Courting Elizabeth: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Renata McMann

  Elizabeth took her father’s arm, missing him already, and headed back toward the house, where she knew Darcy awaited them. As they walked, she shook her head to dispel any lingering uncharitable thoughts. Let others fill the world with gloom and doubt. Elizabeth was determined to think everyone as happily married, and as happy in love, as she and Darcy were.

  LONDON

  [S]he almost regretted not thanking Lady Catherine.

  Epilogue

  Elizabeth walked with her daughter, Lizzy, to the Girls’ Garden, followed by their nanny and her two-year-old son, William.

  “But William isn’t a girl,” Lizzy complained, looking back over her shoulder at her squirming little brother.

  “Boys are allowed if they’re young enough,” Elizabeth said.

  “How young do they have to be?”

  Elizabeth suppressed a smile. Her daughter always had more questions. “I’m not sure, but I think they are allowed if they are under six.”

  “I’m nearly six. Does that mean if I was a boy, I wouldn’t be allowed soon?” Lizzy asked.

  “I’m not sure precisely what Lady Agatha’s rules are. When William is almost six, we’ll have to ask her.”

  They rounded the hedge that screened the Girls’ Garden from the bulk of the grounds. William squealed in delight, spotting a painted rocking horse. Elizabeth gave an encouraging nod to their nanny and she put the boy down. On sturdy legs, he started running toward the horse, dodging around older children as they played.

  Lizzy let out her own squeal, no longer concerned about her questions as she recognized the Bingleys’ daughter, who was her age. Elizabeth exchanged an amused look with the nanny and left to join the adults. She loved her children dearly, but this was her party too and she welcomed the chance to see her sister and cousins.

  She crossed the lawn to where Jane and Anne sat together. The two had become good friends, a happy situation as Richard had inherited Lady Catherine’s personal estate a few months ago. It bordered Rosings, putting their homes a little over a mile apart. “You see each other all the time,” Elizabeth teased. “You should be mingling and engaging other people.”

  “I’ve been avoiding some of them,” Anne said. She pulled a face. “Especially your sister.”

  “Lydia?” Elizabeth asked. “Last time I saw her, it seemed as if she’d gotten over her snobbishness.”

  “She has,” Jane said.

  “I admit she has,” Anne said.

  “Some new quirk, then?” Elizabeth knew Lydia could be trying, but privately thought Anne had never given her little sister a fair chance.

  “Not so much a quirk.” Anne sighed. “I guess I just don’t want to hear about the twenty mile hike she took with Matlock last week or her new hunter. I keep hoping she’ll have children so she’ll be forced to slow down at least a little.”

  Elizabeth held her peace, not pointing out that Lydia was nearly ten years Anne’s junior.

  “They both like it that way,” Jane said, her tone soothing.

  “Well, I suppose I should like it too,” Anne said. “I would rather have your son inherit the title than a hypothetical one of Lydia’s.”

  “Thanks to Lady Catherine, we have more than enough,” Jane said. “I don’t covet Henry’s title for our Thomas.”

  Anne gave Jane a speculative look. “No, I suppose you don’t. It’s a shame I’m not more like you, Jane. I think I’ve too much of my mother in me. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was angry when I learned she’d willed her holdings away from me, as if I need more when I have Rosings.”

  “Even though it was to Richard?” Jane appeared genuinely surprised, as close to reprimanding as Elizabeth knew her to get.

  “Yes.” Anne shook her head. “I should have realized that by refusing to reconcile with her, I gave my mother a reason to will her property elsewhere. It was her way of telling me how disappointed she is in me one final time, and I must never forget it, because the lands border mine and you live on them, giving me reason to visit.”

  “She did write in her will that she gave them to Richard because he was a hero at Waterloo,” Jane said, her tone tentative.

  “That’s nonsense,” Anne said. “She never cared about that kind of thing.”

  “Still, it may not have been against you. It may have been to be kind to Richard. They did share a certain closeness.”

  Elizabeth frowned. “I’m afraid I agree with Anne. I don’t think it was a matter of giving it to Richard, but of not giving it to Anne.”

  Anne nodded, her face set. “I agree. Mother died a bitter, friendless woman. If she’d admitted she was wrong, I would have made my peace with her, but she insisted to the end that she was cheated out of Rosings. She always maintained dragging Elizabeth away in a carriage was right, but Darcy and Henry evicting her was criminal. She would tell that to anyone who would listen. Fortunately, it didn’t take too long before people stopped listening, except Mr. Collins.”

  “I thought her estate was in a different parish,” Elizabeth said, glancing to Jane for confirmation.

  “It is,” Anne replied. “But he remained loyal to her. He would visit her at least twice a week. He was her only company, because she couldn’t bring herself to be friends with her servants.”

  “I wrote her every month,” Jane said quietly.

  Anne turned to her in surprise. “Why?”

  “We stayed with her for about two weeks, just after we were married. I’m sure you recall. Richard felt sorry for her. Then he got his regiment. I wrote her a thank you letter, which she answered at length. It didn’t seem right not to respond.”

  Elizabeth decided not to say anything about good manners being rewarded. She had the impression Jane already felt guilty about their inheritance. Elizabeth realized that was the true reason her sister wanted to make Lady Catherine’s generosity about Richard, because Jane would feel she’d cheated Anne if Lady Catherine’s kindness had been aimed at her. Yet, being Jane, she didn’t want to take the easy way out, claiming the action as spiteful, because she didn’t like to believe in spite. Elizabeth glanced at Anne, hoping her mind hadn’t gone down the path of concluding subterfuge on Jane’s part. Jane was incapable of subterfuge or plots of any kind.

  Anne regarded Jane for a long moment. “I’m glad you inherited,” she finally said. “You and Charlotte are my favorite neighbors, although I could do without Mr. Collins.”

  “Anne,” came a stage whisper from the edge of the garden.

  Elizabeth turned to see Darcy, Richard and Bingley standing at the very edge of the Girls’ Garden, grinning like errant children. She laughed, standing. “I think we’d best go to them, before they incur Lady Agatha’s wrath by coming in any farther.”

  A glance showed Lizzy and William well in hand, Lizzy under the watchful eyes of the Bingleys’ nanny, playing with their daughter. That left Elizabeth’s nanny with only William to look after, a still challenging task as he was a bundle of energy and trouble.

  When Elizabeth reached the edge of the garden, Darcy offered his arm. Taking it, Elizabeth strolled alongside him, Bingley and Anne to one side, Jane and Richard to the other.

  “How was the fencing?” Elizabeth asked.

  “Peter beat Henry three out of five,” Darcy said.

  “Did Henry demand a rematch?” Anne asked.

  “Yes, but not today.”

  Elizabeth caught Anne’s smile at that and wondered if her cousin was hoping Lord Henry was finally slowing down. Elizabeth hoped not. Far from envying Henry and Lydia their energy, she thought they all benefited from it. Except when Lydia was being trying, their liveliness was contagious.

  The six of them walked together for a time, conversing easily. They often saw others they knew, acknowledging friends and acquaintances with a wave. Elizabeth couldn’t help but reflect on how happy her life had become.

  Eventually, Bingley begged off to go dine, increasingly one of his favorite occupations. Anne accompanied him, as she generally did. She wasn�
��t what Elizabeth would describe as a clinging wife, but she didn’t like to let Bingley off on his own for too many hours at a time. Too, perhaps, Anne recalled another time in the buffet room, years ago, when Bingley had laughed with a flirtatious widow.

  Soon after, Jane and Richard left the lawn to go dance. They both had wistful smiles on their faces as they departed. Neither danced as much as they used to, unlike Lydia and Henry, but when they did, it was usually with each other. She looked up at Darcy speculatively, hoping he would ask her to dance later.

  He likely would, as Georgiana would be dancing with all of her beaus. Darcy liked to keep an eye on them. Sometimes, Elizabeth wished Georgiana would simply pick one and be done with it, but knew she was having too much fun as one of the most eligible catches in London to do so.

  “Is that your aunt and uncle?” Darcy said, drawing Elizabeth’s attention back to the garden.

  “It is,” Elizabeth agreed, smiling.

  Without consulting each other, they both changed course to head in that direction. Elizabeth let go of his arm as they sat down to enjoy the Gardiner’s company. She smiled, watching his genuine pleasure in conversing with her aunt and uncle. It amused her she’d once lamented his inability to socialize. Now, he was perfectly comfortable talking to her relatives in the midst of a large party.

  Elizabeth let the three talk, her mind going back to her conversation with Jane and Anne. Reminded of Lady Catherine’s death by their conversation, Elizabeth reflected that, without her ultimatum against Georgiana, Elizabeth might never have read Darcy’s letter or permitted him to court her. If it hadn’t been for Lady Catherine’s tyrannical ways, they might not be married at all, and Elizabeth wouldn’t be the happiest woman in England. Now that it was too late, she almost regretted not thanking Lady Catherine for her intervention. Almost.

  ~ The End ~

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  Want to read more by Renata McMann and Summer Hanford? Take a look below.

  By Renata McMann and Summer Hanford

  The Second Mrs. Darcy

  Georgiana's Folly (The Wickham Coin Book I)

  Elizabeth's Plight (The Wickham Coin Book II)

  The above two books have been published in a single volume as:

  Georgiana's Folly & Elizabeth's Plight: Wickham Coin Series, Volumes I & II

  The Scandalous Stepmother

  Poor Mr. Darcy

  A Death at Rosings

  Caroline and the Footman

  Mr. Collins’ Deception

  Mary Younge

  Lady Catherine Regrets

  The above four stories (and two additional stories) are collected in:

  Pride and Prejudice Villains Revisited – Redeemed – Reimagined A Collection of Six Short Stories

  Entanglements of Honor

  From Ashes to Heiresses

  The Fire at Netherfield Park

  Courting Elizabeth

  Epiphany with Tea

  Miss Bingley’s Christmas

  Her Final Wish

  Believing in Darcy

  By Renata McMann

  Heiress to Longbourn

  Anne de Bough Manages

  Three Daughters Married

  The Inconsistency of Caroline Bingley

  Pemberley Weddings

  The above five stories are collected in:

  Pride and Prejudice Variations: A collection of Short Stories

  By Summer Hanford

  Ladies Always Shoot First Half Hour Reads Series Page

  Included are:

  Captured by a Duke

  To Save a Lord

  One Shot for a Gentleman

  Anything for a Lord

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  From Ashes to Heiresses

  In the wake of a devastating fire at Longbourn, Elizabeth and Jane are taken in by their aunt and uncle in Meryton. Concerned about their situation, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley come to Hertfordshire, but not before Mr. Wickham attempts to use Jane’s heartache to his advantage.

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  About the Authors

  Renata McMann

  Renata McMann is the pen name of Teresa McCullough, someone who likes to rewrite public domain works. She is fond of thinking "What if?" To learn more about Renata's work and collaborations, visit www.renatamcmann.com.

  Summer Hanford

  Summer Hanford writes Regency, fantasy and Pride and Prejudice variations. In May of 2017, her half-hour reads series, Ladies Always Shoot First, was released by Scarsdale Publishing. The first four books in her five book Thrice Born series are: Gift of the Aluien, Hawks of Sorga, Throne of Wheylia and Plains of Tybrunn. Book five is forthcoming in 2017. Shorter works appear in various magazines and anthologies, including Aoife's Kiss, Something Wicked Anthology Vol. II, Daughter of Icarus, The Ampersand Review and Nightmare Walkers and Dream Stalkers Vol. II.

  Starting in 2014, Summer was offered the privilege of partnering with fan fiction author Renata McMann on her well-loved Pride and Prejudice variations. More information on these works is available at www.renatamcmann.com. Additionally, in 2016, Summer was lucky enough to be asked to join Austen Authors, a great place for fans to get more Jane Austen. To explore Austen Authors, visit www.austenauthors.net.

  Summer is currently working with McMann, providing content for, creating and managing websites, and is the fantasy and science fiction faculty member at AllWriters' Workplace and Workshop, LLC., an international creative writing studio. She lives in Michigan with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cats. For more about Summer, visit www.summerhanford.com.