Dark Arts and Allurements
Usual disclaimers: The characters of course, belong to Miss Austen. The plot is my own twisted alternate universe version of this story.
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"It ought to be so; it must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in."
Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Pride and Prejudice, Volume III, Chapter 14
A Deed Without a Name
Many people were deeply disappointed, to say nothing of seriously displeased, when the notice announcing the engagement of Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire to Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, Hertfordshire appeared in the better London newspapers.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh had crumpled up the newspaper and threw it in the fireplace. How could he ignore his duty to his family and class and marry that impertinent little nobody? He was supposed to marry her daughter, her's, not the daughter of a vulgar woman with connections in trade. It would be a disaster, a complete disaster, and her nephew would not discover his mistake until it was too late. She paced back and forth. What arts and allurements had that Bennet creature used to trap her nephew? Yes, it must have been arts and allurements. Lady Catherine frowned. What she was pondering was dangerous, improper, and not all like ladylike. But desperate times called for desperate measures, and, after all, it was her duty to save her family from disgrace. Obviously, that creature had started it, and on her head so be it. She went to the strongbox she kept in her room and unlocked it. Under a stack of important correspondence and financial papers were notes she had made many years ago. Many years ago, when she was a girl she had slipped away from nurses and governesses to go into the woods surrounding her father's estate. Slipped away to see the old woman who lived in an ancient cottage. That old woman had taught her a thing or two that no number of governesses had even hinted at.
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In public, at least, Caroline Bingley hid her rage behind her usual air of fashionable indifference. When her brother broke the news of his friend Darcy's engagement, only a tightening around her mouth, a narrowing of her eyes gave away her displeasure. Mr. Bingley had left the room relieved, thinking that she had taken it much better than expected. Of course, he was quite wrong.
Like Lady Catherine, Miss Bingley spent much time in her room, pacing and raging against fate in general, and Miss Elizabeth Bennet in particular. When she thought of all the time she had spent seeking Mr. Darcy's favor, agreeing with his every opinion, making sure his favorite foods and drinks were always available at Bingley's house, even currying favor with that insipid Georgiana she could scream.
She flung herself into a chair and brooded. Her eye fell on a small piece of artwork on the mantelpiece. It didn't really fit in with the decor of her room, but it had been given to her by her favorite uncle (even though he was in, shudder, trade). He had brought it all the way back from the West Indies, just for her. And that uncle had brought back more than art work and sugared treats. Late at night, when she was supposed to be in bed, she would sneak downstairs and listen to her uncle regale the adults with stories of the West Indies, and the strange, pagan practices of the natives. She dredged some of those stories out of her memory, and an evil plan started to hatch in her jealous brain. She didn't really think it would work, but she was willing to do anything to thwart Elizabeth Bennet, no matter how slim the chance of success.
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Mr. Collins scowled out the window of the carriage that was bearing him and his wife to visit his in-laws in Meryton. Officially, their trip was to convey Charlotte to her family home before her delicate condition made travel impossible. In truth, it was so they could be as far away from Lady Catherine's displeasure as their means allowed.
How could cousin Elizabeth marry Lady Catherine's nephew? He had written Mr. Bennet to warn him against allowing such a union. Now Lady Catherine was furious, and was making his position extremely uncomfortable.
A horrible plan started to seep (very slowly, to be sure) into his brain. No one at university would have ever accused him of being a scholar, but he had spent some time at the library. He had found he had an interest in the witch trials of earlier centuries. Yes, that was it, surely cousin Elizabeth had descended to forbidden practices. Only that could explain this situation Therefore, it was his duty as a clergyman to put a stop to this. Now, what was the proper way to expose a witch? He was sure he had read something, if he could just remember...