An Unnatural Inheritance: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Virginia Brand

  “Miss Elizabeth Bennet!” he called back, his voice thick with surprise as he trotted his horse closer to her. “I did not expect such a delight.”

  She smiled widely and curtseyed, then hurriedly fixed her bonnet back onto her head.

  “Where were you rushing to in such a hurry? Is anything amiss?”

  The colonel swung down from his horse and swept a low, dramatic bow which made her giggle.

  “Oh yes, quite fine. I was just in search of some excercise, and set about it in a rather foolhardy way. I didn’t expect to meet anyone on the Pemberley road, or else I assure you I would not have been so reckless.”

  Elizabeth flushed pink.

  “The Pem— the Pemberley road?” she asked, her voice going up in pitch slightly. The colonel frowned.

  “Yes, this is the lane that connects Pemberley to Lambton. It’s a bit shorter than using the main road through town, as it’s only about two and a half miles. Not quite wide enough for a carriage though, you see, so it’s not used very much.”

  “I did not know, sir,” she said, flushing. Had she rambled much farther, she would have walked directly to his home! And if Colonel Fitzwilliam were here, then he surely would be as well.

  “Which way were you going? I’d be honored to escort you,” he said, offering his arm. Elizabeth took it gingerly, and nodded back down the road.

  “Toward Lambton. I’m staying there with my aunt and uncle. We are on holiday, doing a tour of the county,” she responded quietly.

  “Truly? And how much longer are you here?”

  “For the next week, sir. My aunt grew up in the area, and has come to visit her family.”

  “Splendid! Darcy will be chuffed to hear you are so near. Why have you not sent word to Pemberley? Were you to be in our park this whole time and leave us ignorant?”

  Elizabeth stiffened.

  “I hardly felt it appropriate to contact Mr. Darcy. There is no reason to presume such communication would be welcomed, and I wished not to make my presence known.”

  Colonel Fitzwilliam frowned at her again.

  “After what you did for Georgiana, I can imagine you would be welcomed with open arms. She’s quite eager to meet you, you know. She asks all about this mysterious witch who saved her life,” he added in a teasing tone. Elizabeth’s stature did not relax.

  “Please do not tease me so, sir,” she asked quietly, but the man only laughed.

  “You, who delights in laughing, wishes to not be teased! Well, this is a serious situation indeed. Very well Miss Elizabeth, I will consent and tease you no more. But I did not speak in gest; my cousins would love to see you.”

  “Please do not tell them I am here,” Elizabeth said, turning to him desperately. Colonel Fitzwilliam stopped walking.

  “Miss Elizabeth, what bothers you? I do not know what all occurred the last time you saw my cousin, but you heard from himself that he loves you. I had believed — well, that is, if you truly do not wish to see him, I suppose I will not betray your trust. But he would like to thank you, I am sure of it.”

  “He has nothing to thank me for,” Elizabeth said. “You cannot thank someone for rectifying a mistake. And it is not that I do not wish to visit Pemberley. I am not allowed; my father has forbidden it.”

  Colonel Fitzwilliam stared at her for a long moment, then began walking again.

  “Very well. Your secret is quite safe with me,” he assured her, and she nodded, feeling both relieved and desperately sad.

  To her secret delight, however, Elizabeth soon learned that Colonel Fitzwilliam was not at all to be trusted, for the next day after breakfast a maid at the inn knocked at the Gardiner’s sitting room door to announce that a Mr. and Miss Darcy were there to see them.

  Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide as she looked back and forth between her aunt and uncle, who seemed just as surprised as she was. For a moment, she was sure her uncle would refuse him, and she had slowly begun to damn her father in her mind when Mrs. Gardiner laid a gentle hand on her husband’s arm and turned to the maid.

  “Please show them in,” she said calmly.

  Elizabeth panicked, and for a moment considered running from the room, or throwing up a glamour to mask her presence, but they came in before she was able to collect herself, and without consciously choosing to do so, she was soon standing and curtseying.

  Mr. Darcy was, in essentials, just as she remembered him. His hair looked as unruly as ever, though she was sure he had attempted to tame it, and he was dressed perfectly, his cravat crisply tied, his blue jacket hugging his broad shoulders handsomely.

  By his side was Miss Darcy, who looked remarkably different from how Elizabeth remembered. Her scars and wounds were gone, her face unblemished, and though she looked a little pale, her eyes shone brightly and a wide smile adorned her face. She was a startlingly pretty girl, and in the daylight with her health and vigor returned, she reminded Elizabeth of Jane.

  “Mr. Darcy, this is a surprise,” Elizabeth said, curtseying. He bowed in response, as did Miss Darcy, who was peering curiously at Elizabeth.

  “Please forgive the intrusion, Miss Elizabeth. I heard you were in the area visiting friends, and as my sister and I had business in Lambton, we wished to call. May I introduce you to my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy?”

  Elizabeth curtseyed again and smiled at the younger girl.

  “Miss Darcy, I’m delighted to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy, may I introduce my uncle, Mr. Gardiner, and his wife?” Her family greeted them warmly, and invited them to sit as Mrs. Gardiner rang for refreshment.

  “How is your family doing, Miss Elizabeth?” Mr. Darcy asked once they were seated.

  “They are well sir, thank you. I trust you have heard the happy news about my sister?” Mr. Darcy nodded.

  “Indeed, I look forward to standing up with Mr. Bingley in two months time,” he responded. Elizabeth smiled and sat quietly for a moment, unsure of what else to say. She desperately wished to speak to him, but now that the moment had presented itself, she knew not what to say — and could hardly imagine having such a discussion in front of her family and his sister.

  “Miss Darcy, how are you feeling? I have thought of you and your health often,” Elizabeth said quietly, speaking directly to the shy girl. Miss Darcy flicked her eyes to her brother quickly and sat forward, a hesitant smile on her face.

  “Oh yes, Miss Elizabeth, I am feeling very well, thank you. In truth, that is why I was so eager to see you today. Since I have regained my health I have very much wanted to—”

  “Host company,” Mr. Darcy interjected suddenly, having noticed Elizabeth’s steadily widening eyes. “My sister’s poor health prevented her from much socialization, and I’m afraid she’s had only my cousin and me for company these past weeks. When she heard a young lady of my acquaintance was in the area, she was most determined to secure some feminine society.”

  Elizabeth gave him a soft smile in thanks, and tilted her head gently toward her aunt and uncle before shaking it imperceptibly. He nodded slightly in response, having understood her meaning: her aunt and uncle did not know of her magic, so please do not speak of it.

  Miss Darcy, however, seemed slightly confused by this silent communication, and took slightly longer to pick up the thread of conversation which her brother had initiated.

  “Indeed, Miss Elizabeth, I have greatly wished to meet you! I have heard so much from my brother and cousin,” the younger girl said.

  “Promise me you will not believe it all!” Elizabeth responded teasingly. To her great satisfaction, she saw a small corner of Mr. Darcy’s mouth twitch upwards, though his sister seemed alarmed.

  “Oh, no, it is all good, I promise you! My cousin tells the most diverting stories of your time in Kent, and my brother insists you are very talented at the pianoforte.”

  Elizabeth blushed fiercely, and shook her head.

  “Your brother has told you a great falsehood, Miss Darcy, for am I far from talented
in that department.”

  Miss Darcy shook her head, her eyes wide.

  “My brother does not lie, Miss Elizabeth. Deceit is not in his nature!”

  Elizabeth’s eyes traveled upward, and she found herself locked into Mr. Darcy’s gaze, her teasing reply dying on her lips. A month ago she would have agreed with such an assessment, but could she now? Having discovered he had judged and demeaned her for her secret, while hiding one of his own the whole time — was that not deceit in some way? In her mind it was, and as such she could not agree with his sister.

  Mr. Darcy appeared to have sensed her discomfort or guessed at her line of thinking, for he stepped back into the conversation, dropping his gaze from Elizabeth.

  “I did not perjure myself, Miss Elizabeth. You play quite well. In fact, we came here today to request that you treat us to such a pleasure during your stay, and have tea with us at Pemberley. Mr. Gardiner, do you enjoy fishing, sir?”

  Mr. Gardiner nodded heartily.

  “Indeed I do! Though I cannot boast any talent of my own in such a field,” her uncle responded amicably.

  “I have never thought that talent should stand in the way of enjoyable sport, sir,” Mr. Darcy answered. “I have a well stocked lake, and I would be delighted if you would join me in fishing it; indeed, it would be a favor to me, as it is dreadfully overrun.”

  Elizabeth bit her lip and looked to her uncle, her insides feeling as though they would claw their way out through her stomach. Her uncle would have to refuse the offer, for he had been given explicit instructions by her father, and she would have to watch Mr. Darcy depart once more without having settled things between them. The thought made her unspeakably angry.

  “That is a kind offer indeed sir, and we would be delighted. My wife and I were just discussing last night that we wished to see Pemberley, for I’ve heard much about it,” Mr. Gardiner responded. Elizabeth almost let out the great gasp of air she had been holding in her surprise, and her head shot up to stare at the older gentleman, who simply smiled and winked lightly at her. Beside him, Mrs. Gardiner was smilingly knowingly, and it occurred to Elizabeth suddenly that her conversation with her aunt the day they arrived had most likely not stayed private.

  Soon the arrangements were made for tea the next day, and Mr. Darcy began excusing himself to attend to his business in town, though Miss Darcy hesitated.

  “Brother, if you do not mind — and if Miss Elizabeth consents — I should like to take a turn through Lambton with her while you do your business. I enjoy accompanying you, but I would much rather look at the bookseller’s shop than wait for you at your solicitor’s office,” she said with a shy blush. Elizabeth laughed lightly and nodded.

  “If Mr. Darcy agrees, I would be delighted, Miss Darcy.”

  Mr. Darcy pulled out his pocket watch and inspected it for a moment, then closed it and nodded.

  “That is perfectly fine with me. I hope this shall be quick, but I won’t be longer than an hour. Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner, it has been a pleasure to meet you,” he said, bowing to them both. “Miss Elizabeth…” he paused and looked at her for a moment, “I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. At Pemberley.”

  When he quit the room, Elizabeth felt numb for a moment, as if all the warmth in her body had been generated from him alone, and she shivered slightly before realizing that Miss Darcy was staring at her.

  “Come, let us walk!” Elizabeth said, applying a smile to her face and offering her arm to the younger girl, who took it thankfully. Once out of the inn, the two walked in silence for some time, their strides short and ambling, and Elizabeth’s anxiety rising with each moment of silence.

  “I simply must thank you, Miss Elizabeth, but I do not know where to begin,” the girl exclaimed suddenly, surprising Elizabeth.

  “Truly, you should not,” Elizabeth began, but the small girl was insistent and shook her head.

  “I must attempt to thank you, though appreciation seems too small a word to properly convey what I feel I owe you, for you and your sisters did not just restore my health, you see, but you gave me back my very peace of mind,” Miss Darcy said quietly. “I understand that you have come to know of my relationship with Mr. Wickham.”

  Elizabeth stiffened slightly and nodded tersely.

  “I’m sorry to be so blunt, I hope you are not offended,” Miss Darcy rushed out, noticing Elizabeth’s discomfort. “My brother often says that courteousness can get in the way of truth, and though I doubt I will ever be as sincere and direct as he, I wish to be clear and imitate him as far as I may.” Miss Darcy took a deep breath, and looked away from Elizabeth for a moment before speaking again.

  “You must understand that although I have inherited a degree of ancestral magic, I am poorly taught. My brother did not approve of me learning, and so all knowledge I have came from a collection of journals left by deceased relations. Since my brother does not encourage the practice, I have rarely used magic.”

  Elizabeth nodded, unsure of where this was leading to.

  “When I encountered Mr. Wickham, I was not yet sixteen, and though I am hardly much older now, I feel I have lived a lifetime since then. What I mean, Miss Elizabeth, is that I was foolish and naive, both about men and magic,” she said, and sighed loudly. “I was desperate to know if Mr. Wickham was sincere in his attentions, and so I performed a spell I had no business casting, one which I hoped would force him to reveal his intentions to me.”

  Elizabeth suppressed a small gasp — she had heard the story from the man’s own mouth, but never this part.

  “It went very badly,” Miss Darcy continued. “Mr. Wickham did acknowledge he cared little for me on my own merit, and he grew dangerously angry, so I cast another spell, very hastily, to make him forget. But I soon fell far more ill from the magic than I did his perfidy. My brother arrived just after and I confessed all to him, save the magic I had spun. Being more practiced, you are surely familiar with how dangerous an ill-trained witch can be to herself, and thus for many months I struggled with my health, feeling perpetually drained, always nauseous, and incredibly anxious.”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Indeed I do, Miss Darcy. My youngest sister experienced something very similar when she cast a spell outside of her skills, and I too have suffered the effects of spells. It is a terrible feeling, but not unusual for a young witch,” Elizabeth said gently, giving the girl a smile. She realized that she was likely the first witch Miss Darcy had ever met. No wonder the girl was unloading herself as she was!

  “It was terrible, Miss Elizabeth. I have never been as boisterous as others in my family, but I drew into myself and away from society due to my embarrassment, dejection, and utter exhaustion. I felt sure my brother would aid me, would find someone to magically heal the injuries I had inflicted on myself, but I was too ashamed to tell him of my act, for I know he has scarcely begun to trust me again, only knowing of my abhorrent actions with Mr. Wickham,” Miss Darcy said quietly.

  “Miss Darcy, your brother loves you unconditionally,” Elizabeth interrupted sternly. “Surely you know this. He would do anything for you, and forgive you of anything.”

  Miss Darcy shrugged sadly, and a stray blonde curl slipped from under her bonnet.

  “I believe that now, but at the time my mind was so muddled, Miss Elizabeth. It became a daily struggle, you must understand, to battle these emotions and feelings, to combat my deep shame in my person, and to do it all with the knowledge that simply waking up each morning felt like a task too difficult to master,” she said sadly. Elizabeth yearned to reach for the girl, but she did not, for she could tell Miss Darcy had not finished her story. “And so, when I learned that news of my brazen and ridiculous behavior had at last caught up to me, it seemed too much. I could not carry that as well. I fled from that shop to avoid the gossip, but once outside, I saw an opportunity to cease my worries and pains and fears, even if just for a time, and so I took it, and willingly placed myself in front of that coach and into the hands of our
Lord.”

  This time Elizabeth could not stifle her gasp, and her hands flew to her mouth for a moment before they reached out to Miss Darcy, and she pulled the younger girl’s hands into her own.

  “Miss Darcy, you must know that your suffering was entirely at my hands. Your brother did tell you, yes? That it was my spell that caused Mr. Wickham to tell your secret? If it were not for my foolishness, you would never have felt such pain!”

  “Please, Miss Elizabeth, call me Georgiana,” she said with a small smile. “And truly, you cannot blame yourself. So much of my suffering was caused by my own foolish spell, and my horrible actions! Mr. Wickham is not a man to be trusted; the truth would have come out one way or the other. I do not blame you, and I beg you not to blame yourself, especially after the gift you have given me, Miss Elizabeth.”

  “What gift?” Elizabeth asked in confusion. Georgiana smiled eagerly in return.

  “It is difficult to fully explain the transformation which I have felt in myself these weeks. Not only is my body healed, but I feel as though my spirit has returned to me as well. I have spoken to my brother of this, and he knows all now, though I fear what he thinks, and, truthfully, I hated to give him yet another burden to carry,” she said, her voice trailing off at the end.