Hello Everyone, this is my very first story. Please be kind enough to be constructive in your criticism. Thanks for taking the time to read. I appreciate you.
It helps to have a familiarity with cannon. I don't mean to copy large sections of the original.
Though the original work is by Jane Austen, I retain all rights to my own written work. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact me.
"She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men."
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
Mr. Darcy, skulking about, unconsciously determined to hear more from a certain impertinent miss, happened to be meditating on a pair of very fine eyes when Charlotte Lucas' voice broke through his thoughts with some very odd notions indeed.
"Oh Lizzy, don't allow a slight to your vanity to cause you to offend a man of Mr. Darcy's consequence," Charlotte advised after hearing that Lizzy declined to dance with Mr. Darcy.
How infuriating! To have the neighborhood think her feminine sensibilities were affected by not being found handsome enough to tempt him. Him! As if she'd want his attentions. A woman would have to be entirely senseless, or wholly mercenary, to endure a dance with that man.
For Darcy's part, his arrogance did him the disservice of misleading him to believe Charlotte Lucus was the one who misunderstood. Surely, Miss Elizabeth didn't mean to slight Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley.
"Charlotte pray, please don't insult me by insinuating that it's merely a slight to my vanity that causes me to wish to be no further acquainted with such a man. Allow me to share my understanding of his insult to all women. Indeed, he himself publicly and proudly proclaimed, loudly, and in the hearing of many others, what in essentials declares a woman's only value is in how well she appeals to a man's baser instincts on first sight. That conceited man had the nerve to continue his arrogant effusions by implying only he could give a woman consequence in a community where she's grown up, has the good option of the neighborhood, and has invested her time into seeing to the tenants and to the poor."
Mr. Darcy's face drained pale in shock. No women of his acquaintance had ever dared disparage him. Was she mad?
Elizabeth took a deep breath of vexation and spouted,
"Only a debauched libertine, puffed up with pride and arrogance, would espouse such nonsense. The nerve of the man! To declare such things at a public assembly, so that all and sundry can hear him lacking even the sense to be ashamed of himself. The fortune hunters can have him! He is of no consequence to me."
Mr. Dary's ashen complexion was swiftly replaced by the brightest red of embarrassment. She had thought him a libertine? For God sakes, he held himself to the highest moral standards as was only befitting what he owed to his family name. This woman must suffer from a derangement of the acutest kind. His reasoning was at once interrupted to again take notice of her fine eyes. Suddenly made all the finer by the flame of anger now alight within.
Charlotte Lucus took a deep breath. She was far more practical than her friend. With little beauty and less dowry, she was determined her friend was in want of a more prudent perspective.
"Is it possible that you've miss interpreted Mr. Darcy's comments? After all Lizzy, it seems you were tolerable enough to tempt him to dance tonight."
Indeed. He had condescended to dance with her. Though he had no desire to raise the expectations of a country miss, she should acknowledge the compliment to herself Darcy thought.
"Charlotte it doesn't signify, for who would dance with such a man?"
"Anyone with sense Lizzy! He does have some reason to be proud. He is a gentleman of some consequence you know. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has some right to be proud."
Darcy indeed concurred he had a right to his pride. Pride is indeed warranted in regards to my situation. So long as my superiority of mind continues to keep it under good regulation.
"Lord Charlotte, no one has the right to be that proud. I couldn't endure it, even the length of a dance. Insufferable man! I accept that the world, in general, is too self-interested to not allow a great deal of discrepancy between the way a gentleman ought to act and the standards of behavior society will actually hold him to. The word gentleman is used far too liberally in my opinion, some standards must be upheld. For it seems the greater focus, far too often, is in the wealth of the man with little enough attention paid to the behavior of a man who claims to be a gentleman. The term gentleman itself will be synonymous for wealthy reprobate if left to the likes of Mr. Darcy and his sort to set their own standards."
Darcy had argued similar notions far too often, feeling pride in his own behavior, not to see the sense in her words. Except, of course, in regards to how said words were applied to his person.
The next chapter will come soon as long as someone is following. Thanks again for reading. This is my first work so I'm looking forward to your feedback.