by Nicky Roth
With a jolt he sat up, feeling his body respond to so much loveliness before him.
Netherfield House lay quiet, not a soul stirred, till suddenly a most urgent knock sounded throughout the house. Something must be wrong! Good Lord, but what? As his eyes fell onto the slumbering form of the woman next to him he knew what it was. She was missing and an alarm had been raised. The commotion quickly woke the whole of the house and within moments shouts and rapid footsteps could be heard all over the place.
At last this would mean they would soon be found and set free. Set free to plan their wedding. Somehow this thought made him smile instead of frown. Why ever Hurst had done this, at least he had not locked him in with his sister in law. Though he would not have put it past Miss Bingley to try and lock herself in with him and even go as far as swallow the key, if only it resulted in her becoming the mistress of his estate.
“What is going on?” Elizabeth rubbed her eyes as she woke from the increasing noise that sounded up and down the hallways.
“It seems you are missing and they are looking for you.” he calmly answered.
“And then?” her large soft brown eyes caught his. Oh, those eyes! No, there was no way in the world that he could ever be happy without them.
“Miss Bennet,” Darcy began, hesitating but shortly before picking up the courage to go down on his knee. “Will you do me the great honour and consent to become my wife? I cannot imagine my future without you, though I have battled it for some time. But waking up next to you this morning has shown me, that this is what I want for the rest of my life. Waking up next to you, holding you close, talk to you about everything, have you tease me. If you could only find it in you to try and...”
The door was pushed open and in stumbled a number of people, Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bennet among them.
“What is this supposed to mean?” the latter asked, looking beyond irritated. “What have you done to my daughter?”
“Father, Mr. Darcy has just asked me for my hand in marriage and I have accepted him.”
At this Darcy’s face lit up, his heart soared and his hand reached for hers quite of its own accord.
“No! No this must not be!” Caroline Bingley had also arrived, her face a mask of fury and shock. “He is supposed to be my husband, you hussy, you witch, you little insignificant little country chit, you...”
“What would your own betrothed say heard he using you such foul language, sister dearest?” Hurst enquired sarcastically. “As a clergyman’s wife you will have to keep your temper in check.”
“Betrothed?” Fitzwilliam Darcy could not help but be surprised. “You are betrothed to a clergyman?”
His eyes met with those of Mr. Bennet, and both seemingly coming to the same conclusion broke out in laughter. It was a surprising sound to hear Mr. Darcy laugh so unabashedly and a sweet laugh it was, Elizabeth thought. Warm and unpretentious, his face lighting up with unabashed glee.
“She is not anywhere downstairs or in the outbuildings.” Bingley shouted up the stairs, but at hearing the laughter ascended them as fast as he could, taking two steps at a time.
“What is going on?”
“Oh, your sister got engaged last night and so have I,” was his friends wry reply.
“You proposed?! To Carol...?”
“I did. - To Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
“While our sister here, Bingley, is happily engaged to Mr. Collins. They had a little tête à tête in the maze outside and have gotten ever so much closer that in the end they knew they just had to marry. It was love at first sight, who would have thought?”
“You...!“ Caroline snapped.
“Yes, sister dearest?” George Hurst enquired innocently, while his eyes shimmered with mirth, addressing her with the very words his wife always indulged Caroline with.
“Bastard!” Miss Bingley retorted, and slapping him about the face took off. What else was she supposed to do as everyone around her seemed to have lost their minds?
“And now, Hurst, I would like to know what possessed you to lock Elizabeth and myself in here?” Darcy asked, as soon as the livid lady had at last rounded a corner and was out of sight.
“Your own safety, actually. Last night Caroline tried to compromise you, and Louisa and I crossed her plans. And Mr. Collins, in his eagerness to recommend himself, crossed ours admittedly. Caroline threw quite a fit, storming into the house. I followed her, but then thought the better of it and went back downstairs and then I came across Miss Elizabeth and thought it best if I had her out of the way and lure her here. Upon coming back downstairs I saw you, thought it might be better if you would not cross paths with Caroline either, as I would not have put it past her to have another try at compromising you. I first considered putting you into another bedroom, but the opportunity was just too good. I have watched the two of you closely during your stay with us, Miss Bennet, and so I thought I might just as well push you in the right direction. It seems to have worked wonderfully.”
This certainly was a show and Thomas Bennet enjoyed it immensely. What a study in character! Some proved to be exactly as he had judged them, while others certainly had surprised him. This led him to hope that even after three and twenty years, his wife might still have the capacity to do so. Last night she had made some progress already by speaking about Mr. Bingley’s fortune only a good dozen times instead of a hundred, and never too loudly. Oddly enough every time she had started to be too loud it had been either Kitty of Lydia reminding her that perhaps she should speak a little bit lower. There, yet another surprise!
And looking at his second eldest daughter he had to admit she appeared uncommonly happy, and when his eyes darted a bit lower he saw her and Mr. Darcy’s hands entwined without them even noticing, so natural seemed this gesture.
‘And so I will lose my little Lizzy.’ he thought dolefully, before once more the ridiculousness of the situation got the better of him and he could not help chuckling.
Chapter 15
♥♥♥
“Mr. Collins, I congratulate you on your betrothal.” Mr. Bennet said, as soon as he arrived home along with his daughter.
“Oh Lizzy, where have you been?” his lady cried out before the confused parson could say anything in response.
“My dear, I hope you have ordered a good dinner tonight, as we will have an addition to our family circle.”
“How can you talk of dinners when my poor nerves are all in a flutter, Mr. Bennet?”
Pulling her least favourite daughter into a tight embrace Elizabeth realised that still her mother loved her as dearly as any mother could love one of her children, and that come to that all her family would ward off any evil that might lurk along the way. Even Lydia, sometimes too boisterous and sometimes unkind in her judgement, would never be as vile to any of her sisters as she had realised Miss Bingley was to hers. But Longbourn would not be her home for much longer, soon her home would be in Derbyshire. It was an odd thought, and even more odd was it, that she even looked forward to it. With all her machinations and matchmaking, her mother could use some lessons from Mr. Hurst of all people, it seemed.
“Now, you really need to tell me where you have been, Lizzy. Can you imagine how worried we were, when upon leaving we could not find you? And then Kitty suggested you might have gone home already, and with your ramblings I would have not put it past you had you really walked three miles in the darkness. Well at least the moon was out. But then we could not find you here either and your father sat out on a search in an instant, lest you might lie in a ditch or have been eaten by wild animals. I have not slept a wink.” Mrs. Bennet rambled on.
“It seems, my dear, last night some matchmaking has been going on, as your daughter here is engaged to be married, as is my cousin, Mr. Collins.”
“You will marry Mr. Collins? Oh we are all saved! You will be mistress of Longbourn one day, my dear, what a fine prospect!”
“No, my dear Lizzy will be mistress of Pemberley as she is to marry Mr. Darcy, while the
lovely Miss Bingley will be married to Mr. Collins.”
“Nonsense! How can you tease me so.”
“Mistress of Pemberley?” Collins piped up, looking concerned. “But Mr. Darcy is engaged to his cousin. Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s companion herself told me, that Miss Anne is engaged to her cousin and that both mother and daughter are greatly looking forward to the match. The wedding is to be in June next year, just after Miss de Bourgh’s twenty first birthday, when she will also come into possession of Rosings.”
“Oh, never mind.” Mr. Bennet tried to appease him. “All will be sorted out in good time.”
But mind Mr. Collins did, in fact more about his cousin’s than his own engagement, and putting his noble patroness’ interests before his own he excused himself and went upstairs to write a most urgent letter to Lady Catherine. As the rest of the family finally went to sleep for a few hours he hastened over to Meryton as fast as his plump body and the flat feet of his could carry him.
Wiping his brow with his handkerchief he stepped out of the post office and onto the street with the feeling of having accomplished something.
“Ah, the lucky groom.” he was addressed by none other than Lieutenant Wickham, who happened to pass by.
“Lucky? Ha, I am most unlucky!” exclaimed the sweating parson, needing to crane his neck so he could look the other man in the face. “I just hope my noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh can set this mess to right.”
“What is there to dislike about a woman with a large dowry? And a lovely pair of breasts, if I may say so?”
William Collins blushed most furiously at the thought of what had passed last night, and all that was missing to make him look like an oversized tea kettle was the steam coming out of his ears.
“It is not about me and my situation, I spoke. My cousin Elizabeth has become engaged to Mr. Darcy and I know that my noble patroness...”
“Lady Catherine de Bourgh, yes, I know.” Wickham rolled his eyes.
“Yes, - that Lady Catherine will be most displeased, seeing that her nephew is engaged to her daughter.”
“Darcy engaged to Miss de Bourgh? That is news to me. Are you quite sure?”
“Yes, I was told that Miss de Bourgh is engaged to her cousin Fitzwilliam and if I gathered it correctly that is Mr. Darcy’s first name, is it not?”
Wickham nodded thoughtfully. He had not seen Lady Catherine in a while, but if she happened to appear on the scene, this certainly would be fun.
“And now Miss Elizabeth has crossed Lady Catherine’s dearest wish. What will she say when she hears about it being one of my relatives that has caused all this trouble? This Mr. Hurst has taken quite some liberties locking Cousin Elizabeth in with Mr. Darcy!”
“What? Darcy has been compromised after all? Oh dear! I dare say the ball was a complete success then.”
Turning around Wickham wandered off in a particularly good mood. Ah, was it not a lovely day?
Chapter 16
♥♥♥
By the early afternoon of the following day a most enormous carriage arrived at Longbourn, and a most formidable looking lady got out of it, knocking determinedly at the front door with her walking stick.
“I demand to speak with Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” she demanded as soon as Hill had opened the door, and squeezing past the startled housekeeper said lady planted herself firmly in the entrance hall.
“Lady Catherine!” William Collins exclaimed with some relief, striding towards her with his hands stretched out. “I knew you would come and sort things out. I am not sure how all this could end up in such a mess.”
“Yes - yes, that I can well imagine, Mr. Collins.” she answered him shortly, shaking her regal head in some irritation. The news she had received had indeed been alarming and there was little doubt that some sorting out needed to be done, and she was more than prepared to do so.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh was a stately woman, a bit on the stout side perhaps, but her face once must have been quite beautiful and her dark blue eyes were still as sharp as a knife’s blade. Her fine mouth, not unlike her nephew’s, was set in a straight line and her eyebrows were knitted into a frown.
“I will get my cousin promptly.” Collins bowed and once more gave the impression that he would surely topple over at any moment would he attempt to bend down another half-inch.
Elizabeth, who had been walking outside with Jane to talk about their upcoming marriages was quite surprised when she was summoned with the utmost urgency, but being curious followed her clerical cousin promptly nonetheless.
“Lady Catherine.” she curtsied, feeling slightly intimidated by the unsmiling response of the woman before her.
“Miss Bennet, I demand a word with you – in privacy. This park is rather small, but I thought I saw a pretty little wilderness over there, just before we have turned into the driveway. If you may follow me, please?”
This flowery phrase sounded more like an order than anything else, and excusing herself to get her bonnet and pelisse, Elizabeth hastened up the stairs somewhat bewildered what this was all about.
“You can be of no doubt, why I am here.” Lady Catherine began, walking along with surprising agility.
“I presume you have been informed about my engagement to your nephew Mr. Darcy.”
“Indeed I have.”
A short moment of silence followed before the formidable lady spoke again.
“Miss Bennet, have you any idea of the consequence of my nephew? He is the grandson of an earl and as such he is currently third in line to inherit the title as are his children, should the union of his two male cousins stay without male heirs and should they die before him, of course. Do you really think with your upbringing and meagre education, with no experience in society, you could be the mother of a potential earl? Or be the wife of one, for that matter?”
“If Mr. Darcy thinks so.”
“Ah, but does he? I have had it from Mr. Collins, that my nephew was compromised into this engagement. What have you to say to this?”
“Only that I have been likewise compromised. It was not me who made the attempt.” Elizabeth felt her ire rise at the woman’s ungracious tone.
“Do you mean to say that my nephew would have to stoop so low, as to compromise a woman of no consequence whatsoever, to become his wife? Nonsense!” Lady Catherine carried on, undeterred by her companions defiance.
“I have said no such thing. I merely stated that we were both compromised by a third party, who locked us in together.”
“Would you have considered marrying him otherwise?”
At this Elizabeth needed to ponder. Would she? Perhaps. Over the last two days she had seen a side of Mr. Darcy which before was tainted by her own hasty prejudice, forming an opinion which had been darkened by one negligently spoken comment of a man in a bad mood and which had not even been towards her. It was not as if she had never done so herself, just that she had been fortunate enough never to be overheard when doing so, or never been so thoroughly misunderstood.
“I though so.” the lady spoke after she had waited a few instances without getting a reply. “Of course not. You know your station in life too well I presume, to dare attempt such a thing. Will you then promise me to break the engagement?”
Elizabeth’s annoyance increased: “Why would I promise such a thing to a person so wholly unconnected to me? If Mr. Darcy has no objections to marrying me, what is it to you? He himself told me that he is a free and unattached man. Why may he not choose for himself?”
“Because he has not done so! He was tricked into this and I, as one of his nearest relations, am concerned for his well being. I cannot stand idly by when I see he is about to be ruined.”
“It can hardly be considered ruin for a gentleman to marry a gentleman’s daughter.”
“Yes, you are a gentleman’s daughter, but what are your connections? Lawyers and traders they are, as I was informed by your cousin. Do you not think people of the ton will look down on you? Talk about you
behind your back?”
“And what is that to me? Let them!”
“So you will not promise to release my nephew from this infamous engagement?”
“No, I will not.”
“You are determined to be mistress of Pemberley then?”
“No, I am determined to be the wife of Mr. Darcy, a very good and honourable man, whom I have come to greatly respect and whose company I enjoy.” Elizabeth replied, then turned around to walk back and into the house. She had had quite enough of this enquiry.
Chapter 17
♥♥♥
“Not so hasty, Miss Bennet!” Lady Catherine cried out, hurrying after her, and reaching for her arm, which she caught with some strength Elizabeth would not have thought she possessed, asked: “Do you love him then?”
Surprised Elizabeth Bennet wheeled around to look into the smiling face of the woman who moments before had been so stern and forbidding.
“You do not need to answer, my dear, I can see you do.” Lady Catherine de Bourgh smiled, her eyes shimmering with kindness and glee.
“But…?”
“No ‘but’, my child. Welcome to the family. All I wanted to do, was save my nephew from a loveless marriage and see how well you could stand up to people who, at least at first, in all likeliness would not treat you well. I am satisfied on both accounts. Most satisfied!”
Pulling her close, Lady Catherine planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
This was seen by Mr. Collins who, in some nervous anticipation, had been standing behind the door, eavesdropping.
“But your daughter?” he cried out. “What will become of her?”
“What of Anne?” was Lady Catherine’s almost bemused reply. “She will be happily married in June next year as planned. Oh and no, I have no intention of poisoning you, Miss Elizabeth. There seems to be a misunderstanding here. My daughter Anne is engaged to her cousin Richard Fitzwilliam, not cousin Fitzwilliam Darcy. Fitzwilliam is mine and my late sister’s maiden name and the family name of the Earl’s of Matlock. So in reference to that, a rather silly notion actually, my sister called her son Fitzwilliam. It is Richard Fitzwilliam however, my daughter is engaged to. Why on earth would she want to marry Darcy? She is to inherit a great estate and Richard, being the second son of my brother, is in dire need of one. It was quite convenient when they fell in love with one another last spring. It saved me the trouble of making sure she chose a suitable match and would not fall for a mercenary like… - but no, I will not be unkind. After all he was my late brother in law’s godson and you will not know him anyway.”