A/N: I appreciate the guest reviews regarding Regency practices. I will address any anachronisms, if they don't destroy my storyline. Thank you Sal, for the information on doorbells! In Chapter 11 I have changed the wording from a ring to a knock. As for Regency gentleman being forbidden to withdraw from engagements, I took some poetic license here. Due to Mr. Darcy's wealth and status I had Elizabeth assume that it would protect him from scandal. That is why Elizabeth begged her father not to pursue him legally if he did withdraw.
There will be some major rehashing of past events to make Darcy think, amuse the Colonel and give Georgiana some level of understanding. Bear with me please. The next chapter will have a Darcy and Elizabeth interaction and I promise it will be a doozy!
"Oh my," Elizabeth uttered after Bingley's declaration regarding the destruction of his drawing room.
"I have to say Miss Elizabeth, I was quite surprised by the announcement of your engagement. I had not known of an attachment between yourself and my friend." Bingley said. "I must wish you joy."
"Thank you sir, I was surprised as well." Elizabeth answered giving no further explanation.
"When did you become engaged?" he asked.
"According to the newspaper, almost a week ago," she answered unenthusiastically.
"You must tell me how this came about. I sure it is a most interesting tale." Bingley replied.
"You have no idea." Elizabeth answered. "Perhaps we can speak of it in the future but not now. Today is meant for celebrating your union with Jane. It is a very long story and one for another time." she answered.
"Interesting, Darcy used almost the same exact words when I asked him how he knew of the particulars of your sister's illness. You and Darcy seem to be of one mind." He said with a smile.
Elizabeth startled at his words then politely excused herself from his company.
At Darcy House, Georgiana and her brother were enjoying a quiet morning at home. They had just decided to take a brief walk in the park when unexpected visitors were announced. Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her daughter were shown into the drawing room.
"Lady Catherine, Cousin Anne, welcome. I am surprised to see you here. You have not traveled to town in quite some time." Darcy said in a confused tone.
"Yes, well I had some important business. Georgiana come here. Let me look at you." Lady Catherine commanded.
Georgiana responded to the summons with obvious trepidation and gave her aunt and cousin an obligatory kiss on the cheek. She feared her aunt and could only imagine what trouble was brewing with this unexpected visit. She dutifully answered all her aunt's intrusive questions regarding her education. She then expeditiously excused herself to call for refreshments.
"Lady Catherine, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Darcy queried.
"I decided I must come to town at once when I read of your engagement. Really Darcy, to learn of my own nephew's engagement from a newspaper. How crass of you not to inform me yourself. I have to ask why I was not apprised in a proper manner?" she said imperiously.
Darcy paled and waited for his aunt to explode. She knew about Elizabeth and this would not be an amiable visit. He remained silent. He would allow his aunt to dominate the start of the conversation and plan his defense as she did.
"I am waiting for an answer." Lady Catherine said with a hint of a smile. She knew he was anticipating a battle and enjoyed his confusion at her comportment.
"I have no good explanation, aunt." he answered quietly.
"I am almost your nearest relation. I should be informed when an event of such importance occurs in your life. I am very disappointed in you for not keeping me abreast of the proceedings." she added. Darcy looked quite taken aback. He was obviously expecting her to say something else regarding disappointments.
"I apologize Lady Catherine, Cousin Anne." he answered stoically still waiting for her vitriol.
"May I wish you joy cousin." Anne said with a smile.
"Thank you Anne," replied a mystified Darcy.
"I wish you joy as well." His aunt added with no sarcasm in her tone.
"You do?" Darcy asked.
"I do not have a speech impediment young man. If I say I wish you joy than I wish you joy. I do not make proclamations that I do not mean. I am known for my frankness of character." Lady Catherine said self-importantly. Her nephew's befuddlement was providing her with more amusement than she experienced in years.
"Thank you." Darcy replied but it was voiced more like a question than a statement.
"You are most welcome. Anne and I had a most interesting meeting yesterday with your betrothed and her family." she declared.
Darcy almost choked on his tea. "I was not aware that you knew the Gardiners," he replied warily. "You called upon Miss Elizabeth?"
"My parson gave me the direction after I informed him I would be traveling to town to speak with Miss Bennet." she said with a smile that frightened him.
"And how was your visit?" he asked quietly.
"It went differently than I expected at the outset. I found it to be quite revealing. Did get the same impression, Anne?" Lady Catherine said.
"I did. The visit gave me much satisfaction cousin. I applaud you on your choice." Anne answered with a smile. Darcy had not seen Anne smile like that since she was a young child. This visit was becoming more bizarre by the moment.
"Revealing, how?" replied a very nervous Darcy. He still did not understand his aunt's acceptance of his engagement to anyone else but Anne. Anne herself seemed far happier than she should. She had been forever denied his hand in marriage and she was smiling. What was happening?
"Oh, I found Miss Elizabeth and her father to be most enlightening. I believe you have found a partner for your future life that will provide you with quite a challenge. You have made an unexpected choice but not necessarily an injurious one." Lady Catherine said smugly. She relished in her nephew's discomfort. Even if she was now resigned to the match, he still had gone against her when making it. No one, including herself, could have foreseen her change in conviction regarding her daughter's future. Good, she thought, let him fret. Lady Catherine knew her nephew prided himself on being in command in all situations and it made him very nervous when he was not.
"Georgiana, have you met your future sister?" the imposing lady asked.
"Yes, aunt, I have met her once." Georgian answered quietly.
"And?" Lady Catherine goaded.
"I, I, I," Georgiana could not find the words to answer that question. She was still baffled when it came to her brother's fiancé.
"Don't stutter Georgiana. You are a lady and a lady does not stutter. What did you think of her?" her aunt demanded.
"I will need more time in order to reach a conclusion. She seemed very well read. I spent more time with her elder sister, Miss Jane Bennet." Georgiana answered truthfully but ambiguously.
"I see," Lady Catherine replied suspiciously. She decided to let this go as the child looked ready to faint. The grand lady did not want to deal with the aftermath if she did so.
"I liked her a great deal. She kept us all well amused at Rosings. I look forward to becoming closer with her in the future. She is quite clever. I am much in her debt." Anne replied with a smile.
Neither Georgiana or Darcy knew how to respond to Anne's comment so they said nothing. Lady Catherine decided it was now time to take their leave. She was content with her visit. She would leave her nephew to ponder over her reaction to his engagement.
"Oh Fitzwilliam, please make sure that Anne and I receive an invitation to your wedding. I would be very displeased to read about that in the newspaper as well." she said in a syrupy tone that was very disconcerting to Darcy.
Darcy and Georgiana just sat and looked at each other in a puzzled manner. "That was not the visit I expected." Darcy finally said.
"Nor I," replied Georgiana. "I have never heard Cousin Anne speak so much."
"Are they gone?" a voice called out from the servant's entrance.
"Yes Richard, you can come out now, you coward?" Darcy replied recognizing his cousin's voice.
"Richard," Georgiana cried out in glee! "When did you arrive?"
"A half hour ago but when I saw Lady Catherine's equipage I decided to remain hidden. When I did not hear any screaming, I thought it was safe. What was she doing here? Did she come to abuse you over your engagement? I am surprised you still have your skin. I would have thought Lady Catherine would be wearing it as an overcoat by now." Colonel Fitzwilliam said with a laugh.
"She was quite civil, unusually civil, she and Cousin Anne came to offer their congratulations on my engagement." Darcy replied.
"She what? I am all astonishment! That is an odd turn of events. Was she in her cups?" he added.
"I do not know what to make of the visit. She informed us that they paid a call on Miss Elizabeth at her uncle's home and that it was very revealing. I do not know what she was implying." Darcy answered also wondering if his aunt was inebriated. He had not smelled any alcohol.
"Do you think Miss Elizabeth and her family are still alive? Did you hear of any massacres in town in the last few days? I suggest we find out. Let's pay a visit to your lovely betrothed." Colonel Fitzwilliam suggested.
"I am not sure that is a sound idea." Darcy answered.
"Why ever not?" the Colonel replied.
"There are recent events of which you are not aware. Things are a bit complicated at present." Darcy replied wryly.
"What events? Come, come tell Richard all." he prompted jovially.
"I am afraid I cannot at present." Darcy answered.
"That is what my brother continues to tell me, not at present or we will discuss this matter further in the future. I know there is something afoot Richard and Fitzwilliam is not being forthcoming." Georgian interjected very boldly considering her usual reticence.
"Georgiana dear, now is not the time." Darcy scolded.
"Then when is the time brother? On our next call Miss Elizabeth may be disguised as member of the militia. Please, I am not a child and Richard is your closest friend. Should we not be aware if there is an issue regarding your engagement?" Georgiana pressed on with a look of frustration.
"You are quite right my dear! Wait, disguised as a militiaman? What has been happening since I saw you last?" the colonel asked. "Darcy, I insist you share. I supported you in this from the start. I am the one who had to endure an hour with Lady Catherine's oaf of a parson so you could escape with Miss Elizabeth. Then I had to listen to the grand lady spout off for hours on end about undutiful nephews. I, of all people, deserve an explanation." he demanded.
"Escape with Miss Elizabeth? Richard of what do you speak?" Georgiana asked.
"It is not for your ears, Georgiana." her brother pronounced sternly. "Richard, I insist you refrain from discussing this in front of my sister." Darcy said threateningly.
"Darcy, you are engaged to Miss Elizabeth, are you not? I saw it in the paper. You need to be honest with your sister if there are issues regarding your union. She will become very close to Miss Elizabeth in the future. Shouldn't she have the advantage of knowing the entire story?"
"I am not sure I can ever become close with Miss Elizabeth if I do not understand her actions." Georgiana stated pleadingly.
Darcy paced the music room. He was not entirely proud of his behavior over the past few weeks. He did not want to disillusion his young sister. He knew she looked up to him and trusted his word in all things. More importantly he did not want to put ideas into her head about carriages and kisses after the Wickham debacle. He decided to relent but on his own terms.
"Georgiana, my past with Elizabeth Bennet is not the romantic story you think it is. I discovered that she was not very fond of me when I proposed due to a number of misunderstandings. She did not know my character and misinterpreted some things that I said and did. I thought that I had explained myself in enough detail to abate her ire but apparently, I was wrong." Darcy said.
"That's an understatement if I ever heard one." Richard replied with a chuckle.
"But you are engaged. She must have gotten over her anger if she accepted your proposal?" Georgiana said.
"Not if your first meeting with her is any indication" her brother replied with a red face.
"Now I am even more intrigued. Darcy, you must tell us all that occurred." Richard insisted.
"Yes brother, please! You know how distressed I was after our meeting. Miss Elizabeth's letter only added to my confusion, especially her oblique references to your engagement. Please put my mind at ease." his sister cried out using her doe eyes to gaze pleadingly at her brother. That look had always worked when she sought sweets as a child.
"Fine, I will tell you all I believe appropriate. I will have to start at the beginning for it to make any sense. Please allow me to continue on uninterrupted, especially you Richard, as you know parts of the story already." Darcy demanded.
Darcy began his story in Hertfordshire. He explained his perception of their entire relationship in detail. He even honestly included his slight to her at the assembly and his interference in Bingley's romance. The only thing omitted was Wickham's presence in the hamlet and Elizabeth's friendship with the scoundrel.
When he took a brief respite, his sister spoke. "Fitzwilliam, all those letters you wrote me from Netherfield mentioned your approbation of Miss Elizabeth and her character but the entire time she thought you disliked her? It must have been your comment at the assembly. I have to admit I would be in tears if someone described me as such."
"Yes, I agree it was not well done. She is one of the most beautiful women of my acquaintance. I did not know she overheard until her father informed me when I asked for his consent. He also advised me that many a person had commented on our mutual disdain for one another during my time in Hertfordshire."
When he described Elizabeth as beautiful, Georgiana looked at him askance. Colonel Fitzwilliam did not understand the exchange but kept himself from questioning the duo.
Darcy then continued on with his tale. He talked of how he thought of her every day while he was in London and agonized over her suitability for the position of his wife. When he encountered her in Hunsford he explained he believed it was fate. If she reappeared in his life they must be meant to be together. He went on with his tale and only stopped after he described the disastrous proposal.
"As I told you before, not the most romantic of proposals cousin." Richard snickered.
"Brother I love you most dearly but that was not a very considerate approach. Could you have not omitted your opinion of her family?" his sister said gently but her scolding was clear to him.
"Perhaps in retrospect that would have been a better strategy. I assumed she would be impressed by my honesty. Miss Elizabeth is quite straightforward in her own interactions. I misjudged her affection for her family and her acceptance of their eccentricities. I was also very agitated and just started speaking without being completely aware of all I said. When she refused me I was offended and angry. I had never anticipated anything but a positive response. I did not take it well. I articulated things that were best left unsaid." Darcy admitted
"So, if she refused you, how did you become engaged?" questioned Georgiana naively.
"Yes cousin, how did you become engaged?" the Colonel added with grin.
"Well I came upon Miss Elizabeth the next day. She was upset that her sister was ill and far away in London. I offered her transport to town. We discussed the matter and an engagement was the result of my agreeing to inform Mr. Bingley of her sister's presence in town." Darcy replied while looking at the floor. His sister seemed satisfied with his explanation but the clearing of the Colonel's throat let him know he would have to be more forthcoming in private.
"So, then I proceeded to Longbourn to ask for Mr. Bennet's consent. He gave it to me after a very lengthy interview. Elizabeth is his favorite daughter and he did not agree to part with her without much effort on my part." Darcy prevaricated. "I then had the announcement published in the papers. This I did without consulting Miss Elizabeth or her father."
"Could this be the reason for Miss Elizabeth's anger. Did she wish to be consulted?" his sister asked.
"Why rush the announcement Darcy?" his cousin asked with raised eyebrows.
"I followed your past advice Richard. I decided to ask for forgiveness not permission." Darcy said meaningfully hoping his cousin would leave this topic for another time.
"And did you ask for forgiveness?" His cousin probed.
"Not from Miss Elizabeth. I explained my motives to her uncle and father when we called. They were satisfied if not pleased with my reasoning. Due to extenuating circumstances, I have not yet been able to speak with Miss Elizabeth." Darcy replied with an emphasis on extenuating.
"That is my fault cousin. I made quite a mess of my first encounter with Miss Elizabeth." Georgiana said sadly.
"No, my dear, you did not. The fault is not yours." Darcy said kindly.
"Please elaborate." requested the Colonel.
Georgiana explained the next part of the drama to her cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam was laughing so hard at the description of Miss Elizabeth that tears were coming out of his eyes.
"Oh, Darcy I wish I could have seen your face." he guffawed. When he saw Georgiana's expression at his reaction he immediately apologized. "Oh sweetheart, I am not laughing at your pain only at Miss Elizabeth's subterfuge. I am sure she took no offense at all to you, no reasonable person could. Your mistake was an understandable one. I am acquainted with the lady and cannot imagine her looking or acting in such a manner and I found humor in your description. So, please continue, what happened next?"
"I was so humiliated we left the place at once. The next day she sent me a note of apology. It seemed heartfelt but she did not want my brother to know she apologized. I did not know what to make of it." Georgiana said.
"Well, well, well, this is quite the interesting situation." The colonel said. "Whatever will happen next? I cannot imagine. Will it be pistols at dawn?"
Georgiana glared at her cousin. "Please do not make light of this Richard. Something still does not seem right. Why is Miss Elizabeth still so angry? They are engaged This should be a most joyful time. Brother, did you do as you promised and inform Mr. Bingley of Miss Bennet being in town?"
"I did so the very evening that we arrived in London. I also sent Doctor Peterson to care for Miss Jane Bennet." Darcy said, he was pleased he did some things that would be seen an honorable.
"Miss Elizabeth must have been so pleased that you sent Doctor Peterson. He is a very good physician." Georgiana said.
"She does not know. I asked her uncle not to reveal my involvement with Doctor Peterson." Darcy answered.
"Why ever not, brother." Georgiana questioned.
"I did not want her to think she had gained any influence over me. I thought an act of kindness might provide her with an advantage in our situation." Darcy replied realizing his mistake. He should have shouted it from the rooftops.
"You did not want her appreciation? Should not a husband be influenced by his wife, or future wife in this case? Brother, this entire situation is beyond my understanding." Georgiana replied with a frown.
"You are correct poppet. This is a all quite strange. Perhaps you can excuse your brother and I now. We will dissect the situation in more detail and see if we can discover anything else that might have swelled Miss Elizabeth's indignation." he said with a suspicious look at Darcy.
Georgiana agreed and excused herself from the room. She was perturbed at not being able to stay but years of being indoctrinated with the rules of proper etiquette kept her from listening at the door.
"Okay, cousin now tell me all that was unfit for Georgie's innocent ears. I have a feeling you have left out a few important details. Miss Elizabeth is a very reasonable woman. What did you do?" the colonel demanded.
"She is certainly not always reasonable! Her temper can be a fearful thing when she lets loose. Although, she does look quite adorable when she is furious." he added.
"Much like someone else I know. Although I do not think you adorable in your fury." Richard jested.
Darcy told him the entire truth including the carriage ride, the kiss and his loss of verbal control during his interview with Mr. Bennet. His cousin's laughter echoed through the room.
"You have really bungled this Darcy. Do you have any knowledge of women whatsoever, especially intelligent women? I understand you are a good catch but you have been most highhanded and more than a bit arrogant. Since when do your resort to such means? It was beneath you to coerce Miss Elizabeth with her sister's health just to make her agree to your proposal!"
"I knew I should not have said it. I was angry and desperate. I wanted to take it back as soon as the words left my mouth. But then Elizabeth said too many hurtful things thereafter to warrant an apology." Darcy said trying to justify his behavior.
"You have forced her into an untenable position. If the worst thing she does is disguise herself as a schoolmarm, consider yourself lucky. I am surprised she did not run away and join a camp of gypsies. Because of the announcement, she has to marry you but she may make you suffer for the rest of your life. Maybe you should retreat gracefully."
"No, Richard I cannot. I love her we are so well suited in so many ways. I am determined to make this work. I will not back down, not this far into the game." Darcy said sternly.
"This is not a game! It is your life, Miss Elizabeth's life and your sister's as well. I know you are used to winning but look at the possible costs." the colonel reproached loudly.
"I am well aware. I just do not know how to proceed. Elizabeth Bennet never reacts as I think she will or should. She makes a move and I make a countermove. It has always been that way between us. In the past I actually thought she enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of our debates."
"This is not a debate in a drawing room. Have you done anything that a rational person would consider courting?" an exasperated Richard asked.
"I thought I was courting her at Rosings but apparently, she did not notice I was doing so. I did send her an engagement gift." Darcy replied.
"What did you send? Some of the Darcy jewels might be appropriate at this point."
"Not jewelry, although that might have been wise. I sent her a copy of Fordyce's Sermons to Young Women. She was reciting that tripe to my sister so I thought it was fitting." He answered proudly.
"Darcy, you and I need to have a serious discussion about wooing women. It is time for an enormous change in behavior on your part if you want to survive your engagement unscathed. I would wear a helmet the next time you meet Miss Elizabeth as she will probably throw that book at your head. Let us discuss the proper way to conduct a courtship. Are you ready to be a good pupil?" the colonel chortled.