Madam and Missy — A Pride and Prejudice Variation
This is dedicated to all the writers both here and on KU who've released their stories for free! As I enjoy reading them so much, I thought that I'd have a go, and here it is.
[Note that I'm a Brit, so have written with British spelling, punctuation and terminology 😏]
In which the families grow, Georgiana arrives unwillingly and Elizabeth mounts her own rescue mission
Shropshire
Darcy
In spring, Darcy took Elizabeth, Melissa, Mary and the servants back to Shropshire where Elizabeth's second child was born. Finding the waiting almost unbearable, he admitted to himself that there had been benefits to not being aware of Elizabeth's first confinement. But, when presented with the baby, Darcy felt the same all-encompassing love for his new daughter as he had for Melissa.
A few days after the birth, while sitting rocking a sleepy Melissa, who had insisted on visiting the new 'beebee', he watched Elizabeth nursing, her chair in a pool of sunlight.
"Phoebe," he said.
"Mmm?"
"Do you like the name 'Phoebe'?"
"What made you think of that?"
"You did, sitting in the sunshine. And Melissa calls her the 'beebee'!"
"'Phoebe' it is," she laughed. "Our bright, shining one."
Darcy stood and passed Melissa to Mrs. Jameson, then walked to his wife to kiss her and Phoebe. "Your mamma will have a sunshine to go on her bracelet, but you are not to tell her for it is to be a surprise," he murmured to his newest daughter.
Less than a fortnight later, Mary's daughter was born, joining the other little girls in the nursery. Darcy managed to get James to Tenston in time for the birth. Shortly afterwards, the bishop arrived bringing his wife, Lady Eleanor, James' mother, to meet their daughter and their new grandchild. After young Phoebe and Beatrice's christenings, the two Messrs. and Mmes. Adam were left in peace. James and Mary chose to stay at the lodge with Beatrice, while Darcy, Elizabeth and their daughters stayed in the manor house, to be joined by Mary whenever James was recalled to his parish.
Darcy and Elizabeth resumed their summer habit of walking in the early morning, working on estate business, and walking again in the afternoon. They took turns carrying Phoebe in a sling but her elder sister often wanted to walk for herself. Her parents delighted in every step.
Darcy found that Elizabeth still enjoyed the market each Thursday. She seems to know even more people now! Entertained, he watched and listened as she chattered and laughed with many of the stallholders, asking them of their families just as they asked of hers. She greeted the shopkeepers too, and the local farmers and landowners. During every conversation, she tried to find a way to include him, telling him of their many kindnesses to herself and the children during his absences.
In July, an express came to shatter their idyll.
Lady Anne had written from Bath, where she and Georgiana were staying, to say that the latter had been kidnapped. Almost immediately, Darcy — having put his boots on — saddled Ajax and left to search for her.
Elizabeth
Another express arrived. It was for the two Mmes. Adam from their father. Elizabeth and Mary deciphered it together.
"Oh, no! Where is William?" cried Elizabeth. "He has gone off too soon!"
"Wait, Lizzy," admonished Mary. "Read the rest of the message. Pappa has found that the kidnappers are travelling north, towards us. Look, he says that they are to stop at The Anchor!"
"What are we to do?"
"Lizzy! Stop! You are the fearless Lizzy Bennet! What would she do?"
"Why! She would rescue William's sister, herself!" Elizabeth kissed her sister's cheek. "Thank you, Mary."
She called Mr. and Mrs. Stevens to join them.
"Am I correct in thinking that William's sister will recognise you both?" she asked them after relating the contents of the letter.
The Stevenses looked at each other. "Me more than Sarah, Missy, as she has seen me quite recently."
"Well, Stevens, it will be up to you and me to rescue Miss Georgiana." Elizabeth frowned, then muttered, "Without my discovering her surname and her discovering our relationship. Hmph, we shall manage."
Elizabeth and Stevens readied themselves, donning older clothing so that they would be less noticeable. As they walked into the town, she realised that it was a market day. "Excellent, Stevens, we shall not be spotted in this throng!" They meandered through the stalls, greeting people on the way. As they neared the inn, Stevens gasped.
"What is it?"
"Miss Ge—, the young miss has just been pulled from that carriage."
"Which one is she?"
From the doorway of the inn, a man looked around at the market stalls and Stevens swiftly concealed himself. "In the blue dress, Missy, and the man with her is a rogue!"
Elizabeth watched from the corner of her eye. "Who is he?"
"Wickham, George Wickham."
"I have heard that name." And all that he has done to William's family.
Stevens peeped around the edge of Elizabeth's bonnet and reported, "They are inside, now."
"Good, then let us plan. Oh, look, here is Jimmy." She beckoned a small boy over to her. "Jimmy, would you — ever so quietly — ask your pappa to meet me in a few minutes, please." She gave him a farthing.
Shortly, the red-faced innkeeper found her outside. "Yes, Mrs. Adam, what can I be a-doing for ye?"
"We require your help, Mr. Riddle. An acquaintance of ours has been taken to your inn against her family's wishes."
"Ah, yes, she be the a-young lass in tears." He nodded.
"Stevens and I should like to reclaim her, preferably without her, um, companions finding out before we have her to safety."
"Mmm," said Mr. Riddle, thinking. "I be a-denying this should ye be an-asking the wife, but in my a-younger days, I might of a-climbed from the window behind me to the next one above the bakery." He gestured over his shoulder surreptitiously with his thumb. "See, there be quite a ledge."
Elizabeth and Stevens attempted nonchalance as they examined the two windows and the ledge between them.
"Would you put them in that room, please? Stevens and I shall return later this evening, but must first speak with the baker." Touching Mr. Riddle's arm gently, she added, "If the companions cause any damage, Mr. Adam will recompense you."
Mr. Riddle nodded and sauntered back to the inn.
The baker laughed at Elizabeth's request. "That takes me back, Mrs. Adam! Of course you can use the room. 'Tis a but small storeroom, but big enough for you and your friend to hide in for a while if needs be."
At dusk that evening, they returned to the bakery, Elizabeth carrying a spare, plain cloak and bonnet. Looking right from the window of the baker's storeroom, they could see into the window of the inn. The curtains were not drawn, and the light of a single candle showed a figure on a chair, bound and gagged. Below them, Jimmy indicated that the companions were in the bar.
Stevens opened the window and leant out. With a stick, he tapped on the next window. The bound figure turned its head. Stevens tapped again. The figure stood and shuffled to the window. Its eyes widened to see a familiar face.
"Miss?" called Stevens, softly.
She nodded, tears starting to slide down her cheeks.
Stevens climbed out of the window and stepped carefully along the ledge. He pulled open the inn's window and dropped inside. Holding his finger to his lips, he untied Georgiana. "Shh."
"Wha—?"
"Shh! Now come with me," he murmured.
She shook her head.
"Hold my hand, miss, but come now." He pulled her to the window.
Elizabeth hissed across the gap, "Come on, and bring the rope and the gag."
Stevens pushed them into his pocket then chivvied and cajoled Georgiana out and along the ledge to the other window and into Elizabeth's waiting arms. He pushed the inn's window to and, when he joined the women, picked up a handful of loose flour from the floor and scattered it over the ledge and windowsill.
"Good idea, Stevens." Addressing the younger woman, Elizabeth said, "I know that you are frightened, but please pretend that you are not until we reach safety. 'Tis but a brisk fifteen minute walk; can you manage that?"
Georgiana nodded shakily, and Elizabeth continued, "Questions later, let us be away. Stevens, the remainder of our plan, please. And could you throw the rope and the gag somewhere misleading?"
Dressed in Elizabeth's spare cloak and bonnet, and clutching her arm, Georgiana allowed herself to be hurried down some stairs and out into the night.
Elizabeth introduced herself as Mrs. Adam and asked if Georgiana had a nickname. On hearing that a cousin called her 'sprout', Elizabeth said that she would introduce her as 'Miss Prout'. "That way, nobody will associate you with the missing girl from the inn; for who is Miss Prout? Do not tell your real name and no one will misspeak it."
Walking quickly, it was not long until they turned off through the gates, passed the lodge and arrived at the manor house.
"Apart from Stevens, the steward and a few servants, we are a female household. Come in and meet my sister."
Mary met them at the door. "I have tea and refreshments ready," she said. "Would you like to refresh yourself before we answer your questions?"
Still clinging to her rescuer's arm, Georgiana declined.
"We have a fire in the small parlour even though it is summer, as I thought that you might be a little upset, and there is nothing like a cheery fire when one is upset."
When they had settled by the fire, Elizabeth spoke. "This is my sister, Mary. She is also Mrs. Adam, so it is probably best to call her by her Christian name. For reasons too many to explain this evening, I have two names; people here know me as 'Missy', but Mary calls me 'Lizzy'. Mary?"
Understanding what her sister was asking, Mary replied, "'Lizzy' is best, I think."
"Very well. Please call me 'Lizzy', but be aware that many call me 'Missy'." She sighed, weary of the 'great secret' and all of these names. Just who am I? "Mary, this is Miss Prout. We chose the name as her cousin calls her— "
"'Sprout'!" cried Mary. She giggled. Elizabeth joined in. Georgiana did too, but her laughter swiftly turned to tears as she relived the fears of the previous days and that evening. The sisters sat on either side of her and held her in their embrace as she sobbed.
"What am I to do? My mother must be so worried," Georgiana said, sniffing. "She will have asked my brother to search for me. We must let them know that I am here."
"We shall do all of that. We shall write to her. If you would give me your mother's direction, we shall ask Stevens to take it to her at first light."
"Can he not leave now?"
"No, it is not safe while it is so dark. Besides, he is busy laying some false clues for your erstwhile captors."
"What is he doing?" asked Mary.
"He is leaving a ladder near to the window at the inn, and is leaving a trail of the ropes and the gag on the winding track towards the Welsh border. They will waste much time going in that direction!"
"And they will not be helped by not knowing the language!"
"Do the Welsh people not speak English?" asked their guest.
"Many of them do, but will not to people who are rude to them which I expect that they will be."
"Indeed," agreed Georgiana.
Mary leant closer to Georgiana and said, sotto voce, "I recommend that you do not ask Lizzy to teach you the Welsh language, as the stallholders at the market laugh at her when she tries it!"
Elizabeth hmphed good-naturedly. "'Tis my accent at which they laugh. I am certain that Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Davis appreciate my attempts to bid them a good morning: bore da!"
"Borrow dar, Lizzy. Borrow dar!"
"I insist that you accompany me to the market next week, dear sister. Then we shall see what the women think of your pronunciation!"
Although Elizabeth had warned her that she might be woken during the night, Georgiana was very reluctant to sleep on her own, so joined her hostess. The latter was pleased that the younger woman was not ill-tempered when woken by the babies' hungry cries, but instead took turns pacing and rocking to help them back to sleep.
At dawn, Stevens set off to deliver their letter to Lady Anne. If he could not find her in Bath, he was to ride on to London as they assumed that that would be where she and Darcy would go. Elizabeth also arranged for messages to be taken by an express rider to both Longbourn and the Gardiners.
The small group remaining spent their days quietly. Elizabeth insisted that she, Mary and their daughters be seen out and about as usual, but that Georgiana stay inside the manor house.
Please don't copy, but please do let me have comments/corrections 😏