she and Mr. Bingley would come to London for such an event, and Jane shared that she thought by the time of the ball, she might be eager to get away from Hertfordshire for relief.
“And I shall suggest that Kitty and Lydia stay with the Phillipses,” Jane said, and Elizabeth nodded earnestly.
“If you need any support, I will gladly guarantee it. At worst, we can have them remain at Darcy House with Miss Darcy and Mary,” Elizabeth said, acknowledging the invitation that Miss Darcy had extended Miss Mary to come to London with her and become a guest in the Darcy household. When Mr. Darcy had shared his sister’s plan with Elizabeth at the Netherfield dinner, Elizabeth thought it was a splendid idea. Without Mary, Elizabeth would have felt rather selfish in monopolizing Mr. Darcy’s time even beyond the week or so they were to have alone.
Staying only as long as required by politeness at their own wedding breakfast, the Darcy carriage was soon called for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to make their exit. Elizabeth grew upset when at first she could not find her father in the masses of people still drinking and making merry in her parents’ home. Finally, she stepped outside with Mr. Darcy and found her father over at the carriage, inspecting the security of her trunk added to Mr. Darcy’s belongings.
At Mr. Darcy’s silent urging with a nudge, Elizabeth momentarily broke away from her husband to walk over to her father.
“Papa?” Lizzy asked.
Her father patted the carriage buckles and turned around, his eyes misted over with tears. “You are a beautiful woman, Elizabeth Constance. And if that man so much as scolds you–” Mr. Bennet began, and ceased his admonishment as Elizabeth threw her arms around her father, an embrace that he happily returned.
“You do not have to worry about me. He’s a good man, and he’ll make a most excellent husband.”
“I know he will, my daughter. For I know if he ever comes up lacking, you will surely set him straight in one way or another,” Mr. Bennet teased his daughter as the two broke apart. Mr. Darcy was soon at Elizabeth’s side once more.
Elizabeth accepted her husband’s assistance up into the carriage, and leaned curiously toward the window, straining to hear the parting words between her father and her husband. But whatever they were, her father had managed to make Fitzwilliam laugh, so she reasoned that they must not be too harsh and happily sat back to smooth her skirts in anticipation of their journey.
Once Mr. Darcy was inside the carriage, he tapped the roof two times with his cane, and the vehicle lurched. Much of her family and friends now milled around outside to wave them off.
Ensconced in the privacy of their carriage, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy soon found their way into each other’s arms and a flurry of kisses. While both occupants enjoyed the sudden freedom to show affection, neither felt happy that it would be many hours before they reached London.
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.
OH MY WORD!!! Absolutely brilliant!!! Haha having Elizabeth going to her mother to force her father to capitulate only to have her father grinning in happiness and triumph!!! Then the splendid wedding and the arrival of the Matlocks, brilliant!!!! Now on to the wedding night, right?!?!?!?!
These excerpts are delightful as Elizabeth confronts her parents and argues with the aid of the gossip newspaper to receive their permission to marry in two days. Lady Catherine showing up and being set down by Darcy as he defends Elizabeth from her ire continues to make this book a great read.
Good old Mrs. Bennet! Yes, Elizabeth gets married by special license. The Matlock arrive to offer their support. Now, to London for the honeymoon to begin.