My Beginning With Mr. Darcy [Book One]

by Lauren King

  “Stop, Mama?” Elizabeth’s eyes bulge out at her Mother’s words, but she does not care. She will say what needs to be said if her Mother is too oblivious to know. “Lydia needs to know the full effect of her deplorable actions!” Elizabeth is incredulous and upset at her Mother for not being firmer with Lydia all these years.

  For once, Jane cannot hold her tongue even with her Mother’s objection. She has tried to see all the goodness in people and always give them the benefit of the doubt, but she can see now that some people may not deserve it. Lydia is refusing to listen and see reason – same as Sergeant Denny.

  Jane interrupts angrily and says, “Lydia, are you not aware of the immense trouble and shame that you put Papa through to secure this marriage of yours? Do you even care? Your….indiscretions, your unseemly manners, and your actions hurt all of us! Do you know what you did was wrong, Lydia? Do you not realize the shame and scorn that people will throw at you if they find out of your circumstances? What do you think will happen to you if Sergeant Denny does not marry you and spreads rumors about you?”

  “He will not spread rumors about me!” Lydia yells in anger. “He will not not do that!”

  Lydia stands there in ire because she is being lectured by her two eldest sisters who have always been praised and loved by everyone they met. They have not gone through what she had gone through, yet they lecture her about money. Obviously, she is going to need money to live with her future husband. It is her Father’s duty to provide for her. She and Sergeant Denny just need a little more money because he is not as rich as Mr. Darcy and Jane’s suitor. Her two eldest sisters have always been praised and admired for their beauty and intelligence, so they do not know how it feels to be seen as the high-spirited youngest sister that is not considered wise.

  “Ohhhh, but he will extort money from Papa and threaten to ruin all of our reputations! Wonderful! You are just too ridiculous for me to continue to talk to!” Elizabeth declares crossly.

  “Well, I never want to talk to you again, Lizzy!” Lydia screams.

  “Good, because I am done talking to idiotic, imprudent, thoughtless, foolish girls like you.” Elizabeth retaliates harshly and irritably while scowling directly at Lydia.

  At this point, Mr. Bennet, Darcy, and Richard walk into the drawing room. They heard some of Elizabeth’s remarks, Jane’s angry criticism, and Lydia’s stupid statements. Mr. Bennet frowns at Lydia, and she is quiet instantly. Mrs. Bennet is half relieved that the men are back, but she also knows that Mr. Bennet will be angry again at Lydia’s behavior, and then he will have another talk with Mrs. Bennet.

  Mr. Bennet remains composed while saying, “Lydia, your sisters are trying to speak reasonably with you, but I can see now that it will not work; therefore, I will not try again. It will be my misfortune to have to take care of this mistake.” He continues to frown at Lydia and then says, “Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and I have managed to convince your groom to marry you. I am glad to say that Mr. Darcy was able to persuade your groom not to bankrupt me. You will get married this Monday, so I do not want to hear anymore absurdity from you. Do you understand what I have said, Lydia?” Mr. Bennet is fed up with Lydia.

  “Yes, Papa.” Lydia grumbles resentfully in response. She is mad and embarrassed; everybody is against her.

  “Now, I have to go get ready the money that I have been coerced to pay your groom before he will marry you. Mrs. Bennet, please come into my book room; I need to speak with you. Gentlemen, thank you for your assistance today. Please, enjoy some tea and the company of the ladies.”

  The gentlemen look at the each other in acknowledgement, and then Darcy goes to sit next to Elizabeth. After Mr. and Mrs. Bennet leave the drawing room, Lydia exits hurriedly and grumpily. Afterwards, Mary and Kitty also leave. Darcy explains to Elizabeth about what has happened.

  “So he really accepted from 40 to 60 pounds yearly as her income with nothing up front? He will not come back and demand more later on?” Elizabeth asks eagerly.

  “Not if he knows what is good for him. I think he does not have much experience with extortions; thank God.” Darcy answers with relief that Sergeant Denny is not as devious, crafty, or cunning as someone like Wickham.

  “I am sorry that you had to resort to threatening him, darling.”

  “Lizzy, I will not let anyone harm you. Not only is he extorting money but he made the biggest mistake of threatening to harm your reputation. I will make him pay dearly if he should ever hurt you in any way, whatsoever.” Darcy declares austerely.

  “Darling, I also do not want you to be hurt in any way by dealing with him. Please, darling; I would not be able to live if anything bad should ever befall you. Please, promise me that you will not do anything to be in harm’s way. As long as you love me then I do not care about the gossip of my reputation. I just do not want you hurt.” Elizabeth pleads with her innocent large dark brown eyes.

  Darcy lovingly caresses Elizabeth’s hands; he wants to kiss her delectable lips but he cannot right now. “Dearest, nothing will happen to me. I think he will heed my warnings. He did not strike me as a person that would let his family suffer for his wrong doings.” Darcy reaches out to caress Elizabeth’s cheek tenderly as he says, “And you will not have to endure any gossip about your reputation; I will not allow anyone to taint it.”

  “I hope he does heed your warnings and stop with this wickedness. I just hope that this wedding will take place and they move on with their lives without causing more trouble to anyone.” Elizabeth bravely touches William’s face fondly. “Thank you, darling, for assisting my Father with this nightmare. I am so blessed to have you.” Elizabeth continues to hold William’s hand, and she caresses it continually; with Jane and Richard present, Elizabeth could not kiss William to express her ardent love for him.

  They look at each other yearningly; they want to kiss each other but cannot at the moment. Elizabeth asks, “Darling, do you have business to attend to the next few days?”

  “I have some business but nothing that cannot wait for when I come back to town. Why?”

  “I did not want to hold up your business affairs. If Lydia marries on Monday, then maybe we can leave by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.”

  “We can stay longer if you would like.”

  Elizabeth does not want her Mother to act up as she normally does when it comes to suitors for her daughters. Elizabeth wants to shield William from ever having to experience her Mother’s full effusions. “Maybe we should just stay until Wednesday morning.”

  “That is fine; we can leave whenever you want.” Darcy replies agreeably. “One other thing I want to let you know.”

  “What is it, darling?”

  “Earlier, I checked in with the constable in Meryton in regards to George Wickham, and they told me that the blackguard was healing slowly. He will be transferred to one of London’s smaller prisons after next week. They say that they will be glad to be rid of him. He seems to talk big about his previous glory days at Oxford and about how many ladies he has known. Once a vile rat, always a vile rat.” Darcy pronounces seriously.

  “I am so glad that he will not be around these towns to deceive these small businesses who rely so much on the meager amounts that they make on their goods.” Elizabeth states with sympathy to all those people that William has told her that George Wickham has swindled throughout the years.

  MONDAY, JANUARY 12th

  Monday morning is finally here. Mrs. Bennet is trying to keep her flutterings and effusions in check. She is very busy making sure Lydia’s dress is perfect for her wedding in three and a half hours. Elizabeth is up and is breaking her fast with William, Richard, Jane, Mary, Kitty, and her Father by seven o’clock. Mr. Bennet retreats back into his book room until he has to dress for church. William and Richard are in the garden to relax and get away from the constant bustling by everyone due to the wedding. Elizabeth and Jane talk to each other in Jane’s bedroom chambers while their Mother, Mrs. Hill, and Kitty help Lydia with her
dress and hair in Lydia’s chambers. Mary reads in the sitting room.

  Lydia complains, “I have no proper wedding trousseau because Papa rushed my wedding. So many people are insensitive to our situation, including John’s superiors; they are mean not to allow him more than two days leave for our wedding. Mama, will we really have to stay in Papa’s small, unappealing cottage?” Lydia gives no time for Mrs. Bennet to reply. “It will embarrass me with the other soldiers’ wives. Papa only allowed for us to use it until John’s regiment relocates in March. Oh, how are we going to live there without any servants or a cook? I want Mrs. Hill and Toby to clean and set up the cottage so we can live in it as comfortably as possible which I do not know how we can be comfortable in such a small, unpleasant cottage. I also want to have meals at Longbourn when John is not at home. I want Mrs. Hart to cook our meals. I want Mrs. Hill to do our wash.”

  Lydia states her wants and demands nonstop; it is deafening to hear her drone on and on, unappreciatively.

  Mrs. Bennet is only half listening to Lydia at this point because she is in a rush to assure that Lydia’s dress and hair is presentable at church. Afterwards, she must check on the preparations for the wedding breakfast; it is being finished at the moment by their cook. Only family and Longbourn’s close neighbors are invited since it is a rushed affair. Mrs. Bennet had to tell all the guests that Sergeant Denny was in a rush to get married due to his military responsibilities and the fact that the regiment will be relocating soon so they must settle in order for Lydia to become accustomed to military life. Since he is active in the military, banns do not have to be read for three consecutive Sundays as it would normally be for non military marriages. This quieted the gossips around the neighborhood.

  Elizabeth had spoken to Mr. Bennet yesterday, and he informed her that he will relinquish Lydia’s income to Sergeant Denny at the wedding breakfast. He has 60 pounds ready to hand over to Sergeant Denny in case Sergeant Denny wants the maximum amount. Elizabeth told her Father that she was just happy that this ordeal will soon be over. She told him that she was sorry that he had to bear the mistakes of such a foolish, unrepentant daughter.

  Elizabeth wears one of her new dresses that is part of her wedding trousseau, and it is very well tailored. It looks very expensive and the style is very fashionable as compared to any of her old fancy dresses. When Elizabeth goes inside Lydia’s chambers to see the progression of the bride’s dress and hair, Lydia stares and fusses, again, over the fact that she does not have a comparable wedding trousseau to Elizabeth’s. She states that she deserves it, and then she angrily demands to Mrs. Bennet that she be given something comparable.

  Mrs. Bennet tries to hush Lydia, but she continues to whine over the inequity of treatment by her parents. “I am the first to get married yet I am treated badly. This is not fair, Mama! Lizzy cannot wear a dress to my wedding that looks better than my own dress – she cannot! I will not stand for it, Mama! This is too unfair! Why should Lizzy get a wedding trousseau, and I do not get one? She is already going to marry a rich husband; she does not need Papa to buy her new expensive clothes. I need those clothes because I am getting married before any of my sisters. You must give me my wedding trousseau, Mama! Lizzy has always been Papa’s favorite! This is unfair!” Lydia exclaims loudly with anger, jealousy, and envy.

  “Lydia, please hush, now! You are vexing me greatly. Be quiet and I will talk to your Papa about getting you some new clothes. Now, stop yelling.” Mrs. Bennet states with clear annoyance at her favorite daughter.

  Elizabeth has no more patience and no more words for Lydia. Elizabeth and Jane look at each other in disbelief and in disappointment. They both walk out of the room to escape the irritation. Jane is usually very forgiving and tolerant of her youngest sister’s exuberance, but she has come to see what can happen if she is too tolerant. This is a lesson well learned for when she has her own children. She will remember her Mother’s mistakes of over indulging Lydia and allowing her to behave as wild as she does. Jane feels so guilty for thinking of her Mother in this manner, but the truth and the consequences have hit their family harshly. There is no way to avoid seeing her Mother’s errors – and her Father’s too.

  “Mama! I refuse for Lizzy to be at my wedding wearing a better dress than mine!” Lydia screams again.

  Elizabeth hears this ridiculousness and she could not let it go any further. She cannot believe Lydia’s nonsensicality and irrationality has grown to this proportion. She turns back into Lydia’s chambers to reprimand Lydia before William or Richard overhears this idiocy.

  “Mind your manners, Lydia! Just because you are at home does not give you the right to scream and yell out your preposterous demands and talk to your elder sisters in such a terrible manner. You are an ill-mannered, offensive child! UNIMAGINABLE!” Elizabeth pronounces dourly.

  “I do not need to listen to you, Lizzy. I am a grown woman. I have experienced adult things that you have not even gotten to yet. I am getting married before you, and I am the youngest.” Lydia declares with a smirk and with great pride. Finally, she will surpass her two eldest sisters at some things; they have always been given all the praise and attention. Well, today it will be her who everyone will admire and praise for being the first to marry before two reputed beauties of Hertfordshire. She will not have her day of admiration be outshined by Jane and Elizabeth. It is already bad enough that everyone will surely still marvel at Jane for her beauty but to have Elizabeth show up in such a beautiful gown and bonnet will not do! No one will give Lydia as much attention. She is the bride; she should get all the attention and appreciation!

  “As for the adult things that you have so proudly experienced, trust me, NO DECENT unmarried lady would want your adult experiences. I want to be married properly to a proper gentleman who actually really wishes to marry me BEFORE becoming with child. Are you crazy to think that I would ever want to be with child without a husband? That is the marvelous adult things you speak of? No wonder you are in the position that you are in!” Elizabeth glowers harshly straight at Lydia.

  Elizabeth resumes sternly. “I will not have my husband be forced into marrying me. I will not have my husband deny his responsibility to his own child. I will not have a scheming, dishonorable, libertine for a husband. I will never accept a man as a husband who has deliberately threatened or hurt my family. Do you need plainer words before you understand?” Elizabeth condescendingly stares at Lydia. “Therefore, DO NOT boast about things that are considered shameful, reprehensible, and disgraceful by any decent person. You simply sound even more stupid for doing so. Lastly, you are right, you do not have to listen to me. You can remain your senseless, dim-witted, ridiculous self and grow up to be a senseless, dim-witted, ridiculous woman. That is right – stay that way.” Elizabeth exclaims clearly and then leaves with disgust for her obstinate, insolent, youngest sister.

  “Mama, I do not want Lizzy at my wedding! I refuse to have Lizzy at my wedding!” Lydia yells loudly.

  Mrs. Bennet steps outside and asks Elizabeth to step into Mrs. Bennet’s chambers so that she can talk to her. Jane says that she will go to her own chambers to get hers and Elizabeth’s shawls and then meet Elizabeth in the drawing room.

  Away from Lydia, Mrs. Bennet says, “Lizzy, I am very happy that you will be marrying Mr. Darcy because he is very rich and surely he will provide for you like a duchess. You were very lucky to secure such a rich husband. I can tell that he adores you and loves you. It looks like you do not even have to return much affection to him and he would still give you whatever you want if you ask it of him. That is always an additional benefit when you do not love the man as much as he loves you.” Mrs. Bennet claims very easily.

  Elizabeth stares at her Mother in amazement at her proclamation that she does not love William as much as he loves her. She does not have the inclination to start another conversation such as this with her Mother, at this moment. Her Mother will still have her own beliefs just as she has always has, anyways. Elizabeth just wants th
is wedding to be done so that there is more assurance that their family will not suffer Lydia’s shame.

  “You can get whatever you want from him at any time. That is a wonderful position to be in. However, it is most effective before you are married to him.” Mrs. Bennet suggests openly.

  Elizabeth frowns in question of what her Mother just said; she does not understand the statement. What is more effective before she is married to William? What is her Mother intimating?

  Mrs. Bennet can see Elizabeth’s confusion, thus she explains with a straight face. “He surely would want you more and would be willing to do your bidding, Lizzy. I am certain he would give you large sums of money if you asked for it. Therefore, I want you to help your Father pay for Lydia’s yearly income, get her living situated, and pay for her wedding trousseau. Those sums are nothing to Mr. Darcy’s income of ten thousand a year. Your sister deserves to live a gentleman’s daughter’s life. She should not have to suffer. You will be very wealthy, so you should use your pin money once you are married or use your dowry income to pay for Lydia. I expect that you help your sister; we are family, after all.” Mrs. Bennet asserts with entitlement and expectation. She is frustrated that Elizabeth is staring at her incredulously.

  While Mrs. Bennet speaks, Elizabeth is shocked and is aghast at her Mother’s expectations of Elizabeth. She is not dreaming; her Mother is actually saying these abominable things to her. Elizabeth listens to her Mother with bulging eyes and an agape mouth; she is certain that she looks hideous at this moment. Her Mother has not learned a thing from Lydia’s dreadful disaster. Just because Lydia is finally getting married, does not make what she did acceptable or suitable for a decent young lady. And now, her Mother is standing here expecting Elizabeth to get money from her betrothed to give to her sister so that she could have a comfortable life of a gentleman’s daughter?! Her Mother is not even asking for Elizabeth’s help – she is expecting and declaring her to get the money for Lydia through disgraceful means. Absolutely incredible!