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 —oh, go on then— there is a short epilogue
Pemberley
Darcy
"That is lovely, William," she Elizabeth as she sat on his lap. "It needs but an epilogue."
"Indeed? Why? That is the end of 'Mr Bingley's Quest for Gentlemanship.' He is now the Master of Rosings Park."
"Yes, but readers like to know what happens to their favourite characters after the end of the story."
"Not I," Darcy grumbled, but took up his quill once more.
"My father and Charlotte have three sons."
"Do we have three sons, too?" He pulled her closer and kissed her neck.
"Madam! Wait, let us deal with our family first," she replied pushing his hand back to the paper.
"Mary and James have lots of children and, as we live close to the them, we see them a lot."
"Indeed."
"Jane and Richard move to Tenston, restore the manor house, and have two of each."
"Two boys and two girls?"
"No, two cats and two dogs!" She swatted him. "As do Hannah and Bingley."
"Indeed." Distracted by the loose curls at her neck, he put the quill down again. She picked it up and, dipping it in the ink, drew the paper towards herself.
"Now, our youngest sisters? Happy marriages to worthy gentlemen, I think." Her writing became uneven as he blew the curls this way and that.
"William."
"Mm? Indeed." The curls really were enchanting.
"Readers will want to know what happens to Lady Catherine."
"No, I cannot believe that! Who are these readers who want to hear about her? Does she not get hanged for her part in the treason?"
"Probably, but do you not think that shame would be worse for her than hanging?"
"Indeed."
"Let us have her in stocks."
"Indeed! And, when the great unwashed throngs of peasants hurl mouldy food at her …
" … she will criticise their throwing!"
They laughed together.
"Indeed. Until …
"… until a rotten tomato goes down the wrong way and she chokes."
"Indeed; she would feel the shame quite acutely." He watched her writing. "Is that everyone? It is now time for our own happy every after?"
"Almost, but we cannot forget Lady Prudence."
"Indeed not; Aunt Prudence is unforgettable."
"As it would be too sad to have her die, even though she has had many more than her allotted 'three score and ten,' none of us can escape it. Thus we shall have her live eternally in our fondest memories."
They sat in silence for a while, playing with each other's fingers.
"Is it our turn now, my dearest wife?"
"Your only wife." She turned in his lap to stroke his cheek.
With love — with the very greatest love — he kissed his wife's lips.
The End!
Thank you so much for sticking with me, especially during my crises of confidence from some of the more ungenerous comments. My next battle of words, 'Alliances and the Artifice of War' is on AHA. 💗
Please don't copy!