The Choices Series: Pride and Prejudice Novellas

by Leenie Brown

  “Oh!” Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes grew wide as understanding dawned on her.

  “Are you well?” asked Lady Sophia.

  Elizabeth smiled brightly. “I am well. I was merely woolgathering.” She now saw her dislike for those two women and Miss Bingley for what it was. Mr. Darcy had touched her heart, and she was jealous.

  Mary looked at her doubtfully. “Are you sure you are well, Lizzy?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I am well. Very, very well.” And, she added to herself, quite possibly in love.

  Chapter 6

  Darcy happily settled into a chair next to the fireplace in the library. Despite the unpleasant visit with his uncle, the day had been a good one. He had accomplished the work he had set out to do, and he had had a most agreeable visit with Miss Elizabeth. He suspected that had his work remained undone, he would have still considered this a good day simply because of her visit. She had seemed pleased to see him today. He dared to hope that it was an indication that her opinion of him was changing. Perhaps she liked him. He would not yet venture a thought to consider she could love him. For now, he was content to reflect on her smiles and gentle teasing. He smiled and shook his head at himself. When had he become such a mooncalf?

  “You look pleased,” said Richard, who sat in the chair across from him.

  “I am.” Darcy broke the seal on his letter from Bingley. “Miss Elizabeth seems more accepting of our situation.” He unfolded the letter and smoothed the creases. “I do wish Bingley would learn to write more neatly. So many blots,” muttered Darcy.

  Richard laughed and opened the book on his lap. “I shall assist you in deciphering if you should require it.”

  Darcy chuckled and began reading.

  Darcy,

  You know I am not excessively fond of writing correspondence, and since I do not feel the need to impress you with my skills, I shall refrain from discussing the pleasantries of the weather and how the neighbours get on.

  I will not, of course, refrain from the pleasantry of mentioning Miss Bennet. She is as lovely as ever, and you were indeed wrong about her, my friend. She likes me well enough to consent to a courtship, a step I thought I should not skip, although those who are considered my betters might deem it unnecessary. I believe I have startled my sister with the laughter I could not contain at my jesting.

  Caroline is still unhappy, and I fear she shall remain so until I can find another of equal or greater standing to take your place. It would be much nicer is she should seek to marry for love instead of advantage, but as you know there is little reasoning with her at times. I shall be glad to pass her care and fickle temperament on to another. Of course, I care for her, and I will always do my duty to her, but I do not always enjoy it.

  Thoughts of my sister bring to mind the purpose for writing ─ aside from the desire to tell you of my success with Miss Bennet.

  Caroline has heard some whispers regarding the night of the ball. It seems, from what she has heard ─ and I only know this from listening to her relate the details to Louisa ─ she has not spoken to me directly ─ that you and Miss Elizabeth may have indeed been trapped. The facts which I have been able to catch are that Mrs. Philips was asked to find Miss Elizabeth, and then as Mrs. Philips was looking for her niece, Sir William pointed her in the direction of the library. Afterwards, Sir William and Mr. Bennet retired to the card tables but did not play. They merely partook of some punch and conversed until Mrs. Philips came through the rooms searching for them at a very loud volume.

  I fear, my dear friend, that your compromise was arranged by Mr. Bennet. Miss Elizabeth, as far as I can tell and your tale of her distress confirms, had no part in it. I have come to enjoy Mr. Bennet’s company, and though he may not care for his family as he ought, he does care for his daughters and particularly for both Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth. I am entirely convinced that he would only do what is right for them, and knowing this, I believe he chose you for Miss Elizabeth, for he truly believes there could be no better match for her.

  It is only my trust in your character, which I know would not cause Miss Elizabeth to suffer due to the actions of her father that allows me to write of these things with any measure of composure. Indeed, I considered carefully whether I should write to you on this or not, for I did not wish to bring you pain or incite your anger, but yesterday, I saw my sisters in conversation of a serious nature with Miss Bennet. I fear how they may have presented this information to Miss Bennet and knowing how close Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth are, I would expect the information to be carried to Miss Elizabeth with the next post.

  Do write to let me know how you will proceed. I shall worry about whether my decision to write you was wise or not until I have heard.

  God bless,

  CB

  Darcy dropped the letter into his lap, furrowed his brow, picked the letter up, read it once again, and then handed it to Richard. “It seems you were right. I was indeed trapped.”

  Richard took the letter from his cousin and made short work of reading it. As he finished his perusal, he looked to Darcy with raised brows. “How will you proceed?”

  “I shall have the license and marriage papers in my possession by the end of the week. We will endure an evening with Lord and Lady Matlock if they choose to accept my invitation. After that, we shall return to Hertfordshire and be married as planned.”

  “So, in other words, you will not change your plans.”

  “Exactly. I see no need to change them.” He took his letter back from Richard and folded it before slipping it into his pocket. “I am happy to be marrying Miss Elizabeth.”

  “But her father duped you.”

  Darcy shook his head. “No, he helped me. Remember, she did not wish to marry me though I had begun to suspect I very much wished to marry her. Her father merely made sure she could not refuse me. ” His brows furrowed. “However, she may not be as complacent with the news.” He scrubbed his face with his hands. “She may attempt to cry off.” He yawned and stretched.

  “But you will not allow that, will you?”

  Darcy shook his head as he rose to retire for the night. “I cannot. Not only because of the situation in which it would place both her and her family, but also because my heart would not survive it. I love her, Richard. I do not know how, in such a short acquaintance, I have come to love her as much as I do, but I do love her.”

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  Elizabeth looked once again at the letter Jane had written.

  “Miss Bingley assures me she has spoken to no one else on the matter. She has not even spoken to her brother, for she fears he will tell Mr. Darcy, who she claims despises all forms of deception and should he hear of our father’s scheming, is likely to demand that you release him from his promise. She said ─ and I cannot believe I did not laugh as she said it ─ that she was worried how such an occurrence might harm you. We both know, dear Lizzy, that she has very little care for you ─ a fact she has made quite evident since you have been gone with small disparities here and there. They have all been said, of course, with a feigned air of concern for you, but she does not fool me. I must warn you. Mama has begun to grow concerned that you will not be a credit to Mr. Darcy with your education as it is now and has been petitioning Father for a longer engagement period so that she might instruct you more fully.

  Do not fret, my dear sister. Miss Bingley is simply jealous. I would not place any confidence in what she has said. Indeed, I would believe the exact opposite to be true. I would advise you to lay before Mr. Darcy the details of our father’s meddling. I believe him to be an honourable man and am fully certain he would do right by you.

  If possible, please write to me, for I am anxious to hear how you get on and am not certain I can abide waiting until you return.

  Yours, etc.

  Jane

  Oh, if she had not seen Miss Ivison and Miss Pearce today, she might be able to believe that Miss Bingley had not spoken to anyone on the matter! But had they not clai
med to have had the whole of the story from Miss Bingley? Her stomach churned and her heart raced. She did not know how Mr. Darcy would respond to this information, but she knew that she was angry at her father as well as Miss Ivison, Miss Pearce, and Miss Bingley.

  “How could he?” She tossed the letter on the bed. “Father knew I did not like ─ nay, despised ─ Mr. Darcy, and yet he would subject me to marriage?”

  Mary took up the letter.

  “There.” Elizabeth pointed to the section containing the news of her father’s involvement in the events at the ball. “And this.” She pointed to what Jane had said about Miss Bingley.

  Mary pulled the letter away and moved out of her reach while she read it. She folded it and placed it on the bed near Elizabeth but moved no closer. “You should thank him.”

  Elizabeth gasped. “Thank him for forcing me to marry a man I do not like?”

  “Did not like,” corrected Mary. “You like him quite well now, do you not?” She crossed the room and pulled Elizabeth’s green muslin from the wardrobe and tossed it at her. “You have an appointment with Mrs. Havelston.”

  “For a fitting of a wedding dress which may not be needed,” said Elizabeth as she began to lift the dress over her head with Mary’s assistance.

  “The wedding dress shall be needed.”

  “But what if he is angry?” Elizabeth’s voice was somewhat muffled by the fabric as it lowered over her face. “How can I marry a man who has been forced to marry me and is angry about it?”

  Mary, who had begun to work on the fastening of Elizabeth’s dress, spun her about and place one hand firmly on each of her sister’s shoulders. “Do you care for Mr. Darcy?” she demanded.

  Elizabeth, somewhat taken aback by Mary’s harsh tone, nodded.

  “Do you not think him honourable?”

  Elizabeth blinked. “I do.”

  “Has he not been solicitous of your feelings?”

  Elizabeth nodded. How often had she heard the uncertainty in his voice as he worried about her.

  “Does he not care for you?”

  Elizabeth’s lip trembled slightly as she nodded once again.

  Mary softened her tone. “Do you believe him capable of treating you ill?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. He had not even treated Mr. Wickham ill after the abominable thing he had done.

  Mary turned her around again and continued working on the fastenings. “Will you be content to part ways with him?”

  Elizabeth’s heart pinched. The thought of never seeing him again brought tears to her eyes and her real fear to her lips. “But what if,” she said softly as a tear slid down her cheek, “what if he wishes to part ways with me?”

  Mary wrapped her arms around Elizabeth from behind. “I am not so wise or as serene as Jane, and I have not her experience of years, but I have spent my time learning from books. I have concentrated my learning on books which I have confidence contain truth for living as I ought.”

  Elizabeth covered Mary’s hands where they were clasped on her chest with her own. Once again she was struck by how often she had given Mary no notice. Mary had not an older sister nor a younger sister to whom she could look for guidance or solace. “Is that why you chose to read sermons?”

  “Sermons and the family Bible. I sought truth, and Father did not seem inclined to teach me what I wished to know.” She squeezed Elizabeth more tightly. “And I repeated what I had read aloud so that I might retain it more fully.”

  Elizabeth giggled. “I thought you did that to torture us, especially Kitty and Lydia, by pointing out our errors.”

  “Well, there is that,” said Mary with a laugh as she released Elizabeth from her embrace. “It may not be right of me, but our younger sisters’ behaviour borders on the utterly ridiculous. It is they who will be the ruin of us if their behaviour is left unchecked.”

  Elizabeth agreed as she made a few last adjustments to her dress before beginning to assist her sister.

  “What have you learned from all your reading that would apply to my current situation?”

  Mary’s brow furrowed. “I would say that it is a child’s duty, no matter her age, to honour her parents, but I am not sure that applies when the parent has been deceptive.” She thought for a moment as Elizabeth finished fastening her dress. “I suppose I should remind you to forgive those who have wrongfully used you. Then, I should admonish you to rejoice with those who rejoice ─ did not Jane share her joy at having accepted a courtship with Mr. Bingley? And finally, I should tell you to consider the story of Joseph. He would not have chosen his lot in life, but God used the nefarious scheming of his brothers to work good for a nation. Can the Almighty not also use the scheming of a well-meaning father to bring blessing to you and your family?” She sat before the glass and worked the clasp of her necklace.

  Elizabeth’s mouth hung agape for a moment. Mary, for all her moralizing and reciting of scripture and sermons, was not so foolish as her father had implied. In fact, she was likely to be the wisest of her sisters. Guilt pricked Elizabeth’s conscience. She had neglected Jane’s happy news, focusing rather on that which pertained to herself.

  Mary turned to look at her. “Do you remember the comments Miss Bingley made days before the ball about longing to return to town?”

  “I do. She had mentioned a soon return if her brother could be persuaded to change his plans.”

  “If Mr. Bingley had left, would Jane have found such happiness?” Mary shrugged. “If you and Mr. Darcy were not planning to wed, I dare say Miss Bingley would have had her way and her brother would have departed Netherfield, and our sister’s heart would have been injured. As I see it, your situation has already brought blessing to our family, and shall only continue to do so.” She rose and wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. “We have an appointment. Are you ready?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “I am.”

  Mary gave her one last quick hug. “He will not wish to part ways with you, Elizabeth. His eyes say he loves you far too much for that.”

  “Thank you,” whispered Elizabeth before following her sister from the room.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~

  Darcy watched Elizabeth alight from the carriage. “She is here,” he announced to his cousin as he tugged a bit at his cravat and straightened his jacket.

  “And our aunt?” Richard laughed as Darcy returned to the window to see if his aunt had also arrived. “You are not yourself today.”

  Darcy smiled wryly. “If she has had word from her sister…” He did not finish as he heard Daniels opening the door and greeting the guest. He sat next to the chair in which Elizabeth had chosen to sit on her first visit to Darcy House. He had only gotten seated when he popped back out of his chair to greet the ladies.

  Lady Sophia greeted both him and Richard with a kiss before taking a seat near Richard. “Is he well?” she whispered.

  “A bit on edge is all,” replied Richard. “He has had some news from Bingley.”

  Her brows furrowed. “Miss Elizabeth worried her handkerchief throughout the entire carriage ride.”

  Richard gave a small grimace. “Then she has heard the news as well.”

  “Some scheming to allow them time alone is in order?” she questioned.

  Richard nodded. “It would be best.”

  “Well, then,” she said. “It is not very much of a scheme but here goes.” She shifted forward in her seat and looked pointedly at Georgiana. “Did you not wish to show Mary your new piece of music?”

  “I did,” she replied with some excitement. “Might I do that now?”

  “I think it wise if you wish to have ample time to practice.” She waited until Mary and Georgiana had left the room. “Now,” she said with a smile. “I am sure, Darcy, that Miss Elizabeth would rather take a tour of the library than sit here while I knit and your cousin tells me of his latest creation. It would be rather dull.”

  Darcy gave her a questioning look.

  “You have been fidgeting, and Miss Bennet has nearly
destroyed a well-embroidered handkerchief on the way here today. I do not know what it is all about, but if you need to go to the library or some other room in this house to discuss it, then you need to go.” She made a sweeping motion toward the door. “If you prefer to sit here and have me question you about it, then you may remain.”

  Darcy gave both his aunt and his cousin, who was barely containing his laughter, a look of displeasure before standing and offering his arm to Elizabeth. “I do apologize for my aunt’s lack of discretion,” he said. “However, she is correct in that I would like a few moments of private conversation.” He attempted to smile at her reassuringly, but from the way she was biting her lip, he was not sure it was effective. She rose, however, and placed her hand on his arm.

  “Perhaps the blue sitting room adjacent to the library?” she said softly. “It seems a lovely room for conversation.”

  He was pleased that she remembered that room. It was one of his favourites for sitting with Georgiana and Richard. “You mentioned the modiste,” he said as they left the room. “Was it a successful visit?”

  “Indeed it was,” Elizabeth replied as they began to ascend the stairs. “I had no fear that the work would be excellent, for Mrs. Havelston’s work always is, but I was concerned that my order had been too large for the time period she would have to complete it. However, she had all the gowns ready to make final adjustments before adding embellishments. Those which are necessary will be ready before we leave for Hertfordshire, and the others she will have delivered.”

  “I will make sure Mrs. Vernon and Mr. Daniels know to expect them,” he said.

  “Mr. Darcy,” she began as they entered the room, and she dropped his arm. “Some information has come to light which may alter your opinion on if we should marry.”

  “You have heard from your sister?”

  She looked at him in astonishment. “I have, but how did you know?”

  “Bingley wrote to me,” he said as he stepped towards her. “My wishes have not changed.”