The Secrets of Darcy and Elizabeth: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Victoria Kincaid

  Mr. Bennet shook his head at his second-oldest daughter. “I should have known that strict observance of propriety was beyond your capabilities, my dear, but I do believe you have a fair chance of happiness.”

  “As do I, Papa.” She smiled sweetly at him.

  “Very well, off with you lovebirds! I believe I need a glass of brandy and a book to recover from today’s events.” With that dismissal, Darcy and Elizabeth exited the room.

  Elizabeth and Darcy retired to the empty drawing room. Darcy exhaled a long breath. “That was not as terrible as it could have been.” Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief; he quirked an eyebrow at her. “Well, he could have challenged me to a duel.” She laughed, but sobered immediately as soon as the door was closed.

  “If you were not regretting marrying me before, you surely are now.” She said it with a smile on her face, but Darcy saw a flicker of concern in her eyes.

  Darcy did not sink into a chair, but instead turned to Elizabeth and pressed her up against the door. “When will you start believing me? I have said this before: nothing could make me regret marrying you,” he said hoarsely. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he leaned in for a fervent kiss.

  When he pulled back to gaze on her, her eyes were half drugged with passion and he was certain the expression on his face was much the same. “Can I come to you again tonight at Netherfield?” He whispered.

  She nodded. “But I do not know how I will survive until then.”

  Darcy shook his head ruefully. “I know. Perhaps we should sit down – on separate pieces of furniture.” Elizabeth gave a shaky laugh and seated herself in a chair while Darcy chose a slightly worn settee.

  There was a long pause. “We have been enjoying very fine weather lately.” Elizabeth said with the disinterested air of hostess addressing an acquaintance. Darcy laughed at her tone and impudent smile. What an impossible situation we find ourselves in! “The roads will be in good condition.”

  Darcy stood and started pacing. “That is just as well since I believe I must leave for London tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Elizabeth was unable to mask her disappointment. “You have only been in Hertfordshire for a handful of days.”

  “My love, it cannot be avoided. The investigator believes Wickham may have returned to London. I must be present in person to ‘encourage’ his marriage to Lydia.”

  “Then I will come with you.” Elizabeth’s tone was matter of fact.

  “That would be lovely, my dear, but you know you cannot. Your reputation would suffer from spending the night at the house with a supposedly unmarried man.”

  “I shall not be visiting you,” she said in mock indignation. “I have a letter from Georgiana inviting me to stay at Darcy House whenever I like. There is nothing untoward in accepting her invitation.”

  Darcy came to a halt directly before her chair; he meditated on her proposal for a moment. “Georgiana is staying with my Aunt and Uncle Fitzwilliam, but I could retrieve her for your visit. She would be pleased to see you and her companion, Mrs. Annesley, will be there as well. I suppose that would be acceptable to your parents. More importantly for my purposes, she would prove to be a very lenient chaperone.”

  Elizabeth’s face clouded over. “Oh, but your aunt and uncle! They did not want you to be seen with me. Perhaps I could stay with my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. Although they are already hosting Lydia….”

  For a long moment, Darcy said nothing as he stared at the space over her left shoulder. “No,” he said abruptly. “I have played by my aunt’s rules long enough. It is not as if my visit to Hertfordshire is a secret. Eventually the members of the ton will learn where my interests lie.”

  “Are you certain?” Darcy nodded curtly. She stood, throwing her arms around his neck, and kissed him. “No doubt this will be a visit to remember.”

  It was all arranged very expeditiously. Mr. Bennet had no objection as long as the appearance of propriety was maintained. Elizabeth was certain that his concerns over the swift resolution of Lydia’s dilemma played a part in his acquiescence. Still oblivious to Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet seemed dubious about the plan until Elizabeth pointed out that Miss Darcy would undoubtedly know many wealthy and eligible men. This idea transported Mrs. Bennet into such raptures that she started thinking about how Kitty could accompany them until Elizabeth noted that her sister had not been included in Georgiana’s invitation.

  Jane’s ankle had healed sufficiently so she could return to Longbourn after Elizabeth departed Netherfield. Darcy sent Georgiana an express advising her of the change in plans and made a very quiet visit to Mr. Fenton to ensure his silence – although Elizabeth never learned exactly what he said to the other man. The next day found them on the road to London, accompanied by a maid Bingley had spared from Netherfield to act as Elizabeth’s “chaperone.”

  Mrs. Green, the housekeeper at Darcy House, was accustomed to the master’s comings and goings, so she was not surprised to see him appear in the front hall. However, at the sight of Elizabeth she seemed somewhat flummoxed. Without any words of explanation, Darcy said, “Mrs. Green, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She will be staying in the yellow room.”

  Mrs. Green blinked rapidly in surprise. “The y-yellow room, sir?”

  “As I directed. I would hope you can have it prepared by the time she retires. I also expect there will be absolutely no talk among the servants.” This was Darcy at his most imperious, and the housekeeper blanched.

  “Y-yes, sir.”

  Darcy escorted Elizabeth into the drawing room. “Why is the yellow room special?” She asked as they settled into the room’s elegant embroidered chairs.

  “It has not been used since my mother’s death. It adjoins the master’s chambers.”

  “They will believe you brought home a mistress! Why not spare the poor woman the shock and tell her the truth? I am certain she would keep her own counsel if she values her position.”

  “Yes, but I am not certain all of the servants may be trusted. I will tell her in time.” Darcy said imperturbably.

  “I do believe you are enjoying shocking the servants!” She said with a laugh. “You wish them to believe you might do something as out of character as bringing home a mistress.”

  Darcy shook his head, but did not deny the charge. “I cannot endure having you here at our house and not having you occupy the mistress’s chamber. Anywhere else would be too far away from me.”

  Elizabeth considered for a moment. “I am not certain this is how I would care to begin my tenure as the mistress of the house since the servants do not know me. Perhaps I should stay in another room.”

  Darcy’s eyes flashed fire. “Absolutely not! We have compromised much for the sake of secrecy; I am tired of the sacrifices.” Then he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I will make the circumstances clear to a few key servants who I can trust. The others must remain confused for the time being.”

  After a moment he smiled provocatively at her. “Mr. Darcy?” Elizabeth asked archly.

  “It has just occurred to me that you are too far away and my lap is very empty.” He gave her a crooked grin.

  When the maid brought them refreshments, she said nothing, but upon her return to the kitchen she reported in scandalized tones that the Bennet woman was on the master’s lap with the top buttons of her dress undone – and the master had on neither his coat nor his cravat! Mrs. Green goggled a little at this news, but soon recovered and informed the maid frostily that there was to be no talk about it.

  Georgiana returned home later that afternoon, thrilled to spend more time with her new sister. Elizabeth was no less pleased and they soon settled in Georgiana’s sitting room. Darcy was happy to have his two favorite women for dinner and anticipated many pleasant evenings with the three of them at Pemberley. That first night at Darcy House gave him even more reason to look forward to their nights.

  Less pleasant was Elizabeth’s obligatory visit to the Gardiners’ house
the following morning. Lydia was unrepentant about the anguish she had occasioned her family and insensible to the damage she had done to her reputation. Elizabeth marveled at the naiveté with which her sister expressed her confidence that Wickham would return to her.

  “But, he will still expect me to be at the Three Crowns.” She explained to Elizabeth peevishly. “I don’t see why I had to come away from the inn. He may have difficulty finding me.” Elizabeth reminded her sister that she had needed to leave the inn because she had no means of paying for her room. She also tried to instill a sense of gratitude toward the Gardiners, but Lydia was immune to such hints, only complaining about not being allowed to return to Longbourn. Elizabeth left with the knowledge that her sister was as silly as always and her unwarranted faith in Wickham was unshakable.

  Elizabeth did, however, have a more pleasant visit with her Aunt Gardiner and, as they walked in the park, she revealed the secret of their marriage. Her father had agreed that her aunt should know and could be trusted to share it with no one but her uncle. Mrs. Gardiner expressed surprise at the marriage itself, but no shock at all about the depth of Darcy’s affection for Elizabeth. His love for their niece had been quite evident to the Gardiners even before he risked life and limb to rescue her from France.

  When Elizabeth returned to Darcy House she learned that they had been invited to Darcy’s aunt and uncle’s house for dinner that evening. Darcy regarded the small family party as an opportunity for his new wife to get to know his family – even if most of them did not know they were already related. Elizabeth was a little apprehensive, but Darcy assured her that she would be brilliant as always.

  He felt a great sense of contentment as he escorted his two favorite women to the carriage that evening. It was such a relief to be with Georgiana and act like a married couple. He handed Georgiana into the coach while resting his hand on the small of Elizabeth’s back, but once Georgiana was in, Darcy could not resist the temptation to pull his wife against the side of the coach for a long, lingering kiss. Fortunately, the street was deserted. The coachman raised his eyebrows, but wisely said nothing. Darcy handed Elizabeth in, climbed in himself and they were away.

  None of the party noticed a man lingering in the shadow of a tree near a house some way up the street. Although it was growing dark, he had seen everything very clearly. Oho! Thought George Wickham. Darcy nurtures a passion for Elizabeth Bennet! Most likely Darcy would only make her his mistress, but he was very proper, so there was the possibility they were planning marriage. Rules of polite society considered kisses between the affianced acceptable – and Darcy was so very honorable.

  Wickham had learned that Darcy was seeking him and had returned to London to discover why; there was always a chance there was some money in it for him. Now that Wickham realized how closely connected Darcy was to the Bennet family, he knew that most likely Darcy was only going to be tiresome about Lydia and demand that Wickham marry her. Wickham thought gleefully that he would make Darcy pay richly for his cooperation, but then an even better idea occurred to him – a plan that would let him avoid getting shackled to that chit. He knew someone who would pay handsomely for information about Darcy and Elizabeth, and he intended to be the first one to supply it.

  Over the next couple of days the inhabitants of Darcy House settled into a comfortable routine. After the first morning when Darcy’s valet, Keans, had been shocked to find Elizabeth in his master’s bed, Darcy let him in on the secret. He took pity on Mrs. Green the same day and took her into his confidence as well; the housekeeper had informed the more discreet members of the household staff one by one.

  They did little socializing, although Darcy took every opportunity to have Elizabeth visit his family. His aunt and uncle had been displeased when he brought her to the family dinner, but he insisted they must become acquainted with her. Assuming that an engagement was imminent, they bade Elizabeth welcome to their home – with less than complete sincerity. The earl and countess had been wary of Elizabeth at first, viewing her as a fortune hunter – and one with a scandalous family as well. Darcy’s aunt had been frosty and his uncle barely civil, but they had warmed to Elizabeth’s lively manner and intelligent conversation.

  Darcy said little all night, simply allowing Elizabeth to shine. His aunt and uncle were not at the point of giving the match their blessing, but they seemed more accepting of her role in Darcy’s life. While Lady Alice had not completely recovered from the scandal over their son’s marriage, the event had not proven as socially devastating as she had feared, so she had grown more forgiving of Darcy’s choice.

  The newlyweds treasured an early morning breakfast as private time together before the business of the day began. After breakfast, Darcy would retire to his study to conduct estate business. Elizabeth sometimes joined him there, reading a book or learning about the estate by helping Darcy with his correspondence and other tasks. Although no one would expect her to help run the estate, she was eager for opportunities to better understand how it functioned. Everything she learned only made her more curious to see Pemberley for herself.

  Some afternoons Elizabeth walked in Hyde Park, while others were spent shopping with Georgiana. Shopping was not an activity she particularly enjoyed, but it was essential that she have a new wardrobe commensurate with the social position she would soon be assuming. Georgiana took her to a modiste far more elegant and expensive than any she had frequented before. Having Darcy pay for an “unmarried” woman’s clothing would be a gross breach of propriety, so he had supplied Elizabeth with some cash for the purchases. If the shopkeepers assumed she was buying her clothing with a rather generous allowance from her father, who was she to dissuade them?

  The sheer volume of the items Georgiana thought were essential overwhelmed Elizabeth. Gloves, hats, shoes, and stockings were ordered in a flurry of activity. Georgiana loved shopping and Elizabeth allowed the younger woman’s good taste to guide her in many of her selections. When her new sister insisted that Elizabeth needed nine new gowns immediately, she protested. However Georgiana enumerated all of the occasions which would require various gowns; Elizabeth conceded defeat, realizing that she would need far more than nine eventually.

  Other afternoons, Elizabeth called on the Gardiners and Lydia, though without Georgiana. Although her new sister knew of Lydia’s connection to Wickham, Darcy did not want her exposed to any heedless talk from the youngest Bennet.

  The days were pleasant, but Darcy was unhappy at the lack of progress in discovering Wickham. They had returned to London on the strength of some promising information and Darcy had believed they were on the verge of locating the man, but the leads yielded no results. Darcy hired additional investigators, who had found nothing as of yet. Wickham apparently was moving from place to place rather frequently and the investigators were always one step behind him. Darcy was eager for the business to be resolved so he and Elizabeth could announce their marriage and retire to Pemberley for a long stay. Weary of the town, he longed to be in Derbyshire. Elizabeth, too, wished for a swift conclusion of the matter and a chance to live as husband and wife for the first time.

  Then, approximately a week after their arrival in London, Thomas the footman brought Darcy a card with the name “George Wickham” on it.

  Chapter 13

  Although Thomas had been dubious of Wickham’s claim that Darcy would be glad to see him, the master did indeed ask that the rather disreputable-looking guest be brought to his study.

  At last! Thought Darcy. We can conclude this business and go home. At the same time, he knew that Wickham was likely to be a wily negotiator and would require a great deal of persuasion to honor his promise to Lydia – plus he was likely to be contrary just to pique Darcy. He was grateful, however, that Elizabeth was at the Gardiners and Georgiana was out shopping, so there was no need to expose either of them to Wickham’s nastiness.

  Schooling himself to patience, Darcy watched while Wickham sauntered through the door and seated himself opposit
e the desk as though he owned the place. “Hello Darcy,” Wickham said with his usual impertinence, not bothering with any pleasantries. “I received word that you were seeking me out.”

  “Indeed I was.” Darcy surveyed Wickham coolly. Although the other man pretended to be in good spirits, Darcy noticed signs of anxiety around his eyes. His clothes were well made, but beginning to become threadbare. Good. If he needed funds badly, Wickham would be easier to persuade.

  “You must marry Lydia Bennet.” Darcy saw no need for idle chatter.

  “The hell I will!” Wickham exclaimed with force, but little emotion. Surely he was unsurprised that this was Darcy’s goal. “I’m weary of the chit. And she comes with practically no dowry!”

  “You have compromised her reputation and it is your duty as a gentleman to marry her,” Darcy insisted. Wickham’s insolent laugh was the only response. “I am prepared to grant you a financial settlement to start your new life. Plus an officer’s commission – perhaps somewhere in the north, such as Newcastle.”

  “And pay my debts?” Wickham asked quickly.

  Darcy sighed. “Yes, I will pay your debts as well.”

  Wickham eyed him keenly. “How much of a settlement?”

  Darcy had had many days to ponder this. “Eight thousand,” he said without hesitation.

  Wickham laughed. “Come, Darcy, you must do far better than that. Fifteen thousand.”

  Darcy shook his head emphatically. “Ten thousand and not a penny more. For much less than that I could buy Lydia a respectable husband who will not cheat on her and gamble away the money.”

  Wickham did not even bother to deny Darcy’s allegations. “But Lydia will not take someone else. She wants me.” His face displayed great confidence. Then Wickham’s eyes narrowed. “What’s your interest in this? Why do you even care if the wench gets married?”

  “I am a friend of the Bennet family and do not wish them to suffer because of your actions.” Darcy kept his tone as casual as possible.