False Pretense

Entirely the original work of

Alleu

The following story is almost entirely the work of Jane Austen, I make no profit from this story and don't claim any copyright.

Outside the sandstone walls of Longbourn, the sun shone high in the sky. Looking out at the sunshine, Miss Elizabeth Bennet sighed and contemplated the significance of the day. It seemed strange that but two weeks before she had been happy, carefree and virtually worry free. She had pin money enough, she had many country balls to look forward and even if there were a few dark spots marring her happiness, they were easily forgotten.

Everything had changed so swiftly. She had been called back from her trip into the peak district by a distressed letter from Jane; her father had been trampled by one of the local men's new stallions. The horse had gotten free of its stables and had run onto the property where Mr. Bennet had been surveying the installation of a drainage system and the beast had been frightened by the flurry of movement around. Mr. Bennet had been pronounced dead upon the arrival of the local apothecary, and ever since Longbourn had been a flurry of movement and commotion. Mrs. Bennet constantly bewailed that her second eldest daughter was the cause of their ruin, for Mr. Collins would surely turn them out once the news had reached him.

In that respect, Mrs. Bennet was indeed right, for Mr. Collins did indeed hear of the news not 3 days hence on what must have been for him a very sunny Sunday. He immediately began preparing for a departure within the week to claim what was rightfully his, priding himself on the fact that he was soon to become a member of the landed gentry. He bid farewell to his esteemed patroness and her lovely daughter and arrived at Longbourn one week after the accident had occurred.

All this and yet more Jane had related in her tear stained letter to Elizabeth. In the chaos following the death of Mr. Bennet, Lydia had run off with Wickham. In her letter to Kitty she stated that she had no intentions of starving in the hedgerows with the rest of her sisters, she was looking for a life of excitement and she felt that Wickham was her ticket. There was nobody to look for her, nobody to barter for her safe marriage with Wickham and what became of her none of the Bennets knew. Her loss of company was felt keenly by her mother, she mourned for her husband and for her favourite daughter. It seemed that both were lost to her.

The Bennets appeared, to all ends, to have fallen into the most extreme of unfortunate circumstances. Resigned to their fate, they had begun looking for a little cottage and preparing to pack up and leave for the Gardiner's house until they could afford a lease. It was most unexpected when Mr. Darcy showed up knocking on their door.

Mrs. Bennet had been totally silent for a half hour, the entirety of his visit with the ladies. After the required half hour he retreated to the library with Mr. Gardiner, intent on discussing some matters of business. Elizabeth was at a loss to explain his presence and said not a word while Jane and her mama were contemplating his business with the Gardiner patriarch. She thought briefly of the unopened letter in her bureau, wondering if it would perhaps explain the situation, before dismissing the possibility that anything that Mr. Darcy had to say could possibly affect her anymore. Had he not been thoroughly rejected for several very good and sound reasons? Indeed, his business could not possibly involve her.

Elizabeth was entirely certain that Mr. Darcy's business warranted no special attention from her, thus when he and her uncle demanded her presence in the library, to say that she was surprised would be a gross understatement.

She walked into the room with a cold, distant and stately air about her. She was determined to ignore Mr. Darcy entirely; her charity could not stretch so far as to be polite to the man who had been the principle cause of her sister's unhappiness. Were it not for his interference Jane could have been content in knowing that although their father had died, she would not be poverty stricken. She would have the comforting arms of Mr. Charles Bingley around her, soothing her like nobody but a lover could.

Mr. Gardiner nodded to Mr. Darcy and promptly left the room. Elizabeth made a start to protest before the remaining gentleman wearily told her to take her seat, that he was about to discuss the future happiness of herself and her family, and that she would be wise to listen.

"You can have no doubt, Miss bennet," Darcy softly murmured "Of what my next words shall be. You cannot but suppose that I would come to you in your time of need, I said as much in my letter to you. I trust that you have forgiven me, as I have you. Harsh words were spoken in Hunsford ma'am and your distrust in my character and the disturbance of your mind over my praises must now be forgot. Surely I have explained myself to you so thoroughly...you must realize by now that my admiration, my love and my heart are entirely yours, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth looked at the floor and coloured. She raised her eyes slightly as she spoke. "I would beg of you sir that you not put me in a situation similar to the one you referred to in your speech. I have not had the fortune to read your letter; it was dropped into the fire not long from whence you delivered it." Elizabeth blushed more deeply as the lie slipped from her lips, not even daring to look into his eyes, which she knew were challenging her.

"I see." Elizabeth looked up as he muttered the words, seemingly to himself more than to her. "You can in no way be prevailed upon, I suppose?"

The silence in the room was overwhelming, tension filled the air and both parties avoided looking at each other for a few moments.

"Any affirmative response from me now, Mr. Darcy, would be mercenary in the upmost. It would be entirely for the benefit of my family and would curse us both to a life trapped in a loveless marriage. Are you willing to forgo a love match for one built of gratitude, sir?"

Mr. Darcy raised his eyes, seemingly searching her own. "For you, Miss Bennet, I would forgo any liberty. My feelings for you shall never change. Perhaps in time, though, your own –"

"I think not Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said swiftly. "One cannot learn to love another."

He smiled at her softly and slowly grabbed her hand. "Is that a yes however?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I do believe it is." Mr. Darcy smiled grimly at her.

There was a loud crash outside, followed by what sounded like ecstatic shouting.

"Oh the carriages, Jane! The pin money! Your Mr. Bingley shall be shamed indeed to know that his best friend could have been his brother. He may once again be thrown into your path, but your sister will have a husband with ten thousand a year! You may set your sights far, far higher than that and to pittance with Mr Bingley. Oh but to think Jane, we shall all be saved. Your sister, your sister our saviour!"

At this sign of gross impropriety, Mr Darcy grimaced. Is this what life with Elizabeth would entail? Sensing his thoughts, Elizabeth frowned. "She is excited for us, is she not Mr. Darcy?" "That she is Miss Bennet." Darcy replied with a slight smile playing upon his lips.

Since then, the engaged couple had not spoken more than two words to each other. A special license had been procured and all of their time had been taken up with wedding plans, honeymoon plans and the like.

Looking once more out the window, Elizabeth grimaced and forced the curtains closed. After today there would be no Longbourn, no Jane in her bed and certainly no happiness to look forward to. Her name would forever be altered and she would become his wife.

So, obviously I am restarting this story. I look back at the travesty of a story I had written with abject shame. I will be changing the story lines slightly and fixing up the grammar mistakes. I will be looking for a beta and thank you to anyone who reads this, whether you be an old reader or a new one.