*This story is copyright protected
Dear reader,
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Vivienne Middleton-Jones, but you can call me Vienna. I have spent the entirety of the lockdowns immersed in every P variation I could get my hand on, both via JAFF sites and Amazon etc. And I have always felt like I had my own take on this timeless love story... and so decided I would try my hand at it and hopefully I will be lucky to have a few people take interest and read it.
I will do my best to try to spot any typo's & grammatical errors etc. but I am not a professional and if anyone can recommend a beta I would be grateful.
Please enjoy!
Full synopsis:
"Elizabeth Bennet compromised! When a terrifying situation leaves Elizabeth's reputation on the brink of ruination, she has no choice other than to marry a man she cannot tolerate. Through the compromising situation she has softened towards Mr Darcy, but he is still as impenetrable as he ever was. Our story begins after Jane and Elizabeth's stay at Netherfield. Follow their story as they are forced to marry earlier than in cannon. How will Elizabeth fare in a loveless marriage and suddenly thrown into the deep end of the inner sanctum of Regency England's height of society."
contains scenes suitable for mature audiences.*
Uploading regularly.
Please leave a comment, if you feel so inclined- I have always loved reading the comments as a reader and so am intrigued to see how I approach them as the author!
Chapter One
"Cousin Elizabeth, are we lost?" Asked Margaret Gardiner with a huff.
"No Margaret we are not lost. I just seemed to need to find my bearings..." replied Elizabeth Bennet trying to locate a clearing in the opaque fog that had surrounded them.
When they had started out after their lunchtime repast, it had been a mere gentle mist that hung in the air. The atmosphere was brimming refreshingly with fine dewdrops of rain that coated one's skin faintly, as one walked through them. The cold winds which had been absent before; now thrashed and clung to one's garments and showed complete disregard for the feeling and comfort of one's toes, and yet did nothing to clear the milky atmosphere. In truth the horizon had seemed to be a dark prediction of what could come upon them, but as it had lingered there the day previously without brandishing its sinister intent. And the rain having fallen the day before, she assumed it was retreating rather than approaching and so, Elizabeth had taken her young cousin Margaret Gardiner on a long walk through the fields surrounding Longbourn. Determined to clear her brain and calm her spirits. Unfortunately, she had been so absorbed in her endeavour that she had not taken heed to rapid change in their environs. The light fog had now fallen dark and heavy, encasing them in an unyielding cocoon.
Had she known it would become quite so dense so suddenly, she should not have ventured out with her young cousin, at least not so far as to grow perturbed and discomfited. In truth she would not have been able to survive much longer in her mother's company and incessant critiques. Mrs Bennet was forever determined to blame Elizabeth for her likeness to her father as the reason why she would turn away every desirable match for her and her sister.
"Men do not want an intelligent woman, they wish to have a beautiful and fertile woman who will bear them an heir, Lizzy! If you continue behaving in such a way you will only have yourself to blame, and then where will be? Oh! If only we had, had sons!"
Mrs Bennet had complained over breakfast. All because they had left Netherfield two days ago since jane was fully recovered and had not heard from Mr Bingley since. As Jane had been confined to her rooms, it seemed a foregone conclusion that it must have been due to Elizabeth that the affluent Mr Bingley had grown reserved and hesitant to continue his friendship with the family, or declare himself for Jane to Mr Bennet. Which was not the case! It was most certainly down to Mr Darcy! He had most likely been in his friends' ear about the mortification he feels having to be in their company so often. She had said as much to her mother on this score to which she had replied.
"I do not disagree with you that he is proud and bad-tempered, Lizzy. But did you have to be so open in you dislike of him? Powerful men such as he, do not care to be laughed at. He is the one we should be trying to win over! Do not roll your eyes me pray. Oh! Recall that it was Mrs Hershay who told we must endear ourselves to his friends and family, to secure him? I am certain she was correct in that advice, I tell you."
Mrs Hershay also known as 'Mrs Hearsay' was the biggest gossip in Meryton. Known in the neighborhood for being all too free with her opinions and advice! She had better off find herself something more productive to do with her time now that all her children had married. The woman was far too obvious in her regard for Mr Bingley and seemed to become an incessant giggler around Mr Darcy too! Elizabeth had decided she could take no more of this conversation which had continued on into luncheon; needing a reprieve before she was driven to bedlam. Her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner had arrived the day prior with their daughter of nine, Margaret who was a sweet little girl, but at that trying age where she was contrary about most things. Her Aunt Gardiner had asked if Margaret might accompany her, no doubt hoping she might tire her enough for her to retire to bed early this evening.
"Is not losing your bearings another way for saying we are lost?" Came her cousins next question.
"Nonsense Margaret! How can we be lost, when we are near Longbourn?"
"I do not know. I am not the one who got us lost, am I?" the little girl grumbled. "And how many times must I ask you to call me Maggie and not Margaret!" she added crossly tugging at Elizabeth's hand.
"Do not let go of my hand, it would not do to lose each other. Come, we simply need to climb up this hill so we may see farther into the distance and that should point us in the correct direction."
"But I am tired Lizzy." Margaret moaned with a shiver.
"I know but we shall be home soon and then, I shall see to it that Hill supplies you with as many butter biscuits as you desire!"
"And jam!" little Margaret added her nose red and her mouse curls slightly damp.
"And jam…" Elizabeth broke off, pausing her steps and looking to her right. "Can you hear that?" She asked.
"No – w-what is it?" whispered Margaret tucking in closer to Elizabeth, frightened. "is it a ghoul?"
"No - I can hear the river! I just cannot see which side of it we are on… mayhap we are above it, which would explain the compression of the fog." Elizabeth mused aloud.
"How?"
"We have walked too high, and I believe we must have our head in the clouds," chuckled Elizabeth with feigned excitement, pulling her young cousin towards the sound of the rushing water.
"Do not be silly Lizzy! We cannot reach the clouds!"
"I am not – what else would you presume the fog to be. It is not ghostly or eery, but enchanted and magical!" she exclaimed animatedly.
"Enchanted how?" Margaret asked, her pale stare; wide eyed and curious.
"The clouds are where the stars sleep during the day. They reveal themselves and sparkle brilliance in the night under the magnificence of the moon!"
"Like fairies?" asked Margaret.
"Yes Maggie. Just like fairies." Confirmed Elizabeth, glad that she had eased her younger cousin's distress even though she herself felt a fear that hollowed the souls of her feet.
Even should they find the river, the fog was too thick for them to decipher where they were and which direction Longbourn lay. It was also a sign that they had travelled further than she had anticipated. It was all Mr Darcy's fault! The odious, proud, disagreeable, haughty –
"Lizzy, how much further?" asked her little cousin interrupting her thoughts.
"Not much longer now." She assured her, hoping that once they found the river, they would find their way out of the mist. "Once we find the river the fog will lessen."
"Oh, well that is some good news at least… although, how can we stop ourselves getting lost once more when we leave the river?"
"That is a very good question. If I recall correctly… I read once in one of Papa's books that the current of a steady flow of water will work to clear and purify the atmosphere surround it. If this proves correct, then we can distinguish where we are and plan our path home. All I need is to be pointed in the correct direction and all will be well."
"Uncle Bennet has a book for everything!" said Margaret emphasising the last word dramatically.
They walked a little further on in silence until, at last, the river came into view.
"There! You see." Elizabeth exclaimed triumphantly gazing down at the river.
Margaret rushed forward, "Well done, Lizzy now we can go home. It is cold where the fairies live."
"Soon we shall be cosied and warm by the roaring fire. We are simply too high up and must retreat to lower ground." Elizabeth assured her relief evident.
"But I thought you said we needed to be higher to provide the full prospect?"
"Well -" A noise startled Elizabeth silent.
Her words suddenly cut off by the sound of hooves pounding the floor surrounding them. Realising that they must be near the coach road, Elizabeth's alarm roared in her ears. She knew not if the rider was known to her or not and whether they would veer from the road due to the poor condition. If so, would they be able to perceive them through the fog or would the barrel through them.
Fearing little Margaret might get trampled, Elizabeth pulled her into her arms and tried to shield her, turning her back towards the noise of what was sounding more like a carriage and four, praying to the Lord that they be spared. Soon the sound became a faint echo in the distance and Elizabeth sagged with her relief. With her sight impaired all her other senses felt overwhelmed.
"Goodness me! I am sorry for frightening you Maggie, I…" Elizabeth gasped as she stepped back unknowingly to the edge of the small clifftop. The ground crumbled from beneath her foot. Throwing her arms wide in a wild attempt to stabilize herself before gravity pulled her down and she fell into the river below.
"Lizzy!" screamed Margaret lowering herself to the floor in trying to reach for her, but she was not quick enough to catch her.
Plunging into the cold coarse depths of the river, the air was stolen from her lungs and the heat taken from her body. The cool water seeped into her shoes and under her garments with shocking distress. Her skirts tangling about her legs making their weight oppressive as she was pulled to the bottom of the river where the reeds grabbed and pulled at her. The current crashing around her body as the rocky bed scratched and tore through her stockings. Finding her courage, she placed her feet to floor and kicked off with all her might until she felt the sting of the air blow over her cheeks as she broke the surface of the water. Coughing and spluttering Elizabeth tried to secure her footing but managed only to twist her ankle. Yelping at the sharp pain when her ankle buckled failing to support her weight against the water crashing around her, she spied a low hanging branch in her path. Reaching for it with numb fingers she held on tightly as the current threatened to pull her farther downstream.
"Margaret!" she called.
"I am here, Lizzy. I am climbing down to you. It is not very far, and I can see clearer now that I am descending."
"Be careful!" she warned as she felt her hands slipping on the wet slippery wood of the oak branch which she clung to. Wildly looking about Elizabeth noticed that the fog was indeed lifted around the river, affording her a view of her young cousin as she had managed to climb down to the riverbank unharmed.
"Lizzy, what do I do?" Margaret sobbed, her bottom lip quivering.
"All will be well…" she broke off gurgling and taking in a large amount of water, as her grip slipped further down the branch and submerged her once more.
"Lizzy!"
As Mr Darcy ambled carefully along the road atop his eighteen-hand tall, all black stallion, Domino. The high-spirited three year old tossed his head impatiently at the snails pace they were traveling.
"Easy Domino," he said as his horse pulled on his reigns, agitated by their limited sight. "The fog is clearing; you shall stretch your legs once we are nearer Netherfield and I know the ground better." he soothed patting the horse's neck as he whinnied and lifted his head back in agreement, the patch of white over his left eye visible.
The sudden piercing of a woman's scream in the distance broke through the still quite, spooking his horse. Causing him to rear up with a sound of distress. Without hesitation Darcy brought the horse quickly under regulation, then dug his heels into Domino's flank and urged him into the direction of the woman's cry at a breakneck speed. Their path was treacherous and he has only just managed to miss obstacles in their path, seeing them only once they were upon them.
Soon his ears were assaulted further by the sounds of war he assumed was a child, calling for aid. Fortuitously it did not take him long to locate the small child, a girl, crying on the bank of the river. She stood shaking and pointing towards the center of river, where the waters were rapidly rushing by.
"What is the matter? Are you injured?" he asked as he jumped down from Domino.
"My cousin… we were with the fairies…. But she fell… in there," she sobbed the corners of her mouth tilting down and her bottom lip pouting as she tried to speak.
"What is your name, little one?" he asked gently.
"M-M-Maggie," she stuttered pale and shivering, her eyes shimmering with more tears as she sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"Hello Maggie, my name is Mr Darcy. Is your cousin… She is in the water?" he asked calmly.
The young girl went to answer, when a thrashing and choking sound in the water drew their attention.
"Lizzy!" she screamed moving towards the water but Mr Darcy's arm halted her progress, lest she get pulled in too. Elizabeth struggled to the surface once more gasping and taking in water, that caused her in turn to choke.
He froze in shock at the sight of her.
Miss Elizabeth!
Her skin was so pale it appeared translucent, her sable curls normally artfully arranged at her temples now plastered in disarray across her face and the fear in her big brown eyes, transfixed with horror as she struggled to keep her head above the water.
"Hold on!" he yelled.
With yelp of fear the branch broke as she was once more taken away by the current downstream. Hands thrashing about until she found purchase on a rock jutting out of the surface from the rapids.
"Please, help me." She cried, never for once had she dreamed that this was how she might die.
Shrugging out of the great coat as he spoke, "Miss Maggie, I need you to promise me you will stay here, yes?" Margaret nodded mutely. "I will go and get Miss Bennet and come back for you, but I need you to keep Domino company until our return. Can you do this for me?" he instructed wrapping his coat around the young girl. "That's a brave girl." He praised give her chin an affectionate tweak.
"Please, save Lizzy." She begged as he broke into a run towards Elizabeth, pulling free of his jacket as he went. Then to little Margaret's shock continued on past her.
Domino had no intention of staying without his master and followed him as he hurried to rescue Elizabeth and so Margaret found herself following too, picking up Mr Darcy's jacket as she went. The large glossy stallion maintained his watch over his master, seeming poised and tense, though the water made him skittish.
"Miss Bennet, I am going to come to you now." He explained as he began to wade into the water, flinching as the water poured in from the tops of his boots and filled them, making them weighty and hard to move in. Each part of him the icy water claimed hindered his movements and set his teeth on edge. He fought hard to fight his body's natural reaction to the cold. It would not do for her to think he would not be able to save her, he needed to keep her as calm as possible. If she lost faith he would not be able to reason with her and she may act unpredictably.
"Damn!" he cursed under his breath as realised there was quite a drop in the bed of the river, when he took another step and it rose from his hips to waist alarmingly. He would not be able to pull her across without being swept away with her.
"Miss Bennet, I need you to open your eyes." He implored when he was a short distance in front of her.
After a moment Elizabeth opened her eyes and looking to him, she frowned slightly at the image before her.
Mr Darcy!
The Proud, disagreeable and arrogant Mr Darcy, as he was known to be, was before her...waist deep in the river. His hair windswept, his normally impeccably starched cravat; sodden and drooping, with his shirtsleeves exposed, now sheer and sticking to his skin as the wind blew and the water crashed against him. But he held strong and unwavering against this assault. Reaching his hand out to her his expression was not cold or disparaging as she had become so used to seeing, but warm and encouraging.
"M-M-Mr Darcy?" And then. "Maggie!" Elizabeth gasped, panicked.
"She is well. The fairies and my horse looking after her," he said inclining his head with small reassuring smile. Following his movement with her gaze, she found her young cousin, wrapped in the gentleman's coat as she stood behind the great horse. Had she not been on the verge of drowning she would have noticed how the horse would not allow the child near the waters edge. Every attempt that was made by Maggie was blocked by the noble steeds long neck as it gently pushed her back from harm. However, her current situation pushed her far from noticing the gentle and protective nature of the animal and instead brought a hysterical thread to her imagination. The great beasts staggering height and startling glossy black coat in contrast to all else made her feel like in this scenario Mr Darcy might be interpreted as the Angel of death! An unrestrained bubble of laughter almost broke free, but the Mr Darcy's deep and commanding voice broke through her overwrought musing and allowed her to move her focus to getting out of this predicament.
"Miss Elizabeth," came the deep assured tones of Mr Darcy. "I will need you to trust me and when I say you must release your hold and allow the current to bring you to me."
"L-L-Let go?! I t-think not!" She spluttered.
"I will catch you; I promise you."
"I will g-go und-der," she stammered, her body starting to convulse from the cold.
Turning behind him a fraction he whistled, and she saw the stallion bow his head and enter the water timidly, but assuredly. When he could Mr Darcy reached and took the horses reigns and with words of encouragement for the horse, they both moved a little further in.
"I will not let you get by me, Miss Bennet. Understood?" He vowed.
Nodding bravely, she bit at her bottom lip and squared her shoulders.
"Now!" He commanded.
"I cannot!" She cried a hold of the rock tightening as she closed her eyes once more. "I am f-frightened."
"Come now, when frightened of something it is best to take away the picture as a whole and try to focus on the next thing needing to be accomplished. You can do this Miss Bennet, I have no doubts on that count I assure you. And I, being a man without fault, will not fail to catch you!" He teased and was happy to see that his words had brought a small sparkle to her eyes.
"That's it, Miss Bennet. Are you ready? On the count of three. One…" he shouted as he started to count.
In the grips of fear, however, Elizabeth could hold her nerve no longer and the instant she had the courage to, she let go without any heed as to the count. Instantly the current pulled her wide and the under.
Mr Darcy swore, still maintaining his hold onto Domino's reigns dove under after her, succeeding in catching her! With a sharp tug on Domino's reigns and they were pulled by the horse to the shallows. Then letting go, Darcy lifted Elizabeth in his arms and waded from the water.
It was only when he got to the bank of the shore and Maggie started crying and screaming, he noticed she neither conscious nor breathing. Laying her gently upon the damp earth he freed her bonnet and remembering a medical lecture he had visited with his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, where they talked of the new method that could be used to resuscitate persons who have drowned or stopped breathing on the battlefield. He tried to remember the order of the steps. Tilting her head back, he placed one hand on her jaw and the other to pinch her nose and blew into her mouth. Following this he gently applied pressure to her chest for the count of five and alternated between doing so, until Elizabeth awoke splutter and gasping for breath.
Helping her into a sitting position he patted her back soothingly as Maggie came over to her and pushed her hair from her face and kissed her cheek while she cried.
"Hush n-now," said Elizabeth hoarsely. "I am well, Maggie I am sorry for frightening you s-so. Are you injured?"
"No Lizzy. But I was so scared!"
"I know, all is well now," she soothed.
"Miss Bennet we need to get you back Longbourn in order to warm you at once." He said standing and pulling her up with him. "Miss Maggie, may I have my coat."
Taking his coat, he pulled it around Elizabeth's shoulders and instructed her to go behind Domino and take off the top layer of her clothing. At her affront he explained that if she did not, she would freeze. Her body heat would be able to warm through her day clothes, but with the rest of her soaked through layers, his coat would only work to trap the cold.
With numb and trembling fingers, she managed the task of removing her ruined pelisse, she worried her pale day dress might have become transparent now wet, but Mr Darcy's greatcoat was warm and covered her completely. When she returned to them, she saw that Mr Darcy had placed Margaret upon the horse in his jacket and before she could oppose him, he lifted her easily as though she weighed nothing at all, and placed Elizabeth behind her cousin. After assuring they were comfortable, he swung himself up in the saddle behind them both. Elizabeth was not too cold to feel the warm blush at feel herself sitting between the man's legs, his thighs shifting into a position and tightening about her, as did his arms when he reached for and held the reigns. She realised he was purposefully crowding them in his embrace, in order to keep them from slipping from their awkward positioning on his horse. Her addled mind could not quite work out how he had managed to seat her side saddle with Margaret leaning against her, on a regular gentleman's riding saddle but she doubted even an inanimate object such as that would dare challenge the man.
"Miss Maggie, can you sit more on Miss Bennet's lap." He instructed straightening, which brought Elizabeth further back to lean upon his broad chest. "Forgive me, but time is of the essence." He apologised briefly over this breach of propriety, before spurring Domino on in the direction of Longbourn.