What have I done? Eleanor panicked as she paced back and forth like an animal in a cage. I am crazy! They will lock me up. Eleanor stopped and smiled with a wicked grin. Not if they can't catch me! She raced up the stairs, causing yet another few eyebrows to be raised in question to her actions. Eleanor slammed the door of her room and flew into a wild frenzy, throwing the entire contents of her wardrobe onto the floor and bed. As she reached the last of the contents of her traveling chest, the adrenaline rush that had impeded her rationality for these past few minutes fell into shambles, leaving Eleanor to stare blankly at the bottom of the chest.
Gripping the sides of the chest, her not so carefully formulated plan deteriorated in her mind. She couldn't run away – alone – to London. She didn't even know the first thing about city life, not to mention that she had never been to a city even close to the size as London. While she was focusing on the difficulty of imagining the famous town, Georgiana managed to sneak through the doorway, all the while staring agape at the evidence of a wild force that had plowed through the room.
"You must be completely mad!"
"Georgiana!" Eleanor exclaimed as she jumped up from the floor and ran to her friend, giving her a tight embrace.
"I don't think your grandmother would approve of your – um – re-organization," Georgiana said with questioning eyes.
"Oh please, even you must know what absolute destruction must look like," Eleanor emphasized her statement with a wave of her hand.
"Yes," Georgiana said slowly, "but why?"
Eleanor's mood darkened suddenly and her friend became very aware of the forbidden ground she was stepping on.
"I'm leaving – for London."
Georgiana snickered at the absurdity at the statement, but seeing no humor in Eleanor's face, she also became very serious. "It is Lord Brunwin, isn't it?"
Eleanor let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes. I have always followed my grandmother's wishes but something about the whole plan feels," she paused, scrunching up her face in thought. "Distrustful."
"Distrustful?"
"You know my point," Eleanor said with an exasperated shake of her hands.
"But London, Eleanor? This drama is not worth ruining your entire reputation, not to mention your family's reputation. I know you have never had a care for social protocol, but running away to that city will do none of us any good!"
"I need to show everyone that I can't be pushed around anymore. I gave the Duchess my trust and look where it got me; practically shoved into a horrible – not to mention heartless – marriage, where I would most likely live out my days shut up in some old country house, widowed five years after matrimony, never having the chance to really live. I need adventure – I know what you're thinking, but I haven't romanticized anything."
"No, the kind of adventure you are thinking of will more likely get you killed, or worse," Georgiana shuddered at the thought.
"I need to show the world that I am not some pathetic female who will let herself get trod upon by the entire face of humanity! Only then can I really live they way I want to – independent and empowered with free will."
"You are sounding like - " Georgiana stumbled over her confused thoughts, " – like a man!"
Eleanor stooped pacing the room and whirled around. "Exactly!" she said with a defiant spark in her eye.
Georgiana's eyes grew wide in alarm. "No! No, you can't do this. You have gone insane." She put her hands on her head in worry. Her breaths grew labored.
"Can't you see Georgiana? The reason why I have envied my brother, not to mention most men, is because of his independence, his ability to answer only to himself."
"But he has more responsibility then you! He has to work constantly to provide for you and himself. You cannot understand his duties because all your life you have been provided for, and in turn we women must follow their guidance."
"It is easy for you to say. You have a brother who would risk his entire life to keep you safe, and has raised you in a just and praiseworthy way. All I have to show for is a grandmother who would sell me to the highest bidder and a brother whom I barely see twice a year. So to fix this contemptible mess I have found myself in, I must steal the reins of my future from those who would see me ruined."
"How poetic."
"That is all you have to say? We are making history in this very room and all you can say is poetic?"
"We? When did I become a part of this?"
"When you gave me two hundred pounds to run away to London with."
"No. Absolutely not!"
"You will, not just because you are my best, and only true friend in this entire world, but because you know that this is my dream - "
" Which you have only had for thirty minutes," Georgiana objected.
Eleanor threw her a dirty look but continued on. "My dream, and my only option. I promise – cross my heart – that I will keep safe, only drink in the most respectable clubs," she received a raised eyebrow at this comment but continued on, "and maintain a weekly correspondence with you, just for you to make sure that I have not got myself tangled with any disreputable persons from London."
Georgiana sighed, but after deciding that she could not reason with her deranged friend, she gave up trying to stop Eleanor from getting what she wanted. "I will give you the money – not," she interjected as Eleanor's face beamed, "in response to your pitiful sob story, but because you are making history. If you become famous, perhaps I will receive some credit for starting your radical escapades."
Eleanor threw her arms around her friend with a fervent excitement. "Thank you, Georgiana. I might be crazy, and eventually bring my family into complete and inevitable ruin, but at least you had the courage to do so."
"You know they might lock me up with you if they find out who gave you the money to start you off."
"Yes, well I will need a companion in the dark dungeons of the tower. I imagine it gets very lonely when all you have for company is the rats and the ghosts."
"You will only go the tower if your grandmother doesn't find you first."
"The Duchess can go off herself for all I care."
Georgiana's eyes widened at Eleanor's language.
"Oh, did you hear that? I already sound like I belong in London."
Eleanor put her hands on her hips and surveyed her new living quarters. One hundred pounds secured her a two months stay with an elderly widow who was renting out rooms, only streets away from the "fashionable" part of London. The only problem encountered so far was that fact that nothing had occurred since her arrival. Apparently, one had to be known in order to be invited to social gatherings and events. In other words, she was stuck in the mud until someone, anyone, knew her name. Technically, his name. Eleanor had assumed her brother's name for the time being, seeing that she could easily make up a believable and true back-story. Plus, Andrew had never even set foot within 50 miles of London, so the fear of recognition was far from her mind. Coupled with the finest wardrobe any London male socialite could by within the half day she gave notice to the tailor.
Her vision stopped on the pants, shirt and coat lying on her bed. She picked up one sleeve of the coat, flipped it back and forth, feeling the alien, almost forbidden, feel of the heavy material. For two hours, the ensemble had been draped on the bed, being stared at by the room's suddenly cowardly occupant. All the courage and passion that Eleanor developed when her insane plan began to build up in her mind was put at bay when the time finally came to overturn her life forever. It seemed planning about possibly ruining your life and eventually your family's good name was incredibly easier then actually carrying the plan out. Who knew?
Eleanor was stuck between throwing herself within the middle of all the happenings of London and seeing how her new persona handled all the chaos, or progressing slowly, taking the process step by step. Well, the whole decision to come to the city was a bit immediate, Eleanor thought, so I might as well balance out the whole thing with a little patience. The Club, Eleanor decided after a few minutes of pondering. A club will be the easiest way to get my name out. The only problem was that Eleanor had no clue where to even start. Just then Mrs. Landgrove, her landlady, stepped into the room with a tray bearing the afternoon tea.
"Mrs. Langrove! You are just the woman I needed to see. Do you know of any respectable clubs in the nearby area?"
"Why yes, my husband used to frequent Brook's when he was alive, but lord, child, why would you want to know a thing like that?"
"Oh, no reason Mrs. Landgrove, just – curious, that's all."
"Curiosity will get you in a mite of trouble, my dear."
"No need to worry about me," Eleanor replied with a smile, as she attempted to shield her new clothes from her landlady's view. No reason for the poor lady to have another problem on her hands. "I am simply wondering because a relative of mine may be residing in the city soon and I would like to offer my services as a guide."
"Oh no dear! I am afraid that Brook's is a very exclusive club. Only members of the gentry are allowed entrance."
"My relative is a very influential member of society, ma'am, and I am sure his name will gain him acceptance into the club."
"If you say so, my dear," Mrs. Langrove warily replied and left the room, very confused with the behavior of her new, and very alone, tenant.
Eleanor slouched back in a cushioned velvet chair along the edge of the smoke filled room, a disgusting, yet fashionable drink in her hand. She had entrusted the server to chose her drink, but she hadn't thought that this – what was it? – brandy, could even be drunk by any human being, much less liked. Contrary to her belief, all the men in the room liked their drinks; all had one in their hands or on the gaming table where they were playing.
After Andrew's name was recognized as a member of the gentry, she was able to gain a membership using up the last of her money as payment. The rest of the night she was spending keeping off to the corner and observing the behavior of the men in the club. So far, all she could see was discreet conversations, no doubt about married men's mistresses and the debauchery that went with the whole event, and gambling, in which Eleanor hadn't the slightest clue as to the rules of the game. Feeling entirely out of place, she decided to try her first drink of alcohol, found out that she absolutely abhorred it, and sat alone in the corner, simply watching.
"I believe you are new to this club, are you not?" A voice came from above her head. Panicking, she stood up, the feel of man's clothes still bothering her at every movement. She was not prepared for an actual conversation with a man, dressed as a man. It's now or never, Eleanor thought with a pang.
"Lord Andrew Riddell," Eleanor replied with a lowered voice, as she brought forth her hand. The man, boosting shockingly red hair close to her own shade, gave her an enthusiastic, if not forceful handshake.
"Charles Bingley, at your service," the man replied with an eager, warm smile.
"It is very nice to make your acquaintance." Eleanor tried her best to remember all the etiquette lessons the Duchess had taught her, but in uncomfortable surroundings, shorn hair and men's clothes, she felt as silly as a carnival clown. "Are you a resident of this city?"
"Yes," he replied with a shake of his head, "I'm in town for the winter, but this is my first visit to this particular club. It was recommended to be by a friend. I presume you are new to town?"
"Yes, just arrived in fact. Though I am here for pleasure, I find that I am completely unprepared for this life."
"London can do that to you. In fact, why don't you join my family for dinner next week Monday? I'm sure my sister's would be happy to meet your acquaintance, and it would give you a few more friendly faces in this strange town. And you seem like a decent fellow. Your name is well known for your fair and profitable business deals. A good business man can always be trusted."
"You are most generous," Eleanor said with a small smile, trying not to seem too eager. "I am happy to take you up on your offer."
"Just ask the man at the front for my address." Mr. Bingley gave a slight bow and retreated from the room. Eleanor, after downing her awful drink with two gulps, marched out of the room, retrieved her coat and headed home, her gloomy attitude completely erased. Maybe this idea wasn't so bad at all, and – heaven forbid – she might actually get used to that awful drink.
A/N: Hello audience! I'm gonna try out this whole note-at-the-bottom-thingy because… well… I like to switch things up a bit. So, first things first, I am so sorry that I am one of the slowest updaters in the world. I think it's so nice of authors to update weekly, bi-weekly, bi-monthly, then I think back to my own story and realize that I update once a month.. yeah…. have to get better about that. But you all probably now that procrastination is just sooo addicting… like drugs. Definitely NOT comparing the two (but if I was, they would be similar). So my point that I'm trying to get to is, I hope you all liked the chapter! Sorry for so much dialogue, but the story is more character then action based at this point. Apology in advance, the Darcy's will most likely not make a significant appearance until the chapter after the next. *Spoiler alert* maybe….. Bingley was added as a second thought but I am so glad that he made an appearance. Can't hog all the love, Darcy! Have an awesome week, or month… which will be probably when I next reappear. Toodles! Ps reviews are much loved 3