Rondeau

(Author's Note: A Rondeau (French) is a musical composition with recurring themes. You will notice similar themes throughout this story!)

Jane Austen Quote: "…Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the street. On distinguishing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly towards them, and began the usual civilities. Bingley was the principal spokesman, and Miss Bennet the principal object. He was then, he said, on his way to Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy corroborated it with a bow, and was beginning to determine not fix his eyes on Elizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of the stranger, and Elizabeth happening to see the countenance of both as they looked at each other, was all astonishment at the effect of the meeting. Both changed colour, one looked white, the other red. Mr. Wickham, after a few moments, touched his hat—a salutation which Mr. Darcy just deigned to return." (Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15)

Chapter 1: Dangerous

Tuesday, 19 November, 1811

Fitzwilliam Darcy rode away from Meryton toward Netherfield Park with his closest friend, Charles Bingley, following close behind. Darcy's stoic demeanour did not reflect the tumult in his mind and the shock of encountering George Wickham. "How did this happen? I had hoped never to see that blackguard again! Thank heavens Georgiana is safe in London! How am I to endure being in company with that scoundrel? Is there nowhere I can go to be free of that snake? What is to be done?" He continued deep in thought until they arrived at Netherfield and a stable hand came to take his horse. He dismounted and watched the servant guide his horse into the stable.

"Darcy!" Charles said as he touched his shoulder. Darcy turned and noticed his loyal friend's worried demeanour. "You are not yourself, old man! You have heard not one word I said since we left Meryton! Is something amiss?" he asked. Darcy made no reply, unable to dispel Wickham's image from his mind. "Was it that Wickham fellow?" he asked. Attempting to moderate his temper, Darcy merely nodded and looked away. Charles guided him inside to the study and directed him to a chair. He poured a glass of port, handed it to him and waited while he drank it. "Tell me" he said. He listened in silence while Darcy relayed the story of his beloved sister's near-elopement with his former childhood friend, the traitorous George Wickham.

~~o~~

Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters enjoyed a brief visit with their Aunt and Uncle Phillips at their home in Meryton and then walked back home to Longbourn. While they walked, Elizabeth and her elder sister Jane discussed the awkward encounter they had witnessed between the two gentlemen. It seemed apparent that they were already acquainted with each other; Mr. Wickham had seemed nervous and Mr. Darcy had seemed angry. What could be the meaning of it? Neither sister could account for it. In her usual optimistic manner, Jane concluded that all would soon be resolved. In her usual cynical manner, Elizabeth assumed that fault must certainly lie with Mr. Darcy. Mr. Wickham had seemed so pleasant and amiable, everything a gentleman should be; Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, was condescending and aloof, nothing that a gentleman should be. Determined to ignore the conceited and arrogant gentleman, Elizabeth turned her thoughts to the handsome Mr. Wickham; her Aunt Phillips had promised to invite him to supper the following day and Elizabeth hoped that he would accept. Mr. Wickham seemed to be the exact opposite of Mr. Darcy; charming and engaging, not inclined to disapprove of her the way Mr. Darcy had done. Both men were handsome but only one allowed himself to smile.

~~o~~

After supper at Netherfield, Charles' sisters removed to the music room and the gentlemen remained in the dining room enjoyed their brandy. "Shall we join the ladies?" Charles asked when they had finished their cigars.

Charles' brother-in-law groaned and rolled his eyes. "Let us have another drink," Henry Hurst said, lifting his empty glass. "Darcy is in no hurry to have Caroline swoon over him," he said with a chuckle.

"Thank you, Henry," Darcy replied with a relieved appearance.

"Certainly you are jesting, Henry," Charles remarked, startled by his brother-in-law's observation.

"Charles, have you not noticed that I reserve my opinions for after dinner?" Henry asked.

"Well, I…" Charles stammered.

"I prefer not to be set down by our sister Caroline, thank you!" he replied as he sipped his brandy with a contented sigh.

~~o~~

Darcy retired early to his chamber to contemplate the recent turn of events. He had vowed never to utter the blackguard's name again. His sister had such an adverse reaction to hearing the loathsome name, that it was no hardship at all to remove the name from his mind. Now that Mr. Snake had made his appearance in Meryton, it seemed impossible to avoid mentioning the name. After he had considered his relief that his sister was safe from said Snake and his own displeasure at having to encounter him, he considered the dangers presented to the locals; in particular the Bennet sisters; more specifically Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

The lovely lady had gained his notice in the past few weeks; she was nothing like the other marriageable women of his acquaintance. Not once did she put herself forward with fluttering lashes or exposed cleavage, nor did she make idle conversation or insipid comments about nothing of consequence. She had a lively mind and a biting wit and had exchanged barbs with him on a few occasions, which had caused him to check himself; it would not do to pay her his attentions. Her family was unsuitable and her circumstances were highly unfavourable. It was those unsavoury elements that had forced him to keep his distance but he could not help but fear for her safety now that Mr. Snake had resurfaced. Wickham made no habit of limiting his womanizing to women of fortune, preferring to prey on those with limited protection. With a careless and negligent father, certainly Miss Elizabeth was now at risk of suffering at his hands. He went to sleep in the hopes of having more clarity in the morning.

Dear William,

Yes, I remain quite diligent in my studies with my tutor. I thank you for arranging for me to study with such an accomplished master. I am pleased that you are enjoying your time in Hertfordshire. I must warn you to beware of a certain Miss Spider who is spinning her web in an attempt to ensnare you! I should not enjoy having a Spider for a sister!

Please stay away from her web!
A web she means only for you!
I should never want, no, I don't want a sister such as she!
Please stay away from her web!

Your sister,

Georgiana

Wednesday, 20 November…

After a sleepless night, Darcy paced inside his chamber. He had achieved no more clarity on the situation than he had the night before. Feeling like a caged animal, he went below stairs and out the back door. Charles' sister, Caroline Bingley ran after him attempting to gain his notice, but he mumbled a meagre excuse about needing air and exercise and hurried on his way. She was precisely the type of woman he sought to avoid with her fawning, clinging behaviour. He walked past the stable, taking no notice of the stable hand that had run out to attend to him. He continued walking until he found a sunny alcove that reminded him of his home at Pemberley and attempted to organize his scattered thoughts.

His earlier resolve to keep Georgiana's story a secret was slowly crumbling away. Saving her reputation had been his utmost priority – nothing had been more important! However, his brief encounter with the Snake yesterday prompted him to reveal the entire story to his closest friend. Charles' youngest sister was a woman of fortune who, despite her blatant overtures toward him, deserved protection from that viper. Surely there must also be a way to warn the Bennet sisters of the dangerous miscreant in their midst without revealing his sister's name. His thoughts turned to Miss Elizabeth; certainly her safety must be attended to; she must not fall victim to the scoundrel's charms. Due to her lesser circumstances, she was likely to be in even more peril; Wickham would think nothing of stealing her virtue and walking away. He had done so many times in the past with servant girls and merchant's daughters.

"Elizabeth," he sighed. He had been true to his resolve to discourage her attentions during her recent stay at Netherfield. She had come to tend to her elder sister during an unfortunate illness and she had proven herself to be a lively and intelligent woman. He found himself irresistibly drawn to her but then thought better of it. His family would most certainly disapprove of her inferior circumstances and connections. Surely his uncle, the Earl of Matlock would never condone such a match. But since Elizabeth and her sister had left Netherfield on Sunday morning, he found himself frequently thinking of her enchanting eyes and lively demeanour. Life at Netherfield was dull and dreary without her playful, impertinent repartee. Conversation with Bingley's sisters, Caroline and Louisa, did nothing to divert his attention; in fact, they reminded him of his haughty Aunt Catherine, whose main occupation was the disparagement of others.

"Elizabeth," he sighed once again, gazing out at the sunny landscape. How did this unassuming girl invade his thoughts and dreams so thoroughly? His family expected him to find a woman from the Ton; a wealthy woman with superior connections and accomplishments; a woman who had been trained to be the wife of a wealthy gentleman. He had met many such women in London; however, none of those women intrigued him the way Elizabeth did. London ladies seemed to be determined to discuss the weather and other such topics of no importance; not once had any of them asked him to discuss the defects in his character as Elizabeth had done. Instead of agreeing with his every word as the London ladies were wont to do, she had openly disagreed with him and challenged him. He had never met a woman to equal her.

"Darcy?" Charles called out to him. "I am worried about you! Will you not come back to the house and break your fast?" he asked.

He had finally decided his next course of action. "I must speak with Mr. Bennet; I must warn him of the dangers to his daughters," he replied.

Charles nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I agree he must be warned, but you must take some nourishment. Let us return to the house and get you a hot meal; then you can call on Mr. Bennet," he suggested. Darcy reluctantly agreed and they walked back to the house together.

Upon their arrival, Caroline fluttered about, expressing her concern and ordering the servants to do her bidding. "Mr. Darcy! Where have you been? I have been in such a state, worrying about you! Will you not sit for a meal?" she asked, instructing the housekeeper to bring a hot meal and tea immediately. "Come, Mr. Darcy; come sit in the parlour with me while we wait for your meal." Darcy glared impatiently at Charles hoping he would bring his sister to heel.

"Caroline! Darcy does not need you clucking over him like a mother hen! Give him some room to breathe, will you?" Charles said with an annoyed tone. "He came to Netherfield to relax, not to have you hover over him!"

Caroline appeared affronted by such a suggestion. "I was doing no such thing, Charles! I am merely tending to the comfort of my guest!" she said in a calm demeanour but with fire flashing in her eyes.

~~o~~

Caroline never paid the least heed to Charles and she had no intention of doing so now. However, she thought better of grasping Mr. Darcy's arm at the moment; doing so would only prove her brother's point.

"You were hovering! I believe what Darcy needs right now is solitude. He has much on his mind," Charles said in his usual bothersome manner.

"Charles, if he preferred solitude, he would have stayed at Pemberley. I intend to see to Mr. Darcy's every need while he is a guest in our home," she insisted. Being a good hostess was, of course, the very thing she had been trained to do.

"Darcy shall offer for me!
He has eyes only for me!
He'll soon agree, oh, I shall be the mistress of Pemberley!
Darcy shall offer for me!"

Chapter 2: A Cautionary Tale

Later Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Darcy was announced as a visitor to the Longbourn study. Thomas Bennet welcomed the young man with great anticipation and confusion; he had no idea why the gentleman would condescend to call on him. They exchanged the usual civilities and sat together drinking coffee until Mr. Darcy came to the reason for his visit. "Mr. Bennet, it is incumbent upon me to divulge a most personal and confidential story for the sake of your daughters," he said with a grave tone. Thomas reacted with surprise upon hearing such a statement but waited patiently for the younger man to continue.

"While in Meryton yesterday, I encountered your daughters making the acquaintance of a man named George Wickham," he began, "and I wanted to ensure that you are fully aware of my dealings with that man," he said. "Mr. Wickham is the son of my late father's steward and we grew up together at Pemberley. My father was quite fond of Wickham and indulged his every whim. Since my father's passing, Wickham has spent in time in nefarious pursuits."

"My father bequeathed him a living at a local church in Kympton. However, Wickham decided against taking orders and demanded the value of the living instead; which was granted. Since then, his time and fortune have been spent in pursuit of gaming and womanizing," he said. Thomas could not help but react with surprise at such an alarming story. "You may well wonder, Sir, what any of this has to do with your daughters," he said, pausing while Thomas nodded his agreement, then continued once again.

"This past summer, Wickham renewed his acquaintance with my young sister and nearly persuaded her to elope with him. Georgiana is to inherit thirty thousand pounds; if I had not prevented the elopement he would have successfully secured her fortune and exacted his revenge on me. I ensured that he would never have access to a penny of Georgiana's inheritance and he abandoned her, leaving her despondent for months afterwards; she was fifteen years old at the time." When he finished the story, he hung his head, appearing sullen and grave.

"I am terribly sorry for the distress that your sister has suffered at the hands of Mr. Wickham," Mr. Bennet said, feeling sympathy for the man and his sister.

"I tell you this story in the strictest of confidence, Mr. Bennet. My sister's reputation has not suffered from this event because we have not disclosed the details to anyone outside of the family. However, I assure you, there have been other young maidens who have suffered worse consequences at his hands," Darcy said solemnly.

Mr. Bennet considered this warning. "I appreciate the confidence that you have placed in me and I assure you that I shall not repeat your sister's name," he said, however he sensed that there was more to the story. "Am I to understand that one of my daughters in particular has the benefit of your concern?" he asked.

A small smile appeared on the younger man's lips. "I have lately been unable to divert my attentions from Miss Elizabeth, Sir. I must admit that I was not open to the possibility of making a match here in Hertfordshire, however, she has relentlessly invaded my thoughts and dreams of late and I find myself unable to perceive of making a match with any other woman," he said.

Thomas could not help but recall another story recently told under his roof. "So, Mr. Darcy, a woman 'not handsome enough to tempt you' has succeeded in doing just that?" he asked, making no attempt to withhold his scorn.

Mr. Darcy's eyes flew open in surprise. "Sir, I apologize most heartily for my unintentional insult of your beautiful daughter; I was unaware that anyone had overheard me. I was in a foul mood that night and had not taken the time to actually look at Miss Elizabeth before I made that remark. I merely intended to fend off my friend's attempt to have me dance, which is possibly my least favourite activity," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I have since been in close company with Miss Elizabeth and find her to be the most handsome woman of my acquaintance."

"Your remark was indeed overheard, Mr. Darcy, unfortunately by Elizabeth herself," said Thomas.

The young man appeared pained by the mention of his offence against Elizabeth. "Sir, I apologize with all due sincerity and will apologize to your daughter as well, when I next see her," he vowed.

Thomas nodded his approval and studied the gentleman. "Is my daughter aware of your intentions?" he asked.

Darcy stared into his coffee cup. "I believe she finds me indifferent," he said with a quiet voice.

Thomas observed his visitor's obvious discomfort. "And what might be the cause of this misconception? Could it perhaps be your indifferent demeanour?" he suggested.

Mr. Darcy remained silent for a moment, as though he was carefully considering his response. "I initially thought it unwise to encourage Miss Elizabeth's affections but I have since come to question the wisdom of that decision. My family expects me to find a match in the Ton and I was hesitant to submit to your daughter's charms. However, now I find that I am helpless to do otherwise. If she accepts me, my family will surely appreciate her appeal as much as I do," he said.

Thomas quietly contemplated his own coffee before addressing the young man. "A formidable task is before you, Mr. Darcy. My Lizzy is resolved to dislike you. I doubt that you will find her easily diverted from that resolve," he said.

Mr. Darcy thanked him for his insight and took his leave. Thomas could not help but chuckle to himself at the thought of the difficult task now facing the young man.

~~o~~

"I have no envy for him.
He has a long road ahead.
Lizzy is resolved, oh she's unlikely to forgive his barbs.
I have no envy for him!"

Dear Georgiana,

Be not alarmed but a certain reptile has surfaced here in Hertfordshire. I was unfortunate enough to encounter him this week and I was obliged to warn Mr. Bennet of the dangers he presents to the community. He gave me his assurance that no one shall associate the snake's name with yours.

Yes, Miss Spider has made her intentions quite clear, but I shall heed your warning and avoid her web.

Your Brother,

William

p.s. If she is a spider, what sort of insect does that make me?

Darcy had been surprised by his impulsive actions earlier that day in Mr. Bennet's study. He had no intentions of admitting his affections to Elizabeth's father, of all people! But before he knew what he was about, he had given voice to his innermost feelings. As an accomplished master of his emotions, he had never revealed such intimate thoughts to anyone in his life; even his family knew nothing of his private sentiments. But now that he had done so, he felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his soul and a hopefulness had settled there in its place.

As he laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes that night, one recurring thought prevailed in his mind.

"She must be safe from the snake!
I must keep her safe from the rake.
He'd surely charm her; he would harm her with his evil ways!
She must be safe the snake!"

~~o~~

(Author's Note: This story is now available in the collection "It Happened at Netherfield Park". Please see my profile page for more details.)