To Capture Mr. Darcy, a Pride and Prejudice Variation Novel

by Elizabeth Ann West

  Elizabeth suddenly remembered about the ball and that all of the officers were invited. “Oh, but what about the ball? Mr. Wickham will be present!”

  Mr. Darcy took her hand as a surge of comfort coursed through his body. “That you would fret over him upsetting me is quite an alteration, and I believe I may hang hope upon it.” A short smile revealed Darcy’s dimples to Elizabeth before he then became the one to reassure his intended. “Fret not for I have sent a letter to Colonel Forster, referencing my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, for character and reinforcement. Just this morning, a reply came by messenger that Mr. Wickham’s commission would be rejected as an unsuitable stand-in for the poor soul he conned into paying him for such a commitment.”

  Elizabeth looked past Mr. Darcy to spy Jane and Mr. Bingley in a close conversation as the horses rigged for travel stomped their feet nervously, ready to trot upon the road. “So if Mr. Wickham is to be removed from the area, why again may your sister not join us?” Elizabeth asked, looking back up at Mr. Darcy to find a reaction she did not enjoy. The man’s face appeared blank, dumbfounded as when she had declared ‘checkmate’ over his King. “Tis true! You do not think my family and neighbors suitable for your sister’s society!”

  “No, I have other reasons, primarily the presence of Mr. Wickham—“

  “But you said so yourself, he will be leaving! If you have some other reason for me to not meet your sister . . .”

  Darcy frowned.

  “I believe while you are on your trip to London you should carefully inspect what reasons you have for marrying me, sir, if my family embarrasses you so.” Elizabeth looked down bitterly at the ground to see her toes wiggle against the constraints of the satin fabric making up her slippers.

  “My reasons are sound and have nothing to do with your family.”

  Jane and Bingley suddenly approached the ever-quarreling couple with bright smiles. “We have selected a date! Three Mondays before Christmas shall be our wedding!”

  “How happy for you! But will the banns be read in York in time for such a date so soon?” Elizabeth asked.

  Mr. Bingley turned red as he explained that despite what Mr. Bennet wished, they would marry by license. “Jane and I have decided to marry as soon as we are able and as she is of an age to determine, it is I who shall bear the brunt of Mr. Bennet’s disappointment.” Mr. Bingley laughed, but Jane placed a hand upon his arm.

  “No, I shall speak to my father. I do not wish to make such a fuss as Mama would like, and selfishly, I wish for a quiet ceremony and breakfast with our closest friends.”

  Elizabeth nodded at the sense Jane made, then realized there was indeed no pressure for her to accept Mr. Darcy for a double wedding. The timing of Jane’s wishes would not permit such an event.

  “It is time we are away if we are to make your townhouse before supper, Darcy.” Mr. Bingley hurried their schedule as he and Jane had already made their sweet farewells.

  Mr. Darcy bowed before Elizabeth, who curtsied. “Please consider carefully where my sister would reside, should I bring her to the ball that she cannot join, as she is not presented to society, yet. And believe you will be able to deduce more of my reasoning as to why I think you will happily meet her in other circumstances.”

  “As you wish, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth curtsied again, stifling a laugh as she immediately grasped Mr. Darcy did not wish to subject his sister to Caroline, the same woman who tagged along for the farewells but was ushered at once indoors by their mother.

  The gentlemen boarded Mr. Darcy’s private carriage, Mr. Bingley’s still being tended to around the corner of the house by Longbourn’s grooms so that Miss Bingley might have transportation home when she should wish.

  As the carriage wheeled away, Jane and Elizabeth dutifully waved until it was out of sight. As they turned to join the family party inside, Jane cautioned Elizabeth about waiting so long to accept Mr. Darcy. The reprisal sounded much like an echo of the chastisement their mother would give Elizabeth when she learned that she had not accepted Mr. Darcy’s proposal, but merely his addresses.

  “I am confident Mr. Darcy and I need this time to forever put to rest our terrible first impressions of one another. That you and Mr. Bingley have come to an understanding with little trials is a blessing, but not my fate, I’m afraid.”

  “But, Lizzie, what if he should tire of your rejection and find another?” Jane asked, nervously, remembering quite keenly the man who wrote her poems at age fifteen, only to move on when she had considered herself much too young to accept any firm advances.

  “Then he should be epically worse as a husband if his patience be that short! We are not lovers at first sight, and cannot hope to compete with a couple that manages such a magic.”

  Jane took Elizabeth’s slightly biting comment in stride and just as they reached the door, the ever docile eldest Bennet sister fired back. “As I marry, I escape to Netherfield, but you, dear, will be Mama’s only focus with Mr. Darcy to secure.”

  Elizabeth halted in her steps, realizing the very dire consequences of soon being the only daughter with serious marriage prospects. But she did not become disheartened for long, she decided Mary would just have to capture Mr. Collins for there to be any peace for her and Mr. Darcy.

  Reaching the parlor, Elizabeth found Miss Bingley’s proximity to Mr. Collins and Mary to be a very odd seating arrangement as the three of them appeared engrossed in a very quiet conversation. However, before Elizabeth could determine the subject of their discussions, Miss Bingley rose from her seat and announced she must not tarry as there were many preparations still to make for the ball.

  “And with Charles needing to be in London so soon after the invitations were delivered, I am finding there is much placed on my shoulders that might have been lessened to a degree if my brother had waited until after his marriage.” Caroline did not appear concerned that her statement not only criticized her brother also insulted Jane as the main purpose of the errand was in regard to their nuptials.

  “We are always happy to lend a hand, Miss Bingley. All of my daughters and I would be delighted to assist in the decorations and plans for the meal. It has been a great number of years since our county has seen a home as illustrious as Netherfield opened for an evening of dancing.” Mrs. Bennet practically salivated over the opportunity to plan a ball at the nicest house in the county. Recalling Jane’s words of wisdom about who would next be her mother’s main target of fussing and social responsibilities, Elizabeth wondered if her mother already realized that once Jane was married to Mr. Bingley, she would have Jane to apply her pressure for greater involvement in the social calendar of Netherfield Park.

  “I should be appalled to burden your family with such a responsibility as you have one daughter engaged and as I’m to understand it, one so very nearly engaged.” Miss Bingley announced Elizabeth’s status as if the situation were not of her choosing. She glanced down at Mr. Collins, who had forgotten to rise when the ladies came into the room, and when Caroline now stood.

  “While I have not declared my intentions formally, it is safe to say I believe my cousin Elizabeth would make a wonderful partner for any man, and I hope to be the luckiest man indeed, to win her hand.” Mrs. Bennet nodded with each statement Mr. Collins made to the abject horror of Elizabeth.

  “Mr. Collins, my sister has accepted the addresses of Mr. Darcy with permission from our father. I believe Miss Bingley was referring to my sister finding an alliance with Mr. Darcy.” Jane offered her rather startling revelation in a gentle voice as both her mother and Mr. Collins had a most violent reaction. For her part, Miss Bingley merely scowled but Mrs. Bennet appeared to need smelling salts now knowing both her daughters were to marry very rich man. Mr. Collins stood up from his chair and began to berate the stunned Mrs. Bennet.

  “You assured me, madam, that as the eldest was already spoken for the next eldest was not similarly engaged. I have been misled!”

  Jane stepped forward to comfort their mother as Eliz
abeth glared at Miss Bingley who pretended to hold no guilt over her culpability for the explosive conversation she had instigated. “Miss Bingley, may I escort you to your carriage? I am sure you are most anxious to address the many needs of your brother’s social calendar.” Elizabeth stared at the younger Bingley until the woman had no choice but to comply and follow Elizabeth to the front door.

  “He will never ask for you, you know. Your family cannot possibly hold a candle to the illustrious line Mr. Darcy counts as his ancestors. A country miss does not marry the grandson of an Earl.”

  “And a daughter of a tradesman does not even get invited to the same events, and yet you have wormed your way up. I suppose I should take that as hope for myself.” Elizabeth scarcely curtsied as Miss Bingley offered the same dismissal and her carriage rolled to the front drive.

  As Elizabeth returned to the parlor, Mary sat on the couch sulking while Jane and her mother were involved in a vibrant discussion over not only Jane’s marriage plans, but also a barrage of questions over how Elizabeth could have possibly attracted the eye of a man such as Mr. Darcy.

  “I thought she did not like him! He was quite rude at the assembly and barely said two words last night at dinner. Your father is such a cruel, cruel man to not tell me of an understanding between Mr. Darcy and our Lizzie.” Mrs. Bennet fluttered her handkerchief for effect, before announcing she needed to go into Meryton and visit with her sister.

  Elizabeth held up both hands to stop her mother charging towards the door of the parlor and attempted to be heard. “Mr. Darcy and I do not have an understanding, Mama. He has requested to pay suit, and so far I have accepted him, but I am not engaged.”

  “Oh you silly, silly girl. No lady accepts a man’s suit without later accepting a proposal. And neither shall you. And to think, you almost married Mr. Collins!” Mrs. Bennet pushed past her daughter to go above stairs and prepare for a visit in the village.

  Elizabeth groaned and closed her eyes at how utterly unpredictable the negotiations of courtship and engagement appeared to be for all parties involved. Opening her eyes and seeing poor Mary crumpled on the corner of the sofa, looking defiantly straight ahead and ignoring the silent tears falling down her cheeks, Elizabeth felt awful. She took a seat next to Mary and tried to console her sister. “Where did Mr. Collins go?” Elizabeth asked.

  “When you took Miss Bingley outside, he stormed to the back and declared he needed to walk. He is very angry and feels led on.”

  Elizabeth smoothed her skirts and shrugged her shoulders. “While I could see how he is disappointed to learn Mama is not the final authority on who we might marry, I should think he could not be so surprised I am not the Bennet sister for him as I’ve done nothing to encourage his suit.”

  Mary glowered at her older sister and clenched her fists as she raised her voice in anger. “But you have! You can never just be quiet, you must always tell the gentleman your opinion as you smile and laugh. I have attempted to imitate you, and it’s exhausting the amount of energy one must spend to flirt with the men around them. And it was all for naught, because he never saw me, he only saw you.” Mary stormed from the room to go upstairs leaving Elizabeth in a state of utter shock. From Elizabeth’s perspective, she had done everything she could to promote the union between Mary and Mr. Collins, and now Mary blamed her for Mr. Collins being too much of a simpleton to identify the appropriate Bennet daughter for his needs!

  Slightly anxious, Elizabeth looked to her sister Jane for a camaraderie the two of them once held very strongly between them, but had become rather cracked and loosened by their respective attachments to the gentlemen of Netherfield.

  “I do not understand Mary’s outrage,” Elizabeth huffed.

  “You are very forward, at times, which can make those of us who struggle to speak to others more intimidated then we might feel…”

  “Then if I had never been in the room at all?”

  Jane shook her head and offered Elizabeth eyes full of worry and regret. “No, no, nothing to that effect. It is just sometimes, you know yourself so well, Lizzie, it can make those of us who do not, see too easily her own shortcomings.”

  Elizabeth swallowed the pain and confusion assailing her senses as it appeared she could make no one happy and everyone around her miserable. She could not take a walk, for she had no desire to meet Mr. Collins wherever he might be. And neither did she wish to join her mother on a tour of the social matrons of Meryton, not even to express she was not engaged to Mr. Darcy no matter her mother’s thoughts of the situation. As Jane announced she would attend the drawing rooms and parlors with Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth agreed it would be a very great kindness for her to do.

  After Elizabeth assisted Jane with a refreshing of her hair style and a change in attire, she selfishly decided to lay down on their shared bed and pulled a thin book from the night table. Flipping to a favorite page, one that now held new meaning, Elizabeth mouthed the words as she traced them with her finger the declarations of love in Shakespeare’s sonnet number 40.

  Ten

  November 26, 1811, the night of the Netherfield Ball

  Elizabeth Bennet lived in a battlefield of sensitivities for three days leading up to the ball at Netherfield. Even though the evening was meant to be all for Jane, her mother had insisted Elizabeth have a new gown, new slippers, and a new spencer for the evening. This caused Kitty and Lydia exceeding jealousy as no amount of whining or crying could convince their mother to spend excessively on them.

  “But we’ve tried and tried! And all of the officers are most keen for our company.” Lydia whined at breakfast, attempting once more to gain permission to shop on the very day of the ball.

  “You have spent an excessive amount of time flirting and fanning over the red coats in town. I have spied the two of you, many times, carrying on exceedingly animated conversations with no less than three or four men around you.” Mr. Collins reported to the table at large. For the last three days, he had proven a rare sight at Longbourn and had taken it upon himself to meet the remaining citizens of Meryton. Charlotte Lucas had warned Elizabeth that her father, Sir William Lucas, a former mayor of Meryton, had taken a great liking to the parson from Kent, inviting him two nights in a row for dinner.

  “And why should not the girls speak to the officers, Mr. Collins? They are cheerful young ladies with an ability to lift the spirits of our soldiers who are serving the greater good.” Mrs. Bennet went on to add it was a mighty convenience the clergy were not required to serve the country, producing a mild embarrassed blush from Mr. Collins as he sat between Mary and Elizabeth at the table.

  A servant walked in with what appeared to be two letters from Netherfield. Both were delivered to Mr. Bennet at the head of the table and he handed Jane’s letter to her, straight away. Elizabeth’s father opened and read the contents silently right there at the table.

  “Papa!” Elizabeth cried.

  “Mr. Darcy writes to you, Lizzie, but as you are not yet engaged, I’m afraid I must see the contents of the letter before you might read it. It may not be suitable for a young lady.”

  As Mr. Collins began to agree with his cousin Bennet about the merits of filtering all content available to young ladies, including novels, Mr. Bennet interrupted the man with a rare shout.

  “Confound it man! Whatever were you thinking to take it upon yourself to invite someone to another man’s home?” Mr. Bennet’s full strength intimidated many at the table as they had never seen the mostly indolent, well-read man as anything but harmlessly sarcastic.

  “I-I-I listened to the request of Miss Bingley. She suggested I should write to my patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, straight away and she even paid for the express.”

  Elizabeth groaned as she accepted the letter from her father, who handed it over without delay. “May I be excused?”

  “Yes, you may.” Mr. Bennet remained glowering at Mr. Collins.

  While Elizabeth wished to see the set down about to fall upon the table, she mor
e adamantly desired to read a letter from Mr. Darcy in private. Jane followed her with her own letter, and the two went to their bedroom.

  “Mr. Bingley writes that Mr. Darcy’s aunt is very disagreeable, and has put Caroline to tears! She is angry about Mr. Darcy’s match with you.” Jane prepared her sister for the contents of her own letter as she had read hers while their father read Elizabeth’s.

  Elizabeth shuddered. So he really was engaged to his cousin after all! She had been correct and stupid to listen to the games and tricks he employed on her father. She set her letter aside, not reading it.

  “Lizzie, you must read it. Mr. Darcy sent it to you!” Jane picked up the letter, but Elizabeth refused, laying on their bed and rolling over to her side. Jane could hear Elizabeth beginning to cry and decided to take matters into her own hands. She unfolded the letter and used a false, baritone voice, to mimic what she thought Mr. Darcy sounded like.

  My Dearest Elizabeth,

  We are safely returned from London, all papers in hand, but I am afraid to say I will not be able to visit Longbourn this afternoon before the ball as I had planned. My aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has descended upon Bingley’s house, informed of our courtship it would appear by her parson, your cousin.

  Elizabeth rolled over and began to argue with Jane, as if she were the real Mr. Darcy and not an imitation.

  “My cousin! What about Bingley’s sister!”

  Jane shook her head and handed the letter to Elizabeth. “You need to know where you stand, it gets better at the end.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes and took the letter, quickly finding where Jane left off.

  Before you think the worst, please know I have never been engaged to my cousin, Anne de Bourgh. Never. When my mother died shortly after the birth of Georgiana, my aunt began to make claims it was my mother’s greatest desire to unite the two families. But she was incorrect. My father made it clear my mother only wished for me to marry well—to marry a woman who made me happy and who would be a good mistress of Pemberley. My cousin is neither of those things, though she is a very sweet woman. She is sickly and has no desire to marry at all.