"And there is absolutely no other option?"
"I'm afraid not Sir. If you and your sister are to leave this country at all, it must be through the same channels that everybody else is taking. A private plane or boat would be too easy to trace, and you are a valuable target. Wickham's treachery runs deeper than we thought. You and your sister are no longer safe here."
William Darcy let his head fall into his hands. So far, he had escaped the major effects of this war, and had managed to protect his sister, Georgiana, as well. Now though, they would have to run from the ever advancing East towards America; the last safe haven. The war had begun 5 years ago now, on the 17th of October 2064. Georgiana had only been nine, and they were both still recovering from the loss of their parents seven months previously. Now, to make matters worse, they would have to travel via The Camps, with the refugees who didn't have the means to make their own way across. Will had the money, but the risk to him and his sister would have been too great. They needed the anonymity of the masses fleeing the burning cities of Europe.
"Where would we be placed?"
"You, your sister and your cousin will travel through the Humber Camp. The proximity to a large port should speed up the process. The De Bourgh family and the remainder of the Fitzwilliams will go through Dover. There are fewer people where you're going, but aerial attacks are less frequent." Mr Reynolds, one of the few men whom Will truly trusted, was making the arrangements.
"Do you know what the Bingleys are planning? Charles and his sisters aren't much safer than we are."
"They are being placed in the Humber Camp as well. It has been arranged that your group and his shall not be separated."
Will noted his thanks with a brief nod. "There is nothing left of that area but the port and The Camp. Would it not be quicker for us to leave through Dover as well, or London?"
"Only a little, and the compromise to your safety is too great to take the chance. Realistically, you are looking at a six month minimum wait wherever you go. Through Hull, you may be delayed an extra month. But…"
"Yes, yes I know, we will be safer and harder to track. I just wish that none of this was necessary."
"So does everyone William, but you have it better than most." Mr Reynolds voice had acquired a harder edge. "With the right connections and a significant amount of money I can rush you through the system quickly. The MOD is willing to help, considering your circumstances. But many people have been waiting, and will be waiting, for years." On seeing the look in Will's eye; a combination of discomfort, chagrin and guilt, his eyes warmed. "Stay safe, and we will meet again safe in the United States."
"I hope so John" Will sighed. "For all our sakes."
...
At 8:00am the next morning Will, Georgiana and their cousin Richard Fitzwilliam were picked up from their home in Derbyshire by a nondescript military vehicle. The previous evening had mostly consisted of tearful goodbyes; with the knowledge that some were to remain permanent. For Will, the reality that this would be the last time that he would stand in the family home was almost overwhelming. They were only allowed to bring one bag each, and it had been searched before being loaded onto the vehicle. Charles and Caroline Bingley were already seated in the back of the vehicle. Amazingly, even now, Caroline immediately began to overtly flirt with Will, who, not have the emotional or physical energy to resist her, simply chose to ignore her existence.
After a long journey with little conversation, they arrive in the Humber Refugee Camp mid afternoon. Then began the long, boring, and, as it seemed to Will, painfully bureaucratic process of assigning them accommodation. A middle aged army official and a lady who was probably in her early sixties seemed to be going over the same points again and again.
"This system is a mess Sarah. You told me your team could handle the tech stuff, and yet it takes you hours to perform even simple tasks!"
"I had no idea we would be dealing with people on such a huge scale. Two and a half million people, divided into three districted, then again into twelve sectors within the districts, then a four digit area code, into units of 8 groups, and then assigned a specific tent within that unit. I am dealing with the entire remaining population of the North of England!"
"Exactly, the system is inadequate! And your team should be working to improve it…"
"And how am I meant to do that when I barely have enough people to maintain the bloody system. If you would increase my budget maybe, but as it is…"
Eventually, the computer made some promising noises, and Sarah and the official both turned to the screen.
"Right" Sarah turned to the now tired and irritated group. "There are only five of you, so you will all be living in the same tent. You'll be A-05-407-6. Someone will show you the way." With that she turned back to the official and continued pressing her case for her budget.
Georgiana turned to her brother, her wide blue eyes brimming with silent tears. Will put his arm around her shoulders, trying to lend the strength that he himself had left behind in Derbyshire. They were led by a young soldier to yet another truck, and driven off to what would be their only home for the foreseeable future.
…
A-05-407-6 turned out to be a prefabricated block near the edge of the camp. The unit consisted of a space, around twelve by twelve meters, surrounded by tents that were all connected to separate the area from other surrounding units. In the centre was a fire, over which something appeared to be cooking. A young woman with long blonde hair was looking after a small group of young children. She noticed the Darcy/Bingley/Fitzwilliam group hovering by the entrance and waved them over. As Will got closer he noticed Charlie staring at her. She had a classically beautiful face but, he could see, was missing her right arm from just above her elbow. She smiled warmly at them.
"Hi, I'm, hold on… Jenny, you put that down… I'm Jane Bennet. You must be the new group who are replacing the Samuels. Don't mind the little ones, I look after them while everyone else is out working or getting food or fuel or whatever. I know you must be tired, so I'll show you to your tent. It's between us and the Lucases."
Charlie was suddenly very alert and attentive. Privately, Will rolled his eyes. Just like Charlie to become enraptured with the first pretty girl he sees. He was now spouting off questions as fast as he could think of them.
"So how many of you are there here?"
"Well, I'm here with my parents and four younger sisters. The Lucases have three kids; Charlotte's the oldest at twenty three. Then there are the Philips, the Kings, the Gardiners, the Forsters and the Goldings. All in all, I'd say about fifty people including you now. We store food, fuel and other essentials in that tent there, and the bathroom units are there and over there, one for men and one for women. America sends over these ready made refugee kits and they come through Hull, so we're much better off than some camps."
"And your sisters, what are they like?"
"Well, after me Lizzy is the eldest, and she works in the nearest medical unit. They're training her up to be a doctor. She's 21. Mary's 19 and she helps teach. Kitty's 17 and Lydia's 16. They're… spirited. What's your family like?"
"Well, you've met Caroline. My Mum and Dad are already in the states, with Louisa and her husband. But Will and Georgie are like family. When will everyone be back?"
"Probably around 5:00. You'll get to meet everyone then."
Jane turned to the rest of the group.
"Well, I'll leave you all to get settled. We eat together at around 6:00. It's been lovely to meet you."
Jane left then; the children following her back to the game they were playing, leaving the occupants of A-05-407-6 alone in the tent.
"Well, it's certainly… basic. And how lovely that we'll be stuck with theses savages for the next few months. I can't wait to get out of here. I've always told Daddy we should have all moved to America even before the war started. Now we're stuck here; and all because Mummy wanted us to have an all British education."
"Shut up Caroline. This is bad enough without you making it worse."
"Well I'm only saying what everyone is already thinking…"
"All of you be quiet!" Richard shouted over the squabbling Bingleys. "Let's just unpack and get ready for dinner."
Will looked over to his sister, who was sitting on one of the camp beds. He could tell she was trying not to cry. He didn't blame her, she was only fourteen.
That, and the fact that he felt like crying too.
….
So this is the first bit of my first P&P fiction. I realise that it has a lot of detail but I wanted to start with everyone at least having a vague idea what the characters are like. The next chapter will introduce Lizzy, and I'll try to have some chapters more from her point of view than from Will's. Anyway, thanks for reading, and if you're interested in more of this story, hit that review button. Pretty please !
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