Legally Darcy: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

by Denise O'Hara

  “He is that! Looks a lot like his Uncle Jim; funny how things turn out. He and George used to be thick as thieves. I guess they just don’t have much in common these days. Brains and brawn don’t usually make the best companions, with the exception of us obviously,” Ben joked.

  “Uhh, remind me which one you are again,” George replied with a snicker. “I guess our boys’ paths don’t cross much, seeing how mine rarely goes to parties or even on dates. He’s always either got his nose in a book studying as Georgiana practices on the piano, or he’s out riding. At least he’s not usually by himself. Richard comes over to ride with him sometimes, and he’s had Georgie on a horse since she was this high.”

  “She couldn’t ask for a better brother. He’s older than his years. Maybe it has something to do with his mother’s absence.”

  “I know. He’s a great kid, very responsible. I just wish he’d allow himself to have a little fun now and then. When Anne died it almost felt like he and I had a reversal of expectations. I loosened the reigns and he tightened them.” Not wanting the conversation to get too serious, George added, “And sports? Forget about it. I can’t get him to sit down and watch the playoffs with me, and, believe me, I’ve tried. You know what he did, of course? As soon as the commercial came on he asked what type of defense I was planning on going with for the case I had just taken the day before! And then he had suggestions!”

  “Now that is pretty sad,” Ben chuckled along with his friend. “Hey, you hungry? I made bisque and fresh French bread before I left the restaurant. It won’t take five minutes to sauté the prawns to go with it.”

  “Starving.”

  The restaurant was almost empty when they arrived, and only staff was there when they left. As George drove Ben home they talked sports like they always did, getting into a debate about which NBA team would make it to the playoffs this season.

  ***********

  Will had already been asleep for over an hour when he was abruptly woken by the sound of Mr. Joseph calling his name. “The police are here, William, and they want to speak with you.”

  “What do they want? Where’s Dad?”

  “I don’t know, they asked to speak to a family member. And Mr. Darcy isn’t back from the game yet.”

  Will hurriedly threw on a robe and went downstairs. The policemen were very kind, sitting down with him to regretfully inform him that his father and a passenger had been in a car accident. It looked like their car had been hit by another vehicle, whose they had reason to suspect had been drinking. There were no survivors, all were killed instantly.

  Will’s thoughts immediately went to his eight year old sister, Georgiana. As difficult as this would be for him to get through, he knew from experience how hard the loss of a beloved parent was for a child.

  After the policemen left, Will went into the study and sat behind the desk in his father’s chair. He picked up his parent’s picture, which was always on his father’s desk. How many people over the years had told him they could have been mistaken for movie stars? A cross between Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck was how many had described George Darcy.

  His parents were so happy in the picture. He held it against his chest as the tears poured from his eyes. There were times during the last eight years when the deep pain, which made his heart literally ache, would envelope him. It was a feeling which only the loss of his mother could trigger. Most of the time he could keep it pushed down; hidden away. But now his father was gone too. Not only was the feeling stronger than it had ever been before, but adding to the pain and sadness, now Will felt completely alone and terribly lonely.

  After a while, he sat in the chair looking into space. He felt depleted of all energy and had no desire to remove himself from that position anytime soon. But a thought kept intruding that forced him to go against his body’s wishes. Georgiana.

  He had allowing himself some time to grieve; now he must pull himself together and resolved to do whatever was necessary to take care of Georgiana. He stayed in the library until morning, alternating between pacing the room, and sitting at the desk putting their options down in writing, until Mr. Joseph knocked on the door. “I thought you’d like to know that Georgiana is awake.”

  Thus began William Darcy’s ascension into parenthood.

  Chapter Four

  George Wickham stood up from his chair at the gravesite of George Darcy and walked to the front of the casket. “Friends and neighbors, please bear with me,” he said in a soft tone, obviously trying to keep his emotions in check. “As you know, I buried my own dear father yesterday. And yet I feel like I am doing the same today. George Darcy was very much like a father to me. He never missed a single one of my games; he was always there for me when I needed him. I believe he looked at me quite as a son as well.” His voice broke and he began searching his pockets, finally finding the handkerchief in the inside pocket of his suit coat and dabbing his eyes.

  He let out a long breath before continuing. “I am going to live my life with a heavy heart at the loss of two of the very best of men, and I will do my very best to make them proud.”

  There wasn’t a dry eye among the mourners after the emotional speech. Will stood and walked towards his friend, embracing him. They had grown apart since starting high school. Will had looked unfavorably on many of the choices George made, most of which involved alcohol, and occasionally even drugs. But he felt a renewed close bond to his old friend in the days following the accident. He always knew his father had been very fond of George. But Will never realized until this week how much his father had meant to George Wickham. Maybe he had been too hard on his friend after all. Richard put a hand on Will’s shoulder and with a serious look on his face, hugged his cousin. He turned to George, who looked so humble and innocent and gave him a sideways pat on the back. Maybe George would straighten up after this. He hoped, rather than believed, that would be the case.

  ******

  They went to their Aunt and Uncle Fitzwilliam’s after the funeral, where the caterers had set out refreshments for the guests. Not knowing how late guests would remain, Will and Georgianna planned on staying the night with their aunt and uncle as well.

  George Darcy was an important business man, not only in the community they lived in but in far reaching places as well. He knew his father had invested more and more into the golf course, which was now a resort, eventually owning the majority. Not only was the restaurant part of the holdings but there were now over fifty luxury suites as part of the property. But that was just one of dozens of businesses in which his father owned stocks. George Darcy was also the Senior partner at one of the most prestigious law firms in the city, Darcy and Associates. Will shook more hands and received more hugs than he’d ever done before, even after his mom died. While hundreds had come to pay their respects for their mother, close to a thousand came for their father.

  George Wickham, claiming to be overwhelmed by the events of the last two days, stayed for little more than half an hour before saying his goodbyes. Richard watched from a window as George got into the convertible with a blond who worked at the golf course, and had come to pay her respects. The car was still parked in front of the house when George pulled out a flask and took a swig, before the blond punched the gas and the two of them sped off.

  “What are you looking at?”

  “Georgie! How’s my favorite girl?”

  Georgianna shrugged and twisted her mouth.

  “Hey, did you get some of those miniature lemon tarts? I told them lemon is your favorite.”

  She gave a slight smile. “You know it.”

  Richard laughed for the first time since his parents had woke him early one morning to tell him the news of his uncle’s accident. “They weren’t half bad, were they? So kiddo,” he bent down to be closer to her level, “have you gotten to ride Golden Girl since all this started?”

  She shook her head. “No, we’ve hardly even been at Pemberley since the accident. I miss her.”

  “What do
you say to us remedying that tomorrow?”

  Georgianna sighed. “Will said we have to stay at your house for a few more days while he’s busy handling some business.”

  In a muffled voice Richard whispered, “You know how to keep a blond busy?”

  “Yeah, trying to teach you how to tie your shoes.”

  Richard’s eyes widened and he laughed again. “You little stinker! How long did it take you to come up with that one?”

  Georgianna giggled. “Dad told me to tell you that the next time you made a blond joke. I miss Dad, too.”

  “I know, sweetie,” he pulled her close, giving her a hug. “I’ll tell you a secret. Wait, maybe I shouldn’t. I know how bad you blondies are at keeping secrets.”

  “Richard! Please tell me the secret.”

  “Ok, but just this once. I’m going to take you to ride Golden Girl tomorrow. And,” he added for effect, “I’m going to ride Will’s horse.”

  “Can we really? Oh, yes, yes, yes!” she jumped up and down enthusiastically. “Hey, Richard, I guess brownies can’t keep secrets either,” she giggled, referring to her cousin’s hair color.

  ******

  When the last guest had gone, Will sat down in the den next to Richard and loosened his tie.

  “Long day, huh, cousin?”

  Will sighed and raised his eyebrows in reply.

  “Well, I am afraid it’s not quite over just yet, nephew. We have some business to discuss which cannot be put off any longer. Richard, if you will excuse us?”

  “Aunt Catherine, can’t it wait until tomorrow?” Will implored. “Georgie’s already asleep in one of the guest rooms and another bed is calling my name. I feel completely drained. The last thing I want is more conversation.”

  She took a seat across from her nephews and indicated for her brother Jim to sit beside her. “I am sorry. But it cannot be put off any longer,” his aunt insisted, keeping her tone gentle before giving her other nephew a stern look.

  Unable to miss her meaning, giving a slight shake of his head, Richard quickly got up and left the room.

  “I know this has been hard for you, my dear. Perhaps after you hear what we have to say, you will feel some relief from the pressures and responsibilities that have been placed upon your shoulders far sooner than they should have been. We, my brother and I, wish to discuss our niece’s living arrangements.”

  Will sat up straight. “What about Georgianna’s living arrangements? She’ll be staying home at Pemberley with me of course.”

  “Well, yes, perhaps she can for the time being, but I’m talking about after this summer. Where will she be staying when her new school year begins again, and you go off to college? I understand you are narrowing your choices down and are leaning towards one of the schools on the east coast. While that will be convenient for frequent weekend visits, it won’t be practical for you to stay at Pemberley. Your uncle and I are each willing to have Georgianna come live with us. There are pros and cons to each situation. We would like your input before we make any final decision.”

  It had never occurred to Will that he would not be solely responsible for his sister’s care or that others would be in a position to make decisions about Georgianna without his consent. His thoughts went directly to consulting the family attorney. He would do that first thing in the morning. He knew his aunt to be strong-willed and at times quite unreasonable. He would not say anything tonight that would cause an argument.

  “I’m listening.”

  His aunt smiled at her sensible nephew. “Your aunt and uncle Fitzwilliam are nearing the end of their child rearing years. With Richard going away to college in the fall, they have already booked a world cruise, and planned on extensively traveling at this time in their lives.”

  Uncle Jim looked from his sister to his nephew. “We can change our plans in a heartbeat though. After all, this is where Georgianna goes to school, and besides her friends are here. Catherine lives two hours away, which means Georgie would be two hours farther from whatever university you decide on. Val and I would be more than happy to have her stay with us.”

  Catherine stared at her brother as he spoke, forcing him to meet her eyes before she continued. “While that is kind of my brother and his wife to offer to change all their short and long term plans, it is completely unnecessary. I would dearly love to have the child. As you know, my own little girl was born premature and had complications that resulted in her death when she was but four years old. I would bring up Georgianna as if she were my own. I assure you, I would positively dote on the girl, as I did my Anne. She will want for nothing and I will make her my heir. I’m sure your father set her up nicely, but it could never compare to Rosings Estate and all my holdings. Not to mention the private schools that she can attend. She will receive the finest education available and she will be among the wealthiest women in the country. I believe when you consider what is in the best interest of my sister’s daughter, there is only one choice to be made.”

  Will gathered his thoughts before saying, “Thank you both for your kindness in consideration of my sister. If you will allow me time to contemplate the matter when I am rested and can better process everything, I would be most grateful.”

  “Of course, you need your rest, my dear,” Catherine consented, pleased with how she logically presented her case. She felt sure he would see the sense of having her raise his sister.

  “How long will you remain in town, Aunt Catherine?”

  “I’ll be here for a few more days, until the middle of the week.”

  “Very good. I will have an answer for you before you leave. If you will excuse me, I’ll head up now.”

  “Of course, my dear. Do get some rest.”

  “Goodnight, Will,” added his uncle.

  He was half way up the staircase when he heard the unmistakable sound of his cousin coming up behind him, taking two steps at a time.

  “What did aunt Catherine want with you?” Richard whispered when he was close enough.

  “Nothing I wish to discuss at the moment,” Will said, continuing his assent. As he reached the top, a thought suddenly occurred to him. “Richard, have you heard back from any more universities?”

  “Ummm, yes, a few. Why?”

  “Have you been accepted to any nearby or at least in the state that you’re leaning towards?”

  “Yes.”

  Will looked at him expecting more. “Well, which ones?”

  “Vassar and Hamilton.”

  “Vassar might just do. How far is it from here?”

  “Just about an hour’s drive.”

  “Perfect. Goodnight, Richard.”

  Richard watched as his cousin went into the guest room next to the one Georgianna was asleep in and shut the door behind him. What was his cousin up to?

  Chapter Five

  “William, good to see you my boy,” Mr. Davis of Darcy and Associates greeted him with a firm handshake.

  “And you, sir. I apologize for bringing you to the office on a Sunday morning, but it couldn’t be helped.”

  “Think nothing of it. Can I get you something?” he asked, opening the mini fridge, its door being flush with a dark cherry wall panel. “We have water, juice and sodas. Or if I can figure out how to work the coffee machine…”

  “Water would be great,” Will answered as he took a seat in one of the soft Italian leather chairs in front of Mr. Davis’ ornate mahogany desk. He waved off the crystal tumbler Mr. Davis brought along.

  “Thanks, anyway, this is fine,” Will said as he took the glass bottle of expensive water Mr. Davis held out to him. Taking a long sip, he looked around the room at the shelves full of leather bound books and framed certificates on the wall; he felt a pang of both familiarity and sentimentality.

  After getting settled in his chair and opening a bottle of water for himself and pouring it into a glass, the lawyer asked, “How I can be of help?”

  “I know there will be a reading of my father’s will this evening, but I need
to know now if I have any say, or rather any rights, where Georgiana is concerned.”

  “Ah, I take it your Aunt has spoken to you of her desire for your sister to live with her. She mentioned it to me a few days ago. I have to tell you, William, even more as a friend than as your attorney, it may be a good idea to take her up on it. I know it’s difficult to make decisions about Georgianna’s future so soon after your father’s death, and I have no doubt the change will take some time for you both. But with you going off to Harvard in just a few months, the adjustment process really needs to get started soon, for Georgianna’s sake.”

  “Yes, I agree completely; decisions must be made soon, and the changes implemented. Please answer my question; what rights do I have with regards to making decisions on behalf of Georgiana?”

  Mr. Davis looked at young Mr. Darcy with interest. He noted that William hadn’t said he agreed to the changes his aunt was suggesting. He gave a slight smile as he opened the large folder on his desk. “In a nutshell: you have all the rights. Your father’s will states that in the event of his death, as of age eighteen you are Georgianna’s guardian. From now until the time you turn twenty-one, I will be the executor of her trust. After age twenty-one, you become the executor of her trust.”

  “It is entirely up to me to take care of Georgianna?”

  “Well, that’s not what I said. I said it is entirely up to you to decide how your sister is taken care of and by whom. Your father put great trust in your being level headed enough to carry out this responsibility to the benefit of everyone involved. William, I take it you aren’t sold on the idea of appointing your aunt Catherine as your sister’s guardian in your stead. May I ask, who you are thinking of as a replacement?”

  “I don’t. Plan on a replacement, that is. I will remain at Pemberley and take care of my sister.”