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 Gina Prout starts a new adventure
Shropshire
Elizabeth
Almost a week after Georgiana's recovery, Darcy returned. It was late at night and he came straight to their chambers. Elizabeth overheard his shock as he was greeted by his sister.
"William! You have found me!" She ran to him to be embraced.
"Georgie? What are you doing here?" he demanded. Elizabeth could hear his anger from the nursery and stood in the doorway to watch. Must he always be so cross when things are not as he expects?
"Lizzy, that is Mrs. Adam, rescued me. And Stevens." Georgiana looked up at her brother. "She and Mary, another Mrs. Adam, have hidden me and looked after me and have allowed me to help with their little babies. Oh, they are lovely babies, William. You ought to come and see them. Beatrice is so tiny and Phoebe laughs when I make silly faces and Melissa is so funny when she tries to climb up onto my lap and Martha likes to knock the towers of blocks down."
Elizabeth smiled hearing Georgiana's youthful enthusiasm. The kidnapping had been pushed away and all of her thoughts were on the children.
"Here is Lizzy, now," Georgiana indicated the open door to the nursery.
Elizabeth watched as her husband's jaw tensed and knew that furious words were about to erupt. "Georgiana, would you be so kind as to sit with Melissa while she settles down. I shall explain to your brother what has happened." Georgiana acquiesced, and Elizabeth closed the door behind her and put her arms around Darcy's waist.
"I can see that you are angry and tired, but, before you say something that you might later regret, would you permit me to tell you what has happened here?"
His body still rigid with anger, he nodded curtly. She told him of her father's message, of enlisting the help of the innkeeper and the baker, of Stevens helping Georgiana along the ledge and of the false trail to the Welsh border.
"Why did you not send word?"
"William! Do you suppose that we have been sitting here, laughing at your wild-goose chase around the country? Stevens went after you to Bath with instructions to go on to London, and I sent expresses to my father and to the Gardiners. Should I also have put a notice in the newspapers?"
"No, but— " he protested.
She looked at him quizzically. "But— ?"
He relaxed slightly and returned her embrace. "I was so frightened. I feared that I had lost her."
"I know. Now, my only husband, would you like something to eat and drink?"
"I am so weary that I wish only to kiss Melissa and Phoebe's heads and retire."
"Ah," said Elizabeth with a slight hitch in her voice.
"What is amiss?"
"Though recovering, your sister is still too frightened to sleep on her own so has been sleeping in here with me." Seeing, and sharing, his disappointment, she added, "I shall ask her to sleep with Mary."
"Thank you, my darling wife. I have brought Richard with me, so shall tell him the good news and return shortly." He sighed. "We shall have to make a lot of explanations on the morrow."
Darcy
"Why did you not tell me?" Georgiana had screamed at her brother before fleeing from the breakfast table. Elizabeth had put her hand on his arm and shaken her head. Her advice was to wait until Georgiana's anger had died down.
Richard had hidden behind a newspaper.
By late morning and the arrival of Lady Anne and Stevens, Georgiana had allowed Darcy to tell her the story once more. "From the very beginning, William; I wish to hear it all." She had listened calmly, asking many questions.
On seeing her mother, the tears began.
"This is the real source of her distress, William. She was taken from the safety of your mother's arms. She feels that she has no control," Elizabeth whispered to him.
"Is she not angry with me?"
"Yes, but she is more upset about feeling unsafe."
His jaw tensed. "I must do something about Wickham. He cannot be allowed to roam free."
"I agree, but should like to make a suggestion." She took his hand.
"What is that?" He had learned to listen to his wife's ideas.
"If you are no longer riding hither and thither, he will know that your sister has been recovered. I suggest that you and Richard set out shortly, as if still searching."
"Excellent idea, Lizzy!" acknowledged Richard.
Darcy frowned at his familiarity.
Georgiana can leave with your mother, possibly disguised as a maid. You must all look as anxious as you can."
"You believe him to be spying on us?"
"No, but someone might report having seen you, so you must act the part."
"Lizzy has the right of it, William," agreed the major.
"How long must we maintain this masquerade? You know that I abhor disguise."
"How long would it take for your mother and sister to reach your estate?"
"It is but— oh, two days in comfort; one if they hurry."
"Let us assume two days, then. Meanwhile, Mary and I shall return to our father, which will take longer than two days. Shall we agree on a week? That should be long enough to confound Wickham and his gang."
When they put this plan to Lady Anne, she agreed in part. She disagreed with the suggestion that they should return to Pemberley, saying, "That is the first place that he would think of looking for Georgie."
"What if she were to come with Lizzy and me?" Mary suggested.
Georgiana looked hopeful and excited at the thought of this new and much safer adventure. Darcy, his mother and Richard exchanged interrogative looks and agreed.
"There will be conditions," Darcy admonished her. He felt his wife's hand again on his arm.
"If you allow your sister to state them, then she is more likely to abide by them," said Elizabeth, quietly.
Really? Is that how it works?
Georgiana cleared her throat. "I am Lizzy and Mary's distant cousin from Shropshire, Miss Gina Prout." Her audience chuckled, and she continued. "I am also related to their wards. I make no mention of the 'great secret'."
"What are the things that you think that you might let slip, Gina?" asked Mary.
"My brother, William."
"Many people have a brother called William," Mary said.
"Where I am really from and the name of our estate."
Darcy looked wistful. Oh, to take my family home to Pemberley!
Mary stood. "Lizzy and I shall leave you all to discuss how Gina should deal with those slips, should she make them." Darcy stood too and followed them to the door.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked them.
"As long as you, Lady Anne and Richard are content, then so shall we be," Elizabeth replied.
Please don't copy, but please do let me have comments/corrections 😏