FF PRIDE and PREJUDICE AU NOT Cannon

Check-Mate

I do not own the copy rights to the book, or bbc special, Pride and Prejudice

A/N I should have stated this up front; it just dawned on me...normally, I deal with one OC. This story, obviously, has multiple ones.

2 A/N For those new to FF an OC is a character we (ff writers) come with up. They are NOT in the original book, tv show etc.

Surprise Meeting

Ch. 6

I can't say I am impressed with carriages. Yes, the one they have is extremely well built; however, that's not the point. I am not used to swaying of any kind, not even the slightest. Thank heavens my stomach stays in place, or I'd have lost what little supper I had left. We stop in front of Pemberley. If I had been facing the steps we stopped by, I'd have seen Mr. Darcy and his wife making their exit only I'd already got out and was watching Jane getting out. Hence, a voice I know extremely well shouting my name got me snapped around in no time.

"Abigail, what a surprise to see you." Joy threw her arms around me but gives me frightened rabbit look when I go to say her name, so I quickly change what I'd been about to say.

"Joyous to see you too. Now…" I give a small chuckle. "How about letting me breathe?" Joy laughs and lets go as she asks who else is with me. Her question is asked light-heartedly, but a very short – guarded-look revealed, to me, how nervous she really was.

"No one." I shake my head. "But not because Jasmine would have stayed behind had she seen me leave."

"Praise be for small miracles." She does not bother explaining her comment to Charles and Jane, nor does she to her own husband who turned out to be Mr. Darcy. I suspect that one will be remedied in private quarters. "Come, I dare say you need new clothing?"

"I reckon so." I have not been ignorant of the stares I have gotten as I am wearing old, faded, cowboy boots, jeans dark everywhere but the inside of my thighs and fringed jacket covering a dusty shirt was not exactly...womanly attire? Hence, I do not argue as we all go inside. Nor am I surprised Joy is the only one to go with me up a flight as the others disappear around a corner.

"What is going on, seriously?" Joy asks as soon as we are inside a room with faint green paint. I think...with a matching mahogany bed set. "Why did you leave home?

"Same reason, basically, as you did; Bryant. And why we're at it, what am I supposed to call you if not Joy?" I pick an off-white, plain, country looking dress and soon enough am wearing it, and a slip underneath.

"Call me Tamara. As to Bryant...should have known." Joy grew somber as she sat at the end of the bed as I sat down in the only chair in the room. "He won his game?"

"Tamara it is for now on." I don't have to ask why the name change; that is a no brainer. "As to Bryant winning, no." Somehow, I have managed to keep an upper hand. "He's still playing it." My mouth flattened out as I saw an expensive chess set that had been placed on a shelf near the door. "It feels as if he is playing a game of chess and insisting I am his opponent. But why gun for me? It's not like I'm heir to the throne. That goes to the men. I'm sure that will not always be the case someday. Nonetheless, for now it is."

If the room had a window, I'm convinced we'd have seen birds flying by or; maybe, even men going out on a hunt. Of course, with no way to see outdoors we saw nothing. Hence, I focus on Tamara's response, not what may be outdoors.

"I can't say for sure, but…" She shook her head. "...I dare say it's because you believed me on what I'd caught your brother doing. No one else believed he'd go so far as to beat a woman nigh to death -even if she was 'just' a prostitute. And the money control thing was excessive." My friend shuddered at the idea of any woman being railed on for any reason and not being able to decide where the household money went was insane. "Not only did you believe, but also helped me get away before any vows were taken." It is then it hits her she has not been addressing me properly and begs my forgiveness.

"Don't be." I wave it off, "Best we forget that -for our own safety if nothing else, besides, our homeland is nowhere near here." I then go back to her idea of why Bryant had pulled the stunts he had...and was still pulling.

"Maybe, but…" I shake my head. "...if that is the case, in coming here did I win or lose? Have I put him into check-mate?" The question is asked as I pick up a piece of the chess set and then set it back down without looking where I'd set it.

"No, idea, but…" Tamara took a deep breath, "...what if he finds his way here? I can't go back. I'm married and even if I weren't..." Pure fear had entered her voice and her sentence is left unfinished. I tell her she needs to tell her husband everything. Yes, she would be risking him locking her away - but he is still her best bet.

"Look you need to talk to Mr. Darcy and I…" Pulling out the five pieces of jewelry I have left. "Need to sell these and make a serious, low-risk, investment. Can you help me?"

"Yes, but only if Mr. Darcy believes me. Don't leave them out in the open, too tempting for someone to take them." Which is I hide them under some clothes in a drawer while Joy promises to tell the maids to stay out of my room. "You'll have to take the maids your bedding though." I have no problem there. We then leave the room.

Silence is what meets our ear as we step into the hallway and head downstairs. My mind wondering how Mrs. Bennet is doing, or Tamara working the courage to talk to her mate were both ignored as I enter Pemberley's library and see the Bingley's, Lady Catherine - can we say yippee?, her daughter and – of course – Mr. Darcy.

"Welcome Miss…" Lady Catherine pauses expecting me to give her my surname I know, so I toss out Williams and have to keep any laughter as I see my friend bite her own lip. "So, Miss Williams are you visiting or staying?" I can tell she thinks I am poor simply by look she gives me. I do not consider telling her about the jewelry I can sell and then make investments which should pour a hefty amount into my bank account each month. I simply tell her I haven't decided yet.

"Do you know how my mother is doing?" Jane asks as she looks as if she prefers to bite a fingernail rather than to keep her hands in her lap.

"Word spread that fast uh?" I ask as I sit down in a chair and go on after people nod their head. "Sorry, but all I know is Mr. Wickham sent for a doctor and was going to fetch your father. There was nothing else I could do so, instead, I came to see keep a promise only…' I smile and shake my head. "I didn't realize it was Tamara I would be talking to. Too much time without letters does not make it possible to be currently informed of one's status." They all chuckle and look for the couple only to have them nowhere in sight; ten to one she is revealing the truth to Darcy...sure hope that flies well, or we'd both be sunk.

"How on earth did you know what to do with the gash on her head if you are not a doctor? And why are people saying you are Mrs. Bennet's cousin?" the tone Lady Catherine asks the question gives me the urge to yank her nose out of the air. Nonetheless, I manage to keep my voice neutral as I say my father had been a veterinarian. Okay, so it had actually been my uncle; however, by chance, should anyone waltz through looking for me they'd hear about a Abigail Williams whose father was vet and that could not be connected directly to me. As to her question, I'm not surprised- just annoyed she interrupted Jane who I am sure was about to ask.

"Because I said it first, it's a distant relation but I didn't think that mattered." Praise be, Jane speaks first shutting Lady Catherine up - saying it doesn't and the subject is changed with the rest of the evening being uneventful. Jane sings and plays, not exceptionally well, but not bad either. I keep quiet, for the most part and Mr. Darcy must have believed my friend for while he looked at me as if to say 'we'll talk later' he said nothing to imply we were from anywhere, but eighteen hundred's England.