As she exited her home she saw that fog was rolling in from the direction her walk would take her on. Thinking back to the letter writer’s words, she enjoyed her walk more than usual. She was amazed by how beautiful the morning was when you looked at it only a few feet ahead at a time. She heard the birds but could not see them and laughed when a flock unexpectedly flew out from a cluster of trees and momentarily frightened her. Feeling the excitement of the new experience and knowing she would soon be receiving a letter in return, she arrived at her destination and put the letter into the knothole before sitting down to take in the marvels she was seeing as if for the first time. She stayed there for half an hour, not wanting to end her enjoyment of the dampness in the air surrounding her and the stirrings here and there of nature. She decided to stay there a little longer and soon heard the unmistakable sound of someone approaching.
He came into the clearing from out of the fog on the opposite side of the tree. Taking his walking stick, he poked around until he felt the opening of the knot hole, making certain nothing was using the hole as a hiding place from the damp fog. Just as he reached inside to retrieve her letter, he heard someone step out from behind a tree and, with the sweetest voice, say, “Hello, Mr. Darcy.”
“Miss Elizabeth!”
“Did you expect it to be me?” she asked quietly.
He looked at her for a moment before sincerely replying, “It was my hope all along that it would be you. Once I was sure it most definitely was you, I never was so happy with any communication in my life. Did you have any idea that it was me?”
“I hoped it was. As I got to see the man you truly are, I desperately wanted it to be you.”
“Is there a chance that you could ever possibly feel the sentiments for me that you once did for another?”
“Oh, my sentiments have undergone so material a change since the time you allude to. I believe I must date the change to when I began to develop feelings for the letter writer.”
Suddenly Jane’s voice could be heard calling out, “Lizzy, Lizzy! Are you here, Lizzy?”
Without a word, Mr. Darcy quickly went past Elizabeth, brushing his hand against hers as he took the place around the tree she had just recently been concealed behind.
“I am here, Jane,” Lizzy replied.
“Lizzy, something terrible has happened! Lydia has run away, has eloped with, I cannot believe it, with Mr. Wickham!”
“What? When?”
“We are not sure of the exact time during the night when they left. About an hour ago, Mary could not sleep and went into Kitty and Lydia’s room to take back a ribbon Lydia had borrowed. She discovered Lydia’s bed empty and a note on the pillow. On questioning Kitty, she admitted that Lydia and Mr. Wickham were in love and Lydia expected to soon be married to him. When we saw your bed empty as well, we did not know what to think! I was afraid I would not find my way here through all this fog. But as much as you have been talking about exploring the next time we had fog in the area, I had a feeling you would be here.”
“Oh, Jane, they could not have gotten far. Has father gone after them?”
“As I left to come here, He left for Netherfield to ask for Mr. Bingley’s fastest stallion. Our Betsy would not be able to go the distance that might be required. He hopes to leave as soon as he can secure an adequate horse.”
“One moment, Jane,” Lizzy said as she quickly looked behind the tree. But there was no one there.
Chapter Fifteen
Darcy ran as fast as he dared through the fog that remained. When he reached Netherfield, Mr. Bennet was just arriving and was knocking forcefully on the door. A servant had just opened it, with Mr. Bingley coming up swiftly behind him when Mr. Darcy came running up.
“You there,” he called to the stable hand, “Get both of my horses ready! Godspeed, man!”
Before an obviously distressed Mr. Bennet could say a word, Darcy said to him, “We will use my horses, which are the fastest to be found in these parts.”
“What is going on?” demanded Bingley.
“Wickham has eloped with Mr. Bennet’s daughter. We have no time to lose if we are to overtake them,” Darcy said as he gasped for breath after his vigorous run.
“Which daughter?”
“The youngest, Lydia,” answered Darcy.
“Oh, good,” Bingley replied with relief. “I mean good that it is not Jane, of course,” he explained. Turning to the manservant who had opened the door, he said, “As fast as you can, go tell the stable hands to ready my horse as well!”
“Bingley, I am sure the two of us can handle this just as well as three. Why not go to Longbourn instead and tell the ladies we have gone after them. I am sure they could use consoling words about now. I am sure they would appreciate it.”
“I am sure they would! You may go console them if you wish. I am going after the blackguard! I have more at stake in this matter than you, after all.”
“How so?” asked an incredulous Darcy.
“I plan to marry into the family, making their concerns very much my own!”
“Well, I plan to marry into the family, making their concerns very much my own!” Darcy retorted.
“Which sister?” asked Bingley.
“Elizabeth, of course.”
“I suspected a partiality on your side! And she has been expressing an interest any time your name is brought up. You both might have been more open about it!
“Bingley, why did you not tell me she expressed an interest in me? What has she said exactly?”
Mr. Bennet had not been able to speak a word since arriving. He had no idea where Mr. Darcy had come running from or how he knew all his family’s business. He was even more surprised at the interchange between the two gentlemen. “Yes, yes, we can work all this out later, but please let us be on our way before it is too late!”
“Of course,” said the two men in unison as they all rushed to meet their steeds and were soon on their way.
Elizabeth sent word to Miss Darcy at Netherfield that they would be unable to keep their appointment for tea. She said a matter had come up unexpectedly and they would plan on calling on her as soon as was possible.
Miss Darcy sent back a note in reply.
Dear Miss Elizabeth,
I have been informed by the housekeeper that Fitzwilliam and Mr. Bingley joined your father on a matter of great urgency. I do hope all turns out well. I am sure my brother will do all in his power to make it so! If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.
I look forward to our next meeting,
Georgiana Darcy
Lizzy read the note which was both kind and encouraging. It showed Miss Darcy’s utmost trust and confidence in her brother. And now she knew that Mr. F. was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Fitzwilliam was his given name, not simply William as Mr. Wickham had led her to believe. She wondered how Mr. Wickham knew that if he had told her the Darcy’s given names began with an F and a G, she would have known who the book belonged to. Mary had warned her of Mr. Wickham’s habit of looking through personal items which were not his business. But that would also mean his eyesight was much better than he had pretended. If his eyesight had ever been affected at all! What a horrible person, she thought with disgust.
Oh, how I hope Miss Darcy’s conviction is well founded and Lydia is saved from that wretched man!
“What is the hold up?” asked an irritated Mr. Wickham.
“Sorry, sir. We could not see in this fog, and it looks like we ran into a fallen branch. We lost a wheel. We are looking for it now.”
As he sat back anxiously in his seat next to Lydia, Mr. Wickham’s brow broke out in a sweat.
“Are you nervous, Georgie?” asked his bride to be. “We are to be married when we arrive in London!” she told the man seated across from them. “I am so excited to be Mrs. Wickham! Kiss me, my love!” she excitedly demanded as she grabbed Wickham and pulled him to her.
“I think I will just help look for that lost wheel,” said the other passenger as he remov
ed himself from the coach as speedily as was possible.
When the wheel was finally found and being put back on, the coachman looked up to see the three horses approaching with lightning speed. “Hello, there,” spoke Darcy. “Have you seen a couple who might be eloping?”
The other passenger, who would not return to his seat until he must, simply pointed to the coach while nodding his head.
Darcy and Bingley looked at Mr. Bennet. “I have got this, gentleman,” he said sternly before dismounting.
Mr. Bennet took a deep breath before opening the coach door.
“Papa! What are you doing here?” asked the clueless Lydia.
“Where is he?”
“Do you mean George?”
“Yes, I mean George. Where is he?’
“Papa, do not be angry! Before the day’s end you will finally have the son you always wanted!” Lydia said with such enthusiasm and happiness that Mr. Bennet could not help but feel embarrassed that he was the father to one of the most stupid girls in all of England.
“Where is he, Lydia?”
“He has gone to relieve himself, if you must know. I do hope he has not gotten lost in this fog! I am sure he has been gone for more than half an hour.”
“Do you want us to find him, sir,” asked Bingley. “If you wish it, we will not hesitate to go after him! Right, Darcy?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“No, I have no doubt we have seen the last of that scoundrel! Let us head back now. But thank you both. If things work out in each of your favor, I would not go so far as to say you are the sons I have wished for, but you are much closer to the mark than the one I was almost saddled with.”
“Papa! We cannot leave! What will George say when he returns and does not find me here?” cried Lydia hysterically.
“I do not want to hear another word from you for the duration of our journey. We will talk about George Wickham when we get home!”
Chapter Sixteen
“Where are you off to so early, Bingley?”
“I have waited long enough, Darcy. I am going to propose to Miss Bennet.”
“Which sister?” Darcy asked with a mocking grin. “Seriously, my friend, do you not think it might be best to give the family a little privacy? After all, yesterday was a very trying day for them, and who knows what transpired once Miss Lydia and her father returned to Longbourn.”
“I considered that, but I decided against waiting. I find there is nothing better to replace a depressed condition than to bring some happiness into the situation. I have been practicing my declaration and am becoming more nervous daily. I am determined; today is the day.”
“You make a good argument for your side. All right then, will you wait for me that I might do the same?”
”Of course. But, Darcy, if we are to be brothers, I suggest you hop to it,” Bingley said with a wide grin.
Mr. Darcy invited Georgiana to accompany them as well. The brother and sister had been together through more bad times than good. He wanted this to be the beginning of more good times than bad.
“Jane, Lizzy! Hurry! Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are downstairs as we speak!”
“So, how are we going to do this, Darcy? Should one of us go out and let the other go first? And by that I mean you go out and I will go first.”
“You may have the sitting room all to yourself, my friend. I would like to propose in the garden.”
“Why in the garden?”
“It holds special meaning for us.”
“How is that even possible? I do not recall a single instance when you were ever alone with Miss Elizabeth indoors, much less in the garden.”
“You do not know everything, Bingley.”
Jane and Elizabeth hugged each other before opening the door to the sitting room. Surprise and disappointment flashed across Elizabeth’s face for a second when she realized that only Mr. Bingley was in the room.
“Might I have a private word with your sister, Miss Elizabeth?”
“Certainly, sir,” she said as she turned to leave from the room.
“Oh, yes, and Darcy asked that you wait for him in the garden, if you would be so kind?”
Lizzy smiled as her hopes returned. “Thank you, Mr. Bingley. I believe I shall.”
Lizzy walked to the gardens of Longbourn, where she had spent many fine days, reading or taking in the beauty of nature. She looked around but did not see him. Her attention was soon drawn to the beautiful Japanese melody coming from the small piano in her father’s library.
“My sister has been practicing this piece for weeks, at my request,” Mr. Darcy said as he approached her.
“It is more beautiful than I imagined it would be.”
Mr. Darcy motioned toward the bench. Once she had gotten settled, he went down in front of her on one knee and took her hand in his. His tall frame on one knee and her sitting position brought them nearly head to head, though his was still above hers.
Lizzy gazed into his eyes, which were looking so passionately into her own and were in closer proximity to hers than they had ever been before. Her heart began to race, and she had to put forth great effort to steady her breathing as she prepared to hear his declaration. “You must allow me to tell you how beautiful your penmanship is.”
He maintained his intense gaze as he watched her expression change from nervous expectation to confusion. His face beamed then as the most breathtaking smile she had ever seen enhanced his already handsome face. She began to laugh, and soon he was doing the same.
“Well, I will say you are full of surprises, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy.”
“I try,” he replied, still smiling and still so very close to her. “I have more to say. Shall I continue?”
“Yes, please,” she answered with such love showing in her fine eyes, his smile faded and his gaze became serious. “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you, my dearest, loveliest, Elizabeth. Knowing you and loving you has made me a better man. Would you allow me the great honor of getting to know you and love you more each day for the rest of my life?”
“Yes, I would like that very much, Mr. Darcy,” she answered with tears in her eyes.
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, as the lovely music continued to fill the garden. He took out the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was, in fact, a replica of one described by a lady of the court many years earlier.
“Before I place this on your finger, would you like to read the inscription? Though you can expect to continue receiving letters from me for the rest of our lives together, I thought it fitting that you might see this every day and always remember our beginning.”
She read the inscription, which was written in a simple yet elegant script:Yours truly, Mr. Darcy
Thank You!
I truly hope you enjoyed this variation of Pride and Prejudice as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please be so kind to take a moment and leave a review. Many Thanks!
Don’t miss
Disdain and Deception
and
Pride and Prejudice Sequel: Life After the Wedding Series
Part Six – A Few Good Men-Don’t miss the epic adventure, as Darcy andA Few Good Men must risk everything in the name of Family and Friendship! Out later this year.
Two more variations are in progress now, including
a Modern Darcy and Elizabeth Novel unlike any you’ve ever read before. Can they survive the greatest test their love has ever faced?
Lots more to come!
About the Author
Denise O’Hara lives with her best friend and husband of 28 years. Together they live a simple life and they love it! Growing a garden, drinking coffee or tea on the deck, swinging under the pecan tree and having family and friends around, are a few of their favorite things. They have two truly wonderful grown children who bring so much joy to their lives.
And as their family and friends will tell you, they love the Bee Gees! Just wanted to give them a shout out for all countless
hours of joy those 4 Brothers Gibb have brought to Denise and her Mr. Darcy.
Yours truly, Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 8