i've had this idea for a while and have been wondering whether to write it or not.

I know i havent finished the other one but this one has a very different tone.

Enjoy

Miss Allison Taylor had been friends with the eldest daughter of the Earl of Matlock, for many years. Said daughter, Juliana Fitzwilliam would have been encouraging towards a match between her friend and her eldest brother but he was already married to a woman of beauty and elegance with a compassionate temperament to match. She had hoped to push her second brother the colonel on her, but Miss Taylor had often mentioned a distaste towards military men, believing them to be barbaric and violent.

So of course the next best option, was her cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy. They had never been particularly close but Miss Fitzwilliam believed that he had been single long enough and that her close friend would be a perfect match. Unluckily for some, her father agreed. He was a strong supporter of her family and her dowry was much to his taste as well. Her mother on the other hand, was a lot more sympathetic towards her nephews dreams of a marriage based on love. She had also been present when her second son and nephew had returned from visiting her sister-in-law in Kent. Her reclusive nephew seemed even quieter than usual, and once he had left for his London home, her son confided in her that he had been rejected by a woman whom he had been in love with for some time. He also mentioned a misunderstanding which led to a shouting match between the two of them.

But before she could so much as mention to her husband that perhaps Miss Taylor is not the correct match for him and perhaps we should try to support him in straightening out his grievances with the lady that had turned the head of her ever prim and proper nephew, he had already met with her parents, Lord and Lady Taylor. They agreed that when he returned to town they would be reintroduced and he would be informed of his families wishes to see the two of them wed by the end of the year.

Miss Taylor agreed with her friend that it would be a good match and was looking forward to meeting him properly as he had never really endeavoured to speak to her during social events, tending to keep to the people who he was already closely acquainted with. But for her that didn't matter. What did matter was the name and the money and that was all she wanted. She was classically beautiful with long blond hair blue eyes and a small upturned nose. She had a sharp raw line and a long neck connected to narrow shoulders. Her parents were often on the receiving end of her temper as she demanded a new bonnet or a new ball gown. Or recently, that the wedding planning must begin now or nothing will be done properly.

As these conversations were occurring, Fitzwilliam Darcy was enjoying the beginning of his engagement to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. He had not yet contacted his uncle yet as he did not wish to be lectured about duty and honour and everything else he was disregarding by marrying Elizabeth.

It was late on a Saturday night, after returning from dinner at Longbourn, when he sat down to compose a letter to his Aunt Alice, concerning his engagement, and how he took her advise to smile more when he talked to Elizabeth while she was in Derbyshire.

Dear Aunt Alice,

I apologise for not writing sooner but I found my days since my happy engagement quite pleasantly filled. On Tuesday morning I once again asked Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire to become my bride. I would appreciate it if you would have it announced in the papers as soon as possible as I will not be in London until the end of next week for Elizabeth and her sister Jane, soon to become Mrs Bingley, to complete their pre-wedding shopping. They will be staying with their aunt and uncle in Cheapside and I would be forever thankful if you could call upon them once they have arrived.

I also hope that you will tell my uncle of my engagement as the Earl will be most likely very displeased with my choice and am not yet ready to be lectured about it. I pray my cousins are well as that the Viscount's newborn son is healthy as well as his mother.

I am sorry that this letter is so short but I have only just returned from dinner and am ready for a glass of brandy and my bed.

Send my love to my sister.

Forever yours,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

Upon reading this, Lady Matlock was sent into panic. Her husband found her in the east sitting room with the letter dangling from her fingertips and her face ashen. He lightly took the paper from her and skimmed the letter, collapsing onto the sofa beside his wife, suddenly realising that perhaps promising his nephew to a woman he barely knew was not such a good idea.

"So this is why you are always so distant when Miss Taylor calls," the Earl said staring into the fire which was suddenly stifling.

"Yes," Alice said, unable to say anything else or tears would begin to fall.

"What is this woman like then? Why is our nephew so adamant that I will not approve of her?"

"Well she is not by any means wealthy with poor connections and uncles in trade. But from what I have heard of her from Richard and Fitzwilliam, she is well-read and kind with a love for nature," she explained, still unmoving.

"What have we done Alice?" He asked finally reverting his gazed back to his wife, his eyes begging for a solution to the problem which he had created.

In the Taylor's London residence, very different conversations were occurring. Lady Taylor had always had faith that her daughter would find a good husband but never would have dreamed that she would have ensnared the most eligible bachelor in the country. Her, her daughter and her daughters friend Lady Fitzwilliam, were currently holding court in her best sitting room. Anyone who was anyone had called or was planning to call on the Taylor residence, before their daughter became one of the most powerful women in the country.

In a moment of quiet between two matrons of the ton accompanied by their unmarried daughters, Lady Taylor turned to her own daughter and asked her, "have you had word from your fiancée yet?"

"Not yet, but I assume he is busy with my settlement and other business matters." It seems that there had been a miscommunication between the two families during these discussions. While the Fitzwilliam's were still open to the idea that Mr Darcy may refuse Allison, the Taylor's were under the impression that the agreement between the two families was complete and well on their way to demanding the Darcy family ring from the housekeeper of the Darcy home in London.

"He shall be here at the end of next week," Juliana Fitzwilliam announced to the delight of her audience, having overheard the conversation between her parents this morning. She had been panicking continuously since she had heard her mother mention a Miss Elizabeth Bennet whom her cousin had engaged himself to while visiting his friend in Hertfordshire. Guilt was consuming her as she wondered how to break the news to her friend that the marriage which she had bragged all over town about and had already began shopping for. "But... but there's a little problem."

"What is it Juliana dear,"Miss Taylor asked with false concern for her supposed betrothed. "Surely he is not ill."

"No, no nothing like that. It seems like he has attached himself to a country chit while in Hertfordshire," she mumbled, suddenly very interested in the hem of her dress.

"Excuse me?" Lady Taylor bellowed, angered that another woman would dare take her daughters fiancée from her. "Who one earth does she think she is?"

"Her name is Elizabeth Bennet and will be coming to London with my cousin," she said still mumbling but could now able to look her friend in the eye.

"Well then, we'll just have to put her in her place," Lady Taylor said confidently. Juliana was suddenly realising that what had begun as a simple matchmaking plan of hers to see her ever lonely cousin married, had become a fighting match between her friend and the woman that her cousin loves.