Elizabeth ran from the house as soon as she saw Darcy stalking across the lawn. She skidded to a halt in front of him, stopping her considerable forward motion by throwing herself into her former husband. He caught her and wrapped an arm around her, his scowl lightening.
"Oh William! Say you found the papers!"
"Well, to have found the papers, I first must find the preacher… which I did not do."
Elizabeth's shoulders slumped and her lips drooped. "Oh William," she whispered, leaning harder into his arm. Darcy stopped walking, holding Elizabeth in place. He leaned his head in close to hers and locked eyes before speaking. The look in Darcy's eyes alerted Elizabeth to the idea that some mischief was about to be played. She vaguely remembered that very same look from when he abducted her from the alter, and then again when he had used his friend Mr. Jones to hire her as a governess to bring her into his house, and then again when he had whisked her off to Pemberly after the disastrous arrival of Collins, Lady DeBourgh, and Caroline in Scotland.
It was his pirate look, and it made him look utterly dashing. Elizabeth shivered and smiled in spite of herself. "Whatever scandalous thing you are about to propose sir, I am utterly against it!"
"Your smile says that you are not, dearest Elizabeth." His voice was sure, confidant. "I do indeed have an idea to fix our present unhappy state. It is perfect Lizzy. But… I need your help to carry it out." He leaned in close enough to kiss her, but did not, instead he moved his hands to encircle her head and gently grazed his thumb over her neck. He was doing his best to convince her… or to make her quite forget her objections.
But Elizabeth could not be so manipulated. Leaning in the rest of the way, she kissed Darcy quiet efficiently before stepping from the small circle of his arms.
"Now Mr. Darcy, I believe you must tell me what your plan is before you tell me how it is that I must help you in it. You need not use such underhanded methods to… seduce me into complying with your plot. Simple logic will suffice."
Darcy would have laughed long and heartily had he been alone with Elizabeth. He would have picked her up and swung her around, delighting in feel of her waist in his hands and the sparkling merriment in her fine eyes. However, since they were talking quite in the public venue of Pemberly's courtyard, he was not at liberty to take liberties… as it were.
He took her arm through his and pulled her toward the gardens. "Richards is writing up annulment papers as we speak."
"Annulment papers! But Darcy, why would we want another set of…" she quit talking and glared at him, hoping she looked as forbidding as he usually did. "I realize I trapped you into marrying me, but I thought you were quite satisfied with the outcome."
Darcy was shocked that her thoughts had taken such a turn. "No! No! You must let me finish, love. No one saw those bloody annulment papers but the preacher, Lady Catherine, and I. Therefore, no one knows what they look like. The solution is simple. Richards will draw up a set of annulment papers, which I will sign, but which will not be legal, and everyone will believe we've found the originals."
Elizabeth looked doubtful. "But where do I come into all of this?"
"You, dearest Elizabeth, must find the fake papers; swept into some corner or under some piece of furniture in my room, forgotten in all the excitement and mayhem that ensued last night."
Unbeknownst to either Darcy or Elizabeth, their conversation was not as privately discussed as they had thought. For as Darcy pulled his pirate queen into the relative seclusion of the garden, another couple's intimate chat was interrupted.
Jane and Mr. Bingley jumped from the bench they had been sitting on, quiet more closely than propriety allowed, and ran to hide behind the tall shrubbery that circled around the flowerbeds. When the voices of her sister and ex brother in law grew faint in the distance, Jane pulled Bingley from their hiding place and looked up at him, wide eyed.
"Oh Mr. Bingley! Would they really do such a thing! Elizabeth has always been… impulsive, but always so cautious at the same time. She'd never do anything to hurt her reputation."
"Yes, but I cannot say the same for Mr. Darcy," was Bingley's cold reply.
"But what do you mean? He has always seemed the very picture of control, propriety, and nobility."
"Oh yes, Darce is all that, but… I believe he's sometimes too reserved. I think that meeting your sister has… opened some sort of dam that he'd built up years ago. He's hidden his impulsive, passionate nature behind years and years of walls of responsibility.
"Oh," said Jane, as she let her suitor's word's sink in. "I suppose you know best though. You are Mr. Darcy's oldest friend. But do you think they will really lie to our parents? They are not legally married after all! And they intend to… to…" she blushed, not able to finish her sentence.
Share the same bed until the marriage is once again legal, thought Bingley, though he did not say it. It is what I would do. This thought brought him back to the events that had taken place before Darcy and Elizabeth had interrupted him. "Jane, I believe I asked you a question before we were so unexpectedly interrupted. Is it possible that you have an answer for me?" He took both of her hands in his and held them tightly, as if she would run if he loosened his hold.
Jane blushed prettily and smiled shyly up at the man she loved. "There could be no other answer than yes Mr. Bingley."
"Charles, call me Charles," he said as he lowered his mouth to place a properly chaste kiss lightly on her lips.
Bingley paced back in forth in Darcy's study, thinking ahead of how he was going to propose such a scheme to his friend. No, he would not propose it, he would demand it. He had information to hold over Darcy's head, and for once, he wasn't too afraid or too nice to use it.
"Bingley!" said Mr. Darcy, shocked to find his study already occupied. Mr. Richards ran into his employer as he came to an abrupt halt.
"What!" he said, as he righted himself and excused his clumsiness to Darcy. "Mr. Bingley… I um… I should go." He made a quick bow to leave, but Darcy quickly grabbed the younger man's lapels and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind him.
"No, Richards, you have work to do."
Mr. Richards glanced warily at Darcy before sitting down at the desk, then glanced warily at Bingley before opening a drawer and pulling a set of documents forth. He placed them on the table before him, dipped a pen in the ink well, and shifted his gaze hesitantly from Darcy to Bingley and back again before sighing deeply and setting the pen to paper.
"I know what you're doing!" exclaimed Bingley rather energetically. Darcy eyed his friend coolly and Richards' head flew up, eyes wide. Neither man spoke, however, willing in their silence, Bingley to explain his revelation, which he did. "I was in the garden when you were talking with Elizabeth, Darce. I… I know about the annulment papers."
"And he disapprove I'm sure," was Darcy's only reply.
"No! In fact, I'm afraid I quite whole-heartedly agree with your motives and actions! But as it stands… I'm afraid I'm going to have to blackmail you."
Darcy walked to a nearby chair and sat down, leaning his elbow on the armrest, and placing his chin in his palm. He was amused and intrigued and this fact sent a shiver of relief through Bingley.
Richards had thrown his pen down and was now slumped in his chair, one arm crossed over his chest, the other raking fingers through his now messy hair. "The game is up Mr. Darcy, we've been found out."
"Apparently not, Mr. Richards, if we are able to pay Bingley a reasonable price," said Darcy.
"Yes… well…" mumbled Richards, giving up.
Bingley continued, "I assume you plan to present these papers tonight, and be rid of the Bennets by week's end."
"If not sooner Bingley. By the end of the week, I'll have gone mad!"
"Do you intend to marry Miss. Bennet… Elizabeth…Mrs…" Bingley stopped, at a loss as to what she now was called.
"I intend to remarry Mrs. Darcy," said Darcy, emphasizing what he saw as her true name, as soon as possible, whether her family is here or not. The thing is, neither of us want the fuss that will inevitably come with this whole bloody affair, which is why are attempting to deceive everyone Bingley. Now name your price or stop teasing me!"
"I'm not teasing Darce. I… I wish to be married when you remarry. To Jane. I've asked for her hand, and she's excepted."
"I would have no problem with a double secret wedding Bingley, however, how would the lovely Jane feel about such deception?"
Bingley's effusion of thanks to Darcy stopped abruptly in his throat as Darcy's words sunk in. He had not asked Jane's opinion in the matter, and now that he thought about it, was quite sure that Jane would not wish to disappoint her mother by being married in a small secretive affair. "You're right Darcy," said the ever sensible Bingley. "I guess I'll go ask he father, and then we'll tell Mrs. Bennet." This last was said with a visible wince, and Darcy felt for his friend.
"Before you go," said Darcy as he stood and walked to a small table near the desk that held a crystal decanter of dark liquid and small tumblers of the same design. Darcy poured the liquid into three tumblers and handed one to Bingley, then another to Richards. Bringing his own cup to his lips, he paused before drinking. "I believe you might need a bit of fortification, Bingley my friend." He thought before continuing, "To deserving women… and the trouble we go through for them." Sharing a knowing look, all three men tossed back their heads and threw back their glasses as the warm drink disappeared into the backs of their throats.
Only half of Darcy's houseguests sat together in the drawing room that looked out onto Pemberly's gardens. Mrs. Jones sat on a low couch speaking to Mr. Bennet, while Mary sat complacently on a chair, wishing this particular room was occupied by a bookshelf, a pianoforte, or simply anything to keep her busy. Mr. Bingley was talking intimately with his betrothed, perfectly framed by a window. The couple's blonde hair shone in the setting sun, and Elizabeth, who was sitting idly by Mary, smiled contentedly at the perfect picture they made. Darcy, as was his want when in a sober mood, leaned against the fireplace mantle, deep in thought. Hinton sat in a straight backed chair, swinging his legs, looking for some escape from the tedious boredom of the indoors.
"I hope that your wife is well, sir," said Mrs. Jones to Mr. Bennet.
"I'm sure she is Mrs. Jones. She is merely upset that the annulment papers are still missing. I've no doubt that she will be wonderfully well as soon as they are found once more."
"I do hope so."
"Trust in it madam. Also… I believe that my dear Jane may have some news for her that just might set everything to rights once more." He smiled at his eldest daughter who blushed fiercely and left Mr. Bingley's side to quit the room.
"You are right father. I should not delay any longer."
Elizabeth smiled at first her sister, then Bingley, knowing full well what it was that Jane had need to discuss with their mother. She also knew that Jane's revelation would delay her own.
Darcy stood somberly by the unlit fireplace. He was staring at Elizabeth and his stare was not very pleasant at all. He was, in fact, annoyed that she had not yet revealed the fake papers to her family. She should have done so by now. He waited for her to make an excuse to leave the room, but she stubbornly stayed put, conversing with Mary. Eventually, Elizabeth could no longer ignore the irritated eyes glaring intently at her, and excused herself from Mary to converse with her… husband?
"Are you doing your best to convince my family that you do not really wish to be married to me sir?"
"Elizabeth, when do you suppose Richards and the girls will be back from town?" said Darcy rather shiftily.
"I suppose when Mr. Jones arrives. They did go specifically to meet with him," said Elizabeth, much confused by Darcy's choice of topic. Actually, Mr. Richards and the Jones sisters had gone into town for their father, Lydia and Kitty went with them simply to be in a surrounding where they might be exposed to eligible gentlemen.
"Yes, well… Mr. Richards finished writing up those papers for me this afternoon, so I gave him the evening off." Darcy tapped his fingertips on the mantle and glanced at Elizabeth from the corner of his eyes.
Elizabeth knew exactly what Mr. Darcy was referring to. He wished her to leave the room and make her wonderful discovery. She almost laughed at his attempts to secretly convey his message to her, but sobered her features and instead attempted, more successfully, to convey her own reasons to him.
"My mother will be so happy to hear of Jane's good fortune, don't you think William? Jane deserves to be praised over all for at least one night. She is the best of us Bennet girls after all." Elizabeth defied convention and placed her hand lovingly on Darcy's arm, beseeching him with her eyes to understand.
Darcy understood completely. He didn't like it, but he understood. Jane's marriage to a man of five thousand a year would be completely eclipsed, in Mrs. Bennet's opinion, by Elizabeth's finding the fake annulment papers. Darcy withheld a grumble. Elizabeth's tender love for her sister was one of the characteristics that made him fall in love with her in the first place. Her careful nursing at Netherfield had displayed a side of her to Darcy that he had found quite endearing. If only she would worry after me like that, he had thought at the time.
Now he was quite sure she would. And, shockingly, was tempted to fall sick simply to test this theory. The thought brought a genuine smile to his lips that he directed straight toward the woman he loved, but it was not to be returned, for at that moment, the sitting room doors were thrown open by none other than Mrs. Bennet herself.
Startled, Hinton jumped from his chair and bolted through the doors Mrs. Bennet had just flung wide. In her ecstasy over Jane's impending engagement, Mrs. Bennet never noticed the small speeding child that rustled her skirts as he ran by.
"I really cannot believe that Mr. Wickham would be such a scoundrel!" exclaimed Lydia to Rene as they strolled amiably towards the inn where Mr. Jones' carriage would be arriving.
"He was delicious to look at was he not? However, Jonathan said that Mr. Darcy did not trust him, and really, that is enough for me." Rene stopped in front of a window on the pretense of looking at some bonnets that were displayed, but looked slightly over her shoulder at the pair that walked slowly behind her, Kitty, and Lydia. Jonathan held Elaina's hand, and though her skirt hid their intertwined fingers, a discerning viewer would have spotted Jonathan's fingers running back and forth over Elaina's writs. Rene was a very discerning viewer.
Turning her attention back to the rather tacky bonnets in the window, Rene smiled slightly.
"Oooh!" exclaimed Kitty, "What lovely bonnets!" Rene rolled her eyes as Lydia chastised Kitty.
"Kitty, those bonnets are absolutely hideous. You know absolutely nothing about fashion."
Rene walked away from the window as the two youngest Bennet girls fought, their voices becoming ever louder and shriller. "Actually girls," said Rene, in an attempt to stop the escalating scene, "Fashion is completely a matter of attitude."
Kitty and Lydia, who had started to think of Rene as something of a mature expert on all things womanly and fashionable, immediately stopped bickering and picked up their skirts to fly after the departing Jones girl.
"Attitude, what do you mean?" inquired Lydia.
"Yes, what do you mean?" added Kitty.
"Simply that it is the lady inside the clothes that matter." Rene stopped walking and turned to face the two Bennet girls, her eyes focused on them quite seriously. "And I emphasize the word lady. My sister," she said as she looked over Lydia's shoulder and focused her gaze on the strolling couple in the distance before continuing her lecture, "is the very picture of propriety. She tries her best to polite, kind, and trustworthy. She is, in other words quiet a boring person. However, her perusal of the literary arts gives some… spice to her personality. It adds a hint of curiosity to her. Now, imagine that her clothes were on a mannequin. What would you think of them?"
Lydia and Kitty turned to study Elaina's attire. "Well, I wouldn't give them a second glance in a shop," replied Lydia.
"Yes, they are so plain, and that red is so… so red," supplied Kitty.
"Exactly," said Rene. "That is what I like to call a very brave color, on a very timid dress. But, when you first saw Elaine this morning, how would you have described her look?"
The girls thought hard once more. It was considerably more thinking than either of them had done in some time. "I don't know why know," said Kitty hesitantly, "but I was positively envious of her ensemble." Lydia nodded her head slowly in agreement.
"Do you want to know why that strange dress looks so fashionable on my sister?" asked Rene with a slight smile. Lydia and Kitty nodded their heads energetically. "Well, it is because she is sure of herself and who she is. She knows what she likes, and doesn't look to society to define her. She acts the perfect gentlewoman, but there is that touch of mystery about her because of her astonishing career choice. Thus her clothing. Do you understand?"
"Do they understand what?" asked Elaina, coming up behind the Bennet sisters. Lydia and Kitty jumped at her seemingly abrupt approach, but Rene acted as if she wasn't there, keeping her dark gaze boring into the two slightly younger girls.
"In essence, what I am trying to say girls, is that the most fashionable clothes cannot hide irredeemably bad manners. You can trump yourself up in furs and silks as much as you like, and people will still see what featherbrained strumpets you are. I suggest you think just a little bit more today… about that."
"Rene!" admonished Elaina and Jonathan together. Rene lifted her gaze and to her sister and future brother in law and lightened it with a sparkling smile before turning her back and confidently striding toward the large carriage that was just now pulling to a stop in front of the Lambton Inn.
"Papa!" she yelled, raising an arm in greeting to Mr. Jones who was just now descending the carriage.
Elaina turned to apologize for her sister to the two offended girls, only to find them with blank looks upon their faces. They both shrugged their shoulders and started off after their new idol.
Elaina was not particularly fond of shopping, which was why it came as such a surprise when she announced those very intentions shortly after the dinner Mr. Jones had bought for the young people. Quickly rising from her seat and kissing her father on the cheek, she pulled her sister and the Miss. Bennets from their seats and out of the inn.
"Explain yourself," demanded Rene.
"I saw Mr. Wickham on the street when I looked out the window. He's still in Lambton."
Suitably, there was a collective gasp.
"So then he hasn't ran, tail between his legs, back to whatever rock he climbed out from under… It's obvious isn't it," said Rene.
"What?" asked the Bennets as Elaina said, "Yes."
"Excuse me," pleaded Kitty, "but I do not see at all what is so obvious."
"Only that it is up to us to exact revenge on that dastardly knave," asserted Rene.
"My thoughts exactly sister. But how to go about it…" she slipped into deep thought Rene seemed to be pondering some invisible string on her skirt.
"Is everyone from America like that?" Kitty asked Lydia under her breath.
"Like what?" asked Rene indignantly.
Elaina laughed. "If you mean headstrong, fierce, and willing to fight for what they see as right and just, then no. Simply a large majority of us."
"I was thinking more along the lines of foolhardy, presumptuous, and interfering," said Lydia, who did not like Elaina near as much as she liked Rene.
"That doesn't matter right now!" said Rene. "Right now, we need to find Wickham. You two know him best, where would he be?"
Lydia tried to concentrate, but was often distracted by the image of a handsome countenance and a red uniform that fit quite nicely on a well cut form. She tried to shake the image from her mind's eye but it remained, minus the conspicuous red coat. "There he is!" she exclaimed. "Across the street!"
Four heads turned sharply in the direction she pointed to see Wickham walking from a tavern across the way from the inn. The collar of his coat was turned up, shielding his face somewhat from prying eyes.
"Keep your eyes on him girls, don't loose sight, but do not let him see you either." Elaine took charge of the situation, leading the girls to walk casually and at some distance behind him. "Now, how to exact our revenge for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth… any ideas Jo?"
"Well, assuming your well of plots does not run dry, then I suppose I might be able to come up with something suitable."
The girls walked in silence for quite some time before Elaina finally spoke.
"Did you see the way he looked at you the other day Jo?"
"How could I have missed it? It would have been lewd if it had not been so charming."
Elaina snorted. "Would you mind playing the part of bait?"
Rene smiled. "Of course not dear sister, of course not."
Lydia and Kitty had no idea what to do, but to share equally dumbfounded and confused looks.