Chances Come

by Ney Mitch

  “It will feel better soon.”

  Slowly he began to move back and forth, with us rocking together as one. Gradually, he began to increase his speed within me, and I felt the strength of his embrace envelop me. The pain gave way. And all my anxieties, my woes, and tragedies long past seemed to fade and cease to hang upon my shoulders.

  We were one.

  His speed increased, and I began to discover the pleasure that came with such an act. It built within me, rising, searing, exploding into something wonderous!

  “I feel it,” I gasped, “I feel the beauty of it.”

  “My love,” he whispered, increasing speed faster as I pushed my hips further against him, applying a pressure that I knew would double the sensations that we were both feeling.

  The strength of his force into me drove us further and further down a road of unity and passion, when suddenly, he thrust himself into me one last time, his body stiffened, he released a swift exclamation and then he froze. After a few seconds, his body relaxed, and he collapsed on top of me.

  As he did so, I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his hair.

  “You better marry me soon,” was all that I could say, “or else I shall be very cross with you.”

  “How about next week?”

  “Yes!” Then it took only a second for me to realize how impossible that was. “Wait, no!”

  “Why not?”

  “My mother.”

  I felt Darcy’s body release a groan.

  “Oh. Damn.”

  We lay on the sofa together.

  “Your mother,” he sighed.

  I smothered a laugh. “Yes, the price of getting me is that you get her for a mother-in-law.”

  “Yes…then that means that she has to come and live with us!”

  I raised my head up—I had not thought of that.

  “Oh,” I groaned. “Yes, dear god…she does.”

  Darcy shook his head. “Lizzy, what do we do? She will drive both of us to the edge of our sanity.”

  “Yes, she will. It is times like this that I wish Jane had gotten married already. For if that were the case, then that option would be open. Yet, my remedy is merely a dream that hasn’t occurred, and that dream relies on me giving Jane’s husband the fate that we would desire to escape. But there is the possibility that Longbourn will have no one else to inherit it, therefore she might be able to stay where she is…and she will have Mary and Lydia for company.”

  “Yes, let us tell ourselves that for now.”

  “Yes, there is no point in worrying about that today, when that can very well be tomorrow’s problem.”

  “Precisely.”

  We looked at each other and laughed.

  I studied his beautiful face. “So, how quickly do you wish to tell our sisters?”

  “I can see that you wish to do it now.”

  “Yes, I do. Well, first I wish to remain in this room with you forever.”

  “So do I. I wish that the rest of the world would fall away, and we just had each other for company.”

  “It is too bad that you are such an important man. If you were unimportant, I could have you all to myself. It shall be a shame that I have to share you with the rest of the world.”

  “I can fall away from the world if you wish it.”

  “Mr. Darcy has no choice but to be a part of the world,” I replied, saddened, “because the world would miss him. I am resigned to that.”

  We kissed once more, very passionately. When we separated, I grinned mischievously.

  “Time to tell our sisters. And for me to thank Georgiana.”

  “Why do you need to thank her?”

  “She was the one that informed me that you returned my affections for you.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes. Be proud, Fitzwilliam; your sister raised her voice to help us find our way through all the words that we were afraid to say.”

  “And now we have said them all,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Yes, now we have.”

  We kissed again, and then I stood up.

  “So, here is the next question,” I teased. “Do you have any skill in helping a woman get her gown back on? Or are you only adept at removing her of said item?”

  “I admit that my skill and desired action is the removing of your gown, but I believe that I can help with fastenings.”

  We began to get dressed again, and after Mr. Darcy put his jacket on and straightened his cravat, he did up the buttons on my gown.

  “Oh, dear lord,” I gasped, “my hair!”

  “Do you know how to do it yourself at all, or no?”

  “I can put it up somewhat, but it will not be that tidy.”

  “An attempt is better than none. I shall help.”

  We were able to get my hair up, but it did not look proficient by any means.

  “Forgive me,” I said, “but I am a woman of vigor. Therefore, I am about to rush up the steps and display my effusions of joy.”

  I rushed out of the room and ran up the steps, just as Mr. Gibson passed me.

  “Miss Elizabeth?” he asked. “Is anything amiss?”

  “Oh, Mr. Gibson, it is the greatest sort of mischief that I have just made. Mr. Darcy will tell you.”

  I continued up the steps and heard Mr. Darcy exit his study.

  “Mr. Darcy?” Mr. Gibson asked. “What is it?”

  “Oh, it’s very simple, Gibson,” Mr. Darcy replied casually. “I am just getting married, that’s all.”

  Mr. Gibson barely showed any outward surprise at this.

  “Ah,” was all that he said.

  First, I knocked on Jane’s door, then I rushed to Kitty’s and Georgiana’s room and knocked on each of their doors as well.

  “Come out, you solitary lot,” I beckoned. “Come out and see that it is a new world.”

  The three of them exited their rooms. The last was Kitty, who I noticed had ink on her hand.

  “Lizzy,” Kitty asked, “what the devil are you on about?”

  “Oh, just a small announcement. I am getting married.”

  All three of them blinked, then their jaws dropped.

  “What?” Kitty repeated.

  “I hope that you shall enjoy me as a brother-in-law,” Mr. Darcy announced, coming down the hallway. “Because I have asked your sister to marry me, and she has been so kind to accept. Georgiana, I will bring you five sisters, and Miss Bennet and Miss Kitty, can you ever learn to love me as a brother?”

  Kitty screamed in delight and Jane breathed deeply, with her countenance being all aglow.

  “Oh, this is too wonderful,” Jane professed. “This is the happiest I have ever been.”

  “And me as well,” Georgiana said. “Thank the lord for that, for I thought it would never happen!”

  Georgiana, Kitty and Jane rushed to me and hugged me.

  “Mr. Darcy,” I said with a laugh, “I think this means that they like the news.”

  “Who knows?” he joked, coming up to us.

  “And you just made a joke?” Kitty responded, raising an eyebrow. “My sister is perfect for you, I can see.”

  “Yes, Miss Kitty, she is.”

  “Mr. Darcy,” Jane said, walking up to him and smiling gently, “you are the perfect sort of man for my sister. Our father could not have given her to anyone else less worthy. He is not here now, but I believe it. I believe it within the depths of my soul.”

  “And since your father and mother are not here,” Darcy responded, “you are the only one that I can ask. Miss Bennet, I have asked your sister to be my wife, and she has accepted. Therefore, do I have your permission and blessing as well?”

  “You seek my permission?” Jane blushed, looking between us both. “No one has ever asked something like this of me before. I like the sensation of it. Yes, you have my permission and my blessing. You both shall be very happy. And I shall write to mother about it myself.”

  “Let us all go downstairs and have tea and cakes to celebrate,”
Mr. Darcy announced, “and I shall have the servants enjoy a cup of punch.”

  Our sisters acquiesced, we went downstairs, and Georgiana ordered the tea be brought out.

  The three of them hurled many queries at us about the moment that Darcy proposed, and wished to know when we both began to feel affection for each other. It was delightful to narrate the journey that we had taken to find each other.

  As we all sat down and prepared to pour a cup, only then did Kitty recall the ink on her hand. Her apprehension of it drew our notice, and I could not stand the mystery any longer.

  “Kitty,” I began, “are you about to tell us that you got that stain on your hand from writing another letter?”

  Kitty blushed bright pink. “Well, yes.”

  “Kitty, I have never seen you write so many letters in your life, and I cannot deny that I doubt these are letters now.”

  Kitty looked at us all, and then looked down at her lap.

  “I do not matter at this time,” Kitty responded.

  “Why not?”

  “Because this is the day devoted to you both being engaged. I do not want it to be diminished because of my actions. I know that you will regard my actions as a shame and degradation, because everyone is compelled to.”

  “Kitty?” Jane asked. “What are you talking about? Good heavens, what you say sounds like it is dangerous.”

  “Oh, it is not dangerous if you never tell anyone that I do it,” Kitty said, “or if you never wish to know that I do it.”

  “Kitty,” I said, “I am engaged to a man whose reputation is connected to our own. Tell us the truth and let us decide how we feel about it.”

  “You will laugh at me.”

  “Let us hear it,” Mr. Darcy supported. “I have a right to know, Miss Kitty. After all, you are under my care now.”

  Kitty looked around at us all, and then she began her confession.

  “I am writing a novel.”

  The revelation was unique unto each hearer and we all felt something different.

  I was amazed.

  Jane was taken aback.

  Georgiana was curious.

  And Darcy just…sat there.

  But the one reaction that we all had was surprise.

  “Truly, Kitty?” I asked.

  “Yes, I am writing a novel. It would not be my first attempt. I have actually written a book before, when at Longbourn. I had been writing it in secret, but I never told you about it because it was terrible. Yet, with this new novel, I think that it has some promise. And if I finish it, I plan to try and find someone to publish it, and I shall use another name.”

  “That is it?” I laughed, “Oh, Kitty, that is a wonderful idea.”

  “You think so?” She perked up.

  “Yes,” Jane assured her, “there is no need to be ashamed. Kitty, I am merely surprised, that’s all. I never knew that it would have been something that suited your interests. Truly, this is a day of surprises.”

  “What is your book about?” Georgiana asked. “And what’s it called?”

  “I call it Curiosities and Contemplation,” Kitty responded. “Does that sound like a good title?”

  “It sounds positively enchanting. I like it.”

  “And it is a story about… five sisters who live in the country.”

  Jane’s and my eyes widened.

  “Do not worry,” Kitty rushed out. “The five sisters are very different than us, and I gave them different names. I admit that I used my own experiences to help tell the story, for every literary work is in some way autobiographical. Yet, the tale is not something that we ever experienced when at Longbourn. It is about five sisters who had to choose professions when their father passed away, and then wondered if they would find love, despite being women who worked. I wished to raise the question of a woman still being allowed to love, even when being a beast of burden. What do you all think?”

  “When you finish it,” Jane said, “I shall read it.”

  “And so shall I,” I added, then I turned to Darcy.

  And he was just sitting there, still as a statue.

  “Fitzwilliam,” Georgiana asked, “what do you think?”

  I felt apprehension at his silence, and I worried that it signified his disapproval of the idea.

  Slowly, he opened his mouth, about to give his reaction, when the doorbell rang.

  “Were we expecting anyone?” Georgiana asked.

  “Not that I am aware of,” Mr. Darcy responded. We heard the door open, the servant greeted the arrival, and soon, we saw Colonel Fitzwilliam’s face as he entered. Immediately, he looked towards Jane.

  “Colonel,” I announced, “it is a pleasure to see you.”

  “Richard, you are timely met,” Mr. Darcy added, “for we would like to give you some news that I hope you shall enjoy just as much as we have.”

  “I am certain that I shall be happy to hear it,” Colonel Fitzwilliam answered, looking flustered, “but forgive me, cousin. I came here, with the express desire to request a private audience…” once more, he turned to Jane, “with Miss Bennet.”

  “Richard—”

  “I know that I am erroneous for such a direct request, but I must insist upon it.”

  Jane’s cheeks reddened.

  The doorbell rang again.

  The sound of it seemed to send a jolt of rage through Colonel Fitzwilliam. Upon hearing it, he closed his eyes and ground his teeth. When his eyes opened again, he looked enraged.

  “Darcy,” he urged, “please?”

  We heard the door open again, words were exchanged, and another man entered behind the Colonel.

  It was Mr. Bingley!

  Anxiety overcame me and I shuddered inwardly. Yet, in truth, I sensed a blanket of discomfort fall upon us all. After all, Kitty and Georgiana were not stupid. They were fully aware that both men desired Jane. Thus, their arrival could not help but cause alarm.

  “Good day everyone,” Mr. Bingley announced, bowing to us. “I come with a great desire to see you all.”

  The Colonel turned to Mr. Bingley and displayed a venomous look. Mr. Bingley was at first taken aback by this, but he eventually returned a look of indifference to the Colonel’s stern gaze.

  To our utter surprise, Mr. Bingley stepped forward and attacked the same subject that the Colonel did. If I had been surprised at the Colonel doing it, then I was shocked to see Mr. Bingley be so direct.

  “Darcy, I was wondering if I might be permitted to have an audience with Miss Bennet?”

  “I have made the same request,” Colonel Fitzwilliam interjected, “and therefore, I believe that I have such a right.”

  Both men looked at each other, and then they looked to Jane.

  The discomfort rose.

  The pressure was unjustly placed upon her shoulders. And the disquiet that would arise after this moment would be immense. The seconds felt heavy, the results would be frightening, and we all were frozen with shock.

  Mr. Bingley and Colonel Fitzwilliam had arrived at the same time to propose to the same woman.

  Leaning into Mr. Darcy, I whispered my vexation. “Well,” I uttered, “up until now, this was the best of days.”

  “Yes,” he whispered, “now it has all come undone.”

  * * *

  End of Book II

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  About the Author

  Ney Mitch has been a long-standing Jane Austen enthusiast, having written forty novels that were inspired by her various works. Since stumbling on Miss Austen’s books after graduating from college, she has always dabbled in Austen inspired literature, ranging from writing works for teens to adults. Originally, her desire was to adapt Jane Austen’s writing in a way to help young adults connect with her, however over time, she has spread her aims to other genres and styles. Having received her BA Degree at Desales University, she is a writer, both literary and dramatic, as well as being a Historic Reenactor.

  Also by Ney Mitch

  with Satin Romance

  The Memory Series

  Moments of Moments Past

  Moments of Moments Present

  Moments of Moments Future

  Pride & Prejudice Reimaginings

  Rapture & Rebellion

  Fortune & Misfortune

  Desire & Destiny

  Pride & Peace (coming 2021)

  Resolve & Resolutions (coming 2021)

  Chances Series

  Chances Are

  Chances Come