Fate and Consequences

by Linda Wells

  ELIZABETH REACHED the stile, and looked in the direction of Netherfield. There was no impressive figure on a horse approaching, so she drew out her watch and saw that she was a quarter hour early. She sighed and sat down to wait. Her fingers went to her neck and followed the chain down to her locket, caressing it while imagining William’s face. He seemed so excited when they parted, what could his good news be? So many ideas crossed her mind, each more fanciful than the next, and she finally stopped herself. “Silly girl, you will know soon enough.” Instead she thought of the kisses they shared during her riding lesson and the look of pride and admiration on his face as she responded to Miss Bingley’s thinly veiled criticism during tea. She laughed, remembering how she took a seat beside William on the sofa, only to look up to see that Miss Bingley had not noticed her and was about to sit on her lap. Even Georgiana managed to laugh at that. Elizabeth was pleased with the improvement she slowly saw coming from her, but she was so withdrawn at the party last night. She resembled William very much in their mutual unhappiness in crowded rooms. The sound of a horse brought her from her reverie and she looked around eagerly only to see with disappointment John Lucas dismounting and approaching with a smile.

  “Miss Elizabeth! Good morning, this is a welcome surprise!” He beamed at her.

  The smile of expectation was instantly wiped from her lips, and the heart that had been beating so quickly in anticipation now clenched. She tried to regain her composure and glanced towards the empty path to Netherfield. “Mr. Lucas, good morning, I would think that you would not have arisen so early this day.” He stopped and held out his hand to aid her down from her seat on the stile, squeezing her fingers.

  “I could easily say the same of you.” She smiled slightly, but felt uncomfortable being alone with him, particularly after receiving his barely concealed attentions the night before.

  “No, I did not have a house full of guests.”

  He laughed. “Well that is certainly true. I simply found that sleep did not come. I had too much on my mind.” John’s eyes met hers and she instantly knew that she was the subject of his musings and flushed. He drew a deep breath. “Miss Elizabeth, I realize that I made a very poor beginning with my attempts at a courtship, but I have taken your admonishments to heart. I have begun to learn and accept the responsibilities of my position, and I hope that you have noticed my attempts to change and treat you with the respect you deserve. I hope with all of my heart that it is enough to allow me to ask for a second chance.”

  Elizabeth bit her lip and closed her eyes, holding back the retort that came to mind. He was behaving civilly and she did not wish to cause him pain. “Sir, yes, I have noticed your efforts, and I do appreciate them, but you are aware that I have accepted Mr. Darcy’s offer of courtship. I can not entertain any others.”

  John fully knew this but pressed on. “And if this courtship should end?”

  “Why should it?” She demanded. “Mr. Darcy has been a gentleman at every turn, and I have no reason to end our friendship.”

  John looked at her earnestly. “What do you truly know of him? He sweeps in with his tales of wealth and property, a stranger to us all … Look at me, Miss Elizabeth. You know everything of me. I will never be able to give you endless supplies of funds or an enormous home, but I know you. Those are things that matter little to you. Your love is family, nature, simple things. Those I can give you in abundance. You do not belong in the world where he lives any more than I do. You belong right here in Hertfordshire. You belong with me.” He stepped forward. “You know it is true, Miss Elizabeth.” He looked longingly into her eyes.

  “Mr. Lucas, do not speak of such things. Do not presume to know me or where my place should be. Not once have you ever considered my opinion in your plans, that presumption is the furthest thing from respect.” She drew herself up and stared straight into his eyes. “I am courting Mr. Darcy. You have no business telling me your feelings.”

  He shook his head in frustration. “Then what should I speak of? Shall I tell you of my suspicions that Mr. Darcy is not all that he seems?”

  She looked at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

  John took her hand. “There is something wrong with him. I feel it! He is so dark, brooding, and I just know that he is hiding something. His sister, I watched her last night. She barely spoke a word and behaved like a frightened doe whenever he looked at her. If his own sister is afraid to open her mouth in his presence, what will he do to you, Miss Elizabeth? I can not bear to see you hurt. Something is terribly wrong in that family.”

  Elizabeth pulled her hand away from his and stepped back. “Sir, I assure you, Mr. Darcy is simply a man who is uncomfortable in large gatherings and his sister is a mere girl of fifteen and very sheltered and shy. The only person who is seeking to hurt me is you, with your unwanted attentions and interference in my affairs.”

  Seeing that he was rapidly losing any improvement in her opinion that he may have gained, he spoke urgently, stepping close to her again. “You are not Charlotte, you are only twenty. Please do not rush to accept this man. Please do not regret the choice you make merely to secure your future. You could be secure with me. I swear, I will take care of you, and any in your family who needs our help. Truly Miss Elizabeth, I feel that Mr. Darcy is not the man he appears to be. I know that I have heard something of him when I was in London, it nags at me constantly, but I cannot put my finger on it. I cannot watch you go to your destruction when I know that I could have stopped it.” He took her chin and lifted it. “If you do choose to go with him, and find that he has … been ungentlemanly, come to me, I will care for you. I am in no hurry to marry; I will wait until I am sure you are safe. But dear Elizabeth, I do so hope that I will not have to suffer that torture, and you will come to me now.” He spoke softly and his eyes dropped to her lips.

  Elizabeth wrenched away from him and slapped him full across the face. “How dare you touch me!” Her hand stung with the slap and John stared at her in shock. “How dare you address me in such a familiar manner, and how dare you speak to me of such things after my father came and told you that I was not interested in your attentions!” She turned and looked towards Netherfield, and spotted a horseman galloping at great speed across the field. It was William. “Do you think that behaving in this manner is going to win you my favour? Look to a true gentleman, sir.” She pointed to William’s rapidly approaching horse.

  Disregarding Darcy, John reached out to grab her arm as she began to climb up over the stile to get away from him. Desperately he spoke. “Elizabeth, please, do not be afraid of me, I have never wished you harm. I was a fool who thought that I could have everything I wanted because of who I was. My father instilled an overblown sense of pride in me, and I have learned very quickly it was worthless outside of my home county. It was a difficult realization, and it happened at the same time that I discovered the fascinating woman that you had become. No woman I have ever known has your life, Elizabeth. I could marry any number of the ladies of Hertfordshire, but I have fallen for you. But I learned of this all too late; and insulted when I should have listened. My feelings, I admit at the beginning were not nearly so strong, not as they are now. I am so afraid that I am too late, but I want you to know, I will wait and hope, and dream of you, my dear Elizabeth.”

  “You insult me now, Mr. Lucas! You insult me with your every touch and look and thought. I have asked repeatedly for you to leave me alone, and you persist, even when I am publicly and formally courting another man who DOES have my father’s consent. I have never wanted your attentions, sir!”

  Darcy came over the rise from Netherfield and instantly spotted Elizabeth speaking to a man. He was halfway across the field when he saw him take her hand, and was nearly there when he saw her slap his face and try to get away. That she was fighting him with words was obvious, but he knew full well that she would be no match for him if he chose to become physically violent. His heart pounding, he recognized John, and urging his horse to gallop faste
r, they leapt over the fence and landed, startling them with the sound. In a flash, Darcy was dismounted and striding forward. He looked at Elizabeth’s flushed and furious features and grabbed a firm hold of John’s shoulder, pulling him roughly away from her. He raised his fist and struck him in his stomach. John doubled over in pain, gasping. Darcy pulled him upright and struck him again, this time across his jaw. He fell back into the tall grass. Darcy leaned down to pull him up to his feet, and pinned him against a tree, his hand at John’s throat. He glared and said in a low dangerous voice through clenched teeth. “What did you say that drove her need to slap your face? Why would a woman need to defend herself against a gentleman who claims to admire her? I know of your fascination with Miss Elizabeth, Lucas. If you value your future, I strongly suggest that you direct your attentions elsewhere. I chose to overlook the shooting as an accident, now I know that your intentions were to kill me. You are fortunate that I am not armed sir, because I am an excellent shot.” Darcy again raised his fist and struck him in the stomach. John began to retch, and Darcy stepped back in disgust. He stood staring at the man, ready to hit him again if necessary.

  John spat and stood up, gasping. “Go ahead, strike me again. Show her the brute you truly are. You have managed to hide it long enough, or perhaps we should ask your sister?”

  Darcy’s eyes were black with fury. “What are you saying of my sister? What has she to do with this?”

  “She stands in your shadow, cowed by your presence. I will not have you do the same with Miss Elizabeth!”

  Darcy’s eyes darted to her. “What is he saying?”

  She stepped forward, feeling shocked at the display but proud of William. “He thinks that I require protection from you. He questions your worthiness as my suitor.”

  Darcy’s face reflected his shock. “Pardon?” He spun to face John, who regained some of his breath. “You know nothing of me.”

  John nodded and raised his hand to point at Elizabeth. “That is exactly what I was telling Miss Elizabeth. She knows nothing of you. I have offered her my protection, should she ever need it, whether now, or after she comes to regret accepting you.” He breathed deeply.

  “Your protection? To anyone who happened upon this scene, Miss Elizabeth would have been considered compromised. Is that what your plan was? To grab onto her and force a marriage that you otherwise never would have had?” Darcy stood between them. “You have been told by Miss Elizabeth, and her father, and now by me, to leave us alone. Your attentions are not desired, your protection is a front, and your friendship is now over. I will not permit you to come near her ever again. Do not try, or I will deliver the message in the same manner as I have today, and as often as is necessary. Am I clear?”

  John addressed Elizabeth. “My offer remains Miss Elizabeth. It will only be a matter of time before I am proven correct.”

  “If you continue to persist, sir, I will be forced to call you out.” Darcy took a step forward.

  “Mr. Lucas, you have allowed your disappointment to overwhelm your reason. I assure you that Mr. Darcy is the very best of men.” She walked up to William and stood by his side.

  John stood and stared at her, trying hard to understand why he had failed so utterly with her, and how she could have been taken in by the man who stood glowering beside her. He also was feeling ashamed with his inability to defend himself. He glanced at Darcy’s burning eyes and flinched when his hand flexed back into a fist. “Very well, I will refrain from expressing my beliefs until they are confirmed elsewhere, but in the meantime, remember my words.” Casting a wary eye at Darcy, he went to mount his horse. He took one last look and galloped away. Elizabeth instantly embraced Darcy and could no longer hold back her tears. He took her in his arms, and held her tight, confused and angry.

  “Elizabeth, darling, please, tell me, are you well?” He felt her nod, and thanked heaven that he had come in time. He had no idea how to comfort her, but removed her bonnet and rested his cheek in her hair, his head moving as she cried out the emotion of the last half hour. When she quieted, he continued to hold her, rubbing her back and kissing her hair. She moved away and took a long breath, and he drew out her handkerchief to wipe the tears. “Are you better?” He asked tentatively.

  She nodded and reached up to caress his face, wiping away the tears he did not know he shed. “I was so excited to come here today, and then this had to occur.”

  He walked her to the stile and sat on the step, drawing her onto his lap. “What exactly did occur? I came over the rise to see a man holding your hand, and touching your face. I saw you slap him and your attempt to escape. I did not know what was happening, only that I needed to come to you immediately. Did he hurt you?” He searched her face.

  Elizabeth shook her head. “If I had not been so angry, I would have been more frightened. No, that is wrong, I was frightened, but my courage rose when I saw you coming.” She caressed his cheek. “Mr. Lucas was confessing his feelings for me and offering me marriage.”

  Darcy sat up straight and his eyes grew black with anger again. “He did what?” He looked around. “HERE? I should have killed him!” Elizabeth could not help but laugh and embraced him. He searched her face. “Why do you laugh?”

  She drew his head down and kissed him. The crease in his brow remained. “Oh William, if I do not laugh, I will cry again, and you do not know what to do with me then.” She sighed. “It seems that he must have heard some of the gossip of Georgiana when in London, but does not yet connect your name with what he heard. I know that he visited St. James’s one evening at the end of the Season.”

  Darcy closed his eyes, and nodded. “I am sure that you are correct.” Darcy met her eyes and shook his head. “My love, I do not know what to say, the position he put you in … what did you say?”

  “I hardly know, mostly I told him to leave us alone.”

  He caressed her face. “I am so sorry, Elizabeth.”

  “For what? None of this is your doing. Mr. Lucas was never someone I wished to marry. I have never felt anything more than friendship for him. He has taken any emotion he has ever felt for me and added this new protectiveness to it. I just hope that he keeps his word and does not spread his mistaken beliefs throughout the neighbourhood.”

  “I am sorry that this man imposed himself upon you. I am sorry that you were forced to bear his attentions, and I could not do anything to stop him because our engagement is not public. And I am sorry that you had to witness me behaving in such an ungentlemanly way.”

  Elizabeth took his right hand and held it gently. “Does this hurt?” She kissed the bruised knuckles.

  He flexed his hand and smiled ruefully. “It is not too bad.”

  “I liked seeing you defend me.” She looked up and Darcy’s eyes darkened again, but this time with passion.

  “Elizabeth.” He searched her face and in a sudden movement seized and crushed her against him. Elizabeth gasped and he claimed her lips in a ravenous kiss, devouring her mouth and stroking his hands possessively up and down her body. She clung to his neck and pressed as tightly to him as she could. Their lips and tongues fought in a desperate competition to consume the other. Darcy dragged his mouth across her face, and breathing heavily whispered hoarsely. “You are mine, Elizabeth. No man touches you but me.” He reclaimed her lips hungrily then pulled away to take her face in his hands. “I have waited my entire life to feel love.” Her hands took his face and she could feel his jaw working to control the emotion.

  Elizabeth caressed him. “My love is yours alone, William.” Darcy closed his eyes and held her to him, resting his cheek on her hair as Elizabeth’s arms encircled his waist. She rested her head over his pounding heart.

  “I saw you trying to escape him. My God, what might have happened if I had not come when I did?” He squeezed when she gasped in understanding.

  “You do not think he would have harmed me?”

  Darcy said nothing, and only clutched her tighter. “I need to make you mine.”

/>   His words reverberated throughout Elizabeth; they contained a multitude of meanings. “I want to be yours.” She whispered, and then looked up to him.

  He swallowed hard and touched her cheek. “And I want to belong to you.” He said softly before kissing her gently. They both knew that their desire could not be fulfilled at that moment, so instead they remained in their embrace, calming, and Elizabeth felt the arousal that had been pressing against her slowly die away. Only then was Darcy able to relax his grip.

  Elizabeth looked up and kissed his chin, and he smiled with a small upturn of his mouth. “Now, what was your wonderful news? I could not sleep last night trying to imagine it.”

  His smile grew. “Well, perhaps it is even better news than I thought at the time, following this morning’s activities.” He laughed at her raised brow. “Your father told me one more week of courtship and we may announce our engagement. Apparently the neighbourhood is convinced we will marry.” He cried out as Elizabeth threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with enthusiasm. He laughed and drew away, smiling into her sparkling eyes. “Your excitement is very gratifying my love. I look forward to your reaction after you open this.” He drew the velvet box from his pocket and handed it to her, watching her eyes widen with wonder.