The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux .
a/n here we go another story. Soon, I will be moving the Pp stories to my own site. We will see how much you like it.
A Chance-
Seven Years after Kent
Mr. Darcy was bitter. Life had been less than giving. Georgiana, his sister, had an unfortunate marriage to George Wickham, no other choice since she was pregnant. George ran through her dowry in no time. Five years later, he was killed by an angry husband. Now, at twenty-two, Georgiana was a shadow. The baby was stillborn, and she had one more stillborn, no other children since George had made her ill.
His marriage to Anne, after being turned down by Miss Elizabeth, was a disaster. Anne died along with her child after three tries. She cried whenever he came to her. Here he was 35 years old, not knowing what to do.
He was at Kent, helping his aunt. She told him, "I received a letter, Mr. Collins died, pleurisy. His widow is an accomplished writer, imagine, she writes romance, indeed. He didn't have any children. They married after his wife died. She is here to pick up items he left at the Vicary. She is staying at a place nearby; I hope she doesn't come calling." When Darcy heard about it, he knew that he needed to look for her.
The next day he was walking near the place Elizabeth was staying when he saw her.
Dressed in bombazine, if any, she was more beautiful than ever. Darcy knew he had been an ass for ruining her sister's chances with Charles. Maybe a good thing considering how Charles had turned out. He had a steady string of mistresses since he married an insipid debutant. He had many 'angels' and several by-blows.
But...but, just six months ago, Charles told him, after drinking too much, "I search for my angel, the one I lost thanks to your advice, and I cannot find her, my Jane, lost forever. Can you get her for me? I saw her was more beautiful than ever. The older man who married her was glowing with happiness. My angel, with her, I would have been happy."
Hurst had nearly died, and his cousins had taken him away. He was another man when Darcy saw him. Caroline was poison; it was a fact since Louisa bloomed away from her.
He saw Miss Jane with her husband, an older Baron, in his low forties. She was smiling and seemed happy. They had two children, happiness shone around them. She was gracious when she met him. She was with her other sister, the one who nearly died in the hands of the awful wretch she married.
Today Darcy was walking his misbehaved dogs, two terriers. They ran to Mrs. Collins. He could swear he saw sparkles when she bent to pet them. Two young children ran to her, what, he thought there were no children. It didn't matter; his body had reacted as it always did, hungry for her. He wanted to take her in his arms and behave like a savage. Take her against a tree, just raise her skirts, unbutton his trousers, oh god...' Stop it.' He told himself.
He went to get his dogs. This spring day was perfect, flowers were in bloom everywhere, the earth smelled a little wet, and the songbirds chirped. She wore a cotton gown, full sleeves, a new fashion. It suited her slender torso, her bonnet hung down her back. Her hair escaped the bun, wild curls framing her slim face. Beauty, she was pure beauty, her rosy full lips begging to be kissed. Nothing had changed, he wanted her, he was madly in love with her, no doubt.
He called his dogs again, they refused to come. As he was approaching] his cousin General Richard Fitzwilliams was coming from the other direction, he sped up and was by Elizabeth before Darcy.
Richard kissed Elizabeth's hand way too long. Richard saw him and greeted him. Darcy decided this time nobody was going to stop him.
"William, let me introd..."
Darcy cut him off, "We are well acquainted."
Elizabeth blushed, "We are," her eyes lowered.
The children were calling her attention, boy and girl, maybe five or four or thereabouts, probably twins.
"Mommy, who is he? Anodder friend. He is nicer?" The boy asked no expecting an answer; they wanted to pet the dogs. The little girl said," He is prettier," and also started petting the dogs; the boy commented, "Prettier and has nice doggies."
The words rolled out his mouth, "Do you have children?"
"Yes, well, my sister and her husband passed away in an accident years ago, my young sister Lydia. They have been with me since they were months old, poor Lydia." Elizabeth spoke nearly in a whisper, the children didn't seem to hear her.
Richard offered his arm, and she took it. Darcy wanted to punch his cousin. He tried to scream, let her go, you fiend, she is mine, mine. You will not have her. Moreover, he wanted to abduct her. She was staring, making his wishes to run away with her stronger.
"The carriage awaits, let's go my dearest. Later, old man, we are going for an outing, the family only." Richard was astute; he had sensed the currents of attraction, both ways; he wasn't a General for no reason, know your enemy, and act timely. In this case, separate them as soon as possible. As it was the children cried, they wanted to stay with the doggies, and with the pretty man, they had to be dragged.
Richard saw the imminent danger, William already had allies on the children who had not accepted him after much trying. But children flocked to William; he had to keep William away; William was too costly and too handsome.
Just like that, Darcy was left standing, his mind on disarray, he had much time to think over his ridiculous behavior. Darcy felt ill, even vomited, and was dyspeptic whenever he thought about it; but was winning her heart this time. He cursed aloud, "I won't lose her this time. What I wouldn't do to get her?"
"Anything?"
He heard a squeaky voice. "Who is that?" He looked around, nobody, "Nobody, must I hallucinating."
"No, you aren't."
Darcy saw a tiny man, the size of cricket in front of his nose. He closed and opened his eyes, it was still there. His dogs sat in front of him, their eyes fixed on Darcy. They saw the whoever and banged their tail. Two bones with juicy bits of meat appeared from nowhere, they were real.
"Are you a demon?"
An explosion of laughter followed, "Hardly, I just heard you."
"Wait," a man, about his age, much, much taller than him, stood in front of him. He wore strange clothing, akin to a knight from old, a long and a short sword, daggers, and many other items and satchels, bow, quiver, jeweled cuffs around his wrists, the works. The cloth was magnificent, odd colors unknown to Darcy.
'My pleasure, you may call me, hmm, what? I guess Prince Argo would be suitable," he smiled an innocent smile, not really. He was a spider weaving its web. Darcy saw the sharp incisors, a demon.
Darcy noticed the circlet around Argo's head, shining with gems, perfect, flawless.
"Who are you?" Darcy asked.
"You wouldn't believe it. You met me a few times, but I looked different, best said, you met my twin, whose human body died due to his silliness, killed by your sister's husband. But I want my Lizzie's happiness; she is my dead wife's double, my precious. The husband was forced on my Lizzie by the horrid woman my brother married, beautiful, but rotten and silly, probably a witch. She had two sickly children and played favorites. She ruined Lydia, a sweet baby." The man paced, he was agitated.
"I was busy defending my people, by the time I was back, it was a done deal. My brother had made a huge mess out of all. My father had warned me, but I wanted to trust him. I left him to hide here, in care of my babes, err my nieces. Mr. Collins's wife had died, and the nasty wife forced my baby to marry the idiot. Of course, I had to be gone again." He growled, sounding like a tiger. The terriers were too busy eating away to mind.
Darcy was no fool; the three were his children, one was Elizabeth, was the other Jane, and the third? Nieces, if nieces, whose children were they? No, the nieces were his children.
"Are you saying, he is," before he could finish, Mr. Bennet stood in front of him.
"No, my twin is alive but cannot come back. Son, are you willing to do whatever it takes to gain her back?"
"Yes, just name it."
"Well, how about traveling some years back to Kent. To the time when you made the worse mistake of your life. Sorry for saying it, but you were a pompous fool. Get mad, but when Lizzie told me, I saw her memory. She was angry when I laughed. I am sure you know it." Argo looked at Darcy's grimace.
"Then use whatever you learned from the now to amend the past. It will only help some since you will change it all. You were right about Bingley; my niece Jane is married to one of us, which would have happened with time in any case, but then who knows. Only the three daughters are my child, I mean nieces. Mrs. Bennet was married to an officer, my brother gave his name to the other two."
"Yes, nieces, I hear you." Darcy could see that Mr. Bennet was fibbing.
"Are you willing? You will go back to just a little before your horrible declaration here in Kent. By the way, I have an enemy who likes it the way it is. Why I am not sure, but I think it is tied to you, I don't know why. Maybe we can figure it out. I need to look into your past. I have an idea."
Darcy imagined how wonderful it would be to have a chance to get Elizabeth. He would be able to lie naked with her; to see his babies growing inside her; to hold her and kiss her all day long; to take her glorious messy hair down; to sleep holding on to her naked body, "Oh, yes!" Darcy exclaimed.
"Well, if you agree, I need a drop or two of your blood; in exchange, I will give you a drop or two of mine, you will notice changes, good ones; use them wisely." Argo didn't elaborate, seemingly, he liked to play games.
"And my soul?" Not that Darcy cared. He lived in hell already.
"Ah, you are thinking about Faust? The German writer's hero who sold his soul to the devil?" He guffawed, "Demons don't make deals, I fought them a few times. Whereas most are nasty beings inside, they are beautiful outside. So let's see, if you fail, you will be back here, and your cousin will get my niece. They are marrying in a fortnight."
"And if I don't fail?"
"No idea, but everything will play out. You control the outcome, but your pride has to go, who are you? Has your fortune made you happy? Has the estate bought with dirty money, with the blood of slaves, yes, from the slave trade, brought you joy?"
Darcy was miserable, "Who are you?"
"As I said before, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me, but I am real." Mr. Bennet, or his double, shrugged his shoulders.
"Okay, do it!" Darcy wanted to get started.
The man pulled out a pin from a sash he wore and pricked Darcy's finger, and then his. He took drops of blood on his finger and licked it; Darcy did the same. He heard him say," I should have guessed, of course, I am silly and blind. Why else, yes, it is tied to him."
Darcy's insides burnt, he felt odd, like he was falling, he nearly went down. He looked up and saw the sky, a light rain, springtime, not fall.
He looked at his clothes, he recognized the coat from years ago. He saw a lithe figure coming his way. She wore the clingy blue dress with small flowers embroidered on the hemline. The same one that she wore long ago with a dark Spencer, her bonnet was askew, she had been running, her cheeks were pink, her slippers and the bottom of her dress muddy, and her hair escaped the pins. She was Elizabeth from seven years before, so damn beautiful, prettier than all. His body was hard, all of it, or it felt that way.
"Miss Elizabeth, what a pleasure, you look like a ray of sunshine." His smile made her step back.
Elizabeth was taken aback with the over-friendly Mr. Darcy; his smile surprised her, he was breathtaking. There wasn't anyone like him. Pompous, proud, but without an equal.
She blushed," Well, you give me much credit."
"I speak the truth," he did, if this were not a dream, he was going to get her this time. Being married to scared Anne was a nightmare, she cried whenever he came to her. Darcy remembered he had to pretend she was Elizabeth and be half-drunk. Anne's kisses made his stomach ill; she didn't often bathe, afraid it would make her sick, so she didn't smell particularly good. The few times she was with her, he went to his room and bathed. He had thought about it long enough, he had been ridiculous, proud, and arse, the biggest arse ever...Telling her that he was lowering himself indeed.
"I heard you are visiting your newly married friend. I was afraid when I heard that sycophant Collins married someone from the Hertfordshire; I was feeling ill until I was told his wife's name is Charlotte."
"Why afraid and ill?" When Elizabeth said it, she realized she was flirting. Oh, dear. She was sure she heard a few snickers. Nosy creatures, why were they involved?
"Afraid it was you. I was ill for hours. I thought my heart, no, my body was breaking in two." Darcy stared at her with hungry eyes; she could feel his eyes caressing her.
Elizabeth blushed, wondering if her uncle was around playing tricks, perhaps. Last week memories of her early childhood had come. She wished that she was back in that beautiful place, but her mother had been killed. When she had talked to her father, he had begged her to be quiet. She was confused, in her memories, her father was her uncle, strange. She was, err, flying, playing with unusual pets until they came, the traitorous fiends. Her mother fought them, many died that day.
It had to do with her 21-year-old birthday, Jane came into her room. She asked her if she had memories. She had been waiting for years to ask her.
They were talking about feeling a change but was not sure what, it was the first time they saw their uncle Argo. He asked them to come with him, but both refused. It would break their father's heart. So, uncle Argo told them he would need to keep them blocked, he said their gifts had to be hidden until he figured out what to do. They would not be able to talk to their father, the reason was not easily explained, nor understood.
As for Jane, she was currently mourning Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth knew her visit here was not the best idea, Lady Catherine liked to put her down. The sickly Miss Anne was petty and mean; the truth be said, she smelled unpleasant. Moreover, Charlotte was as thick as thieves with the ladies.
"Miss Elizabeth, shall we stroll?" He smiled again. She couldn't resist his smile. He was so tall and so perfect, goodness, he smelled good. Should she?
A.n Ah, we shall see.