The Proud and The Beast

by Kate Speck

  “OWW! What was that for?” Caroline screeched, as she held her painful cheek.

  “You ungrateful chit!” Louisa reddened in anger. She slapped Caroline’s other cheek. “I should have been a better elder sister and disciplined you through all your tantrums and whining but I just went along and agreed with you on everything because it was easier. You STOLE from the Darcys, you stupid, stupid girl.”

  Louisa stood and paced as she continued, “They are at dinner right now and Mr. Hurst is so angry with me for allowing your atrocious behaviors. Everything is in the open now, Caroline. Your attempts to compromise Mr. Darcy, poisoning his coffee, stealing Miss Darcy’s ring, all the lies you told Miss Elizabeth about your carrying Mr. Darcy’s child,” She froze and looked at her sister. “You are not actually with child, are you?”

  Caroline sat, holding both of her cheeks in pain, with tears running down her face replied, “Of course not! I… I tried to see if I could get with child so I could convince Mr. Darcy that I was carrying his heir but that… that… valet of Mr. Hurst’s only laughed at me.”

  Louisa plopped down most unladylike. “Good Lord! He must be fifty years old!”

  “Well, I did not know who else. No one else would agree, even though I tried to get the footman and the stable boy and…” Caroline stopped.

  “That is disgusting. Who else?” Louisa spat.

  Caroline looked down at her shoes. “Mr… Mr…”

  “WHO, Caroline?!” Her sister yelled.

  “Mr. Hurst. Your husband.” Caroline whispered.

  Caroline did not see it coming. She only felt herself swinging backwards as Louisa’s fist knocked her out cold.

  Chapter 16

  “Mr. Bennet, I apologize for calling so early.” Darcy shook the elder man’s hand.

  “It is nothing. Come in, come in. How have you been, Darcy?” He kindly asked.

  Darcy took a seat and sighed. “Physically, I am well. I no longer have the headaches and although I still have a block of memory missing, I have enough of a timeline to know what happened now and I am finally free.”

  Mr. Bennet smiled at the young man. “Yes, it was quite a story you pieced together in your letter last night. I could not have imagined such a thing if I wrote a novel myself.” He poured Darcy a cup of tea. “Do you think you will be successful today, son?”

  Darcy took a sip of his drink. “I hope so, sir, I truly hope so. Miss Elizabeth and my misunderstandings were so entwined that we continued to cause each other pain, but we have no impediments now. With your blessing, I would like to propose properly and if, no; when I am accepted, I would like to marry with Bingley and Miss Bennet in two days. I have sent for a special license already and I am confident that my Uncle Darcy, the judge, will be able to obtain it in time.”

  Mr. Bennet laughed. “You have my permission, son. I knew you were an upstanding man after spending some time with you going over estate management, and I had guessed that you might be in love with Lizzy then. When you confirmed it when you wrote to me last month, I had no idea you thought she was marrying Collins; just that you could not bear to return here until Bingley’s wedding. I would have never guessed my Lizzy loved you in return until Lady Catherine called on us yesterday. Imagine my surprise when that grand lady treated us like family and complimented my wife so graciously on her table design and the furnishings.” He pushed some biscuits at Darcy. “It was the first time I heard Lizzy speak kindly of you and her eyes sparkled something I had not seen before.”

  “I can only hope she loves me as dearly as I love her.” Darcy colored shyly. “Lady Catherine is my favorite aunt, sir. My uncle Lord Matlock’s wife is well-mannered but takes too much pride in her position. Uncle and Aunt Matlock will not be thrilled that my future wife has no standing in society but they will respect my choice. With Aunt Catherine’s approval, they will do their part in promoting Mrs. Darcy and support me. It matters naught; I would marry Lizzy even if every person in the world was against it.” Darcy firmly declared. “I truly love her, sir, and she will want for nothing.”

  Mr. Bennet beamed. “I know, Darcy. I could not have parted with her for anyone less worthy. She is my favorite, you know. Pemberley will be far, but as long as I may visit the grand library when least expected, I heartily approve of your whisking my daughter so far away.” He drank his tea. “She should be along shortly. She always peeks in before leaving for her walk and will be quite surprised to see you here.”

  *~*~*~*~*~*

  Elizabeth froze as soon as she opened her father’s door.

  Darcy stood with a soft look on his face and the world disappeared as they looked into each other’s eyes. Many seconds passed until Mr. Bennet coughed.

  Startling into reality, Elizabeth blushed and looked at her father, then back to Darcy. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came for you. I received your father’s permission for a private audience. May I have your a moment of your time?” Darcy gently asked.

  She looked at her father, who was smiling and nodding in approval.

  With tears rising to her eyes, she nodded.

  “You may go to the gardens, Lizzy. Be kind. This young man has been through much yesterday.” Mr. Bennet chuckled.

  Darcy grinned and proffered his arm and she readily took it.

  After donning their coats, Darcy led her patiently to the back corner of the gardens, behind the hedgerows where he had kissed her before, and opened his mouth to speak but Elizabeth’s finger was immediately on his lips.

  “Yes, my answer is yes. If you will have me, William, I will agree to anything you want from me.” Elizabeth smiled as Darcy kissed her finger, and held both of her hands to kiss every one of her fingers. “If you wish for my hand in marriage still, if you can forgive me of all the awful things I said to you, if you still love me…”

  Darcy bent to kiss her lips tenderly before she could continue. He leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. “I wish for you more than anything I have ever wanted. I promise to be a good husband to you. I will make you happy. We may argue and disagree often but you will always know I love you. I will be yours and only yours, forever, my love. My dear Lizzy, my beautiful beast.”

  Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly. “As long as you find me tolerable, I will always belong to you. I give you my heart and body. Although I do not have much, all I have is yours.”

  “I need nothing but what I have in my arms, my love. Will you marry me in two days? Will your sister agree to a double wedding?” Darcy eagerly asked.

  Elizabeth giggled. “It would give me so much joy to marry you in two days. Jane is the most obliging lady in the world. She will be most happy for us.” She lifted her head from his head as they walked back to the middle of the gardens and walked. “Will you tell me what happened yesterday? What did my father mean?”

  Darcy kissed her hand while they walked. “I must confess that I have been writing to your father and he knows I have been in love with you a very long time.” He smiled at her surprised face. “I told him about how you rescued me and how I insulted you with my hallucinations, but that your kind soul, your inner beauty was irresistible and I could not live without you. Of course in my negligence, I did not ask about your engagement to Collins and I suffered needlessly.” He turned to face her. “I would have returned that same day; I would have never left if I knew…” He kissed her hand, “I was a fool to leave. I should have made you listen to me. I should have marched right into Longbourn and called out that fool for daring to stand next to my woman. For even considering to propose to you.”

  Elizabeth giggled. “I was stubborn-headed and I would have refused to listen. I thought you betrothed to Miss Bingley and could only suffer my own pains alone, even thinking that perhaps once all my sisters were married off, I could offer myself to be your mistress.”

  “Lizzy, I will never take a mistress, I hope you know that. Although if I had been married already and I met you, I might have bee
n tempted to have you in any way possible, but now that you will be my wife, I will never look to another.” Darcy honestly pronounced.

  Elizabeth smiled, “Thank you, my love. I know Miss Bingley is very handsome…”

  “NO! She is horrid and ugly. She is a terrible human being and you, my love, YOU are the handsomest woman of my acquaintance. I have never touched her, I swear to you. Nothing happened with that woman and I have never thought of doing anything with her. NEVER.”

  Darcy began to tell her of the events of the evening before and explained how Georgiana’s replica ring was stolen.

  He laughed as Elizabeth’s face was in shock when she heard of Caroline fainting and they both could not hold in their chuckles when he explained how Miss Bingley’s nose was broken by her own sister.

  “Mr. King was able to threaten her and I had never seen Louisa Hurst so angry before. Apparently, Caroline Bingley tried to seduce Mr. Hurst in his inebriated state to try to breed with him, to pass it off as my heir, and Mr. Hurst, not realizing what was happening, fell asleep on top of her, only to suffocate her for a good few minutes before that harpy was able to turn him over and escape to her own rooms. According to that idiotic woman, her virtue remains intact, as no one wanted to go near her, even for a large pay!” Darcy shared what he had heard from Bingley. “Mr. King was grateful to his niece’s rescuer and had agreed to teach her a lesson. Wickham will be transferred today and will be out of our lives forever.”

  Elizabeth took a big breath after calming from her fit of laughter. “I am so glad Wickham did not hurt you, William! He could have seriously wounded you. But it was kind of Mr. King to assist you with Miss Bingley.”

  “Yes, after Richard helped take care of that blackguard, Mr. King was so grateful that teaching Caroline Bingley a lesson was an easy recompense. She will not be hanged or transported, but will have to forfeit half of her dowry and will be outcasted from society. Richard has already written to his parents to spread word that she is a most awful shrew and that she has offended both Darcys and the future Mrs. Darcy.”

  Elizabeth smirked. “You were so confident that there would be a ‘Mrs. Darcy’? And is Georgiana pleased with such a large reparation?”

  “You are the least mercenary woman I have ever met.” He kissed her hands. “Georgiana was to receive half and you were to receive the other half,” he chuckled as he watched her mouth gape, “but my sister insists that you were the injured party and that you keep everything. Miss Bingley will be banished to her elderly aunt’s home in York and will live out the rest of her miserable life in isolation. If she returns to Hertfordshire or enters Derbyshire, or dares to invade any of our homes, she will be transported to the colonies.”

  “Are you saying that… that I will be given… I thought she told everyone that her dowry was...20…”

  Darcy continued for her, “Yes, my love. You will have 10,000 pounds to bring into our marriage.”

  “Such a sum! I cannot take another woman’s dowry! What would I do with such an amount?” She gasped.

  Darcy walked her behind the tall bushes and kissed her lips. “You can save it for our children. Our ten daughters will each have 1,000 pound each.” He pressed her body tighter to his. “I want to make you my wife desperately, Lizzy, but I swear to you that I have never dallied with anyone. Not a lady, not a servant, not even a prostitute. I saved myself for you and I will know no one else.”

  Elizabeth melted into his embrace and reveled in his love. “I know, my love. I was a fool. I should have never believed her and should have been truthful with you. I thought you a rake when you began to kiss me but it was my fears of being wanton. I do believe we should marry in two days. I do not wish to wait to be your wife.”

  Darcy tenderly kissed her lips. “I wish for the same, Lizzy.” He knelt down on one knee and presented the beautiful sapphire ring, surrounded by perfectly round pearls, “Since my proposal was so rudely interrupted but thankfully accepted, will you wear this ring to remember my love for you every time you look upon it? Will you be the queen and mistress of my heart for all of time?”

  Elizabeth looked down at the ring as he slowly slid the magnificent ring into her finger. It fit perfectly and it shined brighter than anything else she had ever seen.

  “It is stunning! It is the most beautiful ring in the world.” She proclaimed. “It is similar to Miss Bingl... I mean Georgiana’s ring but significantly larger and brighter. I will wear it proudly, William. I could not imagine a better wedding ring.”

  “Oh, no; this is a betrothal ring. You will have another ring as a wedding band. You will have all the Darcy jewels and can wear a ring in each finger, change them out for every day of the week, and have more left over. My grandfather was an avid collector and it is all yours.” Darcy grinned as he stood.

  “And you expect me to be dripping with jewels wherever I go? I will look like a dazzling beast with all of my fineries.” She teased.

  Darcy chuckled. “And I will be the proud man with the most lovely lady on my arm. You are no one’s beast but mine.” He cradled his hand on Elizabeth’s cheek. “You are truly beautiful, inside and out. I love you, my dearest Lizzy.”

  They returned to the manor where Elizabeth excitedly shared with her father of her acceptance, and as soon as she told Mrs. Bennet of her engagement to a man of 10,000 a year, there was an odd but enjoyable silence in the house, as Mrs. Bennet fainted away from absolute shock.

  Chapter 17

  “Stop fidgeting, Bingley!” Darcy commanded.

  Bingley ceased his movements and replied, “How in the world are you not nervous, Darcy? We will be married men in an hour. ONE HOUR!”

  Darcy smiled, “Because I am getting exactly what I wish. I have loved my Lizzy long before you started courting Jane and I cannot wait to be her husband.”

  “But you never actually courted her. And you and Lizzy were engaged for only two days and will be married today. I do not understand why you are not nervous. This will be life-changing. I will never be the same man ever again after today.” Bingley grumbled.

  “If you are having second thoughts, tell me now. It will be pistols at dawn for you for jilting my sister-to-be.” Darcy sternly commanded.

  Bingley nervously laughed. “No, not second thoughts. I just worry…”

  “About what, Bingley?” Darcy asked calmly.

  Bingley scratched his head. “That we might find something that we do not like about each other, and perhaps discover that we are not compatible. What if we tire of each other and find someone else instead and we are already bound for life? What if she stops loving me because I am a fool? What if I am not enough for her?”

  “Charles,” Darcy placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder, “are you concerned that you will tire of her or is it that she may not love you later?”

  Bingley sat on a chair and rubbed his face vigorously. “My family is a disgrace. I am the son of a tradesman, I am proud of my father, mind you, but I am not a landowner and I have so much to learn still. My sister… my sister Caroline humiliated us and we should all be shamed in public but only thanks to you and Colonel Fitzwilliam, we were able to escape unscathed. Louisa is very regretful and has been a better sister to me but even she is not completely innocent. What if Jane finally realizes what a dishonorable and low family she is marrying into and hates me?”

  Darcy smiled and sat in the chair in front of Bingley. “When I was in London, after I fled when Lizzy turned down my first proposal, I had thought for a moment that I might be in love because of the love potion I was given and Lizzy was the first woman to be in my sights. My friend Hastings, asked me these questions and I will ask you the same. Bingley, what is your first thought when you awake? When you fall asleep?”

  Bingley smiled softly, staring into space. “I think of Jane. I think of her lovely face and her gentle smile, and I dream of her when I am sleeping. I dream of the adventures we will take and the children we will have. I do love her with all of my heart.”
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br />   Darcy beamed. “There you have it. If you love her, if you care for her above your own needs, she will have no reason to stop loving you. Whether you argue about something non-consequential, or have to move heaven and earth to be together, if you do not give up on her, she will not give up on you. Take it from me, Bingley, do not lose hope and hold on to what you have. Show your wife every day how you feel about her, through your words and actions, and you will be happy.”

  Bingley finally smiled. “Thank you, Darcy. Brother. I am very pleased to be gaining a brother and four, no five, sisters! I wished for a nice sister like yours and hey, Georgiana will be my sister!” He jovially pronounced.

  Darcy laughed, “Yes, the Bennets are most respectable, dowry or not, and they will be a great addition to my small, quiet family. Except for Lady Matlock, who will do as my uncle demands, everyone has been happy for me and I will have no cause to repine. My Lizzy will never want for anything.”

  Bingley rubbed his fingers on his chin in contemplation, “Say, Darcy, exactly how many times did you propose to Lizzy? I did not know you had proposed at the Ball. I was completely shocked that you became engaged two days ago. I had thought you had not even liked each other but it sounds like you proposed twice? It is unheard of. I cannot believe she refused you the first time.”

  Darcy chuckled loudly. “I believe I proposed five or six times. I asked her to marry me so many times, I cannot recall exactly how many. I would have asked a thousand times until she agreed if I had known she was not engaged to Collins.” He stood. “Now, let us get to church a little early. I may not be nervous but I am most anxious to start my life with my beautiful creature at my side.”