Disclaimer: Not Mine! You get the gist…yadda…yadda.
A/N: Hello everyone! My exams are officially over, now I'm just waiting for the results and dreading my university placings and my bloody interviews…grr…well I'll try to update more often now, ok?
ON WITH THE SHOW!
Squalid. That was the only word that came to Darcy's mind.
The muddied streets were lined with the unfortunate, most lurking in the shadows of the buildings, others bold enough to reach out to the well dressed gentlemen.
Poorly dressed children and barely descent women were most prevalent on this street and Darcy could do nothing but shake his head as the fragile hand of such a woman reached out towards him.
Finally arriving at his destination, he raised his hand to knock harshly on the wooden door. Slowly, as if anticipating an attack, the door creaked open. An eye assessed him from beyond the dark recesses and a spark of recognition fired in the dull blue depths. Instantly, the person beyond the door attempted to slam the door. Anticipating the action, Darcy rammed his shoulder into the door and forcefully pushed it open.
Stepping into the dank room, Darcy assessed the woman who hunched under the scrutiny of his intense dark eyes. He addressed her icily.
"Mrs. Younge."
The woman in question inclined her head as she quivered.
"I need information."
Again the woman inclined her head but this time a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
Darcy's expression instantly darkened. He took a menacing step forwards and towered over the already hunched figure before him.
"I trust you will be cooperative."
Mrs. Younge nodded and swallowed the lump of fear growing in her throat.
"What…what may I help you with sir?"
Darcy nodded gravely.
"Good. Now, where is Mr. Wickham?"
Elizabeth smiled tremulously at the third servant that day to come to check up on her. Their friendly greetings and eager smiles unnerved her as the food upon the tray grew. Ever since the departure of Darcy, Elizabeth's mind had been in turmoil, not knowing what to make of his goodbye and his final kiss, she attempted to preoccupy her mind through the vast array of books Georgiana brought her each day.
It was then that she noticed the unusual attention of the servants. They eyed her at every opportunity. Not in a condescending manner like she expected but more in an assessing manner that made her nervous.
Shaking her head to dismiss the ridiculous notion, she picked through the food presented to her. Though her fever had broken, she still had not regained much of her appetite; she grimaced at the thought of any heavy foods and weakly attempted to push away the food laid before her.
A knock sounded upon the door and she called patiently for the person to enter. A blonde head peaked through followed by a bashful smile.
Gesturing eagerly, Elizabeth gladly welcomed her guest to break the dull monotony of recovery.
"Georgiana, what a pleasure, I did not expect to see you today, do you not have lessons?"
The younger girl nodded in confirmation and moved to sit astride her bed.
"My governess has been called away for a family matter, thus I have today all to myself."
Elizabeth nodded and offered Georgiana the food splayed out before her. Georgiana frowned at the gesture and fixed Elizabeth with a penetrating stare that reminded her disturbingly of her elder brother. It must be the Darcy stare.
"Elizabeth."
A meek 'yes' followed her statement.
"Elizabeth. You have not been eating. You are recovering, you need your strength and you need to eat."
Elizabeth nodded with her eyes mischievously downcast. She looked up and pouted but Georgiana's stony expression did not waver. Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Lizzy plucked a grape and plopped it in her mouth, painstakingly chewing it under the steely supervision of Miss Darcy.
Still the gaze did not waver. Sighing in defeat, Elizabeth slowly devoured a plate of pancakes. Georgiana was still not satisfied. She almost groaned as Elizabeth made a show of finishing. Taking up the knife and fork herself, she meticulously sliced the eggs and bacon and offered it to the older woman.
Elizabeth shook her head and opened her mouth to protest only to be silenced by the food unceremoniously shoved into her mouth.
Scowling unpleasantly, Elizabeth forcefully swallowed and scrunched her nose with impertinence.
"Come Georgie, I never eat so much even when I am healthy."
"You have not had a bite of solid food in days."
With that said, more food was presented to her and Elizabeth resigned herself to a morning of being force fed.
After leaving the disreputable lodgings of Mrs. Younge, Darcy set out for the new address with the air of a man with authority.
Striding confidently towards the nearby address given to him, the grim expression upon his face did not falter for a moment as the London weather allowed for a rare moment of sunshine. Walking into the common room of the dark boarding house, he was immediately approached by a man who leered crudely at a passing maid.
"Wha' can I do ye for sir?"
Sighing with impatience, Darcy turned to address the shorter man before him.
"Mr. Wickham and his…lady. Lead me to their room if you please."
The stout man assessed him with squinted eyes. Though he disliked men such as this gentleman, he knew better than to cross a potentially wealthy patron. Gesturing towards a flustered maid, he instructed her gruffly to lead Darcy upstairs.
Rubbing his temple, Darcy followed the bustling woman before him up a flight of creaking stairs into a claustrophobic hallway. She promptly turned right without waiting for him to follow and ventured to the end of the narrow corridor. Knocking unceremoniously on the wooden door, she turned back towards him and grumpily gestured toward the door. With that done, she ambled pass Darcy and disappeared down the creaking steps.
Darcy strode calmly towards the door and waited as a scuffle was heard behind the door. After a moment a brusque male voice was heard.
"What the hell is it?"
It was Wickham, undeniably the same tone and accent. Darcy instantly felt a surge of anger as the door swung open to reveal a disheveled, unshaven Wickham who started upon seeing his unexpected guest.
Without waiting for Wickham to say a thing, Darcy lurched forward and punched the man before him square in the jaw causing Wickham to stumble away from the doorway and into the arms of a screaming Lydia Bennet.
Menacingly, Darcy strode into the dark room and took in the dank surroundings. Apart from sparse pieces of furniture, the room was dominated by a large unmade bed and a small foggy window.
Bringing his hand to his face, Darcy massaged the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stave off the oncoming headache. Lydia's incessant screams did not help the situation.
Sending a dark glare in her direction, the hysterical girl instantly muffled her screams into a small whimper.
Wickham was once again on his feet but Darcy stopped him mid-step with one dark glance. Clearing his throat, Darcy ventured straight to the point.
"What are you intentions towards Miss Bennet?"
Wickham sneered and began to answer when Lydia cut him off.
"He intends to marry me as soon as he has spoken to my father."
Darcy had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes at her naivety and turned to address her.
"Miss Bennet, come with me and I shall return you to your family. Your father is currently in London searching for you along with your uncle. For the sake of your reputation, it is best if you return to your uncle's home until you can be returned to Longbourn."
Lydia sneered at him and clutched Wickham's arm. She gently pulled him up to face Darcy and pushed him forward.
Wickham smirked at Darcy at the gesture and waved off the simpering girl.
Narrowing his eyes in distaste, Darcy ignored the challenging look in Wickham's eyes and addressed Lydia once more.
"Very well, then will you excuse us Miss Bennet? Mr. Wickham and I need to discuss the details of your…marriage."
Lydia stared at the haughty man before her, disbelief clearly coloring her features before being replaced with eagerness and glee.
Squealing in delight, Lydia promptly deposited a kiss upon Wickham's bruised jaw and skipped from the room leaving a tense silence in her wake.
"Darcy. Come, be honest with me, surely you are not here to negotiate on behalf of the Bennets for that little harlot are you? Come, what is you true intention?"
With his fist clenching in response, Darcy coolly responded with a threatening step forward.
"Why Lydia Bennet, Wickham? Or have you simply developed a taste for innocence?"
Wickham laughed harshly. "Innocence? How innocent do you think Lydia is now?"
Growling, Darcy restrained the twitching in his hands and forced himself to take a calming breath.
"What do you want?"
Wickham raised an eyebrow. "Want? I already have what I want."
"What will it take for you to do the honorable thing and marry Miss Bennet?"
Wickham laughed harshly, "Ah…well, that's another matter entirely. What makes you think I will do the honorable thing? I have no wish to be leg shackled to that little harlot."
Darcy swept a hand through his dark hair in an attempt to calm himself. When he turned back towards Wickham, the man was indulging in a mug of ale. Noticing Darcy's withering gaze, he sneered and polished off the drink and turned his attention towards his companion.
"I will discharge all your debts, you and I both know how numerous they are. In return you will marry Miss Lydia immediately."
Wickham considered the matter carefully. "No, even if you pay off the debts, I have no way to support her."
Squeezing his eyes shut, Darcy swung his fist at the wall.
Wickham stumbled back. His eyes widened as he met the almost black gaze of the man standing opposite him.
Darcy took a calculated step forward and addressed Wickham with a menacing purr.
"I will purchase a commission for you, discharge you debts and you will be joined to Miss Bennet in holy matrimony at the end of this week, do you understand me?"
Wickham cringed and nodded silently.
Darcy nodded curtly and strode towards the door. He turned once more and spoke casually over his shoulder.
"Oh and I will be keeping a very close eye on you, George. Should you attempt to run, well, I am quite sure your former regiment is eager to see you again. I'll be in touch."
Nodding brusquely, Darcy exited the room and slammed the door forcefully behind him. Descending the stairs, Darcy attempted to shake off his foul mood and quickly spotted an impatient Miss Lydia pacing at the foot of the steps. At the sound of his creaking footsteps, she eagerly looked upwards and met his dark expression with a saccharine smile.
"Mr. Darcy, is it settled? Am I to marry my dear Wickham?"
Forcing a strained smile to his face, Darcy took her by the arm and led her towards the door of the common room.
"Yes, Miss Bennet, you shall be marrying Wickham at the end of the week. In the meanwhile, you will return to your uncle's home."
Lydia shrugged off his arm and attempted to retreat to the boarding house.
"No! I want to stay with George."
Darcy was almost tempted to simply grab her and toss her into his carriage but he restrained himself and forced his mind to calm.
"Miss Bennet, surely you would like your aunt's help on the wedding preparations?"
Lydia seemed to consider the prospect for a moment before jumping to his side and latching onto his arm. She smiled brightly and pulled him towards the waiting carriage.
"Of course, Mr. Darcy. What a grand idea."
Elizabeth fidgeted beneath her covers, trying desperately to make herself comfortable. Mrs. Reynolds who was plumping her pillows tisked at her impatience and ordered her to stay still. Elizabeth smiled sheepishly and attempted to settle herself down. She was fully recovered yet the staff of Pemberley insisted she remain bed ridden less their master return and find her unwell due to their neglect. Elizabeth had scoffed at the idea but had been silenced by Georgiana who seemed to fuss over her for similar reasons.
Mustering her best pout she captured Mrs. Reynolds' attention.
Smiling fondly at her young charge, Mrs. Reynolds raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Mrs. Reynolds…"
"Yes child?"
"I…I assure you I am quite well. I am perfectly healthy now. I have all my strength back, my appetite and I am rather restless…"
"Child?"
Elizabeth sighed in exasperation. "I would like to explore the house. This bed is driving me to insanity. There is simply nothing to do in bed."
Mrs. Reynolds pressed her lips together to suppress a smile and muttered something suspiciously like. "You'll learn."
Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and leaned in closer in an attempt to catch her words.
"Pardon me Mrs. Reynolds?"
The elder lady flushed lightly and coughed. She carefully scrutinized the now bemused Elizabeth and nodded her head discreetly.
"Very well Elizabeth, I will send a maid in to help you dress, but if you feel the least bit fatigued, you will march yourself right back to bed, is that understood child?"
Elizabeth leapt from the bed and engulfed the woman in a hug, beaming brightly as her eyes sparkled. Mrs. Reynolds could do nothing but shake her head. She could see why this girl had captured Mr. Darcy's attention where every other failed.
As Mrs. Reynolds glided from the room, Elizabeth could not help but rub her hands together in anticipation. Finally! It had been two weeks since Darcy's departure to London and still no news had been received and Elizabeth had become impatient. She had become eager to explore the grand house and could no longer contain her excitement.
With Georgiana locked away to study one obscure subject after another, Elizabeth hardly had any company let alone amusement. As soon as she was appropriately dressed, Elizabeth ventured into the hallway and looked up and down the magnificent hallway. With no knowledge of her destination, she wandered down the hallway and studied her magnificent surroundings. Arriving at a double door, her curiosity won over her caution as she laid her hand gently on the handle.
With a delicate touch, the doors swung open.
Elizabeth gasped in awe and delight. Before her was the most magnificent room she had ever seen. This must be the legendary Darcy library. The room was incredible in size and entirely circular. It was decorated warmly with dark wood and the walls were lined with bookcases filled to the brim with neatly ordered books. Elizabeth was barely one fifth the height of the room and as she glanced upwards she realized the entire room was illuminated by a large domed glass window.
Gasping in wonder, Elizabeth wandered in further and twirled in delight. Like a child in a candy shop, Elizabeth nearly squealed in excitement and gently trailed her fingers over the lower shelf of books. After careful exploration of the circular room, she observed that all the books were organized by alphabetical order. A rolling ladder allowed access to the upper shelves and Elizabeth's fingers itched to touch those books.
Searching her surroundings discreetly, Elizabeth mounted the first rung of the ladder and tested it. Finding it sturdy, she eagerly climbed upwards and stopped just short of the top shelf. She was afraid to breathe as she studied the astonishing collection before her, some books looked centuries old and she could not help but to reach out to stroke the spine reverently.
Opting against attempting to read one of these ancient texts, Elizabeth stretch out to her right and attempted to retrieve a relatively new book which had captured her attention. When her fingers only brushed the spine, she leaned a little further off the ladder and pried the book from its resting place, holding it tightly in her hand.
"Careful now, Miss Elizabeth." An amused voice called to her.
She emitted a startled shriek and from instinct, released the ladder to press her hand to her racing heart. This was not a wise move as she had not yet regained her balance after retrieving her book. Instantly, she felt herself fall backwards. Preparing herself for the imminent fall, Elizabeth whimpered in fear and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the air rush past her.
She braced her self for pain but there was nothing; she vaguely heard rushing footsteps and a forceful 'oomph'.
Instead of solid ground, Elizabeth felt strong, warm arms encircle her and hold her close to a well muscle chest beneath a several layers of cloth.
Opening her eyes with uncharacteristic meekness, her chocolate, brown orbs peered into an ocean of sparkling blue. The corner of those blue eyes crinkled in amusement.
With a voice which was barely above a whisper, she addressed her savior.
"Mr. Darcy." She managed a semi-dignified nod as she felt a warm blush spread across her face.
Said gentleman, could not help but emit a deep rumbling chuckle at the woman comfortably ensconced in his arms and directed his laughing eyes to her face.
Elizabeth promptly squeaked in response and snapped open the book within her hand and placed it over her burning cheeks effectively producing a barrier between his face and hers.
Elizabeth almost mocked herself for her own mousy attitude but she could not help but be glad for the time to compose herself. When finally, she felt her blush retreat, she slowly peeked over the top of the book and met his eyes. In that moment she could not help but think how becoming it was when he smiled.
Realizing her own silliness, Elizabeth promptly pulled the book away from her face and snapped it shut while brushing strands of her hair away from her eyes. Clearing her throat as a purely nervous gesture, she forced herself to meet his gaze once more.
"Falling for me, Miss Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth's face flushed with warmth and she turned to bury her face in her hands. Darcy chuckled gently once more and set her down; steadying her till she regained her balance. For a moment, Elizabeth simply stared at slippered toes.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"You are welcome Miss Elizabeth."
Another moment of silence ensued. Looking up to meet his eyes, Elizabeth could not help the reckless grin that tugged at her lips and before any words could be said on his part, she burst into laughter.
Darcy watched the amusing scene before him before he joined her in her amusement.
A/N: I'm done! Good? Bad? Terrible? Tell me what you think. REVIEW!!! I'm not quite sure how many more chapters there are, depends how long it takes for me to get to the point really doesn't it and I still have to decide how far into the story I want to go etc.
Well, I hope you liked, thank you to all my devoted readers and reviewers. Catchya!
Luv C
