The Secrets of Darcy and Elizabeth: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (27 page)

“No indeed,” Elizabeth said with a laugh. “He is perfectly amiable and has been a complete gentleman.” She mused that now would be a good time to lay the groundwork for future revelations. “We have seen a great deal of each other in fact.”

“And you are happy about it?” Jane said with a grin. “I am so pleased! Tell me, when did you see him?”

Elizabeth had decided that she could entrust Jane with some details about her travels. While many people would consider their circumstances compromising, her sister never thought ill of anyone and would accept any explanation for their behavior. “I first encountered him accidentally at a ball in Paris. Then, when news of the breakdown of the Treaty reached us, he helped me escape from France.”

“Mr. Darcy helped you!” Jane’s eyes widened with astonishment. “Did he find you passage on a boat?”

“Nay, nothing that simple,” Elizabeth admitted ruefully. “What did Aunt and Uncle Gardiner write home about my departure from France?”

Jane’s expression was thoughtful as she tried to remember details. “It was in the middle of all that tumult about Lydia…But, what I recall is that they said you had gotten separated from them, but that a friend was helping you to return to England. Then a letter came two days later reporting that you had fallen ill and so your return was delayed. I so wished that I could go to you! There are such terrible stories about the treatment of English travelers in France! But the Gardiners assured us that their friend was taking good care of you.” Jane’s face reflected all of the anxiety she had experienced.

Elizabeth was heartily sorry for any worry she had occasioned and silently vowed to reveal their marriage in such a way that did not cause additional anxiety for her family. However, she had to admit, she was unsure of the best way to undertake such a revelation.

“It was Mr. Darcy, Jane. He was the one who cared for me.” Jane gasped, but immediately hid her shock. Elizabeth continued, “He took me to his friend’s house near Montdidier when I was ill. And then he found us to a boat for England. I honestly do not know if I would have survived without him.” Her sister’s face was very grave at this revelation, but Elizabeth felt it was a pleasure to unburden herself of at least this much of the story.

“Oh, Elizabeth! I never realized how much danger you experienced!” Jane exclaimed, completely overcome. “We are forever in his debt! When I think we could have lost you….” Tears welled up in Jane’s eyes and Elizabeth patted her hand reassuringly.

“All’s well that ends well,” she said. “I am well and I am here. See?” She displayed a patently false smile, making Jane laugh.

Then a puzzled expression crossed her face. “But we knew nothing of his role from the Gardiners’ letters.”

“I think our aunt and uncle were trying to protect my reputation.” Jane nodded earnestly in understanding. “And protect Mr. Darcy from Mama,” Elizabeth said with a sly smile.

Jane covered her mouth as she laughed in appreciation. “At ten thousand a year – she would certainly insist that he
had
to marry you!”

“Precisely!” Elizabeth said. “I would not have his kindness repaid with such treatment.”

“But Elizabeth,” Jane observed, “he must still be violently in love with you to show you such dedication.”

“I believe that he is,” Elizabeth admitted, disliking the necessity of deceiving Jane. Her sister would never reproach her, but that somehow made Elizabeth feel even worse. At least this conversation would mean it was easier to tell Jane the entire story later. “He was most distressed when I was ill. And, Jane, he risked his own life. The French were arresting English men and imprisoning them. I wanted him to leave France without me, but he refused.”

“Oh my!” Jane seemed overwhelmed with this tale of Darcy’s devotion. She took Elizabeth’s hand in hers. “Has your opinion of him changed?”

Elizabeth nodded, not trusting herself to speak. A rush of love for Darcy swept over her and she missed him very acutely. Finally she choked out some words. “He is indeed a very good man. I will be happy to see more of him when he arrives at Netherfield.”
That should give Jane an idea of how my sentiments have changed, without revealing too much.

Mrs. Gardiner stayed only two nights with the Bennets and then returned to London and her children. Over the next three days the inhabitants at Longbourn fell into easy rhythm, although the atmosphere was clouded by anxiety over Lydia and the consequences of her behavior. Although they rarely spoke of it, the subject cast a pall over the entire house. Elizabeth noticed at once that they enjoyed far fewer callers than before; clearly many in the neighborhood thought it best not to associate with a family experiencing such disgrace. When the sisters visited Meryton, they noticed stares and whispers following them, and Elizabeth soon found excuses not to visit town.

Elizabeth and Jane kept the household functioning while their mother mostly remained in her chamber, complaining about her nerves. Mary walked about the house moralizing about female virtue to anyone who would listen – and a few who would not. Finally, Elizabeth asked her to refrain since she was only reminding them of circumstances they would prefer to forget. Kitty often went into Meryton, but her father insisted that she could not go unescorted, so Mary was often pressed into duty.

Elizabeth tried several times to speak with her father and tell him about Mr. Darcy – at least to describe how Darcy had gotten her safely to England; however, Mr. Bennet seemed disinclined to conversation when Elizabeth encountered him alone. When she did initiate a discussion, he contributed very little and she soon abandoned the effort. Perhaps, she hoped, the circumstances would improve when Darcy arrived.

On the day following Elizabeth’s arrival, her mother did bestir herself from her chambers to greet one special guest. His name was Thomas Fenton and Elizabeth recalled meeting him at a dance before her departure for France. He was a widower with a small estate in Surrey who was visiting his sister, Mrs. Campbell, who lived not far from Longbourn. Mr. Fenton, Elizabeth soon learned, had seven children, aged from two to twelve, whom, fortunately, he left in the care of his sister when he visited Longbourn.

The majority of Mr. Fenton’s visit was occupied by his monologue about his house, his hounds, and his horses. He thought very highly of all three and boasted of his many triumphs in buying horseflesh and breeding hounds – saying far less about his children. Elizabeth was at a loss to understand why her mother paid such lavish attention to the visitor. She encouraged his conversation, hanging on his every word, plied him with sweets, and seemed endlessly complimentary of everything about him.

The mystery of Mrs. Bennet’s solicitude was solved, however, when she let slip something about the widower’s need for a new wife. Elizabeth realized with dismay that her mother was hoping he would choose a wife from among her daughters. As before with Mr. Collins, Elizabeth knew Mrs. Bennet would steer the man away from Jane because of her attachment to Mr. Bingley, so Mr. Fenton’s attention would almost certainly turn to the second oldest daughter. Kitty and Mary would likely be considered too young to manage a household of seven children.

Indeed, Elizabeth was alarmed to find Mr. Fenton frequently attempting to engage her in conversation, although any dialogue between them usually devolved into a monologue. She was also the recipient of many warm looks from that quarter. No doubt her mother had been telling Mr. Fenton how Elizabeth would welcome his attentions – and extolling her virtues as the future mistress of a house. Attempting to quell her unease, Elizabeth reminded herself that Darcy would soon arrive and his presence would hopefully discourage any thoughts Mr. Fenton might have about initiating a suit.

Unfortunately Elizabeth did not anticipate how quickly Mr. Fenton could make up his mind. On the third day after her return to Longbourn, Mr. Fenton came to call once more and Mrs. Bennet insisted that Elizabeth walk with him in the garden. Elizabeth had requested that Jane accompany them, but after a few minutes outside, Hill was sent to fetch Jane on the pretext of reading to her mother. Once alone with Mr. Fenton, Elizabeth immediately started thinking of an appropriate reason to return inside immediately. However, Mr. Fenton was too quick for her.

Jane had hardly disappeared from sight before he had grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. As she tried to extricate it from his grasp, he cried, “Miss Elizabeth, please relieve my mind! Tell me you will be my wife!”

Her heart sinking, Elizabeth stopped struggling and instead focused on the conversation. “Mr. Fenton, I assure you—”

“But, I am too hasty, I know. I told myself not to be, but here I am running away at the mouth. That is just how I am! Before I came over here, I told myself I should describe to you the advantages that should be yours when you accept me. You know I have an estate in Surrey. Quite a good one, if say so myself! It is nearly forty acres. And it produces prodigious amounts of wheat and corn every year. And I own two carriages, one – which I may have mentioned before – is a barouche landau. The other is not quite so fine, but it is quite serviceable. My stable has 10, well 11 now, horses in it. I have three for my own use. One, Scout, is an excellent hunting horse. And, of course, I have quite a decent pack of hunting hounds, I don’t mind telling you. Sir Richard Marlin himself told me ‘No one in the county has hounds like yours. They are quite the best I have seen.’”

“Mr. Fenton, I thank you for the honor, but—” Elizabeth forcefully reclaimed her hand and took a step back so that she was almost standing in the roses.

“No need to thank me, m’dear. But here I am jabbering away and I have neglected the most essential item—” he paused dramatically, “—the house itself.” Elizabeth stifled a laugh; she had been certain he was about to declare his attachment to her, but apparently he thought them irrelevant to the conversation.

“It is quite a good house, I don’t mind telling you. The roof is sturdy and walls quite thick. It has 32 windows. My little Maggie counted one day. So, you see, it quite the elegant abode. It is, perhaps, not in the latest style. However, after living
here
, I can hardly believe you would care about such things.”

Elizabeth colored at the insult to her childhood home. “Mr. Fenton, I have not yet given my answer—” Attempting nonchalance, she walked further down the garden path, but he kept pace with her – far too closely for her comfort.

Fenton rattled on as if Elizabeth had not spoken at all. “And of course, I can give you pin money. I know women must have their hats and dresses and such. It would not do to neglect such things.” Enraptured by the sound of his own voice, Fenton accidently brushed against a bush full of prickly thorns and had to spend a moment disentangling himself, but nothing stopped the flow of his monologue. “My estate, your mother may have mentioned, is worth 3,000 a year. Not quite as good as your sister’s suitor Mr. Bingley, eh?” He winked at her. “Still, I flatter myself to think that it is not too easily dismissed.”

At first Elizabeth had thought she would have an opportunity to speak when Mr. Fenton ran out of topics of conversation, but now she was uncertain that would happen before nightfall. Although she had been attempting to speak, he simply refused to stop talking. Walking away was an option, but her mother would be most unhappy if she were quite so rude. She would be distraught enough when she learned Elizabeth had refused another “eligible” suitor.

If only I could tell her about William
, Elizabeth thought.
She would never consider Mr. Fenton in a favorable light again!

Elizabeth turned her attention back to Mr. Fenton, who was now waxing poetic about his hunting rifles. She decided that she would have to interrupt him, but then he switched to describing his children – a topic Elizabeth found of some interest.

“I have neglected to mention the children. They are such loveable dears, although the boys have been running quite wild for the past two years. Of course, they need a mother, which is one my primary reasons for marrying. Having a woman about the place will be just the thing to tame the children.” He did not seem concerned about whether Elizabeth had the qualities of a
good
stepmother. Nor did he stop to wonder how she felt about his children. Idly, she wondered what his first marriage had been like. This had to be the most cold-blooded proposal Elizabeth had ever encountered; he said nothing about love or even affection. At least Mr. Collins had attempted to fake such sentiments. Then it occurred to her with some bemusement that she was becoming quite a connoisseur of proposals!

Mr. Fenton was going on about little Tommy’s misadventures in a pile of manure, when Elizabeth finally put a stop to the soliloquy. “Mr. Fenton? Mr. Fenton! Mr. Fenton!” Finally he fell silent, and before he could draw breath again, she hurriedly spoke. “I thank you for the honor of your proposal, but it is impossible to accept it.”

“Impossible? Nonsense!” He shook his head with a grunt. “Your mother assures me that you are a most sensible girl who will see the advantages of such an arrangement – and you have no prior attachment.”

“I do not believe we would be happy if—”

“Oh, we shall be happy enough, do not worry your pretty head about that.” He waved away their future felicity with one hand.

“Nonetheless, I do not believe I can accept—”

“Of course you can, m’dear!” He startled her by clapping her heartily on the back. “Your mother has given me her permission and blessing!”