In Want of a Wife: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Julia Middleton

  Elizabeth agreed and the two ladies poured over the book together. “I do not see her name,” said Elizabeth. “There is Mr Price…I hope he has left. You would find him awful, Miss Darcy…Miss Darcy?”

  Her new friend stared at the book, her face pale. Elizabeth took her hand and squeezed it. “What is it, Miss Darcy? For God’s sake, tell me. You look as if you have seen a ghost.”

  Georgiana looked at Elizabeth, her face pale and her lip trembling. “Oh, Miss Bennet. I do not know what to think…can I speak with you? Really and truly? I think I am in desperate need for a friend right now, and have no-one to turn to.”

  “Of course,” said Elizabeth. She made to guide the young girl to one of the benches, but Georgiana recoiled.

  “No, not here. It cannot be here. Let us go to the tea rooms. I need something hot to drink. I have a dreadful headache…”

  Elizabeth was beginning to feel rather frightened. She nodded and allowed Georgiana to lead her to the little tea rooms overlooking the park. When they were settled with tea and small lemon cakes before them, she waited anxiously for Georgiana to speak.

  “I do hope you will not think badly of me when I tell you, Miss Bennet,” she said nervously.

  Elizabeth reached across the squeeze her hand. “I could not think badly of you,” she assured her. “Please do not worry so. What is it that troubles you, and how can I help?”

  Georgiana looked at her with blue eyes swimming with tears.

  “Have you ever been in love?” she asked.

  Elizabeth was so surprised by the question that she almost choked on her tea. “Forgive me,” she said as she dabbed at the stain. “In love? That is a most unusual question.”

  “I hope it is not too bold,” said Georgiana. “But I am in love. My brother does not know. The man I am in love with wishes me to elope with him because my brother would never consent to our marriage. I have told him no, and he has been most persistent. I then begged him for some time to think it over, and I have not seen him now in some days. I hoped to see his name in the visitor’s book. You will think me dreadful, Miss Bennet, but I have been sneaking out to meet with him. Once, I even ran out of a shop when I was with my brother to speak with him just for a few moments. My brother thought I was lost.” She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet Elizabeth’s eyes.

  Elizabeth stared at her in surprise. She had never encountered such a situation before, and did not know what to say. “Is there a reason your brother is so against the man?” she asked finally. “I am sure your age is one obstacle, but that will be overcome with time. Is there anything else?”

  Georgiana fiddled with the handle of her tea cup. “The man is an old family friend,” she said. “And he is somewhat older than me. He and my brother had a falling out that I am sure is just a misunderstanding. But he tells me my brother would never understand, and if he were to find out, we would never see one another again. I could not bear that, Miss Bennet. And yet I hate to keep secrets from my brother. He is so good to me, and so kind and loving. I am so afraid of hurting him if he were to find out, and yet I will hurt George if I am not true to him. I feel trapped between both, and have no idea what to do.”

  Elizabeth took another sip of tea to give herself a moment to think. What would she tell her sisters if she were in a similar situation?

  “I think you were very wise to tell him you need time to think,” she said gently. Georgiana smiled at her in relief.

  “Thank you, Miss Bennet. But I fear it has cost me already. I have not heard from George since I told him. He was to come see me while my brother was at a ball…please do not think me wicked, it was all entirely innocent…but he never came. I fear he has been too hurt by my reluctance and thinks I do not love him.”

  Elizabeth chewed her lip. The more Georgiana spoke, the uneasier she felt about this young man. Surely if his intentions were honourable, he would want to make amends with the brother, for the sake of the woman they both loved? And for him to disappear without a word when Georgiana asked for more time was altogether suspect. It seemed designed to play on the young girl’s fears and make her more agreeable to him. It would not surprise Elizabeth at all if this George returned, generously offering Georgiana another chance to give him what he wanted. He would hope that in her relief at his return, she would agree to anything he asked of her.

  But she must tread carefully. Young girls who fancied themselves in love could be overdramatic and see everyone as coming between them and their beloved. Elizabeth would have to be careful, or she would only succeed in driving Miss Darcy even further into the unworthy young man’s arms.

  “I think you have been in a very difficult situation, and have handled it remarkably well,” she said. “I do not know what I would have done in such a situation, but you need to give yourself credit for how you have behaved. But Miss Darcy, I do think you should tell your brother. Would you really like to start married life with such a secret hanging over you?”

  Georgiana’s eyes filled with tears once again. She fiddled with her curls and looked distractedly out the window, as if still hoping to see her lover walk by.

  “That is just what I told George,” she said. “I sometimes feel as if this affair has turned me into someone I do not recognise. Someone sneaky and underhanded. And that is not my way, Miss Bennet. I was brought up to be honest, and to abhor pretence and disguise. I will consider how best to tell my brother.” Her eyes filled with tears once again. “But it may all be for nothing, you know. I may never see George again.”

  “Miss Darcy, listen to me,” said Elizabeth. She leaned forward and looked at the younger girl earnestly. “If he has left you because you would not do something so difficult as soon as he asked - if he does not respect your right to think, and pressures you into making such an important decision quickly - he is not worthy of you. I am sorry, and I hope you will not resent me for speaking so. My aunt often does the same, and I do not like it, but I understand her intention behind it. I hope you do the same for me. Please believe me when I saw I do not wish to offend, and speak only with your best wishes at heart.”

  “You are sweet, Miss Bennet,” said Georgiana. “And I know you want my happiness. But you are wrong about George. He is charming and delightful. He would never think to act the way you describe. He is a good man. I am sure he has only been deeply hurt by my behaviour. We love each other so much you see, and desire only to be together.”

  Elizabeth nodded. There was nothing more she could say. A young girl’s idea of being in love was one of the most powerful forces in the world and she knew to argue further would be no good. She could only hope Miss Darcy would tell her brother everything. Or if not, she hoped that this George would show Miss Darcy exactly how unworthy he was in a way that would allow her to realise it, without causing any lasting damage to the young girl’s heart.

  “Shall we walk in the park?” she asked. “It is a fine afternoon, and I feel as if I have not stretched my legs enough since arriving in Bath.”

  Georgiana eagerly agreed and arm in arm, they walked to the park.

  “There is William,” Georgiana cried in delight. “My brother. I thought he was too busy to come out today. Oh, and he has brought my Jessie with him. I told him I feared she was not getting enough exercise.”

  Elizabeth started at the dog’s name and looked around. The tall young man she had met on her first morning in Bath came towards them. Her heart pounded. He was Miss Darcy’s brother. What a coincidence.

  The man smiled at Georgiana, then turned in expectation of being introduced to Elizabeth. He hesitated when he saw her, then smiled.

  “It is a pleasure to see you again,” he said.

  Elizabeth responded with a brief curtsey, suddenly feeling too shy to speak. Georgiana looked between her brother and her new friend.

  “You two are acquainted?” she asked.

  Darcy nodded, still looking at Elizabeth. “Jessie introduced us,” he said. “But I never had the pleasure of receiving y
our name, Miss…”

  “Forgive me. William, I present to you, Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet, this is my brother, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.” Georgiana’s voice was tight with strain. Elizabeth flashed her a sympathetic look.

  Be easy, it said. It is your secret to share.

  “Jessie was restless, and refused to give me a moment’s peace,” said Darcy. “I hope I am not intruding if I join you ladies for your walk?”

  Georgiana had relaxed in the knowledge that her secret was safe. Instead, she was very interested to feel the frisson of energy between her brother and her new friend. Was this the young lady Darcy had in mind the other day? How wonderful it would be if the two were to fall in love and she could have Miss Bennet for her sister. And she would make an excellent wife for her brother. Her liveliness and wit, combined with his steadiness, would make them a perfect couple. Filled with the excitement of making a match, she untangled Jessie’s lead from his hand.

  “Of course you may join us,” she said. “But I feel very bad for not taking Jess out today. I will run with her. You and Miss Bennet take your time and follow on.” Before either could protest, she took the excited little dog and ran down the gravel path, Jessie barking in delight.

  Elizabeth and Darcy stared after her in surprise. Darcy cleared his throat. “Well,” he said. “It seems my sister has made the decision for us. She is not usually so decisive, Miss Bennet. You must have had a good influence on her.”

  Elizabeth laughed. Her spirits were still in a pleasant fluster, and she wondered what on earth had come over her. How could one man affect her so? Even Wickham, delightful as he had been, did not set her pulse racing as Mr Darcy did.

  “I thank you, but I think it was always there in your sister, waiting for the chance to come out,” she said. “Remember, I only met her yesterday. It would be a marvellous thing indeed if I had affected her so much in such a short space of time.”

  The two walked on side by side.

  “How do you find Bath, Miss Bennet. Is it to your liking?”

  “Oh yes. Bath is pleasant enough. But I do not believe I could spend much time here. I am as fond of dancing as anyone, but the constant gossip and speculation is rather exhausting. I hope you do not think it too bold for me to say so, but I must always speak my mind.”

  “Not at all. I find it refreshing, and the exact antidote I need, as I feel exactly the same. Unlike you, I am not so fond of dancing, or of meeting people and yet I must do so nightly. I look forward to leaving here.”

  Elizabeth remembered what Georgiana said, about how he was looking for a wife. She blushed, and felt a curious stab of jealousy at the thought of him finding another young lady delightful enough to marry.

  “And do you find Bath is giving you what you hope?” she asked delicately.

  Darcy looked down at her with a smile. “I am afraid not. I have not had much success here. Perhaps it is best not to search directly. Maybe it is best to allow certain things to happen by chance.”

  “Perhaps,” agreed Elizabeth. “Or maybe both are options. Attend balls, sit down to dinners, and also be open to anything that could happen as the result of chance.”

  “You are wise, Miss Bennet,” he said. He was rather enjoying this conversation on a subject they could not mention directly, but could discuss in a roundabout manner. He looked down, lost in admiration of her fine eyes. He wondered if she had much good fortune in Bath, and noticed he found the idea of her being delighted with another man’s company abhorrent. And yet, what could he do? He could not make her an offer. He could tell she was from a different social sphere to his own. She would not bring any advantage to the match.

  But in spite of reassuring himself with these sensible thoughts, he could not tear himself away. Something about her drew him in.

  “I am glad my sister has met you,” he said. “I worry for her. Our mother died when she was born, and she does not have many other female relatives - apart from my Aunt Catherine and cousin Ann,” he added.

  “And they will not guide her and help her?” asked Elizabeth.

  Darcy laughed out loud. “Forgive me. But if you’d met them, you would not ask such a thing. Neither of them are what you might call warm, approachable women. I have been thinking of appointing a companion for my sister once we leave Bath but in the meantime, I am extremely happy she has your friendship. It means a great deal to both of us. I was delighted when she returned home yesterday and said she had met a new friend in the park.”

  Elizabeth was touched. “I am also glad to have met her,” she said. “Before yesterday, I despaired of having a decent conversation with anyone. Your sister’s friendship is just as valuable to me as mine is to her. We are both lucky.”

  “Then I hope you will do us the honour of joining us for supper this evening?” said Darcy. “I understand of course if you are engaged elsewhere,” he added quickly.

  Elizabeth remembered the small card party they were to attend that night. Lady Lacey had complained of having to go. She said the crowd would be dreary, and the hostess provided a terrible spread. She was quite certain she would jump on the opportunity to cancel it if Elizabeth offered her one.

  “I would be delighted to join you,” she said.

  For the rest of their walk, they talked of books and games, both delighted to discover how much they had in common. Mr Darcy promised to show her some of Bath’s best book shops, where she could find the latest novels.

  “Perhaps we could go tomorrow?” he suggested. He felt his face grow warm and he wondered at his own daring. It took all he could to ask a lady to dance, and now here he was, inviting a relative stranger to join him on an outing. It was very unlike him.

  “I should like that very much.”

  He was rewarded by the light in Elizabeth’s dark eyes. He felt a lightening in his heart he had not known for a long time. He tried to think of other things that would please the lady by his side. He remembered how he had seen her out in the park that first morning, long before most people were awake. Her hair had flowed down her back, and she had been laughing with delight as she played with the dog. He took a guess.

  “And are you fond of walking, Miss Bennet?”

  “Oh yes.” Elizabeth smiled up at him, her cheeks flushed. “I love it possibly even more than reading. I do it every day at home. My mama gets most cross with me, but it is so enjoyable that I almost think it a necessity. I have promised myself that I will search out the finest walks in Bath, but I have yet to do so.”

  Darcy smiled. “There, I can also help you. My sister and I enjoy walking, and there are many fine woods about. We bring Jessie with us. I would be delighted if you were to join us for our next one. Georgiana will be glad to have your company.”

  Elizabeth was elated. What good luck this was that she should happen upon people with such similar tastes to her own. It would be such a welcome relief from cards and gossip.

  “I would love that,” she said. She spoke with such animation that Darcy was captivated. There were many ladies who waxed lyrical about nature in an affected desire to suggest they delighted in the simple things in life. But Elizabeth was different. She spoke unguardedly, her eyes shining. As she looked at him, a curl tumbled free from its pins and she carelessly pushed it back. Darcy longed to reach out and touch it and caught himself in time. He would have to be careful around this lady. She was a welcome respite from the shallowness of Bath, but if he did not remind himself of that frequently, he should find himself in very real danger.

  “Speaking of my sister,” he said in an effort to distract himself from the bewitching woman by his side. “Where is she? It is not like her to run off ahead.”

  For a moment, Elizabeth felt a pang of fear that Georgiana had met with her unworthy young man. But when she looked around, she saw Georgiana at the far side of the park. She was seated on a bench, leaning forward to play with the dog. But as Elizabeth looked she covertly raised her head to observe them. Her eyes met Elizabeth’s and she qu
ickly withdrew her glance to focus on the dog again, but not before Elizabeth saw a brief smile. She bit back her own smile. So, Miss Darcy was attempting to play matchmaker. She was sure it would come to nothing - for all his warmth, Mr Darcy was far too grand for her - but it was flattering to know she had his sister’s approval.

  If Darcy was aware of what his sister was up to, he made no mention of it. They moved towards Georgiana in contented silence, both of them walking very close together.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Elizabeth spent the next few days almost entirely in the company of Mr and Miss Darcy. Her friendship with both felt so easy and natural that she started to feel as if she had known them all her life. Indeed, it was hard to remember a time before she knew them. Darcy even attended an assembly ball when she mentioned she would be there, and danced two dances with her, despite liking the activity so little. Elizabeth felt somewhat unsettled when she saw how ladies coveted him, most of them far more in his class than she could ever hope to be. But he always found his way to her side again afterwards.

  Elizabeth wondered what he thought of her. He certainly enjoyed her company and sought her out very often. But at other times, he could be aloof and indifferent, and Elizabeth had to remind herself that he was polite to her as the friend of his sister and nothing more. She had to put a check on her own heart, which yearned more and more towards him every time they met. She exerted herself to dance with other men, in an attempt to keep her mind and heart free from Darcy’s hold on both. It had been some days since she had seen Wickham, but she longed to see him again. No longer for his own sake, but because his amusing conversation would provide a welcome distraction from her growing affection for Mr Darcy.

  Almost as if her desire had conjured him, she and Lady Lacey entered the Assembly Rooms one night to see Wickham standing at the edge of the rooms, observing the crowds. Elizabeth’s heart lifted to see him. Darcy had told her he would not be able to attend the ball that night, and she had anticipated a less than enjoyable evening as a result.