This is my second fanfiction and I hope you all like it. There is some modern language dialogue but this is a regency fic. There are lot of twists and turns but hopefully you'll like the story. There will be real historical characters added in the story but their depictions in my story will not be true to history. The story that is about half way done and I don't have a strict posting schedule I will post as much as I can as soon as I can. Please let me know what you think.
Blurb: The overlooked and locked away daughter of the Bennet family attains happiness when the intrigued Duke of Derbyshire discovers the hidden gem that she is. When the truth of her origins come to light, will it destroy the happiness she so dearly cherishes?
"Oh how the mention of pounds and pence send them all aflutter."
"I beg your pardon?" said the perplexed Duke of Derbyshire as he turned to look at the unknown brunette suddenly standing beside him.
"Do not look at me sir. How dare a gentleman such as yourself speak to one that you have not been properly introduced?" she said in a teasing voice, amused eyes on the crowd and never once looking at him.
He unconsciously looked around to see if he was indeed the person she was addressing. Noticing no one else in the vicinity, he could only conclude that she was.
"You would think they would wait to sketch the characters of these wealthy men who must be in want of a wife before throwing themselves or their daughters their way. I could forgive them were they being superficial and attracted to a handsome countenance at least, but to desire to become the wife of one, sight unseen, all because he may have a fortune is incorrigible" continued the beautiful stranger.
The duke was intrigued by the unconventional dialogue and the singular manner that it was being spoken. He knew she was speaking to him though she was not looking his way and did not seem to expect an answer.
It was as if she was speaking aloud for her own amusement and he just happened to be near enough to hear her, so he could not assume she knew who he was and was using this method to approach him. What was this beautiful imp about?
"How dare a lady such as yourself speak to one that you have not been properly introduced?" he retorted, playing along and surprising himself at his interest in what she may say next.
"I would never breech propriety so and I am speaking to no one but myself. If one should happen to overhear my private thoughts he could be justly accused of eavesdropping. An unpardonable sin" she teased, eliciting a rare smile from the duke.
"Though one could be forgiven for wanting to secure their futures, the method of husband catching used by many matchmaking mamas and their daughters leaves much to be desired and do them no justice" he replied, eyes glued on the crowd as well.
"And yet the methods sadly work in most cases, and as long as such results are to be had, the method shall not change. Shallow men love to be admired regardless of the reason and the fact that they are fawned over because of their wealth and not their merit mean very little to them, thus the cycle continues."
The duke was astonished at such a view. Never had he heard his own thoughts on the matter so mirrored. Who was this intriguing beauty? He had been arrested by her handsome countenance as soon as he laid eyes on her.
She was a tiny slip of a woman with a very pleasing figure and beautiful chestnut curls that seemed to shine in the candlelight. Her most impressive features were her fine green eyes which sparkled in amusement and intelligence. He had never met her equal.
The most intriguing thing about her was his reaction to her unprecedented behavior. Never would he, Fitzwilliam Darcy, the Duke of Derbyshire & Earl of Bedfork, dream of breeching propriety as he was this night, but he could not help but respond to her.
"Undoubtedly and yet it is still repulsive, though I must agree with your point that most of the blame can be laid upon the feet of those of my own sex. As you said, if society did not sanction such behavior neither would it occur" he replied.
"And since those of your sex ultimately dictates what is proper in society, especially when it comes to what is called the weaker sex, your point must be true as well. 'Men endeavor to sink us still lower merely to render us alluring objects for a moment; and women, intoxicated by the adoration which men, under the influence of their senses, pay them, do not seek to obtain a durable interest in their hearts'" she quoted to the amusement of her still unknown companion.
" 'The man who can be contented to live with a pretty and useful companion who has no mind, has lost in voluptuous gratifications a taste for more refined pleasures; he has never felt the calm and refreshing satisfaction of being loved by someone who could understand him' " the duke retorted to the surprise of the beautiful stranger.
She gasped in surprise and he could see that she had almost turned to face him in astonishment before remembering herself and turning back to the crowd, making him laugh at her antics. He could not remember the last time he actually laughed and was amazed at his reaction to the beautiful creature.
"I am all astonished" she said after recovering from her shock. "A man such as the one beside me has actually quoted, quite correctly, Mary Wollstonecraft, and in company no less. Never have I eavesdropped on such wondrous thoughts before."
"Any man who has a woman or women that he loves and cares for will want their rights to be vindicated" he bantered, having read 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman' before allowing his sister to read the book at his aunt's suggestion.
"No, sadly, not any man. Especially those who prefer a stupid wife who would never question his authority over her. According to society a learned woman is not to be bourn. A woman, especially if she has the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can."
"Which leaves those of us who cannot abide a stupid woman and would never take one for a wife, with the disappointed hopes of ever finding a true marriage of the minds and hearts."
"So I take it you are not a man in want of a stupid wife?" she teased.
"On the contrary, I want to feel the calm and refreshing satisfaction of being loved by someone who can understand me" he said as he stole a look at her.
"A rarity indeed. What is marriage if not for convenience and comfort, asks society. Which brings us back to the methods of catching a husband. Throw all you have at him using any arts and allurements available to you and if you are accomplished, meaning you can embroider and paint a screen that has little use while learning to speak a language you will seldom use, you are the perfect wife material.
"Leaving those of us that requires more to be fulfilled, as in stimulating conversation that challenges the mind and sometimes putting use to the languages we have learned and reading more than the rare novel, standing in an assembly room during a ball conversing with herself" she said with a teasing smile as she gave a curtsy and quickly walked away, still never looking in his direction.
Elizabeth walked away from the handsome stranger with her heart in her throat. Never did she think she would be so bold! She had watched him enter the assembly with the highly anticipated Netherfield party and was immediately drawn to him.
While he appeared to be standoffish and unapproachable, she had caught what could only be described as a look of weariness in his eyes before he once again hid all emotions from the world.
Though he had an affected look of boredom on his face she also sensed a look of sadness in him. He looked to be a man of many responsibilities and few enjoyments and she immediately wanted to make him smile, at least for a little while.
She knew that her mother would never willingly allow her to be introduced to such men so she watched in amusement when the party was introduced to her mother and sisters where he basically ignored her mother's machinations and quickly left the group as soon as may be. His lack of interest in her sister Jane intrigued her as well, and made her feel happy for reasons she dared not explore.
His friend, the gregarious man who could only be the highly sought after Mr. Bingley, was immediately drawn to the beautiful blonde and Elizabeth found herself wishing her mother's prediction that a marriage was inevitable would come true, if only for her own personal freedom. She would not wish any man to be shackled to such a wife, but wanted her married as soon as may be for her own selfish reasons she would not usually harbor.
She knew that her mother and sister's ultimate goal was not the amiable Mr. Bingley, but his much richer friend of a reported 10000 a year. Mr. Bingley's 5000 was nothing to his friend's fortune so of course only he would do for dear Jane while his friend was regulated to lively Lydia.
Elizabeth cared not about the men the town was all aflutter over and a marriage to her sister could only benefit Elizabeth with her sister's absence at Longbourn, but once she laid eyes on the tall, handsome stranger, she hoped he would not fall for their schemes.
She had never been attracted to a man before and having been told she was nothing to her sister all her life, rendered brown and coarse, and forbidden to converse with any man deemed 'too good for her', never expected to meet someone whom she wanted to know.
She threw caution to the wind and lost herself in the crowd to escape her family's notice. She approached him from behind after his aloof countenance scared everyone away and struck up a forbidden conversation.
Her only goal was to make him smile but his response to her breech of propriety had not been at all what she expected and she found herself enjoying his thoughts a little too much and escaped as soon as possible. She knew she would never have the chance to converse with him again and she was disappointed in a manner she never expected.
Once she saw that her presence next to the handsome man was detected she knew it was time for her to leave. Better to receive the tongue lashing and possible physical reminder of the rules at home rather than a ball.
Fitzwilliam Darcy, the third Duke of Derbyshire was unbelievingly in an assembly room in a little known country town at the behest of his friend Charles Bingley. Mr. Bingley, the son of a tradesman had leased his first estate and petitioned the duke for help in learning how to run it.
Though he was fond of Bingley, his first response had been no, of course, but after yet another tiring season it was the perfect excuse to leave town, so he finally agreed though he did not like to leave his sister behind.
He had only committed himself to a fortnight at his leased estate and as he had just arrived and was immediately told they would be attending a local assembly that very night, he was thankful for his insight. He could not abide such a thing for longer than a fortnight, and he knew his sociable friend was likely to accept every invitation he received leaving him no choice but attend as well.
He walked into the assembly room and immediately heard reports of his income floating about. He was amused that the figure of 10000 was being touted and wondered who was responsible for spreading such a figure when, although no one knew his exact income, it was a known fact that it was at least 45000 a year. The most baffling part is that there was no mention of his title until he had started to be introduced to the locals. Only then did they realize he was actually a duke.
One glance at the smug look on Caroline Bingley's countenance immediately gave him the answer. She had set her cap at him from their very first acquaintance, throwing herself at him with a vengeance and was unrelenting no matter how many times he threw her back.
He had made it clear to her brother on several occasions that he would never offer for her and no machination on her part would compel him to do so. Still she did not give up.
He had finally started to rebuff her in more obvious and more frequent manners but she still insisted on throwing herself in his path until he all but cut the acquaintance.
He no longer included her in the invites he issued her brother, he definitely no longer danced with her at balls since she used those occasions to appear as if they were closer than they were, he stopped accepting any invitation to dinner and the like that she would issue, and he declined to be in her presence unless it could not be avoided.
Like helping her brother with Netherfield. She was an intricate part of why he only agreed to a fortnight at the estate with the warning that he would immediately remove himself if she persisted in her schemes to entrap him.
He was always well guarded and this was no exception. His personal footman/guard, Davies, would aid his valet in avoiding any attempts to compromise him made by the harridan.
He knew she had downplayed his wealth and status to the locals as a way to thwart any interest in himself which he did not mind because he had no intentions of obliging any local woman. If she thought she would benefit from the method, she was sadly mistaken. He had no interest in her and would never make her an offer.
So he walked into the assembly room with no plans to dance with anyone, especially not Miss Bingley who had annoyingly maneuvered herself onto his arm when they arrived.
He quickly shook her off and stalked around the room with his mask on letting all know he had no interest in furthering an acquaintance with anyone before finding a corner where he could observe without being bothered, his footman Davies watching from a few feet away.
The fiery slip of a woman came from behind him and gave him the most pleasant shock he had ever had. He wanted to know who she was.
She had intrigued him like no other and it was not only because of her handsome countenance, which was the most beautiful he had ever beheld, but also because of her views and opinions of the society that sent him scurrying into corners at balls to avoid it.
Who was she?