I'm starting back to school on Thursday so it'll be hard to write after this. And considering that I'm working on two other stories (you can read them while waiting for the next post of this story! Along the Watchtower and A Rapunzle Story are both in the fairytale section and desperately need readers and reviews hint hint), it's getting kinda hectic! But I'm enjoying this, and hope you will too. Happy New Year all!
Thanks for all my reviews on this story.
wooley mammoth: my characters always remain respectable. i'm an old fashioned romantic who thinks that waiting for marriage is one of the most romantic and trusting things two people can do. (sigh) My characters always remain respectable and would never even think of doing anything before marriage, in this or any other time era! thank you for noticing! :)
Everyone: the best part of writing is making characters your own, and the cool thing about fanfiction is saying "what if..." So, yes, Mr. bennet would never have really insisted Elizabeth marry Mr. Collins, and there is no possible way DArcy would have kidnapped her, but... it's fun to imagine what if might have been like had it happened isn't it?!
Again, thanks to all my reviewers, and seriously... if you guys could check out Along the Watchtower, i need some advice on it. It's a sequal and no one much has reviewed, but i'm really into writing it. it's very different from my P and P story. No pressure though... not saying I'll hold this story hostage or anything... haha sorry for such a long author's note, i guess i'm chatty tonight!
Here's your story!
The tiny seaside village was just beginning to awaken. Sleepy shopkeepers opened their shops and a boy rubbing his eyes with balled up fists stood almost lifelessly on a street corner, a stack of newspapers at his side.
Darcy's carriage stopped close to the gangplank of a good-sized ship with the name Anne painted across the side. A small woman with shinning blonde hair leaned excitedly over one railing as the ship's crewmen scuttled about, unloading, cleaning, shouting orders and gruff replies.
Darcy himself scowled at the men unloading the ship. Surely they carried too much luggage for one woman! "Jones!" he yelled. "Does your wife carry enough clothes for herself and your daughters?"
Mr. Jones frowned. "No Darce, only one of those trunks is hers. I don't recognize the other ones." Now both men stared at the trunks, hands on their hips, eyebrows pulled down low and contemplative over their dark eyes.
The other man in the company, Mr. Richards, helped the ladies from the carriage. Rene smiled up prettily at him as she clung to his arm. The easy grin he returned her turned to a scowl though when she left his side to go greet her mother in law who was walking off the ship. Elaina followed after her sister and after a moment overflowing with serious thought, Mr. Richards followed after Elaina, offering her his arm. She took it, smiling a strange smile of shyness and deep friendship. Elizabeth watched all this from her spot by the carriage, a small hand holding onto little Hinton's shoulder, a smug smile upon her lips. When she saw that the blonde woman, whom she assumed to be Mrs. Jones had left the precarious gangplank and was firmly on the ground, she released the little boy's shoulder and bent down to whisper in his ear.
"I believe that is your mama Hinton. Should you go greet her?" The little boy's face illuminated in a bright smile that only little boys can have and ran as fast as he dared toward the shape he recognized as his mother. Elizabeth watched still as Hinton threw his arms around Mrs. Jones and she scooped him up her arms. When she put the boy down again, she threw an arm around each girl and began to walk toward Elizabeth. Elizabeth scanned the area, looking for the three men who were their escorts and protectors. They were nowhere in sight.
"And are you the Miss. Elizabeth Bennet my stepdaughters and son have been telling me about?"
Elizabeth brought her stare around to face Mrs. Jones. "Yes, I am. And it is nice to meet you Mrs. Jones. I've heard so much about you."
"I suppose the girls have told you how horrible and strict I am and my son has told him how I don't allow him to eat cookies for breakfast." There was a laugh in her voice that was irresistible, and Elizabeth hoped that she would get to spend much time getting to know the woman before her.
"Oh no, nothing so hideous I assure you," Elizabeth replied.
"I wish to thank you for looking after my children in my absence, it was very good of you."
"It was no problem. And I do hope you are not too shocked by your son's arm."
"Oh no! It was bound to happen at some time, what with the way he rampages about all the time."
"He is a spirited child."
"Like my daughters here," Mrs. Jones responded, gracing her stepdaughters with a loving smile. "Also like me I'm afraid."
"And father," said the sisters together, laughing.
Elizabeth just could not picture the usually amiable Mr. Jones as spirited in any way. But she knew that his family would know him better than she ever could.
"Speaking of your father… where is the man? And the most mysterious Mr. Darcy?" Mrs. Jones cast a roving eye in all directions.
"And where is Mr. Richards?" asked Rene. He was with us when we met Rachel on the gangplank, but he has disappeared.
The four women looked about them, confusion writ all over their faces. Exactly where had all the men gone?
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Jones had gone to talk to the ship's captain to find out what had delayed what was supposed to have been a relatively short journey. On their way up the gangplank, they spotted Mr. Richards, and Darcy waved for the young man to follow him, thinking of expanding the duties that belong to the position of secretary to include keeping notes on the maintenance and upkeep of a good ship.
They had not but touched the planks of the ship's floorboards when the captain came rushing up to the three men, agitation obvious in the tilt of his mouth, the tone of his words.
"Mr. Darcy, Mr. Darcy, I'm afraid we've run into a bit of a problem sir."
"I'd say you have. You were supposed to have been back a week ago!"
"Yes, but it is because of this problem that we were delayed."
"Well man, explain!" exclaimed Mr. Jones. "Did my wife become sick? Was there trouble at sea? Storms?"
"No sir, no sir. The journey would have gone smoothly and quickly had we not mistakenly picked up extra passengers in Bath." The man bit his lower lip, as if expecting a beating or at least harsh, loud words. But all he received was a calm question.
"Passengers? The plan did not include picking up extra passengers Mr. Halloway," spoke Darcy coolly.
"Yes sir, I know, but they claimed to know you, to have urgent business with you. Indeed, the woman claimed to be your betrothed."
"My what!" Now Darcy's temper and volume rose, causing beads of sweat to break out on the captain's forehead.
"But it was a lie sir. One of the men heard her talking to the old man that is traveling with her. They was sayin' scandalous things about you sir, that you had kidnapped the old man's daughter and run away with her, ruinin her reputation. That you had promised to marry the woman on the ship but then you took this other lady in stead. So we locked em up Mr. Darcy. The man, he was sayin that he was goin to kill ya once he saw ya. And that's when we realized that we was harborin criminals and liars." He looked to him employer for some sign that he had done right. But Darcy's face was unreadable.
"You… locked them up?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Where are they?"
"Would you like me to take ya to em?"
"Yes… yes I would." Darcy knew that if his captain really had locked up who he thought the captain had locked up, then his life was about to become just a bit harder.
They followed the well-intentioned captain down into the ship and Mr. Jones turned to Mr. Darcy. "Darcy, what is going on? Do you think you know these people? What could they be thinking?"
Darcy did not answer.
Mr. Richard's mind was working fast, putting the captain's story and Darcy's revelation together quickly. Hadn't Mr. Darcy said that Miss. Bennet had hated him at first, but that he had doggedly pursued her until she had agreed to be his? Could he have kidnapped Miss. Bennet? Surely not. Mr. Darcy was one of the most straightforward, honest and noble men Mr. Richards had ever met.
When they reached a door at the back of the boat, the captain pulled out a key. "They're in this room sir. I kept em in a suit, so they'd be comfortable, but I locked the door."
Darcy turned to his two companions before the captain could put the key in the lock. "Roger my friend, I think I should handle this. Why don't you go to your wife and family. Tell Miss. Bennet to prepare for our wedding. I'll handle this situation as quickly as possible and will return to the inn before too long. Mr. Richards," he said, nodding his head to the young man, "I think you should go with Mr. Jones. Four women and a small rambunctious child might be too much for even a man of Roger's stamina to handle." He smiled a smile that did not quite seem whole hearted and turned back to the captain and the locked door once Mr. Jones and Mr. Richards had walked back up on deck. Nodding his assent to the captain, the key was slid into the lock, the doorknob turned, and the door opened.
Darcy took a deep breath, and entered the darkened room.
Both occupants of the cabin looked up when the captain entered, Darcy following close behind.
Caroline jumped from a chair she had taken at the back of the small but accommodating room. "Mr. Darcy! I am so glad you have come. You will not believe the atrocities I've been exposed to, the injustices that have been heaped upon me! That man!" she exclaimed, pointing towards Captain Halloway, "threw me in this room, accusing me of treasonous plans!" She huffed up to Darcy and threw her arms across her chest, attempting to look as pained and hurt as possible. Darcy did not think she looked hurt or pained at all. He thought she looked indignant and righteous, and he almost not keep himself from rolling his eyes at her protestations. But, living a lifetime of being reserved had its benefits, and Mr. Darcy was successfully able to keep his face void of all disapproving emotion.
"Mr. Darcy," came a threatening growl from a dark corner of the small cabin. Mr. Bennet stepped up to the man, standing a few feet behind Miss. Bingley. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."
Darcy felt cornered and cramped in this tiny room with so many glaring eyes and murderous intents on him. "Captain Halloway," he said, turning toward the man, "would you please escort Miss. Bingley to the local inn? I'll be along in a while."
Caroline looked as if she were about to refuse to go with the good captain, but before she could get out a single word, Halloway had her arm in his and was escorting her from the room, never one to tarry on his employer's orders.
"Mr. Bennet, I believe we need to talk in private," spoke Darcy, as the captain drug Caroline unceremoniously out the door.
"Yes, Mr. Darcy, I have an unusually important matter to discuss with you, you lying, menacing, preying cad!" Mr. Bennet drew quickly closer to Mr. Darcy, a fist shaking dangerously close to Darcy's face. Darcy drew back a step.
"Mr. Bennet, can we please sit calmly and have a civilized conversation about all this? Please, take a seat." Darcy pulled a chair from under a table and offered it to the older man. Mr. Bennet glared cautiously at the man who kidnapped his daughter. Finally, after what seemed a lifetime of cautious deliberation on the elder Bennet's part, the man took the chair that Darcy offered, and Darcy sat himself across the table from the other man.
"I'll give one chance to explain your actions to my satisfaction, though I can't promise you I won't still take actions against you. You have thoroughly endangered my daughter's person, and ruined her reputation, not to mention your own sir, so speak carefully, and I recommend the truth."
Darcy was not used to being interrogated. He was usually the one with the upper hand in every situation. And here he was, explaining his actions to someone else. It was totally new for the master of Pemberly, and needless to say, he did not like it. But he knew that in this instance, he had been in the wrong. It had been scandalous to kidnap his future bride from another wedding, and he really had no sane reason to offer that could make his motives seem better than they were. So, setting in place the grim stone face Darcy look, he began an explanation.
"To start out with sir, I do not regret rescuing your daughter from what would have been a disastrous union."
Mr. Bennet looked as if he was about to interrupt, but Mr. Darcy silenced him.
"No sir, pray do not interrupt me. I've much to say and wish to get it out all at once. You may ask as many questions as you like after I've had my say." There was not question to Darcy's voice. He was telling the older man what to do in a tone that breached no argument. He continued his explanation.
"I was not thinking sir, not logically at least. When I showed up at the church, my only thought was that I could not allow a woman such as Elizabeth Bennet marry a man such as Mr. Collins. She is smart, witty, beautiful and vivacious. Mr. Collins is none of these, and I do not mean to criticize Mr. Bennet, but I cannot see how either you or your wife thought it an appropriate match. Surely you see how much more valuable your daughter is." He did not wait for an answer.
"I had no thought to whether my actions were appropriate or not, or indeed whether they would be accepted or not by your daughter. I simply knew that I loved her, and could let her marry no other man than myself. Of course I realize now that I was very presumptuous in my thoughts and actions. And sir, let me assure you, that had Elizabeth not had plans of her own after our escape, we'd have already been married long ago. But I can assure you also that no inappropriate actions have taken place. Both of us have remained as pure and innocent in our dealings as any decent couple can admit to. And I finish, sir, by saying that we are to marry this very afternoon, and I know Elizabeth would be delighted to have you present. Indeed, it has been my greatest regret, that even though I've won the desire of my heart, my actions have taken from her the grand wedding she might have had, the opportunity of having her loved ones look on as she begins a new chapter of her life." With that, Darcy quit talking and looked onto Mr. Bennet, awaiting a reply of any sort. It was not long in coming either.
"You are marrying her then. And she wishes to marry you?"
"Yes sir, miraculously, she does."
"May I see her?"
"Of course! She is not my prisoner! Matter of fact, she's been acting as governess in my household for the past two weeks." At the incredulous look on his future father in law's face, Darcy knew that further explanation would be needed. "It was not my idea. I did not want her to do such a thing, but since my friend and his children were staying with me, and his wife was visiting her parents, Elizabeth felt that they needed her more than I. Though I beg to differ on that point to a certain extent," mused Darcy almost to himself. "She has been housed in the best of rooms, in a hallway on a completely different floor than my own, across the hall from the quarters where the two girls she was looking after slept. Can you find any fault in my actions sir?"
"Aside from the fact that you kidnapped my daughter on her wedding day, absconded with her across the ocean to Scotland, where you housed her at your own estate where she worked as a governess while engaged to you, no, no Mr. Darcy, I cannot," spoke Mr. Bennet, his words heavy with disdain.
"I can tell that you do not like me sir," said Darcy icily. "I wish it were not so, for we are soon to be related."
"No Mr. Darcy, I do not like you. And that remains to be seen. Miss. Bingley has just been telling me that you were to marry her. What do you have to say to that man?"
"You may choose to believe me or Miss. Bingley. Would I be right in believing that no matter what I say, you will side with her?"
"She did not kidnap my daughter!"
"Then I will not be able to bring you around?" asked Darcy, though there was no questioning tone to his voice.
"No, sir, you will not. I'll be taking my daughter home this very day."
"You will not be able to sir, for your daughter, will soon be my wife. And once she is so, it will be you who is the kidnapper." Darcy stood from the chair as if to leave, but halted his steps and turned back to the man at the table. "I knew it would be rough between us, because of my inexcusable actions. But I had hoped that once you saw my love for Elizabeth, you would be persuaded to forgive me. I see it is not so. And because I know it will pain Elizabeth, it pains me. But I will marry her; you will not stop me." Darcy left the room, a scowling Mr. Bennet remained seated looking into the empty doorway that the infuriating daughternapper had just vacated.